Page 88 of Kingly Bitten

I sighed. “Yes. And the discoveries in Bunker 27 won’t help matters.” Once the lycans learned what Lilith had been doing to them, they’d rebel against the vampires who condoned her actions.

Next week was going to be a shit show of epic proportions unless we found a way to postpone the meeting.

Having Lilith’s phone helped, but it wasn’t like her to hide in one region for too long. We were already pushing our luck by having Ryder and Willow continue the Lilith mentoring charade.

We needed to find Cam. And we needed to find him now.

“Regardless, we’ll still need to lull Lajos into a state of comfort,” I said, repeating my earlier statement. “At least temporarily. Which means playing his game long enough for him to give us freedom to roam. Then we’ll find the bunker based on the information Damien obtained from the Vigils.”

“What about Jasmine?” Darius pressed.

“I’ll meet with her to determine her desires, and I’ll use the time to evaluate her character.”

Darius snorted. “I can give you a synopsis of her character, Jace. Sadistic cunt.”

My lips twitched in amusement. “That describes half the council.”

“More like three-fourths of it.”

“But you have to consider how many others are playing along like we are,” I argued. “I mean, a year ago, would you have ever thought Kylan could be on our side?”

Darius fell quiet for a long moment, then slowly shook his head. “And Ryder.”

“Precisely.” It was the hardest part of this political game—discerning the enemies from the potential allies. “Lajos is a lost cause.” Of that I had no doubt. “But Jasmine makes me curious.”

“So what are you suggesting?”

“We’re going to attend one of Lajos’s renowned clubs.”

Darius’s green eyes smoldered with irritation. “I knew you were going to say that.”

“Then why ask?”

“I was hoping to hear a different answer.”

“You know me better than that.”

His jaw ticked, his gaze going to Juliet. “He’s going to want to taste her.”

“Then I suggest you put on one hell of a show to distract that desire,” I replied. “That’s what Calina and I will be doing.”

His eyebrows lifted. “You intend to deny him?”

“Yes.” I didn’t elaborate, but I’d made the decision last night. Her rare blood posed too much of a risk. And given how useful she’d proven to be, I couldn’t risk losing her to a voracious vampire. “I intend to lose control in his provocative environment, thereby not leaving enough for him to enjoy.”

“I see.” Darius scratched his jaw and slowly canted his head. “I’ll follow suit.”

I glanced at Calina to find her staring at me. “Yes, little genius?”

“Will you expect me to remain silent during this act?” Her tone gave nothing away, the stoic quality almost admirable.

Except I could scent her intrigue.

Of course, she’d tell me it was just her natural reaction to the prospect of being devoured by a predator.

“I’ll let you know,” I told her, uncertain of what I wanted. I’d let the ambience set the mood.

She conceded with a dip of her chin and returned to the files on the computer. Another video began to play, this one from two years ago based on Lilith’s introduction.