Read Online Christian (Vampires in America: The Vampire Wars Book 10) by D.B. Reynolds - Free Book Online Page A

means their loyalty runs deep.”
    “Are there any other challengers? Anyone from outside the territory?”
    “A few, but only two of them serious. Marcel Weiss is a fugitive from the Midwest, one of Klemens’s people who’s looking for a new home now that Klemens is dead, and Aden’s in charge. And Stefano Barranza out of Mexico; he’s unhappy with Vincent’s rule. No one’s sure who sired him, but he worked for Enrique.”
    “And let’s not forget Hubert,” Christian reminded him. “He’s not going to sit back and politely wait his chance, while all of this shakes out up here. He’ll take advantage instead.”
    Marc didn’t say anything, because there was nothing to say. Hubert was roosting down in Mexico somewhere, building his army of unwilling vampires for only one purpose. He wanted the South. Christian hadn’t talked to Hubert since Mathilde’s death, and so he didn’t know what Hubert’s reaction had been to the news. But he suspected there hadn’t been much in the way of grieving. Mathilde as Lord of the West would have been an uneasy neighbor, should Hubert win the South. Of course, an angry Raphael was far worse, but maybe Hubert was hoping that Raphael would value stability over personal vendettas, and ignore the fact that Hubert had helped Mathilde kidnap him. Or maybe he was banking on the fact that he’d left for Mexico right after Raphael had been taken, and that he’d never been a part of the power circle holding the Western lord captive. Or maybe he’d hoped that Raphael had sated his thirst for revenge when he’d killed every single vampire who had been part of that circle. Christian wouldn’t have rolled those dice, but then, he never would have taken on Raphael in the first place.
    “Are we going back to the house?” Marc asked, as they clambered down the staircase that would take them right to the door which exited onto the parking area in back.
    Christian nodded. “It’s late, and I need to think about our next move.” He pulled the door open, and they both stepped out into the humid night air.
    “Does that thinking include adding . . .” Marc’s voice trailed off when they saw what was waiting for them in the parking lot.
    “Looks like someone’s eager to get started,” Christian observed mildly. He took in the gang of vampires now closing in to form a half circle around him and Marc. Without saying a word, the two of them moved away from the door and put a solid wall at their backs, to avoid any surprises from that quarter.
    “Noriega,” Marc told Christian softly. “One of Anthony’s fair-haired boys,” he added loudly enough for the challenging vampire to hear.
    “If I’d have known the company you keep, Marc, I’d have killed you the night we met,” Noriega scoffed.
    Marc laughed. “You’d have tried.”
    “Has the challenge officially commenced then?” Christian asked calmly. “I hadn’t heard.”
    “You think something official will protect you when you lose?”
    He smiled indulgently. “I was thinking, rather, that it would protect me when I win. I would like it to be a matter of record that you issued the early challenge. We don’t want Anthony going to the Council and accusing me of an unsanctioned murder.”
    Noriega stared at him, blinking in seeming puzzlement.
    “But I’m sure you considered that possibility already,” Christian continued. “You know, when Anthony called you just now, and told you I was leaving.”
    Noriega’s expression narrowed, and Christian could almost see the realization in his eyes that maybe he’d been played, and by his own Sire, too. But in almost the same moment, realization was replaced by determination. And Christian understood. The other vampire couldn’t back down now, no matter what circumstances had brought him to this moment. There were too many witnesses.
    “I don’t care if the territorial challenge has officially begun or not,” Noriega growled. “Your presence here offends me, and