Ash looked at my soaked arm and my precious cup filled with one-third of the restorative for dragon poison.
“Here,” I said. “You can use it for the cure.”
“Why would I use demon spit?” she asked. She looked at the three of us and laughed. “That thing’s not a dragon. It’s a demon. Lia must’ve bound him into the form of a dragon. Jeez. He’s really milking the death scene.” She glanced at me. “Demons are immortal. They can’t be killed, only sent back to hell.”
I stared at the dragon that was not a dragon. Demons were real, too? I shouldn’t be surprised. I should just assume that every creature in every myth was real. Then I wouldn’t get a shock every time one showed up.
Now that the demon had been found out, it stopped with the labored breathing and rolled onto its belly. It stretched out, then put its head down, closing its eyes. Oh my God. It was taking a nap. I guess it didn’t have feelings.
Ruadan took a cell phone from his front pocket and dialed a number. “Damn it. Battery must be dead. Lorcan?”
Lorcan offered his cell phone, but after Ruadan dialed, he shook his head. “It’s not working, either.”
Ash flipped open her phone and frowned. “Mine’s dead, too.”
What fresh hell was this?
I was so tired, I didn’t care. And I was still holding demon spit. “Do we need this?”
Ash shook her head. “Demon anything is bad juju.” She opened her pink jacket and unzipped a pocket. To my amazement, she pulled out a Ziploc bag filled with brown stuff. I saw spots of red in it, and at the top, the glitter of gold. “I found leftover vampire by the melted swing set in the backyard.”
Ruadan took the bag and unzipped it, sticking his hand inside. I realized I was still holding the demon saliva, so I dropped the cup onto the ground. “How did you get that big-ass bag into your coat?”
“Let’s just say I know a fashion wizard with some mad skills.”
Ruadan lifted a delicate gold necklace from the bag. The pendant was a magnolia blossom. “I gave this to Lia for our first binding. My mother made it from fairy gold. It can’t be destroyed.”
For a moment I couldn’t speak. I examined the ashes and saw the strips of red leather. “She’s . . . dead?”
“Yes.” His voice was hard. He didn’t look at me as he clenched the necklace in his fist.
Apologizing was so inadequate. How was I supposed to phrase it? Sorry I killed your murdering, conscienceless ex-wife? Well, it was worth a shot.
“Ruadan, I’m sorry.”
“I know.” Ruadan looked at me, and I was surprised to see empathy lurking in his silver gaze. “I know you did what you did to help us all. You couldn’t have known what might happen if Lia died.”
“Oo-kay.” Did this mean he was forgiving me for killing his ex-wife?
Lorcan took my hand and squeezed it between his own. “Darlin’, Ralph is part of Lia’s Family.”
I processed what he was trying to say. His earlier words floated through my scrambled thoughts: You may have killed more than just Lia. You may have destroyed every vampire in her Family.
Oh, my God.
I had murdered Ralph.
Chapter 23
“You have to take me to him,” I yelled. “Right now!”
Lorcan looked taken aback. “Maybe you should calm—”
I grabbed him by the shirt, yanked him close, and glared at him. “Take me to Ralph now.”
“Libby, if something’s happened to Ralph, perhaps it would be best—”
Men with their moron logic and patronizing tones. Or maybe it was the vampire in Lorcan making him stupid. I spun around and started off in the direction of the compound. Lorcan grabbed my shoulder.
“If Ralph . . . if he died, those boys are alone! They need me. Now either do your sparkly bullshit or let me go.”
“Okay, Libby,” he said.
“Don’t worry about us,” said Ash sarcastically. “We’ll just stay here with the stank-assed demon.”
Like I cared. I was anxious to get to the compound.
“We’ll have to get Phoebe,” said Ruadan. “Other than Patsy, she’s the only one with demon powers.”
The dragon snored. It was either the laziest demon around or so tired of Lia’s ownership that hell was a welcome retreat.
“C’mon,” I said impatiently. My stomach roiled, and I pressed a shaking hand against my belly. I wouldn’t feel okay until I knew the truth about Ralph’s fate.
Lorcan embraced me. One moment we were standing in the front yard of Ralph’s destroyed home, and the next——twinkle, twinkle, don’t throw up—we arrived outside a white building.
I still felt like my molecules were being reassembled, but I didn’t want to take an extra second to steady myself. I yanked open the door and barreled through it.
Lorcan followed me into the lobby. I had no idea where the hell we were. I turned around, slammed into the vampire, and wobbled backward. “Where are we?”
“The Consortium’s headquarters. C’mon.” He took the lead and I hurried behind him. We entered a wide hallway and headed toward a set of dark wood doors at the end.
My heart hammered. Had Ralph turned into ash? Were the boys even now weeping for their father? I couldn’t bear the thought.
Lorcan opened the doors and we entered a huge, brightly decorated room. The primary colors, comfy sitting areas, bookshelves, and myriad of games pegged it for a rec room. I saw my parents in the corner, sitting on opposite sides of a table with a chess board on its middle.
They both got up, their gazes showing relief.
I didn’t recognize most of the people milling around. I saw Patsy, Gabriel, Damian, and Velthur. Yeah, all but the three faces I wanted to see most.
“Ibby!”
I whirled around and there were Michael and Stephen barreling toward me. And behind them, their father. Their handsome, kind, sexy, very much undead father. Relief rushed through me, and the tears I’d managed to keep at bay flowed freely.
I squatted down and the boys ran into my open arms. I hugged them and kissed their little blond heads. Ralph kneeled down and cupped my face. His fingers caught my tears, and his gaze was filled with much more than relief. I saw love there. I cried harder.
He kissed me, not in a gentle missed-you kind of way, but in a reaffirming, passionate never-leave-again way that stole my breath. My heart.
“You squishing me, Daddy,” groused Stephen.
We broke apart, grinning stupidly at each other.
“Oh, God, Libby,” he said. “I thought you were . . .” His gaze fell onto the boys, who looked up at us with wide eyes.
“Yeah,” I said. “Me, too.” I wiped my eyes with a sleeve. “I look terrible.”
My coat was ripped, my ass was sore from being thrown across the snow-filled yard, and my eyes felt puffy from crying.
“You look beautiful to me,” said Ralph.
Oh, he was sooooo getting some. I licked my lips, and his eyes dropped to my mouth. I wanted to be alone with him, to show him just how much he meant to me.
“Honey?”
My dad’s voice put the kibosh on any more thoughts about hot monkey love. Ralph and I stood up and faced my parents. The boys clung to their father’s legs, and their father put his arm around me. I scooted closer and slung my arm around his waist. I could see that the others in the room had congregated near a large sitting area. Lorcan had found his wife and was talking to the gathering. I figured he was telling them about Lia—and what I’d done.
“The phones are out here?” I asked.
“Yes,” said Ralph. “None of the cell phones work. The land lines in Broken Heart were disassembled months ago.”
Mom and Dad shared a significant look. Great. Brady was probably the reason the phones didn’t work. That man had been busy. Was he still intent on rescuing us? I bet that my parents had a way to contact him, but were waiting to see how things played out. Either that, or Brady wasn’t the one responsible for cutting
off the cell phone signals.
“I’m Ralph Genessa. These are my sons, Michael and Stephen.”
Ralph stuck out his hand, which my mother took. “Theodora Monroe, and this is my husband, Elmore.” She looked down at the boys. “Hello.”
“Hi,” said Michael.
Stephen blinked at her and stuck his fist into his mouth. Gawd, they were cute.
Dad shook hands with Ralph, too, and I could see that my father was sizing him up. Elmore Monroe was the strong, silent type, with emphasis on the silent part. Ralph must’ve met his approval. “Nice to meet you, son.”
“You, too, sir.”
“You mean you guys didn’t talk the whole time?” I asked.
“I just got here,” said Ralph. “The compound has temporary housing, and we were assigned one of the bungalows. The boys were hungry and needed a bath.” He looked at me. “And I needed to keep myself busy. When you didn’t come back right away—”
I nodded, feeling myself tear up again.
“Daddy, play blocks,” said Michael.
Stephen nodded.
“Okay,” said Ralph. “But don’t throw them at your brother.”
Giggling, the toddlers took off to a pile of big plastic cubes.
“The vampire queen is fascinating,” said Mom. “And she has the most extraordinary vocabulary.”
“She means that Patsy has a keen ability to use a certain word as an adjective, verb, noun, and once even managed an adverb,” said Dad. “A commendable feat.”
“C’mon,” said Mom. “You look exhausted.”
She led us to a cozy sitting area near where the twins were playing. Mom and Dad each took a chair. I took off my coat, draping it across the table in front of me, and then sat down. Ralph sat partially on the armrest and put his arm over my shoulder while I leaned against him.
I knew my parents were probably wondering what was going on with me and Ralph. It’s not something I wanted to explain, especially since I didn’t really understand it myself. Love seemed such a simple thing in books and movies. Two people were meant to be together. Every obstacle was climbed, torn down, or blown up—and, ta-da, happily-ever-after.
But love was so much more than just moon-eyed looks and tearing off each other’s clothes. Love was terrifying. It was falling off a cliff. It was stepping into shark-filled waters. It was sacrificing to a pagan goddess who demanded blood.
And I had done all those things. Gladly.
I told my parents everything that had happened since I set foot in Broken Heart. With a few Ralph-sized omissions. Ahem. Well, I only told them everything up until the part where I fried Lia, and her demon dragon crushed the rest of Ralph’s house.
“Aren’t you surprised about Archie? Well, Stanley,” I asked my mother. I couldn’t quite work up the nerve to talk about Lia yet. Though from the looks we were getting from those on the other side of the room, I knew Lorcan had told them an earful. Shit.
“Oh, you can’t hold his nature against him,” Mom said softly. “He’s a curious man with a wonderful intellect. I’m sure he meant you no harm when he took you for testing.”
My mother believed everyone was good-hearted. It was one of the reasons Theodora Monroe didn’t feel the slings and arrows of cynics and snobs. She regularly befriended people who didn’t always have the best intentions. And if they stole from her or conned her or insulted her, she treated them just the same as if they’d been kind to her. I had never mastered this way of dealing with people.
“What about the fact that he faked his death?”
“Well,” she said, her eyebrows drawing down. “I suppose we should’ve appreciated him more.”
“Oh, Mom. Jeez.” I rolled my eyes. But really, Stanley was the least of my problems now. I fiddled with the sleeve of my sweater. “Okay, look. I sorta accidentally killed Lia, who’s one of the seven Ancient vampires. And the dragon is really a demon, but I didn’t find that out until I scooped out its drool.”
Mom, Dad, and Ralph all stared at me. Then Ralph said, “You killed Lia?”
“She was trying to kill everyone else.” I sounded defensive. I inhaled a steadying breath. “I somehow made this ball of sunlight, and then I threw it at the dragon. Well, the demon. Lia turned to ash. Ruadan said destroying an Ancient might destroy her whole line.”
“We know it’s not true,” he said. “I’m from her Family and I’m still here.”
“I believe in the sacredness of life, Ralph. I’m a vegan because I hate the idea of something dying so that I can live. And yet, I created that . . . that weapon and threw it at two living creatures.”
“To save your life and the lives of others.”
“I still don’t feel good about it.”
“Nor should you. But it’s done now, Libby. All you can do is move forward.”
“He’s right, Liberty,” said my mother gently. “Your guilt will not help the one who passed from this world. You were brave and strong.”
“We’re proud of you,” said Dad.
I felt as though boulders had been lifted from my shoulders. The people I loved forgave me. They understood. And even though I wasn’t too keen on what I had done, I could live with it. Especially because it meant those sweet little boys would be safe.
At least from Lia.
Synd . . . not so much. He was a bigger problem. One that needed to be solved or we’d all pay the price—with our lives.
Chapter 24
“Libby?” I looked up and saw Lorcan standing nearby. “The queen would like to talk to you.” His arm was around a teenaged girl who was dressed in black. She had black-rimmed eyes and an eyebrow ring. Her hair was as shiny and dark as a raven’s wing, except for two cherry-red stripes on either side of her face. “This is Tamara. She’ll watch the boys.”
“She will?” I asked.
Her eyebrows went up, giving emphasis to the silver ring.
“She’s a great babysitter,” said Ralph.
“Yeah,” said Tamara. “I do all my Satanic rituals after the kids are asleep.”
“What?”
Lorcan laughed. “She’s teasing, Libby.”
“Thanks for watching the boys, Tamara,” said Ralph in a choked voice.
Suspicious, I looked at Ralph. Yep. He was laughing, too. He got up and helped me to my feet. I looked over my shoulder and saw Tamara sit down next to the boys. She caught my gaze and waved. It didn’t make me feel any better. I felt very protective of Stephen and Michael.
We all traipsed over to the other side of the room. Mom and Dad squeezed in next to Lorcan and Eva on a yellow couch. Ralph and I took a blue, puffy chair. Once again, I sat down and he leaned on the armrest.
Ruadan and Ash had joined us and there, hiding behind Damian, was Stan. He was such a chicken-shit. I saw Zerina, too, and a few others I didn’t recognize. This was quite the get-together.
Everyone quieted and looked at Patsy, who sat on the center couch with her husband, Gabriel. She opened her mouth.
“I’m so pleased to meet all of you,” burst out Mom. She turned solicitously to the queen. “How are you feeling, dear?”
“Fine,” said Patsy. She looked flummoxed. Well, Mom did that to people a lot.
“I’m so glad to hear it. And just think, if my daughter hadn’t saved your life, you wouldn’t be sitting here now.” Mom tsk-tsked. “Not to mention what might’ve happened to your poor babies!”
Did Mom know how to give a warning tucked into warm fuzzies or what? I bit my lip to keep from grinning. Mom was probably the only human around who wouldn’t be instantly cowed by vampires and werewolves. And dragons.
“Libby kicked ass,” said Patsy. She glanced at my mother. “Would you like me to high-five her?”
“Maybe later,” said Mom.
Gabriel snorted a laugh, which earned him a pinch on the leg from his wife.
“It’s getting close to dawn, so let’s just get down to brass tacks. Libby killed Lia. I ain’t too sorry about it. I’ve wanted to blow tha
t bitch up since the day I met her.” She waved off the various reactions, which ranged from gasps to chuckles. “Lorcan and Eva used their übergeek powers to ferret some info. I’m the new chief of the bloodsuckers and the wolfies. So, even if killing an Ancient once meant the end of a Family, it doesn’t anymore.”
“And if someone kills you?” asked Dad.
“We’ll just make sure that doesn’t happen.” Patsy rubbed her belly. “So, wanna tell me why you all can’t be glamoured?”
“Why do you need to know?” asked my mother.
Patsy gave her an are-you-serious look, and Mom responded with a damn-right-I-am look.
“Fine. Do us all a favor and ask your invisible A-Team to come out and play nice.”
“Nope. They’re our insurance,” said Dad pleasantly. “You keep us safe, and you stay safe.”
His pronouncement had the same effect as if he’d said, “We think you eat babies.”
“Wait just a damned minute. We don’t go around killing decent folks,” said Patsy. Her voice vibrated with indignation.
“Um, hello? Didn’t you tell me I couldn’t leave Broken Heart?” I asked. “And then you threw me in vampire jail.”
Patsy had the grace to look uncomfortable. “You blew up my living room. And you can’t control your dragonfire.”
“Now, now,” said Mom. “We don’t need to rehash the past. Queen Patricia, we do understand the nature of your citizens. We know that you need secrecy to survive. We have no intention of telling anyone else about Broken Heart.”
“You’ll forgive us if we seem skeptical,” said Gabriel.
“I’ve gone toe-to-toe with Michael Shermer,” Mom responded. “I can handle the skepticism of a loup de sang.”
“Here’s the thing,” said Patsy. “I don’t like the idea of your guys running around my town. Nobody’s safe as long as Synd is still alive. So call them in, and we’ll figure out a plan together.”
Mom and Dad looked at each other, then at me. Mom shook her head. “Like you said, it’s getting close to dawn. Let’s all get some rest, and discuss it in the morning. Er, evening.”
“It would be better to strike at Synd now,” said Ash. “He’s vulnerable. With a day’s rest, he’ll be at full strength.” She pointed at me. “She’s not a vamp.”
Wait Till Your Vampire Gets Home Page 16