a shit about a wolf?”
“Since that named wolf has been assigned to find the vampire king,” the senator replied. His black eyes sparkled in the moonlight.
“How did you find me?”
“I have plenty of resources.”
Rafe exhaled and straightened up, but he kept his claws out. “I thought your grievances with the vampires ended with the war, Balaur.”
“It did, ultimate champ,” Balaur said, referring to his fighting championship title. “But old habits die hard.”
“You mean your obsession with every vampire king in history?”
“I mean the vampires’ inclination for treachery.”
Rafe narrowed his eyes at the S.O.B. Who did he think he was kidding? “Yeah, right, whatever.”
“It came to my attention that you owe a fair amount of money to Wyvern. Is that true?”
Fuck. Rafe didn’t like the way this conversation was going.
Balaur lowered his double chin and glanced at Rafe through dark lashes. “I have an offer you won’t be able to refuse.”
“What the fuck happened to make every dragon come to me with irresistible offers?”
“I can help you be free of debts entirely,” Balaur carried on, ignoring his remark.
“You’re a little too late. Wyvern has offered that already.”
“He’s offered to waive your debt with him, yes, but what about your other three collectors?”
Shit.
“Seven-figure debts are not easy to erase, my friend.”
“Why do you need me? I thought you had plenty of resources.”
“Well, let’s just say that my attempts were reduced to ashes,” Balaur answered, glancing around at the rumble. “I need someone to get it done, who can guarantee the results. Someone with a track record like…yours.”
Rafe ran his fingers through his thick hair. He was digging his own grave, but there was nothing he could do to stop the train wreck from happening. “What do you want me to do, dragon?”
“I want you to kill the vampire king.”
Chapter 17
Sam’s eyes flickered open. The room was fairly dark, just lit by warm amber light. Funny, she didn’t recall having Mrs. Wilkinson change her light bulbs. She turned on her back and stared at the ceiling. Wow, when was the last time she felt so relaxed? She couldn’t remember. She stretched across her bed like a happy starfish. Her mattress felt sooo good. And her ceiling looked different.
Holy Apa Dobrý! Sam shot up on the bed. This was not her bed, it was a futon, and this was not her room. She was still in Hikuro’s house in Japan. Fuck! How did that happen? How long had she slept?
She swung her legs out and stood up from the incredibly soft futon. Her clothes were nowhere to be found, but there was a white cotton kimono on a nearby chair. Sam ran across the room and put on the robe. The light cotton felt so good on her skin. Just like Hikuro’s hand had just a few hours ago.
Sam felt her cheeks burn with the memories of what they had done together. She’d had a few lovers in her life, but they’d never done anything like that before. Her work fighting alongside Zoricah and Yara and her annoying inability to control her powers were definitely a buzz kill to any boyfriend. Hikuro had been the first guy who’d put his own needs aside and focused solely on her. Incredible. Unheard of. She shook her head and smiled. He was unheard of. She’d been so embarrassed in the beginning. She had never touched herself before, let alone in front of a lover! Sam was born in 1932, for Hiad’s sake. Back then, sex was not supposed to be fun, and women were definitely not supposed to explore themselves. But, wow, if only she’d known how amazing it would be! Well, there’s a first time for everything, no matter how old you are.
She went across to the balcony and hugged herself. Yes, that’d certainly been a night of firsts. She’d never slept over at a lover’s house either. It was too dangerous, too intimate, too complicated.
She looked out the tall window panes of the enclosed balcony. The night was warm, yet she
“Since that named wolf has been assigned to find the vampire king,” the senator replied. His black eyes sparkled in the moonlight.
“How did you find me?”
“I have plenty of resources.”
Rafe exhaled and straightened up, but he kept his claws out. “I thought your grievances with the vampires ended with the war, Balaur.”
“It did, ultimate champ,” Balaur said, referring to his fighting championship title. “But old habits die hard.”
“You mean your obsession with every vampire king in history?”
“I mean the vampires’ inclination for treachery.”
Rafe narrowed his eyes at the S.O.B. Who did he think he was kidding? “Yeah, right, whatever.”
“It came to my attention that you owe a fair amount of money to Wyvern. Is that true?”
Fuck. Rafe didn’t like the way this conversation was going.
Balaur lowered his double chin and glanced at Rafe through dark lashes. “I have an offer you won’t be able to refuse.”
“What the fuck happened to make every dragon come to me with irresistible offers?”
“I can help you be free of debts entirely,” Balaur carried on, ignoring his remark.
“You’re a little too late. Wyvern has offered that already.”
“He’s offered to waive your debt with him, yes, but what about your other three collectors?”
Shit.
“Seven-figure debts are not easy to erase, my friend.”
“Why do you need me? I thought you had plenty of resources.”
“Well, let’s just say that my attempts were reduced to ashes,” Balaur answered, glancing around at the rumble. “I need someone to get it done, who can guarantee the results. Someone with a track record like…yours.”
Rafe ran his fingers through his thick hair. He was digging his own grave, but there was nothing he could do to stop the train wreck from happening. “What do you want me to do, dragon?”
“I want you to kill the vampire king.”
Chapter 17
Sam’s eyes flickered open. The room was fairly dark, just lit by warm amber light. Funny, she didn’t recall having Mrs. Wilkinson change her light bulbs. She turned on her back and stared at the ceiling. Wow, when was the last time she felt so relaxed? She couldn’t remember. She stretched across her bed like a happy starfish. Her mattress felt sooo good. And her ceiling looked different.
Holy Apa Dobrý! Sam shot up on the bed. This was not her bed, it was a futon, and this was not her room. She was still in Hikuro’s house in Japan. Fuck! How did that happen? How long had she slept?
She swung her legs out and stood up from the incredibly soft futon. Her clothes were nowhere to be found, but there was a white cotton kimono on a nearby chair. Sam ran across the room and put on the robe. The light cotton felt so good on her skin. Just like Hikuro’s hand had just a few hours ago.
Sam felt her cheeks burn with the memories of what they had done together. She’d had a few lovers in her life, but they’d never done anything like that before. Her work fighting alongside Zoricah and Yara and her annoying inability to control her powers were definitely a buzz kill to any boyfriend. Hikuro had been the first guy who’d put his own needs aside and focused solely on her. Incredible. Unheard of. She shook her head and smiled. He was unheard of. She’d been so embarrassed in the beginning. She had never touched herself before, let alone in front of a lover! Sam was born in 1932, for Hiad’s sake. Back then, sex was not supposed to be fun, and women were definitely not supposed to explore themselves. But, wow, if only she’d known how amazing it would be! Well, there’s a first time for everything, no matter how old you are.
She went across to the balcony and hugged herself. Yes, that’d certainly been a night of firsts. She’d never slept over at a lover’s house either. It was too dangerous, too intimate, too complicated.
She looked out the tall window panes of the enclosed balcony. The night was warm, yet she
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