Page 6 of Midnight Queen

The low, ominous growl is his only warning before I’m spinning on my heels and rushing toward him in a blur. Even though he’s a vampire himself, he isn’t granted enough time to dart out of my reach. My hand wraps around his throat as I slam his back into the wall with such force, the concrete splinters and chunks of it fall to the ground.

In a fashion true only to him, a slow, lazy grin grows on his face as I snarl and bare my fangs.

“I would be very,verycareful how you talk about her to me,” my warning is low, my voice threateningly calm. “I’m hanging on by a fucking thread and I do not possess the patience or desire to entertain your games right now, Lorcan.”

My warning is completely ignored, and his smile only widens. “That was more of a test to see just how much this girl means to you.” The Irishman’s sable eyes shine with humor as he observes me. “You didn’t offer much information when you called, but I figured she meant a great deal since you were desperate enough to callmein.” He pauses, like he’s expecting me to divulge more into this conversation, but when I remain silent, he says, “It’s been a long time, Silas.”

With one last threatening squeeze to his tattooed jugular, I release him and back up a foot to give him his space. It has been a long time, but even after all these years, I haven’t lost tabs on the elusive vampire before me. Like me, he may operate in the shadows, but I rule them. Everything that happens in my domain, I’m aware of. Or I thought I was until Gideon slipped through the cracks.

I grit my teeth as I fight against my instinct to keep my secrets close to the vest. Willingly admitting information about my private life coming unnaturally to me. “Quincey means more to me than you’ll ever be capable of understanding.” She means more to me than I thought was ever possible. I crave her more than I’ve ever craved blood.

He eyes me expectantly like he’s waiting for the punch line of a terrible joke, but when it doesn’t come, he simply states, “Interesting.”

“Like I said, I don’t have time for games. I need an answer. Are you going to help me, or do I need to find someone else?”

Stepping away from the wall, he calmly dusts the shoulders of his leather jacket. He takes a beat before answering, like he’s considering his options. “I’ll help.” He finally agrees. “But it’s double my usual rateplusan inconvenience fee since you called me while my cock was down someone’s throat.Nothingkills a hard-on faster than seeing your name come across my phone.”

I stare at him blankly, unamused by his latter comments. “Might I suggest not looking at your phone when you’re otherwiseoccupied? It’s in poor taste.”

He shrugs his shoulder nonchalantly. “I like to multitask.”

Pushing back the annoyance, I tell him, “I’ll pay you whatever you want on one stipulation.” This was a conversation I was going to put off having, but now might be my only chance to discuss my bargain without the worry of eavesdropping ears. “I need you to promise me something and no matter what’s to come, you must keep your word, Lor.”

I don’t know if it’s the shift in my tone or the heaviness that’s suddenly in the air, but the amused gleam in his eyes vanishes. “I’m listening.”

Della doesn’t look up at us when we enter Duke’s hospital room. Her eyes, full of unshed tears, stay locked on the injured man, her bottom lip quivering, as she fights to stay composed. The only time I’ve witnessed Della cry is the day Ira disclosed that his cancer was terminal. Even then, after a moment, she composed herself and she was back to her usual self.

The events of tonight have finally broken the steel mask she wears.

For her, I wish someone was here that could tell her everything would be okay. I know if Quincey were, she’d know what to tell the distressed woman. Quincey is the person anyone would want at their side during something like this. Her kind heart and warm energy can bring peace to even the most distraught souls.

I’ve experienced it myself.

Lorcan stops behind me, leaning his shoulder against the nearby wall while his eyes flick between the comatose man in the hospital bed and the crying woman. It’s not like him to be quiet, but he hasn’t spoken much since he agreed to keep his promise to me in the parking garage. I never doubted he would.

As he watches, he still doesn’t say anything, but I know that his mind is full of chaotic thoughts. There are many things I can’t relate to when it comes to Lorcan Reid, but his never silent mind is something I can sympathize with. Continuously being five steps ahead of everyone requires a great deal of planning and thinking. It’s been many years since I’ve known peaceful slumber.

“Della, is she here yet?” I inquire quietly, finally drawing her attention away from Duke.

She hesitates to answer, the heavily tattooed vampire behind me catching her off guard. “No, not yet—or at least not that I’m aware of.”

“If she were here, you would know.” If it weren’t just for her vibrant hair colors, her personality would alert you to her presence.

“Who is this girl again?” Lorcan asks at the same time my phone starts buzzing again in my pocket. My hands ball into fists at my sides as I let the phone call go unanswered. “And why are we waiting for her?”

“Just like you, Rory is the best in her field.”

She’s truly a savant. I’m lucky to have her on my payroll and not on an enemy’s. Who knows what kind of damage she could have helped them inflict on me?

Della crosses her arms and turns her body to size up the vampire that is easily a foot and a half taller than her. Her features pinch as a scrupulous look crosses her face. “I don’t know you,” she tells him. “What exactly could you—a stranger—have to offer that Silas would need you?”

Lor’s head cocks to the side, the corner of his lip tipping up in possible amusement. “I would hardly call myself a stranger. If I had to make a guess, I would say I’ve known Silas longer than your crotchety arse has graced this green earth.” Lorcan has a unique ability of concealing his ferocity in a veil of humor. People tend to focus on the humorous pitch in his tone and are completely oblivious to the underlying threat. A critical mistake many have fallen victim to. “As for what I have to offer—that depends solely on who’s asking and what day of the week it is,” He offers as vaguely as possible.

“I’m asking and it’s a Friday,” Della responds without so much as a second of hesitation. “If you haven’t noticed, things are falling apart around here. People havedied.” She chokes on the last word, like her body refuses to speak it aloud. “We can’t lose anyone else. I need to know that you’re here to help and not to cause more problems. We’re already drowning in them, there is no need for you to come in and add.”

Most people would be put off by Della’s abrasive attitude, but not Lorcan. There’s nothing he likes more than a good fight, verbal or physical, he lives for the conflict. Another thing that makes him good at his job.

I know he’d love nothing more than to bicker back and forth with my housekeeper, but we don’t have time nor the energy for this now. Releasing an exasperated sigh, I shake my head at the pair. “That’s enough. Della, Lorcan is here because while Duke is incapacitated, I need someone I can rely on to step in and assist in some of the tasks Duke would have otherwise handled. And his additional skill set will make him invaluable when retrieving Quincey.”

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