Bust a Deal, Spin the Wheel {Taran}

[Taran Korakas]

"Don't threaten me," he said firmly, taking that 'keeping you in one piece' for exactly what it sounded like.  Dimitri was saying that if Lothaire hadn't been around, Taran would have ended up a mess on the grass, and the raven didn't exactly like that bit.  If Dimitri was going to threaten him like that, he'd take the money he would have paid the guy and use it to take off.

Or buy a fucking hit on the guy.

He didn't owe enough for a hit, but he could scrape more together.  Taran had more resources than he let on to the people he owed, and for good reason.  Actually, he didn't let that on to anyone, including Tanith.  Some things were just better as secrets.

[Dimitri Brevic]

Don't threaten him? Taran should learn to shield his own thoughts more carefully. No Taran didn't have the money to pay his debts at the moment, he surely didn't have enough to order a hit on Dimitri...that is if anyone other than a professional vampire hunter would even touch a contract on someone as powerful-ish and connected as Dimitri. As well as the fact that no purely human hitman (and there had been a few) had ever even come close to killing him. Dimitri actually smiled at the thought.

"Ah my friend, I wasn't threatening you at all, merely reminding you to express some gratitude to Lothaire...I'm sure he is used to it from those beneath him. I will be calling on you tomorrow to collect what money you have, and then we will schedule your next payment. Oh and don't even think about calling for a hit on me, it would be a waste of money....and that certainly seems to be something you have is short supply."

Dimitri reached into his coat and pulled out his cell phone. He spoke several words of Russian into it rapid fire style. Then he pulled his sunglasses out and put them on, and turned to face Lothaire.

"We will discuss this later.....friend"

He spoke straight into the other vampire's mind. Then he pivoted and vanished, leaving a bemused Lothaire and probably an upset Taran to deal with each other.