Page 31 of The Serpent’s Bride (Bloodlines #1)

SIXTEEN

When Raziel went to wake his new wife around two in the afternoon the next day, she let out a whine and shoved her head under the pillow.

It was so adorable, he had to chuckle. The creature he had found himself wed to was a fascinating contradiction in terms. Capable of such violence, yet strangely innocent at times.

And there was nothing in this world he enjoyed more than a good puzzle.

Picking up the pillow, he laughed as she whined again.

“Come, now. Get dressed, little murderer. The family is having a meeting, and Mother has insisted that you attend.”

She groaned. “Why? She hates me.”

A good question. One he had asked his mother himself. “Because word has already spread through the boys how you walked yourself out of that abattoir. I believe she wants to hear the story for herself. And she feels you might want to hear what is about to happen.”

His wife lifted her head and looked up at him, bleary-eyed.

It was clear she wasn’t entertained by the idea and had likely been looking forward to sleeping for another ten hours.

But with a heavy sigh, she rubbed her hands over her face, grunted, and rolled over onto her side to climb out of bed without another complaint.

Standing from the edge of the bed, he went to the bathroom to finish brushing out his hair. He was already dressed. “Clothes are in the wardrobe for you, there.” He gestured at the piece of furniture in question. He had it stocked with clothing for her the day prior.

It was only a few minutes before she was dressed and ready, and though she was still clearly exhausted, her expression was set into one of quiet determination. Her stomach growled loud enough that he heard it from across the room.

He smirked. “Yes, there will be food.”

“Don’t look at me like that, I wasn’t the one who asked.” She smirked back at him. “But thank the moons. I don’t think I managed to actually eat anything yesterday.”

“I was warned that one generally doesn’t at one’s wedding.” He opened his door to the hallway, letting her step out first before following her out. “I admit I did not quite believe them.” He led her through the corridor and down the stairs. He could hear his family already gathered in his parlor.

He, too, was starving. But as he would likely be doing most of the talking, he knew he would have to wait to fill his stomach.

And sadly, what he truly wished to fill it with—his little murderer’s blood—was still off the menu for a couple of days.

Or at least, that was what Dr. Williams had insisted upon.

Whether or not he could actually wait that long remained to be seen.

Raziel noticed that his new wife hung back as they approached the dining room, likely not wanting to stride in first. He didn’t say as he blamed her. His family was a bit much , even for him.

Perhaps especially for him.

Bracing himself for what was about to follow, he squared his shoulders, and walked in.

Lords, Nadi was cranky. She ached like she’d been in a train accident.

She was starving. Her concussion had faded to a dull headache.

And the stitches in her side were starting to itch as they began to heal.

Luckily, fae healed quickly. Unfortunately, that meant she’d have to keep going into the bathroom to reopen the wound to hide the fact that she wasn’t human.

She wasn’t sure if the creepy doctor would check her wound for infections, but she was certain Raziel would notice if it healed too fast.

Explaining away the quickly healing bruises was one thing. That, she could just shrug away and blame on luck and genetics. But a bullet wound being gone in days instead of weeks? And leaving no scar? That would raise instant suspicion.

And another thing that was making her cranky in no small part was the fact that she was having to walk into the lion’s den first thing upon waking up.

At least Raziel went in first. She used him as a shield as he led the way into his parlor.

There was food on a table set up along one wall—sandwiches, finger foods, things like that.

Ignoring the stares from the gathered vampires, she went straight for the table. Everyone was in attendance.

Mael was standing by one wall, arms folded across his massive chest, his handsome features fixed into a scowl.

Lana was sitting in a chair, prim and perfect as ever, with Azazel perched on the arm next to her.

Volencia was sitting in a different chair, smoking a cigarette set into the end of a long, delicate brass holder.

Several others who Nadi recognized were scattered around, drinking from brown glass bottles or sipping hard alcohol. Some she kind of thought she had seen the night before.

“Well, now you can ask Red Lace herself.”

Red Lace? Nadi blinked and turned her head to look over at Mael, who had been the one who had spoken. “Excuse me?”

The giant vampire’s smile was both amused and beleaguered. “Rumors travel fast. And you were quite the sight walking out of that cesspit last night.”

“Huh.” She’d never had a nickname before. Or was that a title? She shrugged and went back to stacking up her plate. “Hardly impressive. Most of the blood was probably mine.”

Someone snickered. It might have been Azazel. She didn’t particularly care.

“Do you care to explain precisely what happened? Start from the very beginning, if you would. And walk us through, very specifically, how an idiot child like you managed to get away from three armed men?” Volencia sounded less than impressed.

What Nadi would have cared to do in that moment was eat some food, then break the neck off one of the bottles of beer and grind it into Volencia’s smug-ass face.

However.

That would probably get her into a bit of trouble at the moment.

Instead, she plucked a bottle of beer from the ice and sat down on the sofa, taking her sweet time in silence.

Raziel had his back to his mother where he stood at his bar, pouring himself a large glass of bloodwine.

Volencia might not be able to see, but Nadi didn’t miss the amused expression on his face.

He enjoyed the slight amount of shit she was giving his mother.

Perhaps the bond there wasn’t as tight as she had thought.

That was something she could use.

“Well,” Nadi finally began after the very long pause. “If you’re insinuating I spread my legs to get out of there, I’m sorry to disappoint you. I’m not surprised that was the solution that sprang to mind for you, but there are other ways of solving problems.”

This time, Azazel cackled in laughter.

Volencia’s expression darkened in rage. “Mind yourself…”

Nadi met the older vampire woman’s angry gaze.

“I’ve had an absolutely shit twenty-four hours.

I’ve been nearly blown up, kidnapped, shoved in a trunk, dragged through an abandoned slaughterhouse, threatened, and shot.

I’m starving, healing from a concussion, and I’m exhausted.

I killed three men yesterday. I’m sorry if I’m not handling your attitude very well. ”

Volencia leaned back in her chair and stared at her as if trying to murder her with her gaze alone. Fortunately, that wasn’t a power that vampires had. At least, not that Nadi was aware of.

Nadi sipped her beer and felt instant relief as the cold liquid touched her tongue.

Raziel sat down next to her. “I believe what my mother so very tactlessly attempted to ask you was what happened after the Iltanis took you hostage.”

Nodding, she took a breath, held it, and let it out in a rush. “They brought me down to a room where I met an…older fae man. Long green hair and pale green skin. Lots of beads.”

“Luciento,” Mael grunted, then swore under his breath.

“He told me it wasn’t personal, that I was just bait in a trap.” Nadi shook her head. “I managed to figure out, once everyone left except for the three human men left behind to guard me, that the building was rigged with explosives. The three men talked too much and thought I was harmless.”

Volencia scoffed. Nadi opted to ignore it.

Lana was watching her with large, worried doe eyes, but was listening in silence.

“I asked one of the men if I could relieve myself.” Picking up some kind of sliced vegetable from a platter, Nadi dipped it into a sauce they had placed near it.

She didn’t really care what it was. It was food.

“They were polite enough to oblige. I asked the man who took me to a private spot to turn around. When he did, I stole his gun and shot him.”

“Clever.” Lana smiled. “Nobody wants to listen to a woman whine about a full bladder.”

“Hear hear,” Azazel muttered into the neck of his beer bottle.

“The other two men heard the gunshot and I tried to run, but they caught me.” This was when her lying skills had to come in handy.

Sometimes, there were upsides to living one’s entire life as a fabrication.

“They still wanted me alive, even though their friend was dead. That’s the only reason I’m still here.

Otherwise, they would’ve shot me dead in a split second. ”

Volencia was staring at her, studying her for any crack in her facade, any possible flaw in her story. Any piece that didn’t line up.

But there wasn’t one.

“I shot the other two.” Nadi sighed, and shrugged before sticking another piece of food in her mouth.

She chewed and swallowed before finishing her thought.

“It was me or them. In the fight, I fell over and knocked my head on the tile, which is how I got the concussion.” The story was so close to the truth it might as well have been real.

The only difference was that she had left John alive.

Raziel reached out and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. She almost jolted at the sudden touch, she was so unaccustomed to it.

“I suppose resourcefulness is a necessary trait when one grows up in the outpost cities.” He combed his fingers through the strands of her hair before settling his hand on her shoulder. “It might come in handy in this family, depending on my final choice.”