Charming (A Seven World Novel) by Dannika Dark Read Free Book Online Page B

one powerful shock wouldn’t knock him unconscious. It gave him enough time to stay in the fight until he could bind their hands, unless he was in wolf form, in which case his wolf would tear apart their limbs, rendering them useless long enough for him to kill the Mage before they could heal. A Mage could flash—running at incredible speeds for short periods of time, so it was crucial to take them down as soon as you were within reach.
    Prince removed his jacket and placed it over the back of the chair next to him. “Tell me, Vlad, what became of Alexei Kozlov?”
    Instead of thinking for a moment with his gaze adrift as most men do when asked a question that requires them to reflect back a few hundred years, Vlad gave him a lopsided grin and sat back in his chair, flicking his near-empty glass away.
    “I sometimes wish I hadn’t taken his offer. It would have been worth turning down his fortune to see you rot in a Russian Breed jail. It’s nothing like the air-conditioned rooms they have now. We served them gruel, if they were lucky. Wolves were tied to sleds in winter to get the men around, and inside the jails they were shackled and beaten. I felt no remorse for someone who gave up his freedom for yours. That showed me what a weak and stupid man he was.”
    Prince quelled his anger, centering his eyes on Vlad, uncertain of what rare Mage gifts he might have—ones they often kept concealed. Some could sense emotions, others jumped long distances, and every Mage had at least one rare gift that could give them the advantage in a fight.
    Prince leaned forward. “What happened to Alexei?”
    Vlad sniffed indifferently. “Once we drove the Shifters out, we had all the power. But soon the humans who knew of our existence became afraid and rose up against us. We tried to get the situation under control, but they threatened to expose us to the public and drive us to extinction. I’m not afraid of humans; they’re weak. But the leaders didn’t think we could win a war without numbers. Guards were ordered to kill the prisoners before evacuating, but Alexei was one of six wolves given a temporary exception. They were to transport a general across the border and return, but when they did, they were short a man. Alexei had escaped.” Vlad rubbed the whiskers on his jaw.
    “Why so disappointed? Alexei did nothing but make you a wealthy man.”
    “He also paid off a general to set him free.”
    Prince smiled with satisfaction, realizing Alex hadn’t given all his fortune to Vlad but had also hidden some. “Clever.”
    “Stupid. He could have paid me off a long time ago to set him free. Instead, he chose to rot in jail like the cowardly mongrel he is.”
    A sharp blade appeared at Vlad’s throat, and Kat gripped his jaw with her left arm. “You know what’s stupid? That some idiot Creator out there deemed you worthy of immortality. That makes about as much sense as tits on a bull.”
    Prince’s lip twitched at her colorful expression.
    Kat wrinkled her nose. “Clearly I’ve spent too much time down South,” she said to Prince, annoyed.
    “Who’s your friend?” Vlad asked Prince, not showing any signs of intimidation even though he had a blade pressing at his jugular.
    Prince considered how to answer, but Kat took the honors.
    “I’m the firstborn daughter to Alexei Kozlov.” Rivulets of blood trickled down Vlad’s neck. “Now tell me where he is,” she growled, a cascade of her hair falling forward and concealing half his face.
    “Do you think your little dagger frightens me?”
    “How attached are you to your head, Dracula?”
    Vlad scowled. “Don’t call me that. I’m not a Vampire.”
    Prince pulled out the chair on his right and coaxed her to sit with a wave of his hand. Kat was seething with anger and had every right. In another lifetime, Prince would have challenged a man who insulted him or someone he respected. But these were different times where men didn’t settle disputes with swords.