Free Summoning Shadows: A Rosso Lussuria Vampire Novel by Winter Pennington

gestured for me to sit and we began to play. Iliaria moved closer to watch over my shoulder as Renata moved a milky white playing piece closer to mine. She took her time about it, seeming to have an endless patience with the game. She always did.
    There was no way I was going to win. I never did, unless she let me, but I certainly had improved in the years that we’d been playing.
    Renata had always told me I was too quick to sacrifice pieces. Much of the time, my attention wavered and I cared little about winning. This game, I was not so impulsive. I completely submerged myself in the distraction it provided.
    Iliaria placed a hand on my shoulder when I was about to place my crystal knight on a square on the playing board.
    “You are cheating, Dracule,” Renata said, offering a half smile.
    Whether Iliaria was trying to guide my attention or not, Cuinn took the opportunity to help me out.
    Wrong move, Piph. Try the rook.
    I saw it then, Renata’s white bishop perfectly aligned to seize my knight.
    I took his advice, using my rook to eliminate the threat.
    “Cheating?” Iliaria asked. “How so?”
    Renata narrowed her eyes knowingly.
    “Three against one?” she asked. “That is how you intend to play this game, is it?”
    I mumbled a quick apology and she laughed.
    Renata leaned back in her chair with a look of challenge and mischief. “By all means,” she motioned toward the board, “consult your counsel.” She inclined with a wicked smile. “If you think you will win against me, Epiphany.”
    You willing to test that, o’queen ?
    Renata mused, “How shall we sweeten the reward, hmm? What does the victor of this game receive?”
    “What do you want?” I asked.
    She touched my cheek and heat rose to my face. “Mmm, well, I already have you. That leaves little to ask for, doesn’t it?”
    I swallowed around my echoing pulse. “What you mean is that I’m already willing to do anything you ask of me, thus you have little to achieve by beating me in a game of chess other than a certain sense of satisfaction?”
    She gave a sweetly cutting smile. “Precisely.”
    “Finding a reason to retreat?” Iliaria asked, a tinge of teasing in her tone.
    “No,” Renata said. “I will play a game against the three of you. We’ll merely decide upon a boon at a later time. Agreed?”
    “Agreed,” Iliaria said.
    I thought Renata would ask to begin the game anew, but she did not. We played against her, the three of us, and it turned out to be quite a lengthy game. Cuinn and Iliaria began doing most of the work. One would think of a party of three against one that the larger party would have the upper hand. We didn’t, considering Iliaria and Cuinn were at odds with each other every time our turn came. When I took Cuinn’s advice, Iliaria complained. When I took Iliaria’s advice, Cuinn cursed up a storm until my ears rang.
    Renata sat in her chair, thoroughly amused as our mess unraveled while she took piece after piece until our king was left with little defense.
    In the end, she won as she had predicted.
    And I daresay, out of the three of us, Cuinn was the least happy about it. He rambled off in my head about if only ye’d done this and if only ye’d done that.
    Take comfort in the knowledge that whatever boon she asks will be of me, not you, Cuinn.
    With that, he ceased.
    After our game, time crept by sluggishly again. I sighed, returning to recline in Renata’s bed while she and Iliaria conversed in hushed voices. They spoke of the Dracule. Iliaria suspected Damokles was trying to assemble a following among them, if he hadn’t done so already, and that the Rosso Lussuria was but one of the many clans he was targeting.
    “If that’s true, then surely we should find out for ourselves if any of the other clans have had similar experiences or attacks?” I said.
    “Indeed, cara mia. You are correct. We should endeavor to find out if this is simply an affront to our clan or vampires as a whole.” She rose