Page 79 of Kingly Bitten

His words gave me pause.Spies. “Is that why you were cold to your driver? Is he a spy?”

Jace blinked, his surprise evident in his features. “You were thinking about Puck?”

“Is that the driver?”

“Yes.”

“Oh. You didn’t greet him like the others.” It was a flat observation, but his expression registered intrigue.

“A fascinating thing for you to notice. Tell me more.”

“About Puck?”

“About everything.”

My brow furrowed. “There’s not much to tell. It was all just a chorus ofYes, My Prince, andOf course, Your Highness.” I attempted to sound meek with each phrase, something he seemed utterly delighted by. “Does anyone ever say no?”

“You do.”

“Well, yes. I’m not an indoctrinated slave.”

“Yet you worked for Lilith.”

“As a lead researcher,” I pointed out. “And she proved long ago that nothing she could do to me would kill me, which dampened my fear significantly. After all, pain is only temporary.”

“Fuck you,” he replied.

My earlier frown deepened. “Excuse me?”

“It’s my decision. I want to fuck you, not kill you. But we are about to have company, so it’ll have to wait.” He released my throat and reached up to fondle a piece of hair that had escaped my messy bun. “And yes, Puck is a spy of sorts. That’s why I act the way I do around him.”

That seemed… odd. “Why do you keep him around?”

“Because he’s a useful gossip who likes to spread news of my personal business. Therefore, I ensure he hears exactly what I want him to hear. He spreads the news, and I allow him to live as a reward. For now, anyway. I’ll absolutely delight in killing him eventually.”

“I see.” Jace’s strategy was rather respectable. I would do the same thing in his shoes. “Is he a vampire?” I asked, curious.

“Of course. Humans can’t drive.”

“Oh.”

He smiled. “Another control tactic meant to weaken your kind.”

“Yet you give them guns,” I remarked, thinking of the Vigils.

“To use on each other, yes,” he replied. “They’re too busy fighting for immortality to consider fighting us. And even if they tried, the bullets are lead. They’ll sting a little, but only until we retaliate by ripping out the shooter’s throat.”

I considered that and nodded. It was a fair assessment.

A pair of subtle dimples appeared in his cheeks as his smile widened. “Your mind fascinates me.”

“Why?”

“It reminds me of mine,” he replied as the elevator dinged again. “Remain as you are, Calina. No rules required.”

“Of course, My Prince,” I parroted on instinct.

He laughed out loud, his enjoyment almost rivaling mine.