Page 28 of The Vampire Oracle

“You’re good at reading people, huh? You think I’m the bad guy?” He cocked a brow.

My eyes fell on him. Though he was handsome and smart, back from the past, none of us saw him as a threat to Psalm. She would never choose him over Abel or Beck and soon I wouldn’t be left behind. I saw the way she looked at us, mainly Osiris and Briar. Fuck even Father Nero was asking about her, fire in his eyes. I wasn’t stupid.

“No. You won’t hurt us because it will hurt your precious P that you still love,” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Instead, I want you to help me. Is her arm dead weight right now?”

He looked down, sighing. “Yeah. It is. Psalm is prideful. Not many knew she has one arm. It’s affecting her fighting, trying not to snag anything on it while fighting. She’s cautious and it hurts her.”

I nodded. “I’ve seen her fight, and it was nothing like today. She can beat my brother.”

“And you?”

“No. She won’t ever beat me, no matter who taught her.”

“The guy who taught her,” Cozen said, leaning in. “Is Viper.”

My skin crawled as the smirk fell from my face. “I thought he was dead.”

“A lot of people are ‘dead’ in Nirva.”

Of course, he lived there. The dead lands, a place outside the safety of the walls.

“Whatever… We have to get to do better or else she won’t be in the academy.”

Cozen nodded.

“How long before you can get that arm done?”

“Depends. How much am I getting paid?”

I sent him a glare. “State a price.”

He licked his lips. He was trying to think of a good upscale price to do. He knew his shop prices—what the owner didn’t. He was going to upcharge me.

“Twenty for dinner time tomorrow.”

“Thirty thousand and have it done by noon.”

His brow cocked. “For someone who hasn’t had her pussy, that’s a lot of money.”

“That’s nothing to me. I’ll probably spend another thirty on her just to give her what she never had.”

“Possessive over her?” he snorted.

“Very,” My jaw tightened.

“Okay. Done by noon, then I’ll be out of your hair.”

“You can stay another night then say you have to go. That’s it.”

“Are you threatened by me?” He tilted his head to the side.

“Not at all,” I chuckled. “Good night, Cozy.”

He scoffed, eyes narrowing as I moved my ass upstairs. Part of me didn’t want to trust him. But part of me had to.

He was her friend.

At the top of the steps, a door opened. I glanced over to see Ashbourne stepping from Beck’s room.