Page 52 of Unholy Gambit: Checkmate in Blood
Nothing tastes quite like a dolphin shifter, and he’d drunk the bitch down his throat in front of Giovanni more times than he could count — lingering over every swallow, savoring not just the exquisite flavor but the man’s powerless, hopeless fury.
There’s really no way to pretty up rape, even when your bite can make her need release in theworstkind of way. She’d begged Axel for it, every time, but that didn’t make it right. It’d made it hurt Giovanni more, though. An extra twist of the knife.
But the self-styled king had thought he was untouchable. He’d taunted Axel, thinking he was better than a commoner without couth. At the time, every action seemed appropriate. Probably not to humans, but he’d operated well within the rules of vampire law.
Now, feeling love for the first time in his life, he could better understand why the bastard still hated him all these centuries later, and he resolved to try to fix things without being forced to humiliate the philosopher-cunt again in this century.
He caught the scent of the motherfucker again while he put his Aurélie into the car, and he put his keys into her hands.Lock the doors, and do not, for any reason, get out of the car. In fact, I need you to climb over the console, take the wheel, and drive away. Go north, away from the city. I’ll phone you as soon as it’s safe.
He closed the door and met her gaze through the window.Please, Aury. I need to focus on my safety, and I can’t do that if I’m worried about you. Get yourself away from here while I deal with a centuries-old problem.
When she’d pulled out and Axel was once again thankful for his habit of always backing into parking spaces, he turned to face his enemy of old. “I didn’t give you a chance to remove your Ondina from the playing field, and for that, I apologize.”
This required more than an apology, so he added, “I own what once hung above your writing desk. The house, the orchard, the lone cypress. It’s in Egypt and will need to be shipped, but I would offer it to you as the first step of truce between us.”
It was a painting of Giovanni’s childhood home, and he’d commissioned none other than Raphael himself to create it. The damned thing was beautiful, and Axel had sold it to hurt Giovanni while setting up the Dubrovnik arm of his Master’s lucrative enterprise.
A century later, Axel had bought it, and it currently hung in his home in Egypt.
Giovanni’s scent had been rage and humiliation seasoned with time until it was putrid on the air, and now, a fresh note was added — sharp and bitter, an old pain layered over the deep-rooted fury.
His faced twisted. “There will be no truce. I challenge you.”
Axel had hoped to avoid this, but if the other vampire insisted, Axel either fought him, left the city, or forfeited his life. None of those were acceptable.
“Where and when?”
“Two hours. Coterie house.”
“Only if Marco presides.”
“He or Josef.”
Axel nodded. “Acceptable.”
* * * *
Aury didn’t drive far, just over the Olgiati Bridge, and exited the freeway, parking strategically so she could quickly continuenorth if necessary. She wanted to be safe, but she also didn’t want to be too far from Axel if he needed a ride.
He called her, rather than texted, and her heart was in her throat when she pushed the button to answer.
“Please return to either Ruby’s place or your home, though I’d prefer you to be with Ruby. I have something to handle.”
“Tell me.”
“Someone I once wronged, who has every reason to hate me, has challenged me. I must fight him by the rules of old.”
“Can humans watch? Can I watch?”
He didn’t answer, and she reminded him, “You promised never to lie to me.”
“While it’s acceptable for humans to attend, it’s rare, and I do not want you there.”
“I’m on my way back to pick you up, and I’m going.”
He sighed. “Call Ruby. See if she’ll attend with you.”
He disconnected without a proper goodbye, but she did as he asked, and called Ruby while she drove.
