Page 255 of Cruelly Bitten

I know,she replied instantly.I won’t let you.

I released her hand to palm her lower back, the move drawing her closer to me.

My brother eyed the movement with interest.

“I assume we’re all here to receive a tutorial on this defense system,” I said, drawing Cane’s focus back to the topic at hand.

“No, just you,” he murmured. “The others are simply enjoying the playroom. Only you and I will review the city’s security, as it’s ours, not theirs.”

“I see.” My thumb traced a circle against Ismerelda’s spine as I took in the room once more, noting all the pleased royals and alphas. “Is the alarm an indicator that it’s unsafe above ground?”

I was trying to determine the reason he’d invited them all to hisplayroom. If it wasn’t for a schematics demonstration, then he had another motive. Perhaps one that involved me and myErosita.Or just me.

A show of force, as it were. A way of saying,These are my allies, so you had better behave.

“The alarm only sounded in your suite; everyone else was already underground. They prefer to be secure while they play, primarily because they don’t want to be interrupted. But I invited them here to see you.”

My eyebrows lifted. “They don’t appear to be all that interested in my arrival.”

He shrugged. “They’re otherwise engaged, but as they finish, I expect them to say hello. They’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.”

“Opportunity?” I repeated.

“To observe the results of my experiment.” When I just stared at him, he added, “In curing you, I mean.”

Ismerelda made a noise via our mental bond, one that sounded a lot like a derisive snort. Yet she remained outwardly submissive, her eyes downcast in a way she knew Cane would appreciate.

Unfortunately,Ididn’t appreciate it.

Fuck, I didn’t appreciate any of this.

But we had our roles to maintain.

Roles we couldn’t ignore. Especially now.Lycans and royal vampires are coming. Cane has a source. Who?

The communication unit is still silent,Ismerelda replied.Either I didn’t put it in right, or they’ve cut off our transmission.

I suspected it was off because Damien and the others had figured out that I’d lost the microphone.

Or Cane was running interference somehow.

Perhaps his security demonstration would explain it.

My brother cleared his throat. “I can ask them to leave,” he offered, obviously interpreting my silence as irritation. Only, my irritation wasn’t directed at our audience so much as this situation.

“As long as they don’t interfere with our business, they can stay and play,” I told him. “But I want a thorough tour of your defense system.”

“Of course,” he agreed. “I’ll provide one shortly. We just need the pieces in place first.”

I frowned, not sure what he meant by that.

“In the interim, can I interest you in tasting one of my immortal toys?” he gestured to the array of flesh on display throughout the room.

“I have what I need at the moment, but perhaps I’ll take you up on that after the security demonstration,” I replied, eliciting another mental snort from Ismerelda. “Maybe you can tell me more about this source of yours while we wait for yourpiecesto fall into place.”

“All in due time, I promise,” he murmured, grinning. “Go find a seat first. Relax a bit. It’s going to be at least twenty minutes before we can begin, so feel free to drink your blood champagne, have a snack, observe. Whatever you desire, brother. All of this is yours.”

He took a sip of his own champagne then and wandered out of the room, leaving me and Ismerelda in the middle of a sexually charged feeding frenzy.