Page 15 of Resurrection
“That snake can get vicious when she doesn’t get what she wants.” Disgust twists every feature on his face.
“Good thing I’m a snake charmer, huh?” Chuckling, I take my spot in one of the chairs, tilting my chin in invitation for him to take the other.
“I should’ve known better,” he concedes, lowering slowly in the opposite chair. “Which reminds me. What have you got here?” Niklas glances curiously at Marcus and Andrei. “Or had, I should say.”
Both of them are standing motionless, shoulder to shoulder. There is no sign of the girl, although her stench lingers in the air around us, reminding everyone, especially Niklas, of her presence. Surprisingly, despite my acute sense of smell, I don’t mind the stench half as much as the sight of her broken state bothers me. Marcus and Andrei don’t even blink, staring at the broken windows. I realize I haven’t answered, and Niklas has a line forming between his eyebrows.
“Food.” My reply startles him slightly.
“You always protect your food with your life?”
“They taste better when they are alive.” Not allowing him to notice the unsettled feeling in my gut, I keep my face passive. “I never acquired a taste for corpses.” A short burst of surprised laughter escapes the Council member. “But, you’re not here to talk about my diet. So, Niklas…what brings you to my door, or window if you may.”
Niklas watches me for long moments through a narrowed gaze. His eyes are so light blue that they are almost white, reminding me of the glass that sprinkled all over the living room floor. So much for cleaning this place up before the girl sees it. At least Andrei and Marcus were smart enough to remove the dead human I left in my haste to see the girl. I’m not sure she would react calmly to that.
“There is talk that you came to North America looking to form alliances.” Relaxing back in the chair, Niklas takes a sip from the whiskey and stares at the glass dispassionately. “I was coming to see if we can both benefit from such a thing.”
“After you were told that Irina was here.” Not a question. A statement.
“She has always been impulsive and reckless.” Waving his hand dismissively, he pins me with his intent gaze. “Between you and me”—After I nod my agreement he jerks his head sharply once— “I never thought for a second you would go there. You might be younger than us, but you are a smart male. Smarter than most of them dare to admit.” His smile says he knows something the rest of them don’t. It doesn’t sit well with me—not that I’ll tell him that.
“I haven’t thought of forming anything.” Sipping my own drink that tastes like nothing, I eye him over the rim of my glass. “Italy gets boring from time to time. I needed a change of scenery. I’m starting to think I should’ve chosen a more exotic place.”
“Bah, nonsense!” Slamming the glass on the side table, whiskey sloshes over his hand. He doesn’t seem to notice. “You are always welcome here. Your presence makes things interesting for us as well. If not, maybe I should look to visit somewhere, too. The years can make any place boring.”
“Now that we cleared this up, is there anything else I can help you with?” When his face darkens at my dismissal, I relent slightly. “My food is getting cold.”
Chuckling, Niklas lifts himself up, and I do the same. “I forgot how exciting the thrill of the chase is when you are younger. Even feeding doesn’t feel as stimulating as it used to be after so many centuries.”
“I hope never to feel that way.”
“I don’t wish it on you, boy.” His jab doesn’t get the reaction he was expecting, so he smiles approvingly at me. “I still stand by what I said. An alliance could benefit us both. Think about it.”
“I shall.”
Niklas doesn’t go to the door. Walking past me, he goes to the broken windows. “Enjoy your meal.” With one last look over his shoulder, he jumps through the broken pieces and disappears inthe night. We stand quiet and motionless for extended moments until we are sure he is really gone.
“Fuck!” Marcus spits from behind me.
Chapter Fifteen
APRIL
My whole body hurts.
When that lightning energy, or whatever it was, pierced through my chest, every muscle in me contracted painfully. I’m not sure if that haunting scream I heard was real, or if I imagined it as a result of the pain.
My thoughts are scattered, fleeting from one thing to the next so fast I feel dizzy even though I think I’m lying down. Stopping mid-turn, since I was trying to roll on my back, I freeze.
I’m lying on something so soft, it might as well be a cloud. Afraid to open my eyes from what I might see, my hands glide slightly over the thin fabric.Am I dead?
Like that was an open invitation, pain sears through me again.
Would I hurt if I was dead? I thought everything disappeared in death.
Maybe that’s the case if you end up in Heaven. Perhaps I was in Hell? It’s not like I’ve been a good person until my death. I’ve stolen and manipulated, all to be able to stay alive.
I haven’t killed.
