by Kayleigh Sky
“Keep me company. Help with correspondence. Moss will help with that too.”
“Moss doesn’t like me.”
Zev blinked, then drew his brows together. “Moss is my cousin. We grew up together. He’s honorable and from a loyal family.”
What the hell did that mean? Betrayal only came from the people you trusted.
“Nice to have somebody left.”
“I’m sorry about your family.”
Asa gritted his teeth against words that ought to be empty. People sympathized for things beyond repair. His parents weren’t coming back to life, but Zev’s tone had put the kind of anguish into the words of somebody who shared his loss.
“You should try to eat.”
Zev nodded, and Asa reached for the bowl. “We can play chess.”
The brightness that came to Zev’s face warmed him. Ridiculously. He got another vision of Zev sprawled over the chessboard and ached to wrap around him.
“I’d like that,” Zev said.
He took a mouthful of stew, and Asa fixed on his jaw as he chewed, the way his eyes half closed, the movement of his throat. Concentrate on that. The parts of Zev that sent blood flowing to his dick. Not the parts that threatened to drop him to his knees at Zev’s feet.
Come get me.
I promise…
Liar.
21
Isaac Worries Asa
Sunlight streamed through the window and sparkled on a few random raindrops.
Asa stretched and rolled onto his side. His gaze settled on the bed across from him. It was made, but wrinkles spread from a small hollow where Isaac must have sat earlier, reading the book he’d left on the pillow. Something called The Moonstone that he’d found in the library. A single bed and a good book made Isaac’s day. Well, he was young. Maybe too young to have actually seen the things he was losing out on.
Asa yawned, got up, and took a shower.
Afterwards, he sat on his bed with his socks. As he pulled them on, he picked up the sound of voices outside but no words he understood. They were speaking in one of the vampire tongues. He laced up his shoes, then opened the window. The voices drifted off, but he heard something that sounded like Zadockel and someone else laughing. Only the older vampires still spoke Ellowyn. In the three days since he’d taken over for Justin, he’d had to pass more than half the incoming letters to Moss, because he couldn’t read them. Vampires spoke and wrote the human languages common in their districts. Many didn’t understand English, and Zev didn’t understand their languages, so they wrote in Ellowyn. Or in German or Italian, which, apparently, he knew. The written letters of the vampire languages reminded Asa of Chinese. The spoken sounds were both sibilant and guttural at the same time.
Like snakes if snakes could talk.
Asa wouldn’t bat an eye if Moss flicked his tongue out at him. He made no bones of his dislike of Asa. Even the unflappable Justin had turned a stern expression on Moss after he’d trained Asa to take over for him.
“I am grateful for your assistance to my replacement, Moss Goran.”
Strangely, Moss flushed. “As I am honored for the opportunity, Justin Lotis.”
Bizarre people.
Now Justin was gone, doing whatever he was doing, and Asa was sorting mail by the seals on the envelopes. Each royal family had its own seal, so there were seven piles, plus one for the non-royal families. He read the communications in English and made a summary for Zev every day. Between times, he’d searched the study. He’d looked behind every portrait and every cushion. He’d tested the nearly two thousand floorboards looking for a loose one.
If there was a safe or a secret hiding place, he hadn’t found it. It crossed his mind he’d been sent on a fool’s errand with no chance of success. Because maybe they didn’t want him to succeed. Maybe they’d put him here for some other reason they hadn’t revealed to him. A scapegoat? A diversion? He didn’t know but doubted the necklaces were anywhere he’d have access to. Besides, most of the vampires in the portraits that hung throughout the manor wore them. He’d heard them called Guardian Reminders, and they were as common as costume jewelry, so how was he supposed to know the difference between those and Zev’s “special” ones?
Plus, Zev never left him alone in his bedroom. Moss helped him bathe, so Asa had no opportunities to search there. But if Zev’s necklaces were that valuable, he doubted they’d be easy to find.
Leaving the window open, he headed to the kitchen where Marcus, Isaac, and Dot, who usually helped Adalyn, were working on lunch.
Marcus pointed to Asa’s trolley. “You know the king is an early bird, right, Mr. Dodo bird?”
He bit back, “Well, screw you, you spartan bastard,” and settled on, “I thought I’d let him sleep in.”
Marcus grunted.
Pushing the trolley out the door, Asa steered it into the hallway. The aromas of bacon and coffee made his mouth water.
He glanced into Zev’s personal kitchen as he ambled by. The sun streaming through the wall of windows over the counters did little to dissipate the room’s forlorn look. This was the kind of day that made vampires hug the shadows under the eaves. Maybe that accounted for Zev’s solitary walks. Maybe nobody wanted to go with him.
Asa’s brain dragged a memory out of the dark.
“You’ll be safe after I get the formula,” Zev whispered. “Your dad too.”
“Why can’t we share the world? You come out at night. We come out during the day.”
“Would you never want to see the moon and the stars? I love the sun and the color of the day.”
Freaking vampire.
But he thought of the portrait in the hall that made Zev look like he was made of jewels and starlight. Or the sparkle of the morning sun on a lake surrounded by wildflowers.
Jesus. When did he get so sappy?
He entered the study and made his way to Zev’s bedroom. As he reached the door, Moss stepped out, inclined his chin, and strode by. Asa needed the access Moss had, the kind he’d only get by fucking Zev into a boneless puddle.
Asa stared at him from the doorway for a moment.
Zev sat on the side of his bed with his hair shining in the light and his skin flushed from exertion. But he smiled. Smiled at Asa.
Zev was the kind who’d fuck with his heart. Maybe that’s why Asa was avoiding it.
Because he wanted him.
He made himself smile in return. “Beautiful morning.”
Zev groaned. “Wish I could walk.”
“I can carry you to the patio.” And have the bedroom to himself.
A shadow—so quick Asa wasn’t sure he hadn’t imagined it—passed over Zev’s face. His jaw tightened with a look of anger, but then it faded, and another smile, gray and watery now, played across his face.
“Maybe. I’m hungry though. Let’s eat.”
Asa uncovered two plates and poured two cups of coffee. Zev didn’t like to eat alone. Asa didn’t like the oatmeal he usually grabbed on his own when Isaac wasn’t trying to cram omelets and bisques and soufflés down his throat. And sometimes, he needed to get away from Isaac, because sometimes he wanted to throttle him and wasn’t always convinced he wasn’t serious about it. Isaac pissed him off, but he didn’t want to think about that. So he passed Zev his plate of pancakes and bacon and took the chair beside the bed.
He managed a couple of quiet bites before Zev said, “Sleep well?”
Why the hell was he asking that? Was Asa supposed to be racked with guilt or something? Maybe that asshole of a cop had convinced Zev it had been Asa who’d pushed him off a cliff.
“Pretty good. You?”
Zev’s smile broadened, bringing light back to his face. A faint floral scent wafted from his still damp hair and found its way to Asa’s balls. He’d always been a sucker for big, strong guys with a delicate touch.
“I’m getting cabin fever.”
“A vampire?”
“Ha,” said Zev. “The things you think of us.” He paused for an
other mouthful of pancakes, then said, “Our ceilings were usually tall. We don’t like to be closed in either. Have you ever been snowbound?”
Asa startled, then shook his head. “Not trapped. I went skiing with my parents.” He ate a piece of bacon.
“No siblings.”
That wasn’t a question, and it gave Asa pause. What had Zev found out about him? Was he hoping Emek was Asa?
Cautious now, he said, “No. You?”
“No. My mother almost died having me. You’re lucky up here. Your medical care is much better than ours. We have healers, but we tend to heal ourselves or die. Both my parents came from big families though, so we always had kids around. I spent a lot of time on the surface. I loved that freedom. I was going to visit all your world’s most famous libraries. What about you?”
“I never settled on anything. I was a kid,” he said, staring into the bottomless pit of Zev’s eyes. It was like looking into a rocky depth that broke into shards of glittering crystals. “I was impressionable. I guess I could have been anything. Whore wasn’t on the list though.”
Zev flinched, and Asa burned with pleasure. Bastard for making Asa remember. He still wasn’t convinced Zev knew who he was though. Maybe, though the years had changed his appearance. He was harder now, with shields he had no intention of letting down. Maybe the kid he’d once been was still in him somewhere, but he wasn’t letting him out. Somehow, he knew he’d break into a billion pieces. No coming back from that, so he kept everything in tight.
He wasn’t the dippy, romantic kid who’d fallen for a vampire anymore. But his hair was reverting to its original light brown, and fuck Solomon, he wasn’t dyeing it again. Pain in the ass, and it didn’t matter anyway. He’d probably only been a passing moment in Zev’s life. A task he’d had to complete. But now, it was Asa’s turn to complete his task and go on his way with a freedom Zev only dreamed about.
“Where did you learn chess?” Zev asked.
“My mom. Played more with my dad though.”
“I made my move.”
Asa hated admitting how much he loved their games, but the news perked him up. “I’ll check it out.”
“Pretty sure I got you,” Zev said.
Asa laughed. “You didn’t last time.”
He loved the smile on Zev’s face. “I’ve been lulling you into a false sense of security.”
“Oh, you did that.”
The smile slipped. “Well, if you know… Maybe I’m overly suspicious nowadays, but that makes it sound like you’ve been playing me.”
Asa shrugged. “Guess you’ll have to wait and see.”
Then he winked, and Zev’s smile returned, and Asa had no idea who was the bigger sap.
A few minutes later, Zev finished eating and scooted back. The scrapes on his face had faded to pink, and his collarbone had knitted together, but he’d confessed the other breaks and injuries still pained him. He sighed as he sank into his pillows, the top of his robe slipping open. Asa’s mouth dried. Zev wore pajama bottoms under his robe but nothing else. Dark hair covered his chest and trailed down his torso until it disappeared where the tie still held his robe together.
“Find Adalyn first and help her with the household inventory. Usually, Justin pitches in. I think it only takes a day or two.”
“What about you?”
“I can manage. I’ll call if I need you.”
The dismissal was sudden and clear, and Asa took a swallow of coffee to hide his confusion. His stomach fluttered with nerves. What had happened? Talk about playing people. Had somebody seen Asa searching the study and this whole getting-to-know-you thing was just Zev stringing him along?
He gathered their plates, his feet feeling like cement blocks that would take a forklift to move. He didn’t want to go. Maybe if he stayed in here with Zev, he wouldn’t have to do something he didn’t want to. Maybe if he stayed and spilled his guts, Zev would fix everything and make Solomon go away.
Right.
And maybe Asa’s dad would come back to life, and maybe Asa’s cherry wouldn’t be popped dry by a vamp who’d only give him five bucks for the privilege.
“Don’t overextend,” he said.
Zev raised an eyebrow. “My worry.”
Well, sure. Asa was only a servant. Who was he to worry?
He pulled his feet off the floor, took the trolley to the kitchen, then climbed the back stairs. At the top, a door opened into a hall that zigzagged from one corner of the house to the other. Shadows fell in some parts, and windows lit the others. He found Adalyn in a room that looked like the inside of a warehouse. Rows of shelving units crowded the space and stacks of sheets, blankets, and towels faced him as he entered. From the dimensions of the space, the room appeared to take up most of the second floor of the wing.
He gaped. “We have to count all this?”
“Missed you too, sweetheart.”
He blew out a breath. “Hi, Adalyn.”
“Hello there, grumpy.” Well, it beat Mr. Dodo bird anyway. “Marcus takes care of the kitchen and stock room, but this is all mine. After that, we catalog every room.”
“Are you kidding?”
“Nope. Things always go missing. Some by accident and some because some people don’t have the morals of a cockroach.”
“They steal from the king?”
“Well, it’s not a capital offense, no matter what you hear about vampires.”
She handed him a calculator, a notepad, and a pencil. “We’re low tech. Start in back with the toiletries. We need separate totals for each item.”
She clucked through her grin.
Stifling a groan, Asa headed for the far end of the wing. By lunch, he had counted twenty aisles worth of items. He ate outside with Dot, and Dennis and Will from the garage. Clouds had swept back into the sky, but the sun winked through in places. As he ate, Asa’s gaze went up the mountainside and followed the thin strip of white that remained of the wall at the lookout. Only a part of it had collapsed. It had to have been an accident. Why would Solomon want him to ingratiate himself with Zev if they were planning on killing him at the same time?
Asa shifted to hide his shudder. He felt a wave of cold as though a bucket of ice water had dropped over his head.
It had to have been an accident.
“Hey, cutie.”
Asa followed Will’s gaze as Isaac stepped outside with his lunch on a plate. Without a word to Will, he sat beside Asa and bit into his sandwich.
Will stared for a moment, then said, “Well, that’s rude.”
Isaac chewed his sandwich, not looking over until he swallowed. “I have a name. Not using it is rude.”
“Cute Isaac,” Will said with a grin. “And anyway, I call Dot, Darling Dot.”
“So you’re an equal opportunity asshole?” Isaac asked.
Dot hooted, and Will grimaced. “Ha ha.”
Asa ignored them. Isaac was tougher than he looked. He finished his sandwich, wadded up his napkin, and was about to rise when Will stood and said, “You cut me to the bone, cutie. Sooner or later, though, you’ll see whatever dream guy you’re waiting for is me.”
Isaac snorted. “In your dreams, you mean.”
Dot gathered her lunch things, and Dennis stood too. “Come on, Will. I’m not washing that Escalade by myself.”
“Yeah, yeah,” said Will. “I’ll be right there.”
Dennis rolled his eyes and headed back to the garage while Will followed Dot to the house. “Looks like your lucky day, sweetheart.”
She laughed without slowing her steps.
Asa waited until they disappeared. “You told them about your dream guy?”
Isaac narrowed his eyes on him. “My fated. And no. I wouldn’t tell just anybody about him.”
Was that a compliment?
Why had Isaac told Asa? Why trust him?
“You’re setting yourself up with that, you know?”
“With what? You don’t have to believe me, but that doesn’t change it.”
<
br /> “How do you know?”
A squirrelly look came onto Isaac’s face, and he wriggled in his chair. “I hear his voice.”
Jesus Christ. Well, so what if Asa had heard a voice too. It just meant he’d been spending too much time on his own. He didn’t hear anything now.
“He talks to you?”
Isaac bobbed a quick nod. “Sometimes. I think he has to be close though. And I don’t think it’s the same way for everybody. I think it’s somethin’ about him.”
Or not.
“I’ve never known anybody who believed in fated love.”
“It’s real though.”
Asa shook his head as though he could shake his thoughts away. “I wanted to ask you something. Has anybody said anything about me?”
“Like what?”
“Anything.”
Isaac’s face went still and withdrawn. “Are you in trouble?”
“No.”
“Seems like it’s hard to get away from sometimes.”
“I’m not in any kind of trouble. I just got assigned this shit inventory job and was wondering why.”
A frown creased Isaac’s forehead. “It’s a job. We work here.”
“Yeah. I’m probably just being paranoid.”
Dumbass. Who but somebody with a reason to be paranoid admitted to it?
Isaac lowered his head, gaze still fixed on him from under his brows. He bit the corner of his lower lip before the street kid who hid inside him floated to the surface in a wry smile.
Asa smiled back.
He was just being paranoid.
22
Confab
“Everything isn’t always the way it looks,” Zev said, face twisting into a scowl. “You’re assuming you understand what you saw.”
Screw Otto. Getting away with being pissed off was the only perk of being king. And he was pissed. But so was Otto, who glared at him, red faced and narrow eyed.
“I haven’t assumed anything,” Otto snapped. “I don’t even have to trust my gut. That’s why I had the surveillance camera installed. You saw the tape yourself. These are the facts. We have Asa who drops off the face of the earth and Emek who doesn’t actually exist anywhere. I think we can safely assume they’re the same guy. And yes, I’m going to assume that when I see a guy turning a room upside down looking for something, he’s up to no good. Where’s that cup anyway?”
