Vampire Debt: Supernatural Battle (Vampire Towers Book 2)

by Kelly St Clare

“Why’s that?”

  Kyros pressed a kiss to my forehead, so unexpectedly gentle that I felt it to my very core.

  “You’re angry because you’re hurting,” he spoke low, our eyes locked. “You wouldn’t be hurt if you didn’t care.”

  My chest heaved as we remained caught in the net of his making.

  I turned my head away to break the contact. “What does that have to do with my things?”

  “I’ll fix what I broke, my beauty. Believe that. If you take your possessions away, you’ll just have to bring them back. Save yourself the work.”

  His arrogance was fucking incredible, and my body loved every bit of it.

  Shit. Was I seducing him or the other way around?

  Finding my voice, I slipped out of the cage of his arms. “Do us both a favour, Kyros. Quit acting like the exchanges mean or meant anything.”

  Just come out, girl <3

  I sent the message to Tommy and had barely blinked when her reply chimed.

  There are too many of them.

  Fifty Indebted hung around my pool and outside entertainment area in various states of undress.

  I conceded the point with a text of heart emojis. Pretty sure I almost peed myself when I met a room filled with Vissimo for the first time.

  It was Saturday, and I’d declared a pool party. A day lounging by the water under the hot sun served two purposes: a distraction from thinking of Kyros’s body all the damn time. And gifting most of the Indebted with a new experience.

  Plus, waking up to go through my shave, cleanse, and hydrate routine before donning my tiniest white bikini had felt good. Normal. My blonde hair gleamed under the hot sun. My skin was silken smooth. I looked and felt amazing.

  “Is anyone getting in the water?” I called, scanning the Indebted strewn about the area over the tops of my sunglasses.

  Not having swimsuits, they’d shucked their black leathers to lounge around in their underwear. Fifty gorgeous vampires surrounded me. Like, shit, they were unbelievably beautiful. In a scary will I have the best night of my life or will I die way. Which was probably why none of my staff had ventured out here—except my stoic butler.

  “I thought we were sunbathing for this part of the day,” Kelsea answered from next to me. “I’m just following your lead.”

  I scanned the Indebted. Oh.

  “Sunbathing is one thing you do at a pool party,” I said, knowing the others would listen in. “There’s usually swimming and jumping in the pool and splashing and music.” I cocked an ear. “Well there’s our first problem.”

  Swiping up my phone, I opened my Sunday Session playlist and connected it to the outside speakers.

  Josie sat up as the pool speakers blared to life. “I love George Ezra.”

  I threw her an approving nod. “Modern-day Johnny Cash, right?”

  None of the Indebted budged toward the pool.

  Cracking my knuckles, I tossed my sunglasses down and hauled my sexy ass off the sunchair and to the deep end of the pool. I lined up with where Laurel reclined in her red lacy underwear surrounded by male Indebted.

  Was that her harem? I was totally asking later because while 49 percent of me was scared of knowing the gory details and being unable to forget, 51 percent wanted the logistics.

  Without fanfare, I leaped out over the water surface, pulling my legs close to form a ball.

  I shattered the pool’s calm, carving an uncontrolled path through the water before kicking upward for air.

  I grinned over the pool edge at the row of drenched Vissimo.

  “Water looks good on you, Loz,” I sang out, kicking onto my back to float.

  All I heard was running feet.

  Bait taken.

  Splashes erupted as Indebted cannoned from all sides. I spluttered against a mouthful of water, treading as I tried to make sense of the chaos. Hands gripped my ankles and I managed a gulp of air before I was dragged at speed backward through the water.

  Coughing, I clung to my attacker after surfacing.

  “Got ya!” Jillian beamed.

  “No fair,” I spluttered, torn between spluttering and laughing. “I can’t do that.” Hopefully no one was looking out the second-floor windows. Because shit.

  I pulled myself from the pool and studied the anarchy of my making. A job well done. Evie and Josie dunked Laurel, and I chuckled at the glee on their faces before grimacing. Hands were definitely roaming between a few small groups in the corners.

  Spotting Kelsea, I let out a battle cry and cannon-balled into the pool right next to her. Grinning under the surface, I grabbed her waist, my head popping above the water.

  “Don’t drag me around like Jillian, please,” I begged.

  She wasn’t laughing.

  The silken baritones of George Ezra’s singing aside, the entire pool area was deathly quiet—no splashing, no laughing, and no groping.

  Kelsea shifted her eyes to my face, flicking them over my left shoulder.

  Close to the edge already, I let go of her, flailing for the poolside as I blinked water out of my eyes.

  Strong hands closed around my wrists, pulling me bodily upward. Torrents poured from me as I hovered over the water.

  My insides clenched as I dragged my gaze up over black athletic shorts, a tight black tee, and a jawline that haunted my waking and sleeping dreams.

  I glared up at Kyros. “What are you doing here?”

  His anger thrummed through me, his green gaze riveted on the Indebted in the pool and the surrounding pagodas, not on me. “Is that any way to greet your true mate?”

  “Don’t start with that crap.” I tried to kick him, and he held me farther from his body. Fuck, the sight of him out of his usual suit was destroying me.

  Kyros’s attention finally left the Indebted to snap onto me.

  He went predatorily still, body and mind as he took in my bikini-clad frame.

  His Adam’s apple bobbed.

  Once.

  Twice.

  “You mind?” I snarled, my wrists starting to ache.

  A growl slipped between his teeth, and I yelped as he let go of a wrist. His arm slipped around my waist before gravity noticed it could control me again. Kyros held me against his body. Water soaked his athletic clothes, but the vampire didn’t seem to mind. Hell, most of me didn’t mind.

  “I meant that my feet would touch the ground,” I said breathlessly.

  He lowered me until my tiptoes were perched on the very edge of the pool. Without his help, I’d fall backward into the pool.

  And that’s what happened when I left things open for vampire alpha interpretation.

  “Why are my Indebted in the pool?” Kyros asked, his menace unfurling overhead.

  I clicked my fingers in his face. “Hey? Down here. We talked about this. I told you they were scaring the staff. This is them blending in—which you agreed to.”

  A rumble filled his chest as he returned his stare to the scantily clad Indebted. “I agreed to nothing of the kind. They’re not guarding your property—therefore, they are not doing their job.”

  Wrath seeped through our bond.

  Eek.

  I gripped his chin. “They’re not here to guard my property. They’re here to guard me. You think anyone is getting close with fifty Vissimo around?”

  A snapping growl ripped from him. “I got close to you.”

  Screw it, I was choosing the pool, I tried to push out of his embrace to no avail.

  “Dammit, Kyros. I told you: my house, my fucking rules! I bet my life that they know exactly what’s happening on the estate right now. But this, pool parties and movie nights, is what they’ll do while on my property.”

  His hands slipped lower, inching toward the high waistband of my thong bottoms.

  I folded my arms across my chest, toes on the edge. “With that settled, why are you here? Haven’t you got dice to roll or something?”

  My brain finally caught up.

  Oh my god, Kyros was at the estate. This
was terrible for so many reasons, but I’d known there was a strong likelihood it would happen eventually. Consider me begrudgingly impressed he had the cahoonas to turn up so soon after betraying me.

  “It’s my weekend off,” he said, gaze on my chest. “I’d like to spend it with you. At the beach.”

  He got two days off each month, and he wanted to spend them with me? “You spend your weekend off with your family.”

  “Usually, yes. If you aren’t busy, it has been a long time since I visited Lyall Bay.”

  My favourite beach. I narrowed my gaze. Was he aware of that somehow? And why were normal words coming out of his mouth? I didn’t like it.

  I gripped his forearms and side-stepped him to gain a more secure footing. He let me anyway.

  Licking my lips, I peeked glances at the eerily still Indebted. Laurel alone had moved to clamber out of the pool, ready to face execution.

  “Or if you’d prefer that I stay here with your Vissimo, that’s okay too. I just want to be in your company.” Kyros purred his ultimatum.

  My eyes flew to his. Did he just call the Indebted Vissimo? The vampires at my back didn’t move or speak, but there was no way they’d missed that.

  A smile widened my lips, and Kyros blinked, his face slackening. His mouth formed words I couldn’t make out.

  “I’ll come to the beach with you.” I decided. This suited my game and, more importantly, removed him from the estate. “For a few hours.”

  “Dinner as well.”

  I swiped up my loose white bikini cover-up, throwing it over my head. “Late lunch. Restaurant of my choice. Back by two.”

  Amusement. “Four.”

  I picked up my phone, floppy hat, and oversized sunnies. “Four, and I get to pick your meal.”

  “Why?”

  “Why not? You scared?”

  He smiled, and I frowned at the blatant admiration I was picking up through our bond.

  I held out my hand. “Lyall Bay, late lunch, back by 4:00 p.m., and I pick your meal.”

  Kyros extended a massive hand to grip mine, surprising me when he all-but bent in half to press a lingering kiss to the back.

  I swallowed my groan, my mind immediately placing his head between my legs. That really had been the most catastrophic orgasm of my life. Was he thinking about it too?

  His nostrils flared. “We have a deal, vixen.”

  My beauty. Vixen. The words thrilled the blood-bound part of me and otherwise made me grossly uncomfortable. “Where’s your ride?”

  Kyros quirked a brow, turning. “Hop on my back.”

  “You snuck onto the estate like a rebellious teen?”

  Taking a running leap, I wrapped my legs around his waist and looped my arms around his neck. “You only did this so I’d have to touch you more.”

  “When it comes to you, I take what I can get.”

  “Wait,” I said loudly.

  He glanced over his shoulder. “What?”

  “You need to tell my guards they can do whatever they want while on my property.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you ruined their buzz,” I snapped. “Coming in here like a wet blanket and ruining my pool party.”

  Reluctance and humour rolled between us.

  Kyros glanced at the frozen Indebted, fixing his gaze on Laurel. “When on this property, you may act like humans as long as your real purpose in being here is upheld at all times. I was able to reach her. Do not defend my true mate against Vissimo like the Tonyi triplets, plan to defend her against someone like me.”

  My gut churned at just how right his words were. He was the one I needed protection from. Kyros’s grip behind my knees tightened.

  Laurel peered up at the house before bowing low. “Of course, Master.”

  I scrunched my nose. Ew. The master thing was gross.

  Kyros peered back at me. “Is there anything else you’d like me to say to your Vissimo?”

  He said it again!

  I beamed and caught his smile before he faced forward.

  “That’s all,” I said grandly. “Onwards. Where are you parked?”

  “Out front.”

  How the hell did he sneak in without my human staff and fifty Indebted noticing? I knew he was pretty powerful, but could I expect more visits from him? If so, that could get really problematic.

  Kyros beelined for the house.

  “Go around, please,” I said. “Tommy’s in there watching movies and I don’t want her to see you.” Or any of my staff, especially Fred.

  “Your friendship with Tommy is re-established?”

  Who even spoke like that?

  I huffed. “We never stopped being friends, but she has forgiven me, yes. Because I moved back to the estate and you’re in my past.”

  “You told another lie to get out of a lie?”

  “Not a lie.”

  “You’re wrapped around me right now.”

  Arms looped around his neck, I rested my head on his shoulder, inhaling his amazing man scent. I was soaking wet from the pool, and soaking him through, and yet all I could think about was how wet I was in other places.

  I squeezed my eyes shut. “Lies, lies, everywhere. In my closet. In my hair.”

  His lust speared me. Yeah, he hadn’t missed my ladyboner one single bit.

  “Why are you taking me to the beach, Kyros? Are you still trying to get at my money? Because that ship sailed, well and truly. I’m not sure who had that bung idea in the first place, but you guys were never getting a whiff of my inheritance.”

  I waved at Georgia, the head gardener, who stared at Kyros open-mouthed. Dang it. Hoped to get away unseen but for Daniel.

  “My father had the idea,” Kyros said quietly as we left the gates behind.

  “Angelica told you that Basilia Le Spyre walked into Live Right looking for a job, so you passed on the good news to Daddy?” I asked, bitterness creeping in.

  Kyros lowered me onto the hood of his black car, and I sat, legs dangling. He rested on the bonnet next to me.

  “I was with my father when Angelica called to report. I then orchestrated our first meeting and made the decision to hire you from there. After the roll that night, it was decided I would pursue an acquaintance with you.”

  I rolled my eyes. “For goodness’ sake, don’t tiptoe around it. You were ordered to seduce me to access my money, estate, and connections. That’s where I’m confused though. Were we meant to marry so what’s mine would become yours? Or was I just going to hand it all over on a silver platter when your magic dick bedazzled me?”

  His lips twitched.

  With my eyes, I dared him to laugh.

  Kyros pushed off the car. “Would you believe me if I said I disagreed completely with the plan and was merely going through the motions to appease my father until it was clear seducing you wouldn’t work?”

  I hopped off the hood, walking to the passenger seat. “I believe you because I can feel your emotions. Not for any other reason.”

  Though that wasn’t strictly true. Kyros had always given the impression he was forcing himself to be in my company—that he both did and didn’t want to be around me.

  Guess I knew why now.

  Kyros held open the passenger door.

  “So you didn’t like the thought of lowering yourself to pursue a human?” I asked, sliding onto the pristine leather in my dripping swimsuit.

  Kyros slipped into the driver’s seat a moment later, gunning the engine. “Would it offend you if I said yes?”

  I shrugged a shoulder. “No.” I’d rather be disliked for being human than something intrinsic.

  “That sentiment lasted up until you opened your mouth the first time. There are humans, then there are humans. After we had dinner, I was mostly irritated at being under my father’s thumb.”

  We both knew he didn’t take orders well. I guess most alphas didn’t.

  Kyros directed us past the estates at a sedate pace. I stared out the window until he interrupted the sil
ence. “Just before the second blood exchange, I recognised the trap I was in.”

  I let him feel my curiosity rather than asking aloud.

  “I wanted you,” he replied. “Except if you’d found out the truth, you’d leave. That you might not discover the subterfuge didn’t sit well with me either. Neither did the fact you wouldn’t tell me who you really were of your own volition.”

  A knot of anger coiled in my stomach. “You had so many chances to tell me, Kyros.”

  “The thought has kept me up many a morning.”

  Good.

  We turned onto the freeway, heading toward the theme park. Lyall Bay glistened beyond it.

  “Thank you for explaining,” I said, remembering my reason for being here.

  “Thank you, but no thank you?” he murmured. No accusation filled his voice.

  “Essentially. You had a shot. To say that you blew it is a gross understatement. I’ll move on and you need to come to terms with that.”

  “No man can make you feel like I can.”

  Don’t I know it.

  I studied the ticking of his jaw muscle. “You assume sexual pleasure is vitally important to me. After what I’ve been through at the hands of Vissimo, I crave safety and security. You can’t fulfil either.”

  A wall of shock descended upon me, none of it mine.

  He pulled off the freeway, taking the ramp for Lyall Bay. Not a speck of his disbelief showed outwardly as we continued driving, but the emotion ran rampant through him.

  That was news to him? I’d never been beaten up so much as during the last seven weeks.

  Kyros was silent until we parked next to a beachside restaurant.

  “You don’t believe I can protect you?” he asked, killing the engine.

  I observed him, inside and out. My answer mattered. I also wasn’t willing to lie to spare his alpha ego—the work of over a century.

  “No. Not with the game you play,” I replied.

  He reached across my hips and pulled the lever on the outside of my seat. The chair thudded back, taking me with it.

  Kyros covered my body with his, braced on his elbows, his knee between my legs.

  “You don’t think I could fight off anyone who threatened to harm you?” He growled, dipping his head to the swell of my breasts.