The Way You Bite(70)

“We’re on our way…almost there. Stall them,” Lexan’s voice boomed telepathically.

Oh thank God. She thought to him, “It isn’t my fault we’re here. I didn’t want to leave.”

“Later.”

Dominic’s eyebrows slowly rose in a tell-me-now-or-else glare.

Her mind rewound to remember what Dominic had asked. Oh, right, where they’d been. “Wolves took us up north. We escaped.”

“Where are you?” she thought to Lexan. Was Lexan already on the estate or just near Charlotte? Big difference in stall time. She needed at least one of them in here. Right now.

“Ah, Velveteen. I was so worried for you. It is good to see you survived in one piece. Ambrose has been…worried.” The use of the nickname snapped her full attention to him. Chills teased her arms. He only referred to the fluffy bunny when in one of his dangerous moods. “You remained so long with werewolves…” He pursed his lips in a perfect pantomime of a concerned parent.

“Why do you hate me?” She’d never asked before, assuming he blamed her in some way for her mother’s death.

I don’t know if you’re mine. His gaze flickered to Hsu-Li. “I don’t hate you, Velvet. I but want what is best for you.”

Did that mean he suspected her a demisang? Her heart rate tripled. Memories of all he’d done over the years flashed through her brain. The animal in her pressed to have control. The wolf’s base desire was to chew out Dominic’s throat. No, no, no. Ramp it down.

She followed Dominic’s gaze as it shifted back to Hsu-Li.

Hsu-Li circled TC. He traced the edge of his knife around TC’s neck. TC’s expression didn’t change from an emotionless stare.

Hsu-Li tapped the knife over a tattoo on TC’s neck. “This is one of Aleksander Dimitrov’s Elite Guard.” The Asian vamp glared at Vee. “Why are you so interesting to the werewolf king that he’d send one of his guard after you?”

“We were kidnapped. We escaped before I got reasons from them. It has to do with the war.”

Dominic made a clicking I don’t think so noise. “Ambrose enlightened me that a wolf marked you, which we know means one of them likes you a hell of a lot. And you seemed pretty chummy with Aleksander Dimitrov last he saw you.” He rushed forward and twisted her hair to force her to meet his gaze. “Did he mark you?” He yanked down her shirt, exposing the mark. “Do not lie to me.”

She glared him straight in the eyes and said nothing. Based on his state of mind it didn’t matter what she said. He’d formed his own opinion and wouldn’t believe anything she said. “Where’s Carol?”

Just as suddenly, he released her and brushed imaginary dirt off his tux. “She’s somewhere safe. Now that she’s served her purpose…” An image of Carol locked in an interrogation room like this flashed in his mind. Alive and pissed.

Not dead, at least not yet.

Hsu-Li leaned close enough to TC to rain spittle on him as he spoke low, “Why would you allow yourself to be captured, wolf? It certainly wasn’t a challenge to bring you in.” Hsu-Li straightened his spine and spoke to Dominic. “Something’s not right about this…any of this.”

“Where is Aleksander Dimitrov?” Dominic asked TC.

TC’s lips shifted into a feral grin.

Hsu-Li pierced TC’s neck, drawing blood. “Where the hell is your king?”

“You will not harm him,” Vee commanded. No fear came from her, just a profound desire to protect the one decent being in this room other than her brother.

“You are a wolf sympathizer. Ha.” Hsu-Li beamed. “I knew it.” He preened like a kid who’d won a huge trophy.

Dominic glared.

Vee said, “This war is baseless, as I have recently discovered. And, no, I am not brainwashed by wolves. They aren’t evil. They’re a species surviving among humans, like us.” She didn’t break her stare from Hsu-Li’s knife, which had returned to TC’s neck. “Blaylock Lazlo did not kill my mother. The wolf you killed wasn’t him. It was someone who had nothing to do with anything.”

“Is that Blaylock wolf still alive?” Dominic’s eyes widened. His face blanched.

Hsu-Li cut TC’s face in a slice down his cheek.

Anger hazed her mind. Without thought, she ripped the bindings around her arms and legs. In a superspeed move, she wrenched the knife out of Hsu-Li’s hand and rammed the blade deep into the center of his chest before throwing him into the wall. He lay there, glazed, but not dead. “I said don’t touch him.”

She met TC’s gaze, which transmitted awe, maybe thanks.

A small clap resounded in the room. “Very impressive.” Dominic’s smirk fell. “Now tell me why you care so much about this wolf, or all the wolves.”

“You’re not my father.” She shrugged. “Sorry, Dad.”

“The little whore,” Dominic muttered. “I always knew there was something wrong with you. How do you know you’re a…mix?” His mouth twisted on the last word.

“I’ve been told this mark on my iris is a familial trait.”

Dominic’s lip curled with disgust.

Her shoulders lifted and dropped. “So, Father, who killed my mother?”