The Blood Boss by Davidson King

Chapter Nineteen

Jayce

Iwoke with a start, swearing I’d heard something. When I turned to ask Cain if he’d heard it, he wasn’t there. I grabbed the silk robe at the end of Cain’s bed and slipped it on. We’d spent every night for the last week together, and the more I surrounded myself with him, the more at peace I felt. And he was different too. Emil said his sharp edges weren’t as prickly with me here, and it made me happy to know I did that to The Blood Boss.

I opened the door to his bedroom and listened. I knew all these rooms were soundproof, so hearing anything at all meant whatever it was had to be loud.

Halfway along the corridor, I heard a thump and realized it was coming from downstairs. Where was everyone? I was about to go see, but a thin vase on display caught my eye. Not the best protection but it would have to do. It had some heft to it and hopefully if I had to bash it over a head, it would be good enough that I could make an escape.

In the foyer, the sconces were giving the space a soft glow, and I was grateful I wouldn’t have to walk around in the dark. Another sound, this time a crash coming from the study. One glance and I could see the door was ajar.

Gripping the vase, I stepped quietly over toward the room to peer inside. I saw someone with either white or silver hair, riffling through Cain’s desk. He was grunting—no question he was angry. Papers were everywhere, Cain’s personal possessions were scattered about carelessly, but no Cain could be found.

I wished I’d grabbed my cell phone before I’d decided to be like every idiot in a horror movie and go see what the thump in the night was. But I realized there was no one else with this guy, and I did have this vase of destruction. Boldly—and stupidly, most likely—I stepped into the study.

“Who are you?” I asked, making the man jump and face me.

“Oh, you startled me.” The man chuckled nervously.

“May I ask who you are and what you’re doing in The Blood Boss’s office, showing it no respect?” I gestured to the fractured memorabilia.

“I’m an associate of The Blood Boss.” He offered no more than that.

“I’ve never seen you around the estate, and I’ve been here a while. Long enough to know all of The Blood Boss’s associates. Perhaps I’ve heard of you; he has mentioned some overseas.” That was a lie, but for reasons unknown, this guy wouldn’t give me his name.

“Yes, I’m from England. I work in exports of a sort.” It was easy to see he was feeding off every morsel I was giving him.

“I see, so you know Reginald, then? He too works in imports and exports.”

The way the guy’s eyes lit up with acknowledgment meant he did know Reginald. “Yes, we all work together.”

“I’m going to ask you one more time what your name is, and if you don’t tell me, I’m going to scream and wake the entire house.” This guy didn’t need to know the rooms were soundproof.

“You can call me Germaine.”

“I can call you that, or is Germaine, in fact, your name?”

“It’s my name. I’m truly from elsewhere, and I just moved to Black Veil a short time ago.” His dark skin was glistening, but I could tell he was a vampire, so it couldn’t be sweat.

“I see, does Cain know you’re here?” This time I used his real name; it showed I knew The Blood Boss as more than the vampire who ruled over Black Veil.

“Of course. He sent me to find something.”

Sent? “Why don’t you have a seat, and I’ll go get Cain. We can figure all this out.” I wanted to see what he’d say to that, because in actuality, I didn’t know where Cain was, and this Germaine likely did.

“Get him?” Germaine cocked his head. “How would you do that? He’s not here.”

That was not the validation I was hoping for. “I’m aware, therefore I will have to call him. Have a seat.”

The only phone that was closest to me was in the kitchen. It was the landline, and Natalie had explained that they only had it to get solicitors off their backs, but no one ever answered it.

“I’m in a bit of a time crunch and can’t stay.”

It was then that I realized—this guy had never asked my name. “I insist.” I pointed to the couch, which was scattered with papers. “I’ll be but a minute. How about some tea?”

Germaine shook his head. “I don’t have time. My partner is expecting me home soon, she’ll worry.”

“But you told me Cain sent you here. I’m sure she’ll understand if you’re a little later than normal.” This was a vampire, and he could have had me against the wall with my throat ripped out by now, yet he didn’t do it. He didn’t even move from behind Cain’s desk.

Germaine nodded curtly and I quickly raced to the kitchen. I grabbed the cordless phone and called Cain. No answer. I tried to remember Emil’s number, but dammit, I relied too heavily on my cell phone for numbers. I tried Cain’s phone again—still nothing.

There were only a few other numbers I remembered off the top of my head. I wasn’t calling my parents, and I was loath to call Sibell, but I had no choice. With a deep breath, I dialed her number.

“Hello?”

“Sibell?”

“Jayce, what’s wrong, where are you? I don’t recognize this number.”

“I’m in the kitchen, using the phone here. Look, I don’t have much time, and I can’t find or get a hold of Cain. Someone is here, claiming he was sent by Cain. He tore apart the study, and it’s like no one is here.”

“What’s the person look like?”

“He has dark skin, whitish-silvery hair, light-green eyes. He said he moved to Black Veil recently and he has a partner. That’s all I know.”

“Do you have a name, even if it’s—”

“Oh, yeah, his name is Germaine.”

She hummed, and I had no idea what that meant. “I know who that is. He is Abigail Hester’s partner.”

I knew who the Hesters were. They were disgustingly rich socialites. It made no sense why someone associated with them would be in Cain’s study.

“I can’t find Cain, Sibell. I wasn’t kidding, I believe I’m alone in this house.”

“Listen to me, Jayce, I want you to…”

“Sibell?” She didn’t say anything else, and I knew she’d been cut off. “Sibell?” I went to dial her again, thinking we got disconnected, only to see that the phone was completely dead.

“Is that tea ready?” Germaine stood in the doorway, scissors in hand. Glancing away, I saw the line was cut.

“Maybe tell me why you’re here?” As I watched Germaine with his smarmy grin, I tried to summon my emotions to bring forth my power. All I’d have to do was sing, right?

He shook his head, chortling as he placed the scissors on one of the counters. “I was told not to harm you, only to come and retrieve something from Cain’s study. I figured it would be an in-and-out job, but no.”

“What were you looking for?” I wanted to get as much information as I could to tell Cain.

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t think it’s here, and the intel was bad.”

I had placed the vase down in exchange for the phone, and I really wished I had it right now. It was closer to Germaine.

“If you leave before Cain sees you, you’ll be safe, but if he finds you here, with me, he’ll kill you.”

Germaine’s brows rose and he smirked. “I’m aware.” A second later, I was pressed against the wall, Germaine’s hand squeezing my throat just enough that it was difficult to breathe but not impossible. “If I’m going to die, it won’t matter what happens to you.”

I choked out a response. “Who told you not to hurt me?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes.”

“Rogos.” Germaine smiled. “I thought of something. See, he didn’t want me to hurt you, but I think it was more about me not approaching you. If you stopped me, then I couldn’t retrieve what he asked for. But that’s not here, and going back empty-handed would be a bad thing. If I bring you, if you’re in his clutches, all will be forgiven.”

“You’re an idiot.” He squeezed tighter, and I thought for sure he’d pop my head clean off. Any hope of singing to bend Germaine to my will was lost when he took my voice away. That was clearly the source of my power. I tried thinking hard, imagining him releasing me, but nothing happened.

“He warned me about your voice. He said, ‘If he sings, you are doomed.’ ”

I couldn’t speak, let alone sing a damn thing. The pressure Germaine was applying was cutting off enough of my oxygen that my vision was getting fuzzy and dark.

“You’re not singing now, are you?” he growled in my ear just as everything went black.