Page 37 of Fangs, Frost, and Folios
“Fuck you!”
“Listen.” Beatrice’s fangs fell at the insult, but she took a calming breath and tried to reason with the young woman. “I’m the most dangerous vampire here.” She glanced at the immortal holding René. “My sire was Tenzin’s mate; I’m not trying to brag, but I know you’ve heard of Tenzin.”
The vampire holding René muttered something indistinguishable.
Beatrice continued. “I’m not going to fight you over Arosh’s treasure. As far as I’m concerned, he has every right to send someone to retrieve it. I’m only concerned that everyone leaves this situation alive.” She held out her hands. “The vault is yours. Let me take Nick, Barnes, and René, and we’ll be gone.”
They’d have to retrieve the sleeping Mrs. Dawson from upstairs, but that wouldn’t be difficult.
Elise laughed. “You’re fooling yourself if you think I would trust a vampire. I know the type René works with.” She glanced at the vampire holding her former mentor, and her eyes filled with emotion. “I’m sorry, René. In the end, I am sorry it turned out this way.”
René scoffed. “No, you’re not.”
She smirked. “Fine. I’m not, but it was good to return to the crying damsel in distress for a moment, wasn’t it? That ploy always worked so well.”
A crying damsel?Beatrice narrowed her eyes.
Barnes stumbled and distracted her.
“Mr. Barnes?” Beatrice stepped toward him.
“Ah ah.” Elise moved the gun closer.
The man looked pale, and sweat poured from his temples. “The earl… is injured.”
Nick hadn’t woken, but he didn’t seem to be harmed. He was crumpled in the corner with a red lump rising on his temple.
“Nick is going to be fine.” Beatrice reassured him. “But Barnes, are you all right?”
“I don’t need another fainter.” Elise walked over and slapped the old man across the face. “Snap out of whatever cardiac event you’re working yourself into. Shut up and sit down if you can’t stand.”
The old man leaned against the bookcase and closed his eyes.
Beatrice’s rage burned, but the woman never moved the gun off Barnes, and she knew the elderly man could easily die from a gunshot wound.
The vampire who’d left returned with two large suitcases.
“Come on.” Elise pointed at Beatrice, keeping the gun on Barnes. “Help Mario if you want your friends to survive. Bertrand, you too.”
The man named Bertrand and the vampire named Mario began to pack, but the other vampire kept René in his grasp with a knife in his neck.
Beatrice helped them stuff the gold into a backpack and as many of the weapons as would fit in the suitcases, all while Elise kept the gun trained on Barnes.
Then Elise’s eyes landed on the crown.
It appeared to be the crown jewel of the Mortimer vault—pun completely intended. A gold diadem that flared out at the top like a flower. The crown was inlaid with turquoise, diamonds, and a red stone that was likely carnelian. Hanging all around the crown was a veil of gold links woven in an intricate pattern.
“Careful with that one,” Beatrice murmured. “Arosh is going to want it intact.”
“You think I don’t know that?” the young woman hissed.
Elise stared at the crown with a mix of wonder and horror, undoubtedly wondering how to pack a priceless and delicate crown into a metal suitcase without provoking the wrath of an ancient fire vampire.
Elise’s hands were shaking, and she continually glanced at Nick and at Barnes. Beatrice saw the debate in her eyes. She was starting to understand the ramifications of what she was doing.
“Have you moved treasure like this before?” Beatrice asked, still placing gold bricks into the backpack.
“Yes, of course I have.”
