Zan grins that Cheshire Cat grin, his incredibly expressive face taking on a look of glee. "Helps to have connections to the warden." He looks around at the things my light provided, a small genuine smile pulling at his lips. "She has given me more than I've ever had in over eleven hundred years of life."
My supposed-to-be-a-hardass exterior crumbles a bit as I catch a glimpse of that genuine love he has for my mate, the way her kindness seems to really move him.
"You truly care for her, don't you?"
His eyes find mine, that sardonic grin back in place. "I am incapable of love, unable to truly care for anyone but myself."
I roll my eyes and decide now isn't the time to get into everything Cora shared with me. "A hypothetical then?"
He shifts so he's facing me, his severe amethyst eyes alight with mischief as he nods.
"If you were capable of love, able to truly care for someone other than yourself, truly care for say, Cora, would you be inclined to share with me any knowledge you may possess regarding my grandfather’s whereabouts?"
Zan tilts his head from side to side, folds his arms against his chest, then lifts a finger to his chin where he taps. "Hypothetically?"
I nod.
"I could be so inclined." Then he grins again. "What would be in it for me? Hypothetically, of course."
"I won't kill you for being so goddamn annoying."
He rolls his eyes. "Cora would never allow it."
"I keep my brothers from killing you as well."
"Something the little gem could also prevent."
I sigh and fight against everything in my head screaming not to do this, remind myself over and over that this may not even happen. "When Cora and I build our new home, build in the valley she loves so much, you may have our cabin."
At the least the fucker has the decency to look genuinely shocked.
"You would offer me..." He glances at the tiny window briefly. "Offer me a home, one that is close enough that I may see my gem whenever I wish? A place of my own, not borrowed or stolen, one where I may stay, one that would be mine alone?" He looks back to me and swallows thick, "Hypothetically, of course."
I nod, totally surprised by how much that seems to move him as well. "Yes. If you were to tell me where Nero's nest is, give me the specifics of entry, exits, his numbers, I would gladly give you our cabin once I build a new home for my light."
Zan sits quietly for a minute and I swear I can see him having a conversation with himself much like Cora does when she's working through things. Perhaps I should take her claim on him asbrothermuch more seriously.
"Then, if that were the case, I would most definitely be inclined to share with you what I know of that sorry excuse for avampyrand his coven, share with you the location of his nest and how you could successfully breach it." Zan gets to his feet and walks up to the bars, grips them and leans toward me. "And know that I would do so happily despite the most dire consequences that will rain down upon my head because if anyone deserves to be slaughtered simply for existing let alone all of the pain and suffering he has caused, it is in fact your bastard grandfather."
Huh.
I think I may have just gained a little respect for the demon who deals in destruction for souls.
"Do we have a deal then, demon?"
He nods, brings one hand to his mouth and uses a fang I didn't realize he had to tear into his palm before Zan extends it through the bars. And because I'm so close to having my revenge I can taste it, I lift my hand to do the same, then grip his hand tightly.
"For my angel, my Cora," I say as we shake.
Zan nods. "For the little gem, my Cora as well."
Yeah, dammit. I think I'm gonna probably like this asshole.
Especially two hours later when I'm running up the stairs screaming my brothers’ names, pushing into the kitchen to find all six males drinking beer by the fridge.
"I know where Nero is!" I blurt in between pants.
Everyone immediately stiffens but Andrej steps forward. "How?"
