Aeromancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 3)

David spat on the ground. “I rule this valley. If I say jump, these vamps jump. If I say die, they die.” He sniffed. “Anyway, they’re getting overpopulated. Call it culling if you wish. It’s about time someone took a firm hand in ruling them. These ones aren’t exactly the cream of the crop.”

Vamp Valley was a thorn in the side of the vampire rulers. It was drug infested and crime ridden, and David had only recently taken over the rotten apple for a hefty price paid to the ruler of France, and a promise to stamp down its population boom. Authorities still turned a blind eye, bending to the bribes of the French leader, but the vampire elders wanted the fire stomped out.

“Plus,” David continued, “I’ve heard about the firestarter. I wanted to see her in action.”

“What do you want?” Lann said. “I won’t ask again.”

He held back his need to kill the man who’d dared to threaten his wife and child. Not yet. He first needed to get whatever information they could on Godfrey.

“My sponsor wants what’s rightfully his.”

Lann took a wide stance. “What might that be?”

“The bairn in your woman’s womb.”

Lann clenched his fists. “You’re sadly mistaken.” His voice turned hard. “That’s rightfully mine.”

“Now, that’s debatable.”

“I’m getting tired of your games.” He’d had enough. “I’ll just kill you now.”

“Not so fast, Weatherman. If I give you the flour to bake the bread, who does the bread belong to, the miller or the baker?”

David was notoriously fond of riddles.

“You had your chance,” Lann said, lifting his hand.

“The last time the two of us met in Paris, you were quite keen on getting rid of what you now claim to be rightfully yours.”

Lann winced at the thought. The memory still filled him with guilt, but he’d done what had been necessary to keep Katherine alive.

“You were going for her at the clinic, weren’t you?” Lann asked.

“Not for her. For the babe. If not, you would’ve killed the child.”

“Don’t act like a savior. You were going to abduct her and sell the baby.” Anger wrapped around Lann like coils of electricity. It threatened to break free. He’d happily unleash it on the gift hunter, but as long as David was talking, Lann reined in his fury.

“How did you know?” Lann asked, measuring his opponent. “How did you track us to the clinic?”

“Tsk-tsk.” David gave a toothy grin. “You know I can’t tell you.”

“This is getting boring,” Clelia said. “I’ve had enough of Paris. I’m going home.” She smiled. “I wonder if you’ll smell like fried fish when you burn.”

David slammed a palm on his heart. “The little woman hurt my feelings.” He pointed at her, not looking away from Lann. “I didn’t expect her to be so cruel.”

He seemed so honestly insulted Lann almost broke out in sadistic laughter. When Clelia lowered her lashes like she did right before calling up flames, Lann knew no one would be laughing.

“I want to cut a deal,” David said quickly.

“Your kind don’t cut deals with my kind,” Lann said. Hunters were their eternal enemies. That would never change. “Worse, you’re a reptile. You can’t be trusted any more than a snake.”

“You forget that money rocks my world,” David said. “My sponsor was going to pay me for the babe, and I don’t kindly give up that much money.”

“What do you have to sell?” Clelia asked.

David addressed Lann. “I know you don’t believe me, but I wasn’t there to abduct your woman. I was there to save your child from you.”

“You son of a—”

“I bet you’d just love to know who sponsors me.”

“I already know,” Lann bit out. He added with sarcasm, “Didn’t you mention the name Godfrey?”

“Ouch. Yes, I’ve paid dearly for that Freudian slip of the tongue.” David touched his crotch. “So much for fantasies. I’ve always wanted to be fucked by Godfrey, only literally of course.”

Clelia turned her head away as David stroked himself. Her disgust evoked his laughter.

“Enough.” Lann had listened to as much as he could. “Let’s burn him and get out of here.”

Clelia sighed. “With pleasure.”

“I dance to the tune of the highest bidder.” David licked his lips. “You can be my Pied Piper. If you reimburse my losses, plus interest, I’ll lead you to Godfrey and all his handy little mice.”

“Tell us where he is now,” Lann said, “or there’s no deal.”

David’s pearly eyes gleamed. “Do I look stupid to you?”

“Actually…” Lann looked him up and down.

“You two hurt my feelings,” David said with a pouty lip. “This is not a nice evening for me.”

Lann crossed his arms. “Name your conditions.”

“This is how it’s going to work. I—”

Gurgling sounds drowned the rest of David’s words. A trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth. He stared at Lann with something like surprise before his knees buckled and he hit the tarmac.