Free 02 Blood Roses - Blackthorn by Lindsay J Pryor Page B

yourself sated. You need to tackle her with a clear head.’
    ‘My head is perfectly clear.’
    ‘Like an alcoholic says to a full bottle of Vodka. Caleb, I’m not happy about this.’
    ‘There’s only one way I can make a decision, Jake. If that façade is real, she won’t be able to keep it up all night. If I want to see what she is, I’ve got to lower those defences first.’
    Jake’s grip tightened on his glass. He knew exactly what that meant. ‘If you’re to justify whatever it is you’re planning to do to her, you need that façade to slip, you mean. You want her to prove herself to be like the others. That’s the main reason you’re keeping her here. You’re insane. I am not going to let you do this – this crazy power game you’re starting up is going to stop right here.’
    ‘Is that my brother actually stressing about something?’
    ‘Look me in the eye and tell me you’re not daring her to do something.’
    ‘I am making sure we’re prepared.’
    ‘Making sure she knows who’s in charge, more like. But this is too dangerous, even for you. And don’t forget Alisha’s in the equation.’
    ‘Is she still in the club?’
    ‘Hade’s keeping an eye on her. I told her there were a couple of things I had to sort. But she’s going to start getting twitchy in another hour or so.’
    ‘Then ply her with plenty of drinks. Use one of the spare apartments tonight. I don’t want her around until tomorrow. I don’t want you around either. As soon as those sedatives wear off properly, reality is going to sink in and I don’t want you in the firing line.’
    ‘And what about you? What if you take a bite? What if she’s that one serryn too many? Like you said, what if she is exceptionally good at what she does? It’s been a long time for you, Caleb.’
    ‘Not long enough for me to forget how to handle them,’ he said, staring back at the screen.
    Jake needed to get back in the dungeon and warn her. He needed to tell Leila to keep calm. He needed to tell her that if she kept her head down, he would work on Caleb to let her go.
    But this was his brother. His brother whom he loved and trusted. Caleb was no fool when it came to them. He’d always told him how devious they were and how manipulative – luring vampires in, making them see whatever they needed them to see. He didn’t know if she was any different, not really. He only had Alisha’s word for it. But he did know his brother. And his brother knew how to handle serryns better than anyone else ever had.
    Jake indicated towards Tay’s abandoned body out of sight in the room behind them. ‘What about him?’
    ‘I’ll incinerate him. We don’t want any traces of her blood found. And give that photo we’ve got of the sisters back to Hade. Tell him I want the other sister found.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘She could prove useful.’
    ‘How?’
    ‘Just trust me, Jake.’
    Jake hovered then ran his hands back through his cropped hair before exhaling a reluctant, terse sigh. ‘You’d better know what you’re doing.’
    ‘When don’t I?’
    Jake tongued his teeth as he shook his head slightly, hands falling to his hips. ‘I’ll sort Alisha but I’m checking on you in a couple of hours. No arguments,’ he said as he stepped over to the door.
    He looked back over his shoulder at his brother, but Caleb’s attention was back on the screen.
    Closing the office door behind him, Jake stood in the corridor, the music vibrating up from his right.
    He had to give Caleb more credence. He never lost it. Ever. He got carried away but the hunt was always perfection, from the tales he’d heard. Every serryn execution was controlled. It was what made him so damn good. It was what made him the most successful hunter of serryns back all those decades ago. Caleb bit only when he wanted to bite. And no serryn had ever succeeded in convincing him otherwise. That was what made him so proficient. That was what had made him the best. And he’d been up against