“I suppose. But dibs on any corpses after Khent gets them. I need a boost for the spell I’ve been working on.”
“Corpses?” Valentine asked. She turned to Khent. “Not my bodies.”
“What’s yours is mine. Isn’t that what they say?”
“What who says? I worked hard for that power. It’s mine.”
Khent smiled, having, dare he say it,fun,yanking the human’s chain. “You can keep them if you can hold on to them. But I’ve yet to meet a human who can best a reaper.”
“Look, you, I?—”
Varu cleared his throat. A mass of power settled over the room.
Hecate scowled at the floor. “Fix this. I have someone calling for me.” She vanished.
Everyone stared at Varu.
“Well?” Khent asked. “We’re waiting, oh glorious leader.”
Rolf snickered, not at all fazed.
Valentine appeared ready to bolt, a scared rabbit needing a good place to hide.
“Don’t worry, Valentine Darkmore,” Khent said, keeping his voice soft. Threatening. “I’ll protect you.”
“Scared?” Rolf teased her.
“I’m not stupid. Of course I’m no match for a master vampire’s power.” She studied Varu and took another step closer to Khent. “Plus, he’s amped up on something.”
“You sense this?” Varu stared at her with interest.
Staring at Khent’s prey.
With a sneer in his voice, Khent said, “I’m still waiting. Get on with it, Varu.”
The strigoi smirked at him. “Ah, of course. You’re eager to serve me.”
Rolf burst out laughing. “Whatever helps you sleep the sun away.”
“Seriously. A little full of yourself, eh, strigoi?” Khent scoffed.
Varu play-hissed, baring sharp fangs, something he never would have done before he’d mated his pretty dusk elf.
To Khent’s surprise, Valentine moved so close he felt her heat against his back.
Varu didn’t comment, though he raised a brow. “Fine. Rolf, go find out all you can about this Staff of Blight. Khent, you and your new pet need to get us something on Spectre we can work with. Stake out the bazaar and those shifters your human seems so fond of.”
She said, “I’m not his human,” at the same time Khent said, “She’s not my human.”
Varu talked over them. “Duncan, Kraft, Orion, and I will continue working on the few leads into our missing stone. We’ll be out of the city for a while, so keep an eye on Onvyr. I’ll be taking Fara with me, and I don’t want her brother thinking he’s free to do whatever he likes.”
“Onvyr? Seriously?” Rolf whined. “He’s a colossal pain.”
Varu just looked at him. “No killing the elf while we’re gone.”
“Well, hell. Why do I even bother living? You guys get all the fun work,” Rolf muttered and stomped away.
Varu nodded to Khent. “I’ll expect something soon.”
