Vengeance (The Prince's Games Book 1) by Rebecca Grey (electric book reader TXT) 📕

He hums and folds his hands together on the table. "I'm the leader. I put the group together and picked all of you out months in advance."

How long had he been planning this?

"And he's a wicked good fighter. Been training most of his life as a warrior and can cut through a crowd of men bent on killing him. Done it before." Juilliard points out.

"How lovely," Sloane says without looking away from her husband and the way her hand strokes along his face. The show of affection makes my shoulders curl inward and I immediately look away.

"And you two? Train robbers?" I mumble.

"Yes. We too have a passion for being unseen. We blend in with the crowd, make friends easily. Not to mention we're quick. That was the trick for emptying the train of its goods without getting caught. Move quickly before there is time for the good guys to get you."

That's when it hits me. The group of us, we’re not good guys. At least the part of us Marcello and Juilliard had gathered from The Bend. We are the bad guys, criminals and thieves, and we were heading into The Oasis.

"Why did you pick us, Marcello? I'm curious." I say it quietly, but don't look up when I ask. Everyone else sits unmoving, waiting for the answer as I do.

Marcello clears his throat. "You all have skills I think will be useful in The Oasis Games. I think the similarities and the differences between us all make it so that we can work together with little to no issues. Well, at least most of us. I hadn't realized Nilsa was a Human when I'd planned this, nor did I know she has such a delightful attitude. That's all a testament to her strength though."

"Beautifully said." Finnegan smiles through Sloane's touch. "Dear, let me up and I'll go pack us a few things and we can be on our way. Would you like to stay and entertain our guests?"

"I would love that very much," she coos, standing to let him stride past her and out of the room.

Hedda grips the edge of the table and tilts back in her chair. I watch her from my peripheral but stay facing the Vampires as one leaves and the other stays standing. "Hey, you got any food?" Hedda calls.

Finnegan is too far to hear her. Sloane tilts her head and watches her for a moment. I wonder if she's waiting for the punchline or something. It doesn't come. She finally raises her brows and answers.

"Sorry, we only keep blood on hand. Oh! Actually, we might have some old chocolates someone left us after their last visit. Let me check." The wall behind the table, with the door Finnegan had just left though, has a long buffet table running along it. Pictures of the couple and a few other stuffy old looking people are propped up on its top. Sloane tugs open a door and fiddles around inside of it.

Old chocolates. Yuck.

"Ah-ha!" Sloane cheers and cups a small bag with the previously mentioned chocolates. She mimics a throw first then sends the bag hurling through the air when Hedda lifts her hands at the ready.

We sit in the dining room, listening to the sound of Hedda munching on old chocolates. I try to focus on anything else. I try to let my mind explore the room as we wait. Finnegan had suggested that Sloane would entertain us while he is absent. At this point I'm starting to think that she believes her appearance is entertaining enough. She stands in front of a small mirror that hangs on the wall as she fluffs her pretty blonde hair.

Her hair is the type of blonde that's nearly pristine. Pure and bright. My hair is littered with streaks of light browns. Streaks of different shades of blonde. I reach behind me and pull the end of my braid over my shoulder and examine it. I look between it and the colors of her hair.

Damn Hybrids and their beauty. Damn them all.

After some time sitting with nothing else to do, Finnegan strolls back into the room with two small suitcases in his hand. Marcello stops the picking he's begun doing at his nails and looks up. Hedda's chewing has stopped. She must have finally finished the chocolate.

"Lovely!" I cheer. I actually cheer because nothing could possibly sound more exciting than getting out of here and ending this awkward silence. "May we leave now?"

"I suppose we shouldn't keep you any longer." Sloane lightly holds her own fingers in front of her as she talks. "Shall you lead us to the vessel that will take us away to our destiny?"

"Should we live or die, come what may." Finnegan beams.

Soon we would find out. Is this the beginning of our forever, or the tragic end to an already plagued tale? We would sleep two more times before the first event. If we could sleep, that is.

"Should we live or die, come what may," Marcello agrees.

I slap my hands against the table and push myself up out of the seat, following Marcello as he slips from his chair. My attention looks back over this magnificent room and all of the belongings they've either brought or somehow collected. We've sat here long enough I think I've got the room memorized. I bet if I get bored later, I can draw it in its likeness.

"It's been just grand," I tease, "getting to sit in your very, clearly, humble abode. I'll be so sad when I'm forced to go back to hiding in the captain’s quarters for the rest of our journey."

"Beautiful home," Juilliard murmurs much more politely as we pass through the dust ridden entryway. The same tickling sensation builds inside of my nose.

My boots hit the ground in a determined stride and I reach the