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.“While it is likely that he hasn’t completely abandoned you, perhaps he sought you in New York.James, get Elena on the line and see if there’s been any noise in Manhattan, would you?”The lackey answered back.“Yes, boss.”“If he does decide to show his furry head, I will have the humans sweep up your remains.We’ll place them in a lovely jar for him to keep…at least for the hour that I allow him to live.”“Fuck you,” I hissed, jostling my wrists in their bonds.Like the lick-boot leech she was, Lazuri chirped to Janos, “Not to worry, sire.A little less than an hour, that’s how long he has to live.Hmph, what a waste.You should have known not to cross us.How stupid could you be?”I wouldn’t dignify her with an answer, but I did contemplate whether I could take a chunk out of her before I died.Wrath filled me like an empty stream.Instead of spilling it forth, I contained it, let it rise.My fury would be for Janos alone, I promised myself, running my tongue over my fangs.104Mya“Maybe we could turn the werewolf on our side? Offer him something other thandamaged goods.”“No.Werewolves can be oddly noble when they choose to be.” Janos’s reply to Lazuri seemed indicative of a past frustration.“They’re noble or unruly, obstinate rogues.”Bryce was both -- unruly and an obstinate rogue.A sense of happiness descended on me as I thought about the times we spent together and how I should have given in to him so much earlier.If wishes imbued any sort of luck, I did my best to imagine for him a long and lucky life.I hoped that he would find someone who loved him and would take as good care of him as he had me.My chest tightened.I demanded my emotions be calm.With the intricacies of my plot, I would need to be focused and not weak.Bryce wouldn’t have wanted me to be weak.“Boss! Telephone!”“What is it? Have the wolf and his friends found themselves in a trap, perhaps?”Alarmed, I didn’t like the casual way that Janos gloated.My thoughts of Bryce went from calm to frenzied in an instant.Listening to the shaken voice of the errand boy, I awaited his words just as surely as Janos must have.“Sire…t-he p-penthouse in Manhattan…”Janos was too impatient for pauses.“Speak, man!”“I-it’s on fire.”Fire? The penthouse was located on the top level of a business tower and I could only imagine how magnificent the sight of it on fire would be against the New York City skyline.Janos roared at the unexpected news, swearing vehemently.While he sought more information from a source that had none, I was awash with the most bizarre sensation of hope.Some measure of revenge was being enacted and even if Bryce were not the cause, I was still eminently pleased.An Unnatural Worth105“The flames…they said they came out of nowhere.No one knows how it started even.I asked if it was the wolf but…”“But what?”“B-but…”I heard a whoosh, the sound of a body moving at great speed.There was a gasp and a gurgle, which I took to be the sound of the errand boy.“Nothing,” the man coughed.“They said nothing.They were screaming, sire.I --”A sickening snap, and one less human heart beat in the room.I could almost feel the heat of Janos’s anger as he swore aloud.The first thing that came to my mind was Cheetah, the firestarter.I didn’t know how Bryce had sought his help and I wasn’t even sure he had, but I smiled nonetheless.From what I knew of the penthouse, its security measures, and artillery, burning the place down would be the most unexpected yet efficient way of flushing out the vampires.Depending on how near dawn was, there would be utter panic.There would be no sanctuary from the sun, and they would scramble desperately to hide.If any of them survived.It was a brilliant plan and I couldn’t resist telling Janos so.“Well,” I laughed sarcastically.“He may have picked the wrong place, but it’s the thought that counts.”I felt wind then the force of a hammer slammed against the side of my face.“You fiend! You ungrateful, spiteful creature,” Janos sneered, his breath hot and putrid, close to my face.“I will lay you out in the sun, cover your limbs, revealing them one at a time to its harsh rays.I will start with your left leg, then your right, then your groin…you will see cruelty which no hellspawn has ever known!”His threats felt hollow to me.I didn’t care if any of them came to pass, because Janos was already suffering.It would take him a great deal of time to replace property, antiques that had been held in New York, and loyal associates.106MyaIn the I.E.D.cell that I had spent so much time within, I had worried that I would die a lonely and meaningless death.If I die tonight, I thought, at least it will be on a night when Janos was already suffering.He didn’t seem so in control, or so menacing.In fact, I could swear that there was a measure of fear within his voice and that gave me strength.* * * * *The world was in chaos, and I was in love with it!Janos’s followers were muttering their speculations about the events in Manhattan.Janos himself was conferring with guards, issuing orders [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]