Page 56 of Wedlock (Vampire Bachelor Games #3)

The ruckus at the end of the hall makes me think Wolf might not have been as successful at smuggling in his phone last night as he thought, and has now come up against some angry guards.

But I’m soon disabused of this as he and Jag come into view, the latter looking wary, Wolf grinning from ear to ear.

“Now what?” I shake my head at the pair, relieved it wasn’t an issue with the phone as I surreptitiously pass it back to him through the bars.

“He’s caught Asumpta,” Wolf smirks.

“And she’s confessed to everything,” Jag sighs, “to me, anyhow. Whether she’ll do the same in front of the Queen and Court is another matter.”

Even though I hate him to hell, I can’t help but notice how pale and harried he looks as he delivers this information.

“Am I to understand you tracked her…?”

“And tortured,” he nods, “it had to be done…” he shakes his head as though trying to wipe out the images, and Wolf places a steadying hand on his friend’s shoulder.

Although Jag is an excellent torturer and an even better tracker, I know it would have been difficult for him to go after a target he knew.

Especially one he’d spent centuries with in the kitchens.

“It can’t have been easy with someone you consider a friend,” I reluctantly acknowledge.

“She’s no friend of mine, or yours,” he says gruffly, squaring his shoulders, “she was a threat and she’s been neutralised, nothing more. Her testimony should place Spider squarely in the Queen’s sights and get you off the hook.”

“Interesting terminology,” I mutter, “but how will she be able to show I didn’t kill Sophie?”

“Asumpta was aligned with Spider. He’d promised he’d help get her recognised as a royal once Viper was in your seat. Her ultimate plan was to assume a title and marry me.”

“Ah,” I shake my head.

‘This was definitely not easy on him. But, is there a woman who hasn’t set her cap on him at one time or another? My wife included.’

I scowl at him as he goes on.

“Asumpta was privy to all Spider’s plans.

They’ve been aligned since they were young adults.

The plans included, of course, Viper’s fake kidnapping and putting Angie in a thrall.

Asumpta claims she began to mistrust and move away from them both after the attempt to kill Eleanor.

She said she had no knowledge of that, or that Viper planned to have Angie seduce me.

It was the latter that sealed his fate.”

“And Mother, ever the master-manipulator, knew of Asumpta’s feelings for you,” I nod, the whole dirty plan coming together as he talked.

“Perhaps. Or perhaps Eleanor simply wanted to spare my life and save you from making a grave mistake. Either way, your mother told her you’d be duty-bound to kill me if I destroyed Viper.

Asumpta didn’t want that to happen, so she killed him before I could.

The only ones who knew of this were your mother and her, until Angie worked it out. ”

“How did you find this out?” I raise an eyebrow.

‘And you better not say from my wife!’

“Eleanor and I have been in contact for some time,” he says quietly.

“Of course you have,” I snap, waving my hand for him to get to the pertinent issue. I can’t help but feel strangely relieved. Yes, the women around me were still keeping secrets and fucking me up the ass, but I’d rather it be Mother than Angie.

“But it wasn’t information she shared with me,” Jag goes on.

“Your Mother is the penultimate master of mysteries, as you know. I worked it out for myself. I found Viper an hour or two after he’d been killed.

I suspected from the tracks and the blade mark who’d done it.

Would that I’d gone closer to the castle, I might have witnessed something to have cleared your name myself, but I didn’t.

I left immediately. Fortunately for you, though, someone else bore witness.

Asumpta saw Spider put Sophie on the gouch hook. ”

“And the baby? Did she see who took it?”

“I’m afraid it was dead, Falcon. She saw Spider dash its brains out against the castle wall.”

“You’re sure?”

“She has no reason to lie about this.”

I close my eyes for a second and turn away from them. As Wolf and Jag said, the child was a bastard. But it still pains me to learn its fate.

“Who took it then?” I scowl, turning back. “And why?”

“Free Men,” Jag says quietly. “Asumpta claims they turned up and attacked Spider. They were the ones who took out all the guards, but they were unsuccessful in destroying him — he was wounded, but got away.

“Hang on,” I hold my hand up to stall him, “the Free Men took a dead baby?”

“I’ll admit, it doesn’t make any sense to me either,” he shakes his head, “but I left no stone unturned in my questioning. It seems the logical conclusion.”

“Logic,” I mutter, “never played a part in any of this.”