Hupotasso (Vampire Bachelor Games #2)

2

2

“Yes?”

I grip the phone tightly and listen reluctantly as Jag outlines his discussion with my wife.

It’s too little, too late.

She’s dead to me. At least she soon will be. The pain of her betrayal might take a while to smother. But I will.

When I’d learned she was the spy I’d felt as though I’d been punched in the guts. Every vile, cruel torture imaginable had crossed my mind, smothered by a crushing despondency the like of which I don’t recall ever feeling.

I’d left Tom’s corpse and returned immediately to the castle to drink myself into oblivion until the evening of the wedding.

A wedding I had no possible way of getting out of.

If it hadn’t been for Wolf hauling me up, forcing me into the shower and helping me dress, I probably would have run the risk of keeping The Families and public waiting, which would have undone all the work I’d put in to maintain the facade of being invested in The Games, of looking for a wife. While Wolf ensured I appeared on time, Jag was tasked with getting the bitch there on time too.

Standing at the altar next to her I’d been torn between fucking her there and then, and wringing her neck.Drawn and repelled at the same time I’d spat out my disgust, expecting triumph in her eyes. But instead her expression had radiated hurt and confusion — the consummate actress, even then. I’d wanted to crush her to me then and squeeze out the truth, to hurt her as she’d hurt me.

But that was just what Spider would want. And I could ill afford another public display of bloodshed. No, I need to play the game. I’ll have to knock her up before I can knock her off. The Families would become too suspicious otherwise.

“Jag,” I sigh now, putting the phone on speaker so Wolf can also listen as our friend pleads my wife’s case. “You’ve fallen under her spell. It’s easy enough to do, but…”

“No, Falcon, listen…”

“No, you listen. She’s a plant. Tom confirmed it right before I killed him — he had no reason to lie and every reason to tell the truth. I’ve told you what I want done with her. If you’re finding it too onerous I’ll find someone else to follow my orders.”

“Falcon, you know you can count on me. I’ll escort her to your castle; she’s on the plane already. I’m just saying that she maintains her innocence, and I can’t see any mark on her arm.”

“It’s concealed by the scar,” I sigh. “Of course we can’t see the bite.”

Wolf nods his assent from where he sits, drinking scotch and watching me. I’d filled him in on everything that I’d suspected and discovered. Although he generally sides with Jag on most things, today he’s completely with me. Like Jag, we’ve been friends for a very long time and there are no secrets between us three. I suspect he’s stayed with me after the ceremony and insisted on escorting me home because he wants to make sure I don’t do anything unhinged.

He’s going to have his work cut out.

“Nevertheless,” Jag goes on. “I’d like to look further into this.”

“I was going to ask you to do just that when you return to the castle,” I murmur, “among other things.”

“Other things?”

“It’s time we put an end to Spider’s machinations once and for all.”

“You intend to reveal his involvement in placing a spy in The Games and potentially working with The Free Men?”

“Not at all. I’m going to kill the cunt.”

Wolf spits out his drink.