A Midsummer Night's Scream (The Dulcie O'Neil Series Book 7) (22 page)

“Yes, my little warrior, just like you would,” he iterated with a hearty chuckle. He studied me for a few more seconds before returning his attention exclusively to the statue beside him. “I must say, her body quite resembles yours,” he said as he glanced from me to the statue and back again.

“Not interested.”

“Unfortunate. The only conversation you seem intent on pursuing is the one we were just having,” he replied with deliberate ennui as he shook his head.

Nodding, I launched right back into it. “I’m not stupid, Bram. Of course, I understand the reasons why the potions rings don’t want Caressa replacing my father,” I began, shaking my head. “But I still don’t understand why you don’t.”

He nodded and said nothing for a few seconds as he apparently considered my question. Or maybe he was just buying more time to ogle the bare nipples of the statue. Actually, the latter scenario was probably closer to the truth … I often wondered if maybe Bram had sexual problems, or could have been a sex addict. Shrugging, I figured I’d probably never know the answer, although the thought of it was a bit comical.

So this vampire who’s also a sex addict, walks into a bar …

“I support Caressa’s right to replace your father because I believe there needs to exist a balance in all things, a yin to the yang,” he announced as he lifted his index finger and ran it down the statue’s cheek. “The Romans certainly had a talent for capturing magnificence in a piece of stone.”

“But Caressa being in charge would only hurt your bottom line,” I argued. I shook my head and watched his index finger, hoping it wouldn’t travel any lower than the statue’s face. “It certainly couldn’t help it.”

He shrugged and didn’t seem overly concerned. “Be that as it may, I care not,” he said while glancing over his shoulder at me again. His attention fell onto the statue once more, and he withdrew his finger from her cheek before holding it in the air. His gaze dropped to her large breasts. “Yes, it will be more challenging to ensure that our … products are distributed, but where there is a will, I trust we will find a way.”

“You still haven’t told me why you’re taking over the portals,” I announced, albeit solemnly because his previous comment didn’t exactly thrill me. But then again, most of what came out of Bram’s mouth didn’t exactly thrill me. And I also couldn’t say I was ecstatic with the way he was staring at the statue’s breasts, as if he were hoping they would magically morph into warm flesh right in front of him.

He faced me with his straight-lipped expression. “First, you must understand the panic that my and other organizations are suffering from at this most recent change of hands. All of the exporters consider Caressa an imminent threat. None of them can comprehend their futures, or the potential difficulties in exportation, once the ANC has complete control of the government.”

“So what does this have to do with you?”

“May I quote someone we both know? ‘Stop interrupting me’!” he emphasized with a wide grin. That only irritated me further.

“Ugh,” I grumbled as I ate a generous slice of humble pie and waited for him to continue.

“Due to this perceived threat …” He paused as if he were baiting me and expecting me to interject. Frowning, I made a point of grinding my teeth together, which only made him laugh. “The other organizations have been discussing the notion of joining our forces, and uniting together, thereby actually threatening the power and administration of the ANC. Perhaps Jax already informed you that we must rely on strength in numbers?”

“He did,” I answered with a brief nod.

“Bloody blabbermouth,” Bram muttered underneath his breath.

“The point, Bram,” I reminded him. “Could we please get back to it?”

“Yes,” he said with another theatrical sigh. Returning his gaze to the statue, he apparently remembered where his train of thought derailed. “Many of the progressive leaders claimed if ever there was a time to see one of their own in power, now would be it.” He took a deep breath as if he needed one and then continued, his eyes still glued to the statue’s very alert nipples. “Upon my discovery that these organizations were hedging their bets, and soon planned to see one of their own in power, I realized it had to be nipped in the bud.”

“And you expect to accomplish that by taking control of our portals?” I spat out, now nearly unable to restrain myself. “How does that make any freaking sense at all?!” I demanded.

He shook his head, looking at me as if I were a lost cause because I wasn’t following him, but the smile on his lips revealed his unbridled amusement. “No, that is not why, Sweet. Please try to control your Tourette Syndrome so I may continue.”

“Ha-ha, Bram, that’s really funny,” I grumbled. “Go on.”

“I refused to allow myself to be relegated to the mercy of another leader, or another Melchior O’Neil,” he explained, although his eyes never left the statue. Despite my most earnest wishes to the contrary, Bram started tracing the statue’s breast with one finger. He drew an imaginary line down to her nipple. Once he reached the erect nub, his finger began circling it.

“As if you could ever be at anyone’s mercy,” I replied sarcastically before turning away. I definitely didn’t want to witness him molesting the statue.

“Yes, you are quite right,” he agreed, and his tone of voice sounded like he was literally beaming. “The king of the jungle is the apex predator, and subjugated to nobody!”

“I have no words,” I said with a frown as I faced him again, pleased to see he was no longer fondling the statue. Now, his hands hung at his sides and his attention, ostensibly, was mine once again.

“You have no words … for once!” Bram’s quip made him smile wider, like he was proud of himself. Taking a few steps toward me, he put his hands back inside his pockets. “The point, my dear, little Regulator, is that I prefer to avoid any situation that is out of my control. I did the only thing I could do. I took matters into my own hands.”

“Which means what, exactly?” I prodded. Trying to keep him on topic at the same time I wanted him to hurry the hell up and spit it out was a tricky trail to follow.

“I had to prove where my loyalty lay,” he answered. One of his eyebrows arched up in visible frustration. The whole situation seemed to aggravate Bram to no end, but I still didn’t know exactly why. “I had to prove to the exporters that I was willing to work with them, and become the leader they so desperately needed.” He was quiet for a few seconds and we just stared at one another. “I had to hoodwink them. I persuaded them to believe I wanted only the best for them.”

“But you don’t want what is best for them?” I asked, eyeing him narrowly as I tried to fully understand his meaning and once understanding it, decide if he was telling me the truth or not.

“I only want what is best for you, my dear,” he replied. Walking right up to me, he jabbed me with his index finger straight in the center of my chest. “At the same time, I also want what is best for
me
.”

“Uh-huh … So your idea was to seize control of the portals just to prove to those organizations that you were assuming the role as their worthy leader?” I finished before taking a step back. I crossed my arms over my chest, just in case he got any other ideas about touching me at breast level.

As far as our conversation was concerned, I was pleased to find that I was starting to piece the puzzle together.

“Yes,” he answered immediately. “I had to prove my loyalty to their cause, and it was a way to firmly cement my superiority at the top of the pecking order.”

“So where and why do I come into this?”

“I now require your assistance, Sweet,” he answered plainly.

I couldn’t respond right away because I was so taken aback. I didn’t know what to say. I had no idea what kind of assistance I could offer him. Especially when he was well aware how I wanted nothing to do with the illegal potions trade at all. It was just as abhorrent in my eyes as my dead father. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, though, I realized exactly what Bram really wanted.

“You want
me
to help
you
take control of every ANC portal, don’t you?” I asked before my jaw dropped in disbelief.

He merely nodded like it wasn’t a big deal.

I immediately shot to my feet and shook my head vehemently. When I finally met his eyes, my anger nearly blinded me. “You’ve completely lost your fucking mind!”

“Stand down, my pet,” he crooned with a laugh. Raising his hand, he attempted to get me to calm down, but it didn’t work.

“Why do you think I would ever help you to take control of the portals?” I asked, continuing to shake my head all the while because his gall amazed me.

“Because it will be one step in the right direction to repress this rebellion,” he answered, straight-lipped.

“You want to repress their rebellion?” I repeated, my tone of voice revealing my doubt. “After earning their trust? After becoming their leader? After facing a position in which you’ll be more powerful than you ever have been before? You’re going to just throw that all away?”

“Yes,” he replied immediately. “I fear it is the only way. This rebellion cannot be allowed to flourish. It must be repressed. But in order to do that, I must first earn their loyalty. Then I will squash them.”

I was quiet for a few seconds as I studied him, wondering if he were still being honest with me. Trying to read Bram’s true motives was like trying to read hieroglyphics. His poker face was flawless. ’Course, he’d had over three hundred years to perfect it.

“So, my job would be helping you take control of the portals; and then what?” I asked, assuming the role of Devil’s Advocate again. Not that I was swayed by his argument, because I wasn’t. Not in the least bit. But it was better to understand the full scope of the situation before I made any quick judgements.

“The ANC would be fully aware of our moves,” Bram announced, his eyes now riveted to mine. “They would authorize every step before we could take it.”

“That doesn’t answer my question. After you control the portals, then what?”

“Patience, my Sweet,” he answered with a fangy smile that caused a shiver of unease to shutter through me. “Once we seize the portals, we would pretend to begin infiltrating the Netherworld. To those not in the know, it would appear as if we were assuming control of the government by going through the back door.”

“And then what?”

“And that would be precisely when the ANC would step in to ensure that would never happen. There would be enough exporters involved in this heist that the ANC could arrest all of them and take them into custody. That would naturally deplete the numbers in the potions organizations and, thus, debilitate and annihilate them,” he finished.

“Which would mean the balance between the ANC and the potions rings would be back to how it was before my father ever took office,” I summarized after I considered everything Bram said.

“Yes, the balance would be again restored.” He eyed me with another winning smile and offered me his hand. I wasn’t sure why I allowed him to take mine, but once he did, he pulled me against him and held me tightly.

“What?” I started to protest, but he interrupted me.

“You must ensure that we prevail in our attack for the portals, Sweet. I need you to guarantee our victory.”

“And why should I trust you?” I asked. My eyes narrowed as I brought both of my palms against his chest and pushed away from him.

“You should trust me because that is what our relationship has always relied on, or am I mistaken?” He gripped both of my upper arms, ostensibly to keep me in place, and I couldn’t help noticing his fangs were now completely elongated and … sharp.

“I don’t know,” I said with obvious uncertainty. “You tell me.”

He didn’t respond as he stared at me, and his eyes appeared bluer than usual. Suddenly, I remembered to immediately close my eyes. I was afraid he would try to bewitch me again. I heard the sound of his deep, resonant chuckling and felt the pad of his thumb touching my left cheek.

“Sweet, please open your lovely emerald eyes,” he whispered.

“Why? So you can magick me into doing whatever evil plans you have up your sleeve?” I answered, keeping my eyes sealed tightly.

“You should know me better than that,” he said while exhaling deeply, and his cold breath chilled my face.

“I refuse to take any chances where you’re concerned, Bram,” I admitted. “The day I fully trust the serpent is the day it sinks its fangs into me.”

“Were we not just having this conversation, except in reverse? You said, and I quote,
‘the only way this rocky relationship will work is by maintaining trust,’
” he finished. I eventually opened my eyes, figuring I could close them again if he tried to overpower me. I didn’t have a comment because he’d caught me between a rock and a very hard place. Having someone using your own words against you was beyond irksome.

“I give you my word, as a gentleman, that I will not make any attempt to overpower you,” he said in a soft voice.

I hoped my gut instincts weren’t off, but his expression seemed earnest. I studied him for another few seconds, poised to slam my eyelids shut if I received even the slightest inkling that he was bluffing. But I didn’t.

“You have my word,” he repeated, slightly easing his hold on my upper arms. My palms were still flattened against his chest, and I was standing way too close to him, so I cleared my throat and stepped back.