Ripper(34)

“Yes, I think that’s a good way to describe Donovan.” Gray’s hand toyed idly with mine as he spoke. “You should know that one of the first things he did when he took the throne was to break off all contact with demonkind. The only reason he allows me an audience is my status with the Rangers.”

That was news. Vampires and demons had a decent relationship for as long as anyone could remember. Their alliance was tightly bound by contracts, and law ruled their actions. From what I understood, they met once a decade or so and renewed their treaties. “Did the king break their contracts?”

“Not exactly. He follows the letter of them, but he refused demons a seat on the Council,” Gray explained. “The rumors are that he’d promised them one and then turned his back on them when the time came. He also refuses demonkind when they request an audience. The current contracts had a ten-year term, with an extra four years built in to cover anything that would come up. Like if the demons found themselves involved in a war or the vampires couldn’t make it to the negotiating table. They have four years from the end of the contract before it’s void. We’re on year two of that extension.”

“Donovan refuses to negotiate? What happens if he never comes back to the table?” Demons could be controlled with contracts. Without one, I didn’t like to think about what they would do.

“We’ll find out in two years. Some say Donovan’s simply playing hardball, but I think there’s something personal behind it. There are some of us who fear Donovan is going to let his distaste for demonkind push this plane into war. He hates them.”

“You keep saying they,” I pointed out, wanting to understand Gray. “You don’t refer to demons as we.”

He leaned forward, his mouth a flat line. “I’m a halfling, Kelsey. I’m actually stronger than most full-blooded demons, but it doesn’t matter when it comes to this. Contracts are written in very specific language. The agreements between vampires and demonkind are only for full bloods. Donovan doesn’t have to follow any law but his own when it comes to me.”

The waitress walked into the room after hesitantly opening the door. I hid a grin because I thought she was trying to make sure she didn’t walk in on us throwing down on the table. Since that kiss, Gray had been sweet and not at all handsy. The waitress set down the check and thanked us. Whether she was thanking us for coming in or for keeping our clothes on throughout the entire meal, I wasn’t sure. Gray pulled out a credit card and shoved it in the bill. The waitress strode off to run the card and I thought about what Gray had told me about the new vampire order.

“Liv said the king was looking for a sheriff.”

Gray laughed, the sound bitter. “Donovan has no respect for any law he didn’t make himself. Don’t think for a minute he’s trying to do something noble, sweetheart. He was a criminal before he was a king and that partner of his…I won’t even go into him. If there were any way to pin something on him, I would arrest him in a heartbeat. The king is playing with words when he says he wants a sheriff. He’s trying to pretend he isn’t as bad as the last Council.”

I’d heard the last Council wanted to enslave the supernatural world, so this dude must be a real winner. “If he doesn’t want a sheriff, what does he want?”

“The technical term is Nex Apparatus. It means death machine. He wants someone to do his dirty work so his hands stay marginally clean.”

I’d heard the term before. It gave me an icky feeling. “He wants an assassin? Why doesn’t he appoint a vampire? A Nex Apparatus is always a vampire.”

The waitress brought the check back and Gray signed it with a flourish. “That’s the thing about Donovan. He’s a tricky one. If he thinks it will help him politically to have a non-vampire death machine then he’ll find that man and when he does, he’ll use his talents to his own betterment. Come on, sweetheart. I want to get you home.”

I stubbornly sat back and ignored the hand he offered to help me up. I cocked an eyebrow and waited. We had settled the fact that I was willing to explore this attraction I had for him. I was willing to look past his demon half. Actually, he didn’t know it yet, but I kind of wanted to see those fangs of his. What we hadn’t settled was his refusal to talk about our case, and there was no question it was our case.

He sighed and I saw the weariness in his eyes. “Can we talk about this at home, Kelsey? Please?”

I didn’t like the idea of giving in, but I let him help me up and lead me out of the restaurant, his big hand on the small of my back. I was going to have to deal with my newfound weakness when it came to Gray. As we waited for the valet to bring the truck around, I was already thinking about, maybe, playing around with him when we got to his house. Would it be a really bad move? The man already claimed he loved me. In his weird brain, we were already married, so why shouldn’t I? I didn’t have to promise him anything beyond a night together. I was thinking about making a move on him in the car when he tensed beside me.