Page 14 of The Vampire Kingpin (The Vampire Syndicate #7)

Spider

T hree nights later, I dropped out of the shadows near Grimclaw’s lair and stared down at a thin, neatly made mattress crammed into a rough, six-by-ten-feet burrow. Five plastic crates stacked in a pyramid formed a makeshift headboard.

This was where Lark had been sleeping? I’d seen larger jail cells.

She wasn’t even in Grimclaw’s main lair.

She was in this side spur, almost completely unprotected.

Yeah, the entrance to her “bedroom”—or whatever you’d call it—was through a small opening behind a rock-filled garbage can, but if I’d been able to track her to the burrow, then other supernaturals could.

I eyed the crates, which along with serving as her headboard, were also filled with clothes. When I’d decided to surprise Lark by retrieving her things, I hadn’t thought it would be so fucking easy—or that she’d own so little.

Anger surged through me. How could Grimclaw be so reckless with her? I clenched my fists, wanting to smash something, preferably the ass’s face.

My jaw hardened. One way or another, Lark’s cousin was going down.

I crouched down and unzipped the duffel bag I’d brought. A couple of rats popped out of one of the crates, watching, bright-eyed, as I stuffed Lark’s clothes into it.

A half-dozen tees. White sneakers and a pair of red patent-leather ankle boots.

Leggings and a couple pairs of pants. The top crate held two rolled-up dresses—a green stretchy-thing and something in a shimmery gold material.

I laid her black leather jacket on top and added the nylon backpack I found next to the crates stuffed with her underwear and socks.

Before leaving, I did a quick sweep of the tiny space in case I’d missed something valuable—money, jewelry, a weapon. I even checked under the mattress.

I found zip. Lark’s entire life fit into a single duffel bag.

My brows drew together. Something didn’t add up.

The woman was a kickass thief. I should know.

Not to mention her side gig as a pool shark.

So why was she living like a goddamn Cinderella? Was Grimclaw forcing her to give every penny she made—and if so, why had she allowed it? Was his protection that important to her?

I zipped up the duffel bag and slung it over my shoulder before ducking out of the narrow exit. The last thing I did was pick up the rock-filled trash can and heave it at the lair’s entrance. It smashed into the thick wood door with a satisfying thud, the rocks tumbling out.

For good measure, I bared my fangs at the camera trained on the tunnel, daring him to come out and say something.

But either Grimclaw wasn’t home or he didn’t have the balls to confront me.

He’d know I’d declared war on him, though.

I left the rocks where they’d fallen, blocking the entrance, and headed back to the Cavern at a jog.

What was Lark’s deal, anyway? You’d think she’d jump at the chance to join my lair. Instead, all she’d given me was a measly extra month.

It’s not like she had it so good in her cousin’s lair. Did she really prefer those assholes to me?

But as I covered the miles between my lair and Grimclaw’s, I had to face the truth: Lark’s reluctance was on me. I’d thought I was so smart, blackmailing her into becoming my thrall.

I’d get to fuck her, and when the month was over, I’d pay her off and send her on her way. No mess, no drama, right?

Wrong.

I would never be okay with Lark leaving, and now she was rightfully wary of me. Like you would be with a man who’d informed you that he owned you.

As for me, I was fascinated by her, hoarding details about her like a dragon and his gold. Her favorite cookie. The way she liked things neat and orderly. The long, hot showers she took each night to help her “wake up.”

Those ridiculous jokes she made.

Her laugh. The way it bubbled out of her, low and happy…

Hell, my entire lair had fallen under her spell. They didn’t even mind her hustling them in pool because she’d started dropping some tips in return.

Even DeeDee, the toughest nut to crack, had warmed up to her.

The twenty-something human was hella protective of me.

Not because we had a thing (other than the occasional feed-and-fuck), but because she’d been living on the streets when Velma had found her and offered her a place in the Cavern.

DeeDee still didn’t trust I wouldn’t change my mind and boot her out.

I turned a corner, and as if I’d conjured her with my thoughts, there was DeeDee. “Spider!” She startled, hunching her bony shoulders like she expected me to hit her. “I-I was just out for a walk.”

She darted a frightened look from beneath her straight black bangs. I frowned. Her skittishness around me was annoying, but she was Velma’s project, not mine.

“Yeah? Well, next time take a friend, alright? The other lairs know you belong to the Cavern, but the Underworld’s a big place. There are vampires down here—lone wolves—that no one ever sees.” And those vampires were hungry, but DeeDee ought to know that by now.

She blinked rapidly. “Sorry, sir. I won’t do it again. I was on my way back, anyway.”

“Walk with me,” I invited.

She gulped, but fell in with me. I slowed my pace to accommodate her. A human couldn’t navigate the uneven terrain of cracked concrete and bent tracks at my speed.

“So how are things?” I asked.

A wary look. “What d’you mean?”

“You’ve been with us what—six months, now? You’re settling in?”

“Yeah, absolutely. Everyone’s been good to me. And everything’s going great. Just great.”

“Okay.” I slanted her a look, wondering why her enthusiasm seemed forced. “You’d tell me if there was a problem, right? Or Velma.”

“I would, yeah.” She nodded several times.

We reached the lair door. I entered the combination and waved a hand for her to enter before me.

DeeDee hesitated, biting her lip.

“What?” I asked.

“I just wanna say thanks—for everything. I feel like I should be paying you something. I’ve got some money saved from my bartending gig and?—”

“Keep it,” I interrupted. “And you do contribute. You cook and clean, and we can always use an extra human to feed from. So as far as I’m concerned, we’re good.”

“Right. Sure.” Ducking her head, she hurried into the Cavern, veering off toward the passage that led to her bedroom.

I watched her go, my brows knitted together, then shrugged. I wasn’t a goddamn counselor.

I caught sight of Lark, laughing on the couch with Zayne, and forgot all about DeeDee.

I strode toward her, pulled by an invisible magnet, barely noticing the people between us until Bliss stopped me with a question.

I bit back a sigh and heard her out because, with both of her parents gone, the blue-haired teenager had glommed on to me as a father figure.

But after I dealt with her, I went straight to Lark.