Abel didn’t waste time. Caleb began escorting the vamp in, Stephanie standing at the door, but Caleb moved away from him because the vampire was woodenly walking to the chair and seating himself in it.
This was because Abel told him to do it.
Stephanie shut the door.
The vampire tipped his eyes to Abel.
Abel looked to me.
I reached out a hand and switched on the video camera. Abel could mind-control them into telling the truth, but the questioning was verbal, taped, and there were witnesses, at least one (me) and sometimes more (Caleb and/or Stephanie).
Abel started questioning, “Are you a traitor to The Three?”
“No,” the vampire answered.
“Have you given any information to anyone about anything you’ve learned inside the compound’s walls?”
“No,” the vampire repeated.
“Do you believe humans should be slave to immortals?”
“No,” the vampire said again.
“Are you aware of anyone who wishes to see the end of The Three or has given information to anyone who you suspect should not have that information?” Abel asked.
“No,” the vampire replied.
“Have you seen anyone acting suspiciously?” Abel went on.
“No,” the vampire stated.
“If you become aware of anyone who’s conspiring against The Three or those who are allied with them to keep mortals free from enslavement, what are you gonna do?” Abel began to finish it.
“Report this directly to the inner circle,” the vampire said.
“That being…?”
“You, King Callum, Lucien, the king’s brothers, the werewolf Ryon, or the vampires Stephanie, Cosmo, Gregor, or Yuri,” the vampire responded.
Abel looked to me, then to Caleb. “He’s clear.”
I turned off the video camera and Caleb nodded, moved to the vampire, and walked at his side as he escorted him out of the room.
The door closed on Caleb.
We repeated this three more times, one of them being with Dad’s female vampire buddy, Ursula (who was clean, thank God), before it happened.
Caleb escorted the vampire in. Abel mind-controlled him to his seat. He got his eyes. I turned on the video camera.
And Abel started his questions.
“Are you a traitor to The Three?”
“Yes,” the vampire said, and my body went solid as my eyes shot to the man in the chair.
He was handsome, all lean muscle, tall like all vampires, and he had thick brown hair that was two shades down from dark but not light. I’d look twice at him, but then again, I hadn’t seen a vampire I wouldn’t look at twice. On the vamp scale of hot, hotter, hottest (the last being Abel and Lucien, and maybe Yuri), he was in the “hotter” zone.
I felt Abel’s tension, as well as Caleb’s, as Abel repeated, “You’re a traitor to The Three?”
“Yes,” the vampire said again.
“Did you provide information to the enemy of The Three about our meeting with the vampire Cosmo this morning?” Abel asked.
“Yes,” the vampire said.
Abel looked to Caleb and Caleb moved to the door. He went out. Stephanie came in and closed the door behind her.
Her eyes never left the vampire in the chair as her mouth hissed, “Is it him?”
“Yep,” Abel answered, his word casual, his tone and stance not.
I tried to decide whether to edge toward my man, which would mean passing an obviously pissed off Stephanie, but didn’t come to a decision before Stephanie pinned me to the spot by looking at me.
“Are you taping?” she asked.
I quickly looked to the camera, ascertained all was well, turned back to her, and nodded.
“How did you become aware of the meeting this morning?” Abel asked the vampire.
“My room is next to Ursula’s,” the vampire answered, and Abel’s eyes shot to me.
Dad’s vampire. He heard them talking during their festivities.
Shit.
I gave Abel big eyes.
Abel looked back to the vampire. “You listened.”
“Yes.”
“Did you use any electronic devices to do this?” Abel continued.
“I don’t need to,” the vamp told Abel something he knew.
“At any time did you use any devices of any kind to learn anything about The Three?” Abel pushed.
“No.”
“Were you placed here by the enemy?” Abel went on.
“We aren’t the enemy; we’re true immortals,” the vampire stated. “True immortals know it’s against our nature to follow rules, be lorded by laws, forced to hide ourselves, our power, our dominance. We are all rulers. Kings and queens. Lesser beings are meals. Playthings. Drones. They exist to serve us and the time has finally come for the true immortals to take their rightful place as overlords of humanity.”
This speech gave me a shiver, but Abel didn’t hesitate. He just amended his question. “Were you placed here?”
“Yes.”
“Are there others like you?”
“One, a vampire soldier.”
“What’s his name?”
“Bjorn.”
Abel looked to Stephanie. She nodded and took off.
Abel kept going.
“Do you know of my abilities?”
“Abilities?” the vampire asked as an answer.
Abel didn’t answer him. He kept going.
“Do you know of any abilities The Three have?”
The vampire’s brow knit before he repeated, “No.”
“Have you been listening to The Three?” Abel asked.
“It’s difficult to get close to the quarters of The Three without being noticed. The brothers and cousin of the false king of the wolves are untrusting and annoyingly watchful.”