LOGAN'S POV
Collins leaned forward, his deep maroon lips creasing in a smile. "Of taking that woman off her back porch and carrying her into the forest? Of laying her down and stripping those silly yoga clothes off her lush body?" Sharp canines flashed in what could never be considered a smile.
I fought to keep my face calm, my eyes amused. I had hoped Collins limited his rage to the training field—for now at least. He really didn't want to have to relocate—he liked the weather and overcast skies in Minnesota. And if he persisted in his escapades, the human authorities might become a bother.
He hissed out a breath. "She shouldn't have taken that dog out once darkness fell. Would you like to know how it felt to sink my teeth into her thigh?" A dark flush covered the natural white of his cheeks. "Of how I took her body, her soul, and ultimately her blood as she begged? As she promised anything to live?" He said with a wicked smile.
"Collins—"
"They'll never find her body, father. I promise you that." He smirked, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Taking such pride in killing a defenseless human female—the boy had maturing to do.
A knock on the door ended our discussion. "Enter."
A tiny blond human shuffled inside carrying a Belleek tray set with two cups. "Morning tea, your lordship." She kept her gaze down, focusing on the steaming shamrock teapot, each step carefully placed until she reached my desk.
"Orange zing?" I asked.
"Yes, sir," the woman answered, her fingers trembling so the cup she extended rattled against the saucer. A sour milk scent mixed with the fragrant orange spice tea. Damn it. The woman's fear would ruin my tea time.
"Layla?" Collins asked, his voice dropping to silk from behind her. "Are you with child yet?"
She jumped, clanking the teapot down that she'd just picked up. Lucky for her not a drop spilled onto my thick desk. "Er, no Master Collins, not yet." Her gaze stayed on the pot even as her shoulders stiffened to rock.
I frowned. Damn. Blake had mated her nearly a year ago—what was the problem? The clairvoyant woman had made a deal with the devil, and she'd better keep up her end. She was what, a starving homeless artist when they found her? The gods certainly had a sense of humor requiring my superior race to mate with their own prey.
"Hm. Pity that. Well, we could always use you for the experiments." Leather protested as Collins shifted his weight. "Or I could knock you up. Blake will never know." He said with a smirk.
Her gasp preluded the sharp smell of sulfur that accompanied raw terror.
I rolled his eyes. "You're dismissed. I'll pour my own tea." Now the little shit was offering to procreate with the mates of his soldiers. What was next?
Her muffled "Yes, sir," barely made sound as she all but ran out the door.
"Jesus, Collins. She almost spilled on my desk." I leaned forward and poured tea into my cup, raising my eyebrow at my son.
"No, thanks. Tea's not my thing," he said, his gaze on the door.
A warning tingle wandered down my spine. "She's a mate, Collins. You leave Layla alone." That's all he needed—a war among his own people. Killing was a fine sport, but as a future leader, he needed to learn diplomacy. Strategy. "Plus, the mating allergy might kill you at your age." I added.
He shrugged, settling back into the chair. "No worries. She's not my type."
"You're fifteen. You have a type?"
"Yeah. Fighting mad and desperate. I'd be bored in two minutes with that bitch. We should use her for the experiments." He flashed his canines again. "Speaking of challenges, how did the conversation go with the king? I take it they have our females?" He said, as I had told him about the females in DAGE'S custody.
Fury danced along my spine. "Yes."
"Hmm. Well, we'd better get going on the experiments. You know one of the Kayes will mate the mother." He reminded.
Bastards. "I know. We'll get to her before that." I took a sip of the tea, and orange spice exploded across my taste buds.
"Maybe." He rubbed his chin. "I've always wondered why they only get one mate. I mean, if one of ours dies, we can just get another to give birth."
I shrugged. "I don't know. It's their biggest weakness."
"Or, their biggest strength," He said, pursing his lips.
Perhaps. I took another gulp. "Though, we have had Kurjans mate for life." I said.
"But you didn't." The purple in his eyes swirled with the green. "With my mother, I mean." He said.
"No," I agreed, a pit lodging in my stomach. "Though I didn't kill her, Collins." I wondered if he would've engaged in his extracurricular activities if his mother had lived. Had shown him the love of a female, if the worthless bitch had been capable of it. Not that I gave a shit. But, if the hunt, if the killing, overshadowed the war at hand, then Collins must stop.
"I know. She killed herself the day after birthing me." No emotion showed on the young man's face. Maybe he had no real emotions.
"Yes, Collins." And it worked out—now I could mate the Darlington woman. "Your mother was a whore I took off the streets of Dublin." But a gifted one and not just with her mouth. "How are your psychic abilities coming along?"
He shrugged. "Well enough to know that my young mate won't be captured," came his response.
That was unacceptable. Kayes couldn't hide the child forever. "You're wrong; we'll acquire your mate." I assured him.
He hissed out a breath. "I already told you—I don't want her acquired yet."
Shaking my head, I sipped more tea. "Of course you do. If we get the child now, you'll have time to train her—to teach her our ways." I tried to make him reason with me.
Standing and heading toward the door, he turned. "I don't want her trained, father."
I paused with the cup halfway to my mouth. "That's ridiculous. Why in the world would you want her to grow up with the vampires, rebellious and independent?"