Just A Taste | BOOK 1 The Night Lords Series

16. A Moment

Cassius

"Deplorable."

The gold-haired vampire slams his fist into the table, creating small fissures, his molten eyes locked on Salazar. The perverse individual lounges back in his seat, his own graphite orbs swirling with unexpressed anger.

Ignoring them both, I continue picking at my chipped nail, my thoughts drifting back to my new slave. I'd much rather be back home tormenting her. Her little face could make so many nice expressions.

"Is it not enough that they killed one of my men? There's no need for proof! If you want proof, look!"

I look up to see Alaric jabbing a claw at the one vacant seat across from him.

"How is that proof?" A deep, rumbling voice growls from the other end of the table.

My gaze shifts to Marcellus. His convex muscles visible beneath his suit, the large Russian vampire bares his fangs at the flustered vampire as he leans over the table, massive hands splayed in front of him. "He never comes to our meetings, grebanyy idiot."

Alaric snarls. "Only more reason to believe he is plotting our downfall!"

"Enough." Salazar's low voice has both vampire lords turning their heads. "There is no violation of the Clan's Covenant nor do we need to worry about the Shadow's intentions. Your clan member was trespassing. That's that."

"I beg to-"

"I agree with Salazar." I interrupt, irritating the aurelian vampire further. "Besides, why are we discussing such a pointless matter when we came here to confabulate over the disappearing products in our blood proceeds?" I sit up to look at the rest of the seven vampire lords. "Consultants have been reporting numbers going missing from their database. Very few, but it is supposed to be impossible."

"How do you know what the Consultants are saying?"

I turn my head to look at Salazar whose stormy eyes regard me with mild interest.

"Not everyone has a bad relationship with the Shadow's valets." I say simply. Of course, my knowledge of this has more to do with my recent participation in signing off blood documents than conversing with Consultants but there's no need to mention that. The dark vampire holds eye contact for a second more before breaking it.

A scoff from down the table earns my attention. Riskel, a vampire lord whose gift is elemental, lazes in his seat whilst playing with a ball of fire. His multi-colored eyes shimmer like rainbow marbles. I narrow my eyes.

"Is something amusing you, Riskel?"

He smirks. "Not really," The fireball disappears only to be replaced by a rippling sphere of water. "Just thought that it would make sense to assume for now that perhaps it's just vampires killing off slaves for the fun of it. Happens all the time."

I arch a brow. "Just because you kill a slave doesn't mean they disappear from a Consultant's dossier. The body will always be tracked, dead or alive, until the Consultant removes it personally. Eve," I hold out my hand. Gliding forward from his place by the wall, Eve slips a tablet into my hand before falling back once more, head bowed. I open up the device and pull up the needed files. "If they were dead, how come we haven't found their bodies?"