Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Draco's POV

"Draco Aleksander Von Dimitri, if I understand you correctly you mean to say that you refuse the proposal."

“Emphatically." I’m hoping my irritation shows in my voice because these people truly exhaust me.

“Surely you can reconsider. This is Long Island’s most prized possession we are talking about, handed to you on a platter of gold. You dare reject the crown jewel of our great House?"

“Next time I'll make sure to use brightly coloured crayons to explain because apparently you bunch are not just hard of hearing but of understanding too. I don't give a damn if your princess is a fucking uncut diamond. I am not interested means you should find someone else for her.”

The silence that descends on them is too glaring to ignore. The congregation of dunces look shocked beyond comprehension and I just want to bask in their dumbfoundment.

But my second-in-command, too skilled in the art of de-escalating tense situations, tries to do some damage control, reduce the sting. "Put differently," Nero starts, “what my boss is saying is that as beautiful, talented and powerful as Nefeli Ryker is, he does not consider her a good match for himself at this time.”

The words are barely out of Nero's mouth when the unpaid yet enthusiastic spokesperson of the group gets up in all his Angry Bird glory. “This is totally unacceptable. The leader of our house would be absolutely appalled to hear this!"

Well that is your problem now, I want to tell him but think better about wasting my energy on him. To be very honest, I think he is quite entertaining so I just watch, wondering what new dramatics he's going to pull next.

“You have to reconsider!" This time he's throwing his arms in the air. "This union is just perfect. The two most powerful vampire houses coming together as one– we would be practically unstoppable. Lord Vlad–"

"Who disrespected me by not being here himself and instead sending a–" I think of a word to classify the sorry bunch before me, clear my throat. “Vladimir Ryker dishonored the name I bear by not availing himself and instead asking his theater crew to negotiate a very sensitive proposal on his behalf."

“Theater crew?"

I swear this is what upsets them the most. Before you know it, they already have Lord Vlad who was so caught up in work he “just couldn't make it" on the line and they are telling him about everything I have done and said since I came.

The way they narrate the whole thing makes it sound worse than it actually is and I give them credit for it. I do like a little bit of bad press.

Soon enough Lord Vlad asks for the phone to be brought to me. And then he threatens Hellfire and brimstone if I refuse to marry his daughter. I listen for about two minutes then hang up.

On our way out Nero is talking to me about how I could have handled things better. But there was really no way of doing that. Pride and entitlement cannot be brought to the negotiation table and as far as vampire houses go, House Crimson has a lot of those qualities.

"Vladimir is a powerful man," Nero tells me as we head for my car. "What if he makes good on his words?”

"I'll be waiting,” I answer.

“I still propose we be very careful," he says. “You can't trust those people."

“I never did. It's why I cannot marry into their family."

We're speeding down the highway when I receive a call from a secret informant. He has news about a human I've been tracking for a while now so I ask Nero to go on ahead despite how much he insists that he stay with me. There is a lot for him to do back at the house and the informant is really not a fan of crowds so we part and I move on, headed for the woods. I drive for about an hour and then park my car to a side of the freeway, continuing my journey deeper into the wilderness on foot.

No sooner have I set out for the brook where we're supposed to rendezvous than a ragtag gang of werewolves surround me. Apparently the anonymous tip was all a hoax. There is no informant. Fury boils in my blood.

“Look, I don't want any trouble," I start, eyeballing the men. "And trust me, you don't want mine.”

But the circle around me doesn't break even though it stops thining for a moment.

“So this is what I propose–"

The words are not properly out of my mouth when the first guy dashes for me, fists at the ready. I easily avoid him, swerving as he throws a punch. My evasion briefly puts him out of balance and he clutches at the air incensed.

"Whatever they paid you, I can quadruple–”

But these rogues are not to be reasoned with. The next one lunges, sending a kick to my midsection. I pull him and twist his arm back, on the verge of breaking it.