Page 42 of Club Blood
Henrik extended a hand to me too, attempting a smile that seemed more of a grimace, like it pained him to feign politeness. “Warren, it is good to see you.”
I inclined my head, taking note of the stiffness in his voice. Something was going on and they were trying to allude to it.
“Mercy told me you were visiting Sin City, and I thought it would be rude if I didn’t stop to say hello.”
Carlisle regarded me and his eyes flicked towards the dais where Mercy watched her people. His jaw twitched as he smiled, twirling his sigil cufflinks on his wrist. “Ah, yes. Mercy. I had heard the rumors that you defected your previous employer to come and work for our dear friend, TheQueen,as she is calling herself.”
The accusation in his voice was clear, even if it was hidden underneath false niceties. I fucking hated politics. Mercy was lucky I loved her bitchself enough that I would suffer through Carlisle’s bullshit if it meant finding out what he was doing here.
“Come now, Carlisle, you know me. When have I ever pledged myself to anyone? I was merely visiting some of our other friends across the states for the past decade. I was never under employment.”
Carlisle quipped a brow inquisitively. “But you are under employment now?”
I forced a laugh and pointed a finger at him. “I’ve known you long enough to know your games, Lile. If you want to know something, just ask.”
“Do you truly believe she is worthy of her title and position? So worthy that we should disregard our traditions?”
“Without a fucking doubt. You want to know if I’ve pledged myself to her and my answer is yes. My entire immortal life has been ensuring I was free, never committing or bonding to any of the Authority. But Mercy, she is worthy and better than us all. I would swear my oath to her a hundred times over if it would prove to everyone just how much I believe she should be the future of our kind.”
Silence followed my speech for a beat too long. Carlisle didn’t want Mercy to replace Tusker, no matter what he said. If he was questioning my loyalty, it meant he was going to try and take her down.
I just had to figure out how he was planning to do it.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Henrik said, breaking the silence in his heavily accented English. “I have aCohibain my pocket that I think would pair perfectly with my drink.”
Patting his breast pocket where his cigar lay, Henrik brushed past me. Once he had left, Carlisle’s attention shifted back to me. His face softened into something more human-like, although he still looked ethereal.
“Who isthis?”
I had almost forgotten about the blonde beside me, her hand still gripped in mine as she watched our interactions. I glanced over at her but her eyes were still glassy, the euphoria from my bite working its way through her.
I smirked and motioned for her to take a seat on the table. It must not have been her first time entertaining a party of Known because she immediately lay flat against the table, spreading her arms and legs wide.
“A gift.”
“Warren, oh how you treat us well. Please give Mercy our most gracious thanks for her hospitality.”
Motioning for them to enjoy, I took a step back and watched as each of my fellow creatures bit into their offering, the girl moaning from the overstimulation of them all biting her at once. I waited until Carlisle sunk his canines into her thigh, his attention drifting as he intoxicated himself on her sweet blood, before I spun on my heels and made a beeline for the STAFF ONLY! door at the side of the bar.
Henrik being in Carlisle's inner circle meant that he was tasked with his protection. He was a towering six feet six, built like a wrestler on steroids, and looked fucking petrifying; nobody would want to go near Lile if Henrik was by his side.
Which is why Henrik’s sudden need to go smoke a cigar smelled like utter bullshit. I had no doubt that they had known I was watching them all evening – it’s not like I was trying to hide it – which suggested that they had deliberately waited for me to approach, allowing Henrik to slink off while I was preoccupied. If it was important enough for him to go off on his own and leave his boss relatively exposed, he wouldn’t be standing out in front of the club smoking.
And the only clandestine place to meet inAmbrosiawhere everyone couldn’t see you was the office.
Mercy’s office.
I could hear the deep richness of Henrik’s German accent as I slowly crept up the stairs. Someone was with him but Henrik continued to cut them off, stopping me from being able to decipher their voice.
Reaching the edge of the office door, I pressed my back against the wall and listened through the small gap they had left open in the door.
“Why now? After all this time, why would you betray her?”
“It’s simple, really. She’s weak and makes impulsive decisions that a member of the Authority wouldn’t make. Mercy isn’t the same creature I’ve been loyal to for decades.”
I closed my eyes and cursed. That fucking bitch. I told Mercy—I fucking warned her that keeping that little obsessive bitch around would backfire. And here she was, ratting her out, all because Mercy had found a pretty new toy to play with and tossed her to the curb.
Fucking Narcissa.