Page 73 of Mortal Blood
My father’s smile twisted, flashing fangs—show off. “Don’t be foolish. You can’t outrun me.”
He prowled closer. I tensed, looking for an escape route. But he was a full vamp, and an old one at that. He was right—there was no way I was outrunning him.
“Come now, daughter. Let us speak civilly. I havemuchto teach you.”
Right. And I was the queen of England. I edged back.
“I’ll pass, thanks. There’s nothing I want to learn from you.”
My father’s cold smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I advise you not to be hasty. A wise child would hear her father out before making rash choices. Walk with me, daughter. There is much I wish to discuss.”
When I didn’t move, his voice sharpened. “Must I make it a command?”
I stiffened. “I don’t take orders from you.”
“Come now, is that any way to speak to your sire? I’ve only wanted the best for you.”
Whoever the hell I got my reluctance to lie from, it sure as shit wasnotthis guy, because there was no way he gave a damn about me.
“You don’t know the first thing about what’s best for me,” I shot back.
His eyes narrowed. “Such insolence. Had you been raised properly, then what lies ahead would be far less painful for you.”
I shook my head adamantly. “My life is mine. I won’t be part of any scheme of yours.”
For an instant his carefully crafted mask slipped, revealing a glimpse of pure merciless ambition. It chilled my blood.
“You will honor your duty, one way or another.” His voice was pure menace. “The only question is whether you walk to it willingly...or if I must drag you there in chains.”
“The only place I’m going,” I told him coldly, “is back to the academy.”
“The academy?” He threw back his head and laughed. “No daughter of mine belongs at the academy.”
“I amnotyours.”
“You are mine, until I say otherwise. I would not advise being troublesome during that time.”
“Yeah, well, I think we’ve already established that I’m not interested in taking your advice, thanks. So I’m leaving now. My deal with Aodh was to meet with you. We’ve met. And now I’m done.”
“You are what I say you are,” his voice thundered around me, and he passed his hand over a red gem set into one of the heavy rings on his fingers. A portal sprang into existence, and I gaped at it. I’d never seen anything like that before. Every portal I’d ever seen had needed a fae to be there, in person, to open it. Guess I knew who’d sent that portal to the academy for me.
“That ring could really put Aodh out of business,” I muttered under my breath.
“There are many things that your mind could not begin to comprehend.”
“Thanks.”
“I will ask you one final time. Come willingly.”
“Where does the portal lead?” I asked, stalling for no reason in particular, aside from my apparent desire to prolong the inevitable, since it was pretty clear that if he decided to force me to go through that portal, there wasn’t going to be a whole hell of a lot I could do to stop him.Thanks, Aodh.
“My home. We’ll remain there for a few weeks while I make the arrangements.”
“What arrangements?”
He shook his head. “You have stalled for quite long enough, and my patience is growing thin.” He jerked his chin toward the portal. “Go. Now.”
He was stronger than me, faster, and had control of powers I didn’t even know existed. The smart thing to do would be to do what he wanted without a fight.
