Page 13 of House of Crimson Hearts
Gabriel is Dahlia’s birth twin. Whatever Dahlia does, Gabriel does. The pair of them set each other off, which gave Xavier an excuse to join in. I followed suit and Sadie… well, I’m not sure if she’s ever really anything but quietly out of control. It’s one of the things I admire about her.
“I still haven’t forgiven you, Xavier,” Gabriel says, taking his feet off the table.
Xavier trapped Gabriel in one of the donor cages… only without any of the actual donors inside. Poor Gabe had to watch in a frenzied state, starving and desperate, while the rest of us drank our fill. It was a cruel torment.
I laughed for three weeks about it.
Gabriel not so much.
He threw himself against the rails hard enough he cracked his own skull and broke several ribs trying to escape.
“I was in medical for two nights after that dinner,” Gabriel whines.
“Er… Gabriel, you asked him to put you in there, something about deprivation-kink,” I say.
“I did not,” he gasps.
Cordelia’s face pinches.
Xavier shrugs, “Asked… didn’t ask, same-same.”
“Hardly,” Gabriel growls.
Dahlia’s face twists as she glances at Gabriel, “I’ve seen you in Octavia’s club… it wouldn’t be the first time you’ve been put in a cage willingly. I think you get off on it.”
“Traitor.” He glares at her.
“Loyal to the house always, brother,” Dahlia says.
“Enough.” Cordelia cuts the conversation off. “I’ve brought you here for aciviliseddinner. I expect nothing less. Now, tell me. How is business for you all? Xavier darling, you start.”
He sits up a little straighter. Xavier doesn’t have an official title, but if he did, it would be schmoozer. Mother collected Xavier because of his beauty and ability to charm the nobles of the city. In other words, schmooze and corral everyone into Mother’s line and rules. Basically, he’s the family whip—fucking good at it, too. Though I’d argue that using compulsion is cheating. But he doesn’t give a fuck if it gets the job done.
“Lord and Lady Woodley are supportive of your continued efforts to push back the hunter territory, though they request you at least attempt to keep their farming lands intact. The humans on the borders of the St Clair and hunter territory are complaining that there are vampires terrorising the human settlements in the region.”
“So noted. I’ll see what can be done. Gabriel?” Mother turns to him.
He closes his books and places them on the table. “The Great Library has acquired an unusual grimoire from out of the city. It’s ancient. I negotiated for it personally.”
Xavier coughs. Gabriel fires him a nasty sneer, but Mother catches the implication. Gabriel might have negotiated, but Xavier was the one who charmed the grimoire over the line.
“And has this grimoire illuminated anything of note?” Mother asks.
“It’s still situated in the library vault. I’ll be examining it tomorrow, but it’s said to contain script written in the lost witch-vampire’s own hand.”
Mother stiffens. “Well, I should like to examine that myself. Perhaps you’d care for company tomorrow?”
Gabriel brightens. “I’d be delighted.”
“Kiss-ass,” I mumble.
“Don’t be bitter,” Gabriel fires back.
“Only as bitter as your single heart.”
“Says the pot to the kettle, honey.” Gabriel smirks.
“And how do you expect me to date when Dahlia keeps eating everyone?” I snap.
