"Well, if you are not going to let us go, then ask your questions," I said.
"Did Alexis ask you to come to Epic Cu?" Esmeralda asked.
"No."
They waited for me to expand. I didn't.
"Why did you come?" Esmeralda asked.
"Curiosity." And that wasn't lying. I was curious about Alexis. Even the weakest Vampire could smell a lie, so I knew that they would know if I lied. My answer wasn't the whole truth, but it wasn't a lie.
"Did you come to break Alexis out of his prison?" Esmeralda asked.
I narrowed my eyes. "You're awfully curious about Alexis? Why?"
As is so often the case with Elders, Esmeralda struck fast. I didn't see her flinch, but I felt as if someone had hit me with a baseball bat! She smacked me, but it wasn't a human smack. She hadn't used her hand. Her power smacked me, and
