Brothers to the Death (The Saga of Larten Crepsley) Read Online Free

asked. “Does she have twenty years left? Thirty? I don’t mind waiting a few decades until she dies, but if it’s more than that I might get restless.”
    “Be careful,” Larten growled. “I will not have you speak so lightly of such grave matters.”
    “Nonsense,” Arra huffed. “Humans lead short lives. That’s the way it is. Don’t tell me you plan to mourn for the next few centuries after she dies and remain true to her memory?”
    Larten reared back and prepared a stinging insult. But before he could deliver it, somebody knocked on his door. As he stood, glaring at Arra, the door opened and Mika Ver Leth entered.
    “Am I interrupting?” the Prince asked, sensing tension in the air.
    Larten almost told Mika that he was, but then he smiled tightly. “No, Sire. Arra was just leaving.”
    “No, stay,” Mika said as Arra rose. “You should hear this too.” He closed the door and stepped closerto Larten. His expression was as guarded as ever. “You said a lot with few words tonight.”
    “I spoke honestly, Sire, as you bid,” Larten responded.
    Mika nodded. “I was aware of your dislike of our German suitors—you haven’t learned to hide your emotions as artfully as I have—but I didn’t know you felt so strongly about them. Do you stand by everything that you said?”
    “Aye,” Larten said evenly.
    “Good,” Mika grunted. “The Nazis disgust me. I’m pleased you feel the same way. They’re creatures of destruction and hatred. I had to be diplomatic and give them every opportunity to present their case. But I’ve been drawing closer to my decision all the time, and tonight settled matters for me.
    “I’m sorry I asked you to speak your mind in front of such vile animals,” Mika went on, “but I needed to bait them, to give them one last chance to deny such foul accusations. If they weren’t monsters, they would have argued when you criticized them. But since they are, they could only threaten violence. I couldn’t be the one to enrage them, so I used you. Again, my apologies.”
    Larten smiled. “You have nothing to apologizefor, Sire. It was a pleasure to tell them what I thought. If I had known of your intentions, I would have treated them to even more of my mind.”
    “No, that was enough,” Mika said. Then he sighed. “Franz was truthful about one thing—a storm
is
coming. But it’s a storm of their making. Humanity is in for a rough ride, I fear. They are heading towards another
Great
War, and this one could be even worse than the last.
    “We must play no part in the atrocities. We cannot even afford to observe, in case the Nazis capture and manipulate us into doing their bidding.”
    “No human can catch a vampire,” Arra snorted.
    “These might,” Mika disagreed. “They’re cunning. It will be best if we don’t give them the chance. I’m leaving tonight to spread the word—I want every vampire out of Europe. If some are determined to stay, I’ll urge them to keep deeper to the shadows than ever. We probably have a few years before war erupts, but the sooner we slip free of this spreading net of fascism, the better.
    “I need you and Gavner to distract them,” he said to Larten. “When you meet with Franz tomorrow, tell him I’ve left to discuss the matter with the other Princes. Make it seem as if you think I’m angry withyou, that I plan to pledge our forces to the Nazi cause. String him along. When he realizes he’s been played for a fool, flee. Take to the hills, but don’t flit. Let them track you. I think the Nazis will trail you in the hope that you’ll lead them to Vampire Mountain. Keep that hope alive for as long as you can. Stretch it out for months… years if possible. The longer they focus their attention on you and Gavner, the more time the rest of us will have to evacuate.”
    “We will lead them on the mother of all wild-goose chases,” Larten promised, eyes alight. He would drag them through the harshest, most uncomfortable corners of