Page 20 of Let Sleeping Vampires Lie

Isra’s voice came out low. “What are you saying?”

Jana glanced at Marcus—quickly, uncomfortably—before returning to her father.

“He’s really good,” she said, choosing her words with care. “There’s only a small shift, almost nothing. The spike is barely perceptible. If I didn’t have a wolf’s instincts now, I might have missed it.”

Raven’s breath caught.

Jana continued, tone gentle but unwavering.

“And most of what he said was true.”

Marcus stiffened.

Isra’s face fell, the shimmer of the red gown catching the light as he leaned forward, searching his daughter’s expression for something he could hold on to.

“Most?” he whispered.

Jana nodded once, her eyes soft with apology and something close to fear.

“He didn’t lie about loving you,” she said. “Or about his family. Or about wanting to help.”

Then her gaze returned to Marcus, sad and painfully steady.

“But he didn’t tell the whole truth.”

The silence that followed was a living thing—abrupt and cold.

Marcus’ polished mask held for a breath.

Then another.

But I saw it.

We all did.

A crack.

Barely there, but impossible to ignore.

And suddenly, everything Dimitri had said no longer felt distant or manipulative.

It felt real.

Very real.

Isra’s breath trembled as he turned back to his daughter. The sequins on his gown no longer sparkled, they looked dull under the weight of regret.

“Tell me,” he said quietly. “What did Marcus lie about?”

Jana hesitated for only a heartbeat, then met her father’s gaze. Her voice was soft but carried an unmistakable truth.

“He lied when he said he hadn’t worked with Dimitri,” she said. “And when he claimed he never dealt with criminals or artifacts with supernatural origins.”

The words landed like blades.

Raven stood and inhaled deeply, fury flashing across her face. Her magic stirred so fast the air vibrated. Her violet eyes brightened, glowing with a dangerous intensity that shot a warning through my bond.

“You pig,” she hissed at Marcus. “You played Isra. You are helping the enemy.”