Page 32 of The Serpent’s Bride (Bloodlines #1)

“Hopefully, people don’t lob grenades at you too often.” She smiled at him half-heartedly.

“Only now and then.” His expression split into a grin.

That got a small laugh out of her. She shook her head as she went back to eating.

Mael took over the conversation at that point, thankfully. “The problem remains, that this likely means war. If we can’t convince them to leave the metropolis, the fae scum need to be exterminated once and for all. They clearly cannot be trusted.”

Raziel’s expression darkened. “I will not pass up this opportunity to tell you that I warned you, brother.”

“I know. I know.” Mael sighed. “But I thought even the fae had more honor than this. Clearly, I was wrong.”

It took everything in Nadi—every ounce of self-control—not to visibly react.

She focused on the food on her plate and the cold beer in her hand.

She had spent her life in the upper world of the metropolis listening to humans and vampires insult her people and spit on the fae.

But to hear her worst enemies talk like that made her fantasize about the room covered in their dead corpses, blood splattered all over the walls.

Keeping her head down, she focused on eating her food. Her hunger had been turning to nausea, and now that she was placating the beast, it seemed to be settling down.

“Attacking them will only send them scurrying underground.” Lana shifted in her chair to lean against Azazel’s side. “Do you think they’ve already gone into hiding?”

“No.” Mael cracked his neck. “They won’t give up the caves. Not even when they know we’re coming for them. They’ve worked too hard for what they’ve got there. But with the mayoral election coming up, I really don’t have time to be covering up a mass slaughter in the warehouses.”

Raziel tapped his fingernails on the edge of his wine glass in slow succession. “I’ll do it. I’ll offer them an opportunity to leave peacefully with only a few lives lost. If they say no…”

“Then do what you do best, brother.” Mael smirked.

Raziel huffed a half-hearted laugh. “As always.” He paused. “I’m going alone, and I’ll need a few cases of Deniel’s weapons.”

She watched him curiously, seeing the wheels spinning in his head.

Whatever he was scheming, she had no idea.

The cave mouths that the Iltanis controlled were attached to the network of tunnels that ran deep into the underground, both of the metropolis and the Wild.

It made it a veritable maze, and fae like Luciento knew it like the backs of their hands.

It made the odds of cornering them slim at best.

“You’re talking about trying to catch a roach with a toothpick from across the room.” Lana huffed, giving voice to something that Nadi had wondered about, albeit in a much more aggressive and insulting way.

“Exactly. All I will need is precision, which is why I’m going alone.” Raziel shook his head. “Luciento and his entire gang of fae-loving humans will be exterminated by my hand alone.”

“Absolutely not.” Volencia sat forward, slapping her hand on the arm of the chair. “Are you a fool ?”

Raziel rolled his eyes. “Charging in with twenty men will be precisely what they expect and are prepared for. There will be a gun battle, likely more explosives, and a body count. If you want to avoid newspaper attention, this must be done quietly. Carefully. And surgically. By the time I’m in, I’ll have them under my control.

I’ll attempt to make a deal with them in good faith.

If they refuse to leave? They will all die. ”

Nadi hated to admit it…but it was a good plan.

Mael seemed to agree, judging by his heavy, weary sigh. He wiped a hand down over his face before throwing both his hands up into the air in surrender. “Fine. The Iltanis came for you. We’ll do this your way.”

Fuck. Shit, shit, shit. Her worst enemy was going to charge in to kill her uncle and her old clan. Either Raziel was going to die or Luciento would. Raziel was her kill, not Luciento’s. And she still felt loyalty toward her uncle, despite recent events.

Fuck. Fuck! Nadi realized she didn’t have a choice. Taking a swig from her beer, she let out a sigh. “I’m going with you.”

The laugh that left Raziel was born of pure humor as if it were the funniest thing she’d ever said. “While I’m impressed with your performance during the abduction, absolutely not .”

“What’s to stop them from putting holes in your head the moment you roll up to the gate?

No, you need something you’re willing to let them hold hostage while you talk ‘in good faith.’” She glared up at him, daring to meet him at his level in front of his family.

“And I’ve proven I can handle myself, haven’t I? ”

“Take her with you,” Mael interjected. “She’s earned the right to a little vengeance.”

Raziel bared his fangs, snarling at his older brother, and swore under his breath. “If she dies?—”

Nadi cut him off. “Then you don’t have to worry about an inconvenient honeymoon. You’d no longer have to decide whether to kill me or turn me. Your problems are solved. You don’t care if I live or die. So, why not bring me if I want to go?”

The look Raziel gave her made her want to wither into the floor.

By the lords below, she had pissed him off .

But a moment later, his expression smoothed, and he reached a hand up to gently cup her chin, leaning in to whisper in her ear.

“You want to see what happens when you join this family? You want to play at my heels, and see what kind of a monster I really am? So be it…”

He straightened up, leaving her sitting there, stunned and fighting the urge to shiver. “Very well. She comes with me. And I leave tonight before the cowards can run aground. That concludes our business. So, kindly get the fuck out of my home.”

And just like that, everyone was dismissed. Nadi watched as everyone filed out of the room, muttering to each other. Raziel’s mood had gone from bleak to as dark as the void. She stood, getting ready to go back to bed.

He crossed the room to her before she could slip away, however, grasping her wrist. “You are playing a dangerous game.”

“It seems to me that’s the only kind you play in this family.” She wouldn’t shy away from him. And she would not cower. “I can handle it.”

He yanked her to him without warning, sending her staggering into his chest. Wrapping an arm around her lower back, he pinned her there. Before she could react, he captured her lips in a slow but searing kiss that left her breathless.

Her stomach instantly twisted into knots.

When he parted from her, he looked entirely too pleased with himself. “We shall see. Now. Go back to bed. I have important business to attend.”

With that, like the rest of his family, he walked out of the room without another word, leaving her standing there confused and unsure of what to do. Every time she felt like she knew which way was up with that man, he went and flipped the compass.

Damn him to the fucking void .

She was really looking forward to stabbing him.