Vampires and Violas (A Vampire's Guide to Gardening Book 2) by Shari L. Tapscott

Author:Shari L. Tapscott [Tapscott, Shari L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2025-03-14T00:00:00+00:00

15

I didn’t sign up for monarchy drama. This is the kind of meeting that causes people to disappear, at least in movies. And my life has been a lot like a movie lately, so I think my concerns are justified.

“Which house, Sophia?” Cassian demands.

“No,” she says stubbornly. “I’m not giving you information unless you sign a pardon and promise my staff and me official house protection.”

Cassian curses, standing. “Sophia, I swear⁠—”

“Is it the Staulingtons?” Noah interrupts. “This hotel belongs to Alfred.”

She lets out a mirthless laugh. “Alfred has no political aspirations. He is content to spend his family’s money and rub elbows with whomever he thinks will make them more.”

“What about Jameson?” Cassian asks.

She turns her eyes on him. “I know the two of you are often at odds, but do you think he murdered Etienne?”

Cassian falls silent. After several seconds, he says, “No.”

“It’s not the Staulingtons,” Sophia says primly. “Sit down, Cassian—your broth is getting cold.”

“I don’t have any desire to get involved in these political games,” he says. “You know that.”

“You’re a prince—you can’t escape them.”

“Let’s say this house you were working for did assassinate Etienne,” Noah says. “And they used you to create a criminal web that can’t be traced back to them. What do you want me to do about it? I can arrest the rogue vampires you point me toward, but I’m only the head of the western region for the US branch of NIHA. My reach is limited.”

“I don’t know who else to go to.” The bubbly woman from earlier is gone. This Sophia looks tired and scared. She lowers her voice to a whisper. “They’re orchestrating things behind the scenes, and I no longer know who I can trust. And I honestly believe they’re trying to keep Cassian off the throne. He’s a threat.”

“I don’t want the throne,” Cassian insists.

“There’s an actual throne?” I whisper to Noah.

He leans close, dropping his voice. “I don’t honestly know.”

“You might not want to rule,” Sophia says to Cassian, “but a lot of people think you’d be a good choice. You’re going to be nominated again. Just like before.”

“And I’ll decline, just like before. If my so-called supporters want the throne, they can take it. I’m barely a prince. I’ve made exactly two vampires—you and Noah. The rest of my line is a bunch of rogue riffraff created because you have a bleeding heart.”

“Hey,” I say. “I’m one of those rogue riffraff.”

Cassian shoots me a look, trying not to smile, and then turns back at Sophia. “You know what I’m saying.”

“I do,” Sophia says, exasperated. “But I also know you’re two hundred years old, have never gotten caught up in a scandal, have never murdered a human, and have carved the way for vampires worldwide to have a better life.” She extends her hand toward him, almost in a plea. “And a lot of our people know that as well.”

Cassian presses his lips into a firm line, and then he corrects, “I’m two hundred forty.”

Sophia studies him for several seconds before she smiles like she can’t help herself.

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