Blade Of The Vampire King (Book 4) Read Online Free Page A

Now, out with it, you spellslinging motherfucker. Right now. Before I really lose my fucking temper.”
    The warlock scratched at the stubble on his jaw and looked away from her.
    Back at the fire.
    “You're right,” he said. His voice was calm. Unmoved by her threat. “I've lost my grimoire. Sharras Exilium . But I'll get it back. And give the bastard who took it from me something to remember me by. I owe him. I worked too hard and lost too much getting that book to just let it go. You remember what that's like, Nysta? To owe someone? You owed Raste. Owed him a death. And you gave it to him. I watched. I even helped you with that. You can't say I didn't. So, in a way, you also owe me. That's how this works with your kind, right?”
    The elf leapt from the dead tree, a snarl erupting from deep within. Sprang at him, jerking him back by his throat. Slammed him onto his back and stuck Entrance Exam millimetres from his eyeball. Hissed at him; “Don't you fucking dare try that on me, you bastard.”
    He didn't struggle. Just lay there, flinching beneath her with his hands held up in front of him. Her fingers tightened around his neck, squeezing harder as he choked his words through trembling lips. “You owe me, Nysta!”
    “Bastard,” she spat. “You fucking bastard. You're just like the rest of them. Mages. Fucking mages and your fucking manipulative tricks.”
    “I wouldn't have to if you'd act like a fucking human for a few minutes.” He winced. “Sorry. I mean an elf, of course. Not a human. What was I thinking? You're not human. Not even a little. But I've met enough elfs to know you're different from them, too. Most of them were polite. Nice, even. One cooked me dinner. I liked that. We talked about the stars. I like stars. They're like diamonds in the sky and all that shit. Look, I wasn't really trying to fuck with you. It's just I'm kind of desperate. And here you are. Like a fucking gift from Grim. All wrapped up. Only not very pretty, of course, and you already know what I think of your bows. But tough. And I need tough right now. Need it bad. I can't do this on my own. Not like this. Not without my grimoire. Please, Nysta. Just listen to me. For a few minutes? And maybe stop squeezing my throat so much? I think I'm about to pass out. Please? Nysta? Come on, please. I'm begging, if it helps.”
    Blinded by a blizzard of stars popping angrily across her vision, the elf wanted nothing more than to keep squeezing. Especially when something crawled across the back of her neck, sending shivers down her spine. Shivers she chose to ignore. “Why should I? Why should I trust you?”
    “I didn't kill Talek,” he forced through strangled throat. “I wasn't even there!”
    Talek.
    His name formed, but never made it across her lips.
    She let the warlock go with another growl and spun away to stare up at the crisp lines of the mountains as the rage leaked slowly from her veins. Her mind replacing the hate with blurred images of her dead husband.
    She rolled her shoulders, heart squeezing painfully in her chest. “Damn you, Chukshene,” she said. “Damn you to the Shadowed Halls. That was unfair.”
    He lifted himself up onto his side and looked up at her. A smile tried to emerge from his twitching mouth, but in the end gave up.
    “You gave me no choice. And I'm sorry,” he said, rubbing at his neck. Bright red splotches where her fingers had dug hard. “For what it's worth, I really am. But, you know. There could be a positive side to this. Sure, you didn't kill me now, but that just means you can still kill me later. Where there's life there's hope for death, right?”
    There was an edge of hysteria to his voice which made her want to hit him.
    Instead, the elf closed her eyes, still submerged in her memories. “What is it you want from me, Chukshene? Just to get your book back? That it?”
    “That's it. You can leave the bastard cleric to me.”
    “Cleric?” She frowned and her eyes snapped open at