The Blood King by Calle J. Brookes, BG Lashbrooks Page A

“Separate houses, though two share. Finally we will have our vengeance.”
It had taken Rydere all of the last decade to isolate the human problem facing the Dardaptoan race and to learn that their problems were connected and were laid at the feet of only one human—Leonard Taniss. He’d been taking Dardaptoans for years, draining their bodies dry for his macabre experiments. Kindara and her adopted daughter were only part of a handful to survive.
 “I have never taken the time to play with my food. Especially a female morsel.” Cormac’s smile was just visible in the darkness.
Rydere felt a rush of sympathy for the unknown Taniss female who would satisfy Cormac’s appetites. Cormac was by no means a gentle man.
“So when are we to do this?” Theodoric asked, his words hesitant.
In tonight’s plan, the Taniss grandchildren would die to serve the war. Rydere and his people would have their vengeance, then Rydere would kill the old man himself. Had there been more Taniss heirs in residence on the man’s Colorado compound, Rydere and his men would have killed them, too. All Taniss would eventually die for Leonard’s sins.
“As soon as they are in their houses.”
“And the two in the same house?” Aodhan asked.
“You and Theo will take those two. Cormac, you take the smallest house there on the end of the drive. I’ll take that one there.” He pointed to the middle bungalow, with its lit front porch light that beckoned him. “We’ll reconvene back at the hotel. Once you have your target, don’t stick around. Taniss has some strong security on this damned property. We don’t need to get caught.”
“Taniss still underground?” Cormac asked.
“Old bastard is hiding,” Rydere said. “Protected by his security.”
“Too bad for them that the security didn’t extend to his grandchildren.” Aodhan and Tajic took off at Rydere’s nod.
“Gentleman, happy hunting.” Rydere said as he followed. “Tonight, this war ends.”
 
 

 
 
 
 
Chapter Two
 
Emily Taniss hated birthdays, especially her own. The finite aspect of time and years gone always depressed her, but her cousins had insisted she celebrate with them. So she’d gone along with Josey, Mallory, and Mickey when they’d pulled her from her office and dragged her to the bar two blocks from Taniss Industries. And she had had a good time. With them, she didn’t have to pretend she was a cold, ruthless businesswoman following in her grandfather’s footsteps. With them, she could just be Em, the oldest Taniss cousin who liked coconut drinks and slow music.
She closed the front door behind her, grateful to finally be inside her house. The cat opened his one good eye—the only one he’d come with—and greeted her from his perch by the window facing the bungalow shared by Mal and Mickey. Their lights were on, the two sisters probably just as exhausted as Emily. They’d been working hours on end trying to figure out just what type of mess their grandfather had left TI in before he’d been forcibly retired and Emily had taken over.
She bypassed the living room and went straight to the master bedroom and slipped her heels off next to the closet. She turned, nearly tripping over the cat. She bent to pet him, ruffling his fur. “I’m never doing it again, Maury, never. I am never having a birthday again.”
****
“That’s the truth of it.” Rydere had watched the small woman as she’d entered the bedroom, studying the eldest grandchild of the man responsible for everything that had happened to his people. He doubted she stood mid-chest on his six-foot-eight frame. Her hair—the deep rich color of the best earth—was pulled back, the style too severe for her elfin face.
She screamed and tried to run past him. He grabbed her so easily. The tiny skirt she wore had hindered her escape attempt, but it didn’t matter. She fought and kicked and bit. He froze her with a small one-word command that even the youngest of Dardaptoans knew. It