Hupotasso (Vampire Bachelor Games #2)

28

28

I offer him a drink, which he declines, and frown as I consider what he’s told me.

He’s just returned from his meeting with Angie.

“Yes,” I nod, “she said the same thing to me on the plane.”

“You must see this changes everything?”

“How so?”

“She has nothing to gain and everything to lose from telling you that she, too, can see she was deliberately put into The Games. She told me that watching it for the first time it all fell into place for her, just as it had for you when you watched it. Someone put her in there and manipulated you both for the outcome they desired — your marriage.”

“I already fucking knew that!” I snarl. “Spider put her in there.”

He shakes his head.

“She’s still adamant she doesn’t know him. And consider this, if she was under his control and not permitted to acknowledge his bite or her association with him, how is it that she can come to her own conclusion she was placed in The Games and share that with us.”

“Jag,” I sigh. “You always see the best in people and situations, but isn’t it obvious? She killed Caroline, and she wants to take the heat off her thwarted plans and divert attention by admitting one thing she’s guilty of while hiding her true goal. She obviously used Caroline’s phone to call him and ask for further instructions. Spider is still manipulating us. You, I should add, not me. I see right through her — and him.”

He sighs.

“And,” I go on. “Putting aside my family feud. What she’s revealed indicates The Free Men are no friends of hers. She wasn’t placed there by them, something you already knew, as did I after Isabel and the camera man tried to kill her. And if she’s telling you the truth now and they left her holding the bag for killing Caroline, they’re definitely not the group that put her in The Games. The only logical conclusion is that she’s Spider’s. Admitting she was put in The Games hasn’t changed that fact. She’s told us nothing we didn’t already know.”

Jag nods slowly, his brow furrowed. I know that look, he’s still not on board with my deduction or my resolution for moving forward.

“Jag,” I start, “I know you like her…”

“I know you do too,” he murmurs. “Even if you won’t admit it. I’m leaving now, I have a new trail to follow and Wolf’s accident report about Caroline to spread. I’ll have my man tone it down, write it up and forward it to you so you can get your facts straight before we go public. You know how he leans towards the dramatic.”

I call out as he walks to the door.

“Jag, why is it so important to you to prove Angie innocent? She just killed one of us. Hasn’t that opened your eyes?”

He turns back, a wry smile on his face.

“Caroline deserved to be staked years ago. Fuck, I would have done it myself if I could have got away with it. I couldn’t stand being within ten feet of her, so I feel only pity for Angie having to spend day in and day out with her for months. But when all is said and done, I believe Angie. I don’t think she’s Spider’s minion. I believe she didn’t mean to kill her keeper. And I believe that had you not been so fixated on Spider, Angie would never have been put into a position where she turned to The Free Men for help.”

“So it’s all my fault now?”

“I never said that. But you have to take some responsibility. Mistakes have been made and are still being made. It’s not black and white, even though you might like to believe it is.”

“And you’d risk our friendship, sever our ties, to prove this? Why? It makes no sense.”

“Why is it so important to me? Because, despite your new Machiavellian twist and loyalty to that poison blonde bitch carrying the spawn of your enemy, I don’t want to sever our ties. You’re my best friend. I’ve always wanted to see you content and out of the shadow of your father. And I think Angie can make you happy. Truth be told, I think you love her.”

I choke on my whisky and hold up my hand for him to stop.

But he’s said his piece, and he turns on his heel and leaves.

Long after he’s left I think over why his last point might be important to him. Apart from wanting to see me happy, why is it so important for him to believe me capable of loving a human woman?

An uncomfortable thought begins to formulate.

For centuries he’d been shamed and embarrassed over his love of the human girl Coquette. By proving Angie innocent and potentially witnessing a reconciliation, he wants to prove that vampires can love humans.

I snort as I pour myself another shot, downing it in one gulp before striding from the room, shaking my head.

He’s wasting his time.