Page 137 of An Oath at Midnight

Bram shook his head. “Ender here?”

He jerked his chin up and opened the door, stepping aside.

Bram strode through, pulling me after him, and we made our way down the stairs. “Why were you here that time? The time Leah and the others saw you?”

He stopped in front of a massive, round iron door, made from an old safe.

“We had business with Nero. They lost a couple of their elders and were in the middle of a reshuffle. There’s been fighting over who takes their place. They didn’t have time to deal with a couple rogues, so we were called in to do if for them.”

“Why does Ender owe you?” Pretender or “Ender” to most, worked for Nero. I knew this because Iris had met him during her own trial.

“He fucked up, made a mess he didn’t want Nero to know about. We cleaned it for him.”

By all accounts, Nero was an utterly terrifying and very old male who would kill you without blinking an eye. “Is there anything else I need to know before we walk in there?”

He curled his fingers around mine. “Just stay close to me, okay? Don’t leave my side.” Then he turned The Vault’s big handles and pushed the door open.

We walked into a large room. Music played, and the scent of blood and sex filled the air. Blood drinkers of every kind were hanging out, some feeding from donors, some fucking for all to see while they did it.

Bram headed across the room, his hand tightly around mine. Unlike the others here, the male we were walking toward wasn’t in a suit—or completely naked. He was wearing black jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. The hood was up, and the shadows from it concealed most of his face. He was leaning against a tall table, looking at his phone and ignoring everyone around him, including several people overtly trying to get his attention.

He turned then and watched us from under his hood as we approached.

“Bram,” he said when we finally reached him.

“Ender,” Bram returned, then smiled, and it wasn’t friendly.

Vibrant lilac eyes glowed from under Ender’s hood. “You’re here to collect.”

Bram nodded. “You have somewhere private we can talk?”

Ender jerked his chin up, and we followed him deeper into the club, down a hall, and through a door at the end. We walked into a bedroom—and wow. It was a freaking horror show.

“Someone has a major fairy-tale fetish,” I said, looking around stunned. “What the hell is this place?”

“A place we don’t talk about if we want to live, so keep that in mind,” Ender said.

I turned away from the four-poster bed draped in pink and finally got a good look at the male. He was…well, there was no other word for it, beautiful. Like he could give Ren a run for his money in the male model stakes, and that was no easy feat. I blinked up at him, momentarily mesmerized. The guy was so gorgeous, he didn’t seem real.

“I know your sister Iris,” he said. “And I’ve seen you upstairs.” His gaze slid over me, and there was no mistaking the hunger in his eyes for anything else. Though, I wasn’t sure which kind, lust or he was contemplating taking a bite out of me.

Bram stepped closer. “Don’t look at my mate, and don’t talk to her.”

“Let me guess? Touch her and die?” Ender said with a rough laugh.

I pulled my hands from my pockets and flashed my black-tipped fingers. “Literally.”

Ender’s violet eyes slid to Bram. “You brought a fucking reaper in here?”

“She’s not here for your soul, but we would like some of your blood,” Bram said.

Ender’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t have a soul, and I’ll take a pass on the blood donation.”

Bram and the vampire locked eyes. “You owe me, big. Don’t fucking test me on this.”

Ender’s nostrils flared, and though he was wearing a baggy sweatshirt, I could see him tense for a fight. I quickly stepped forward. “You have my word it won’t be used against you or anyone else you know. I need it for a spell, nothing more. And if there’s any left, I’ll destroy it,” I said.

His gaze slid to me. “I want a blood oath.”