Page 40 of When Night Falls
"You were eavesdropping." I turn to my desk to pour a drink from a bottle ofRedemption 36 Bourbon Whiskey.
"I would never," she responds sarcastically as she welcomes herself into my office.
"I heard you," I sip from the glass, allowing the cool burn to run down my throat and ease the bloodlust I'd been feeling all morning.
After Lucynda left me the other day, I was half tempted to say fuck it and go feed on some poor unsuspecting human, but I know I'd rip them to shreds. Normally, I wouldn't care. But I have to try and keep control while I allow my plans to play out accordingly.
"Well, in my defense, I was summoned." She leans against one of the arms of my coffee brown leather sofa.
"Hardly." I roll my eyes as I turn to face her.
"So." She crosses her arms over her chest, feigning interest in an overexaggerated way. "You're deciding to move forward with the wedding then? Decided that I was too much for you to handle and you're gonna cat and mouse some broken little girl?"
"Shut up, Birdania."
She shudders. "I hate that name, don't call me that name."
"Well, I'm not calling you by anything else." I tip my glass to her before I slam the rest of the four fingers I had poured.
"You were almost about to call me your wife. And technically, we are still engaged, big boy." The excitement in her tone makes me cringe. I can't imagine marrying a girl like this. So blatantly self-centered and only concerned for herself.
"Are you sure about that?" I raise my brows and set down my crystal glass. “I vaguely remember calling off our engagement the other night,” I tell her.
"The only thing I'm sure about is that the little skank you've been chasing around isn't cut out for this life. You won't even need to turn me. And I'm sure I can fuck you better than she could."
Visions of taking something as sweet as Lucynda's virginity flashes through my head and I know I am no better a man for the invasive idea. I know I shouldn't allow her to give up something so precious for the blood bind of a royal marriage to a murderous night walker. But God, to know how she feels under me, to hear her breathe my name the way she does.
But all the same, rage boils in my blood. Hearing anyone speak about Lucynda in the way that Birdania speaks of her sets fire to my fucking soul and not in the good way. Only I have the right to talk about Lucynda any way I want.
I pin my eyes on her, letting her know that she's playing a dangerous game by opening her worthless mouth. But I have to keep my cool. I can't create any more heat in this compound seeing as we're already being suspected of treason.
The need to bash Birdania's head into a stone wall for even bringing up Lucynda is surfacing rather quickly to the forefront of my brain, only to bring me back to the conversation at hand.
"You will respect me, Birdania," I demand. "And you will respect my wife." My voice isa low rumble which is more of a reaction than she deserves.
I take a few steps in her direction, and she stands up, straightening her posture to feign bravery.
"Rivian?" A knock on the wood of the door calls my attention. My guard looks from me to my unwanted guest. "Oh, sorry. I didn't know you were occupied."
"Birdania was just leaving." I shoot her a heated look. "What do you need Kacian?"
"I don't know how she got in, but Lucynda is here. She demands to see you." An eager feeling fills me.She's here.That's probably why my thoughts of her were so strong. But also, annoyance hits my gut because I do not need any unwanted drama right now.
"Well, well. Your little midnight mask whore is here in the compound." Birdania paints a devious smirk on her face as her voice hits my ears like a crusty piece of chalk being dragged down a chalkboard.
Anger rises like a volcano erupting and the next thing I know, I'm shoving Birdania up against the wall, hand closing tight around her throat and a threat sitting on the edge of my tongue.
"If you so much as speak another disrespectful thing about Lucynda ever again, you will fucking regret it. I will hunt you down and make you very fucking sorry. Understood?"
She doesn't respond, instead a smile spreads across her bluing face.
"Birdania," I warn, squeezing her throat tighter and tighter.
All I have to do is rip her heart out to end her. She nods her head, grasping at my hand. I let go and she gasps for air.
"Asshole,” she chokes out, grabbing at her neck. “Don't get mad when you find out that I was right. Come find me when you're ready to be a real king and take a real wife."
"Get rid of her," I say to Kacian as I nod my head toward Birdania.