Page 49 of Taste of Fate

Hence why we continued to patrol the ancestral home of Rathka’s Order, in case any of them chose to return and eat the new residents that had moved in. The Crown was popular with dragon shifters due to the cliffs and mountains in the region, but humans and smaller clans of vampires had also moved.

This was a much quieter area of Sanguine with large plots of land for each family. Buildings and roads were made of weathered stone and brick. Only the windows were modernized with light-proof shutters to keep the sun out. Aside from that, the Crown looked like a quaint mountain village from a children’s fairytale.

Away from the hustle and bustle of the Cap, I heard crickets and frogs when we cut our bike engines and patrolled the village center on foot.

“How’s it going with the new blood pet?” Thorne lit up a darakt cigarette, getting straight to the point.

“Alright.”

I felt his eyes on the side of my face, but didn’t return his gaze. Tavi would not occupy my thoughts tonight. I had a job to do, and kept my focus sweeping across the street ahead for any sudden movement. At least, that was what I kept telling myself.

“Really?” he mused, red smoke leaving his mouth in an exhale. “Is that why I smelled marrow on you the other night?”

I kept my face and posture neutral, but my fists clenched inside my jacket pockets. Why was it any of his fucking business, anyway? “Was just feeling under the weather. Wanted a little pick-me-up, that’s all.”

“Is that right.” He phrased it like a statement, not a question.

“What about you, boss? Find a new blood pet to play with?” My teeth clenched as soon as the words were out. Just like that, I’d let him know he had gotten under my skin.

Thorne let out a dry laugh, flicking the ash of his cigarette. “Nah. I got enough responsibilities as it is. The last one sure taught me that.”

“You mean the angel you had?”

Thorne’s expression turned to stone. Only the red smoke drifting out of his nostrils made any movement around his face. “Watch it, pup. Don’t go digging for what doesn’t concern you.”

I held up my hands defensively. “Hey, you brought up blood pets. Not me.”

“And I won’t make the same mistake again,” he huffed, picking up his stride so that I had to hustle to catch up with him.

There had been a rumor going around a few years back that Thorne had an angel as a secret blood pet hidden somewhere away from the compound. Considering angels were one of the species we were forbidden to have contact with, due to their alliance with the werewolves, having one as a blood pet could have ruined everything for us as ruling clan. The dragons could cut off all business with us, and other clans would incite a civil war for a lesser offense.

But Thorne never said a word about it, and neither did his inner circle. Truth be told, Thorne never said much about his own personal history. He was considered young for a clan leader, in the upper three-hundreds. But many older members, Kalix and Rhain included, looked to him faithfully as a leader.

And Kalix’s judgment was one that I always trusted, even when I didn’t feel like I knew Thorne on a personal level. Maybe that was the issue.

“I didn’t mean any disrespect,” I said hastily once my stride matched his. “I just…I’ve been in the clan my whole life, always with you leading us.” I took a deep breath, bracing myself for saying his name out loud for the first time in twenty years. “Kalix always trusted you, believed you would lead us to ruling clan one day. And I always looked up to him. So what I’m saying is, I’ve never had the chance to know you like he did.”

Thorne chuckled, tossing the spent end of his cigarette. “So the young Cyanide has a humble bone in his body after all, eh?”

“Just a small one,” I cracked. “Let’s call it one of my finger bones. Definitely not the important bone.”

Thorne paused, inspecting me like he was really seeing me for the first time. “I can see why Kal took you under his wing.”

I straightened. “Thank you.”

“That wasn’t a compliment.” Thorne started walking again. “He kept you in check. Without him, you’ve got a chip on your shoulder the size of Temkra’s heart. I can never tell if you’re trying to prove yourself or self-sabotage. Either way, you act like you’re all smiles and ready to party but your eyes are dead, pup.”

I was so taken aback that I stopped in my tracks. I wasn’t even offended, just stunned. Here I was, thinking that I barely knew Thorne while he could see through me like I was made of glass.

At my halted steps, Thorne stopped and turned back to face me. “Cyan.” He sighed. “What happened to him wasn’t your fault, you know.”

Yeah, right. He hadn’t been there. All Thorne had dealt with was the aftermath, the teetering dominoes of clan politics that he was tasked to keep standing. He wasn’t there when I knocked the first domino over.

How much did Thorne blame himself? It was the first time I’d considered the possibility. If we had become ruling clan just five years earlier, Kalix could have been saved. By the time Thorne had consolidated power, it was too late.

I opened my mouth to argue just as I saw lightning fast movement over Thorne’s shoulder.

“Behind you!” I bellowed, going for the silver blade inside my jacket. Tavi had my favorite one from our sparring session but I had plenty of backups.

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