Hupotasso (Vampire Bachelor Games #2)

74

74

I shake my head at her as she sits on her lounge, just as she had every day for as long as I can remember, and sips her tea as though nothing untoward in the world had happened.

“Mother, are you sure you’re feeling well? Would you like me to send for the doctor, just to be sure?”

“Good God,” she laughs, “I’ve had enough of doctors, darling. I assure you I’m perfectly well. In fact, a few months on a yacht sailing the seven seas has done me the world of good.”

I snort and walk to the window.

“I truly thought I’d lost you,” I murmur as I look out across the gardens and the fields beyond. “Forever.”

I hear her soft tread on the carpet as she comes to stand beside me.

“One day you will, physically, but I’m never really gone,” she says gently, “and you know, the doctor said I’m very strong for a human woman.”

She leans around and presses her hand to my heart and I put my own hand over hers to keep it there.

“You’re mentally the strongest woman I know,” I shake my head. “But physically, we both know your heart isn’t robust. Perhaps having been immortal for so many years does have some residual effects, though. How else could you have survived the Free Men switching your drugs?”

“I don’t think they ever meant to kill me,” she frowns, turning to walk back to her seat. “In fact I found them to be very nice people. I’m sorry you felt the need to murder them all.”

“I didn’t murder them all. I kept one alive to send my message.”

“What message?”

“That I know they’re in league with Spider, and if they come after my family again I’ll lead an army against them the likes of which they haven’t seen since the Dark Ages. And this time, I’ll ensure not a single one of them lives. Not one. I’ll burn down the human world if I have to in order to keep that promise.”

“Darling,” she shakes her head. “That’s not right.”

“Mother,” I turn back to her and scowl. “They poisoned you, kidnapped you, had me believe you were dead, for months I might add, and helped my pregnant wife escape. Christ only knows where they have her .”

She smiles.

“When she returns I’ll have a grandchild.”

“Yes, who’ll no doubt be taught to hate my guts as much as his or her mother does.”

“What exactly do you plan to do when you find her?” She asks quietly as she sips her tea unconcernedly.

“Mother you’re not fooling anyone with your act of nonchalance. You know as well as I do that she needs to come back to the castle and breastfeed for three years. And if she has a girl, I need to secure a boy.”

“Unless your lover is carrying a boy,” she murmurs.

I stare at her incredulously.

“How the fuck do you know about Sophie?”