Chapter Twenty-Six
Danica stared at the man before her with a blank face. She tried her best to keep her face a mask like Phi and when she glanced over to the vampire she cared for, she found his eyes focused on them. He began to move through the crowd the moment he realized what was happening, but it was a slow process when so many got in his way.
Arden bowed at the waist deeply, and though he did so as a form of respect, Danica knew he was gritting his teeth while he did so. There was something about this man that felt wrong, so wrong that Danica couldn’t seem to reason what was so off about him. Did all royals feel like this? Phi wasn’t.
“I see my son had added another lowly vermin to his team,” the King said, staring at Danica. He sniffed. “A human. And here I thought he actually wanted to win.”
Danica didn’t reply. She didn’t bow like Arden, even though he gently squeezed her forearm in warning. But Danica would not bow to a man with a crown studded with bodies of those he killed to hold onto it. She may have been human, may have been wearing a mask, but there was nothing that pissed off men like the King more than someone who did not tremble before them.
The corner of Danica’s lips curled up at him without a word and his eyes narrowed just slightly, the only sign of his annoyance. He didn’t acknowledge her lack of bow, but he certainly saw the lack of fear in her eyes.
“What’s your name, girl?” he asked, his face so tight, Danica wondered if he was just an absolute dick, or he was holding in a fart. Either option seemed possible. The entire time, the woman on his arm didn’t speak, didn’t seem to even see. Danica glanced at her in worry, and though she held the beauty of a vampire, there was something very wrong there.
Something in Danica had her speaking without restraint, though she still held her mask in place. “I’m sure someone as fancy as you can read,” she replied, pointing to the TV screen above everyone flashing with the race teams. As if on cue, an image of her, Phi, and Arden popped up, her name right beside her face. They’d taken the picture before they’d ever walked inside. Danica tilted her head at the way the King followed her finger and scowled. “Or is your head so far up your ass, you can’t see that?”
Arden tensed and a hush fell around them. Danica didn’t back down, didn’t tense. She only stared expectantly at the King. When he smiled, it was unnerving, but Danica expected nothing less.
“Brave,” the King said, and those around them began moving again. “But stupid. I look forward to saluting your death, girl.” His tone was condescending, as most men in power were, but Danica didn’t allow him to unsettle her.
She winked at him, her grin cheeky. “My death won’t be the one toasted,” she promised, letting him take that for what he would. There was no doubt in her mind that this man would never allow Phi to take the throne, no matter if they won. It would come down to a fight between Phi and his father, and Phi was stronger than he thought. The King tensed at her words, but she wasn’t finished. “Have a good evening, Your Majesty,” she added, and then did the most mocking curtsy possible, which wasn’t difficult considering she’d never curtsied a day in her life.
Phi came up just as the King sneered with sharp teeth. “Keep your pet on a leash, Yophiel,” he spit and turned away, the vacant woman moving along with him as if she weren’t in control of her movements. Danica was starting to suspect that was precisely what was going on. Could vampires control other vampires? Were there some sort of drugs that affected the supernatural people?
“Do you have a death wish?” Phi growled under his breath, wrapping strong fingers around her forearm.
Danica raised her brows at him, unperturbed by the clear anger in his voice he used to hide his worry. She was getting better at reading him, it seemed.
“I’m about to race in a literal death race. I agreed to drive a car for two vampires. I’m currently wearing stilettos. It’s pretty clear I don’t give a shit about death right now.”
Arden choked on his drink, claiming the attention of a crow woman standing nearby. Only when Arden scowled at her did she look away, the interest wiping from her face.
Phi raised his brow at Danica, his shoulders tense. “Fair enough,” he grunted. “Let’s make it through this bullshit before you get us killed faster than I’d like.”
“He won’t kill us here,” Danica said confidently.
Arden glanced at her. “How do you know?”
Danica grinned and followed the King’s trajectory through the crowd that parted for him like the red sea. “I’ve pissed him off. He doesn’t want me dead here, nor the two of you. He wants it to be public, brutal, and now, he wants my head on a silver platter. He’ll save it for the race because his pride will want everyone to see without a doubt that we are weak, and he is strong.” She glanced up at Phi and then Arden. “Problem is, he’s wrong. He just doesn’t know it yet.”
Phi met her eyes, and though he still wore the mask, there was a sparkle in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.
“No,” he said softly, so only the three of them could hear. “He doesn’t.”