by Beth Alvarez
She latched onto the last word. That it was daytime was the biggest comfort she could find. Justine said the Keepers did not adhere to a nocturnal schedule, but they were limited by sunlight. The sun hadn’t yet risen when they’d left Amarillo. Now it was mid-afternoon and they sat in a parking lot in downtown Nashville, Cole still waking up in the back seat, Felicity drumming her fingertips against the steering wheel and anxiously awaiting Justine’s return.
They didn’t have to wait long before the Keeper reappeared in the parking lot, carrying the usual crook-handled black umbrella overhead. Felicity had to restrain herself to keep from running to meet her.
“He’s been moved,” Justine announced as she opened the passenger side door and climbed inside.
That wasn’t the reassurance Felicity wanted. “Moved? What does that mean?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. Trade places with me, honey.” The Keeper waved her back and Felicity slid out of the driver’s seat and into the back with Cole.
Justine took her place behind the wheel and buckled in. “His files were pulled for eradication, but Birch is the one who did it. According to the others on the case, Kade is in his Keeper’s custody.”
“Eradication?” Felicity repeated, a new, powerful wave of fear sweeping over her.
“It could mean one of two things,” Cole said, sitting upright and reaching for his seat belt. “Either he’s slated for literal elimination, or his identity is.”
“And we won’t know which until we find him.” Justine started the SUV and worked her way into traffic.
Felicity fought back threatening tears. After the goose chase they’d been on, the idea of mere paperwork keeping them apart seemed more than she could bear. “But where is he?”
“I’ve got a rough idea,” Justine said.
“Does it involve overstepping your bounds?” Cole asked, the sarcasm in his voice hinting at a story Felicity might have been interested in, any other time.
“No comment,” the Keeper replied.
They wove into a residential area, farther and farther from the noise of downtown, until Justine pulled up in front of a large, attractive Victorian house. She parked and held out a hand. “Get armed.”
Cole slid a gun case out from under the seat, popping its latches and depositing the pistol inside into his Keeper’s hand. He produced more firearms for himself. Felicity still had hers.
Justine holstered the pistol at her hip. “Come on.”
Felicity slid to the edge of her seat. “Me too?”
“Everyone.”
“Not looking forward to a sunburn,” Cole grumbled.
Rolling her eyes, Justine snatched her umbrella from the floorboard and slipped out of the car. She met him at the side of the SUV with the umbrella open overhead.
Deep red day lilies with golden throats bobbed in the sunshine along the edge of the porch. Potted petunias in matching colors spilled from a basket beside wrought iron furniture, making the place look altogether too much like a cozy home for them to be armed.
“Whose house is this?” Cole asked, echoing her thoughts.
Once again, Felicity glanced at him, uncomfortable. Was mind reading a common trait among their kind, or were their concerns just similar? She trailed behind the vampires, her skin crawling under the kiss of sunlight as they marched up the sidewalk and climbed the stairs on the porch. The driveway was empty and the neighborhood was quiet, but she couldn’t help feeling like they were supposed to be hiding, rather than strolling in broad daylight.
The Keeper checked the doorknob. Locked. She kicked the door.
Catching her by the shoulders, Cole moved her aside. Then, both hands on his gun, he kicked the door hard enough to make the whole building shudder. On a third kick, the wood shattered.
“Never gets old,” he muttered, starting forward, only to pause at the threshold and blink in surprise. “What-”
Justine shoved past him and Felicity followed, drawing her gun. They stepped into a small foyer with old-fashioned parquet flooring. What waited in the living room was the last thing Felicity thought she’d see.
Kade sat with his sock feet on the coffee table and his ankles crossed. His red flannel pajamas were rumpled enough he looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, except that he wore his black Stetson. He watched them with mild interest, a spoon in his mouth, the cartoons on the television only making the whole scene more ridiculous. He lowered the spoon to the bowl in his other hand. “There’s a doorbell.”
Felicity stared, lowering her gun as her mouth fell open.
Justine cast a glance toward the open staircase that led to the second floor, then over her shoulder. “What are you doing?”
Kade shrugged, returning the spoon to his mouth with a scoop of something on it.
Felicity’s brow furrowed. He didn’t eat. Not like that. He met her gaze with a sparkle in his eyes and for a moment, she didn’t know if she wanted to kiss him or smack him.
Justine marched into the living room. “Where’s Birch?”
“Store, probably,” Kade replied with his mouth full. “Gettin’ stuff for the trip. I appreciate y’all comin’ all the way out, but it woulda been easier to just wait for me to fly back tomorrow.”
“What’s going on?” Cole called from the doorway. “Excuse me, vampire on the porch? Can someone invite me in?”
“The homeowner isn’t here,” Justine said. “Just wait.”
Realizing she still had her gun in hand, Felicity jammed it into its holster. “What are you doing here?” She paused, her attention returning to his bowl. “What are you eating?”
He licked his spoon. “Ice cream.”
She didn’t know how to respond. He’d told her he couldn’t stomach anything but blood. And water, occasionally, to wash it down. She’d spent months trying to goad him into trying her baked goods. He never had.
His mouth quirked into one of his lopsided grins, but it wasn’t quite right. Nervous. Uncertain. She raised an eyebrow at him, as if to ask if he’d heard her thoughts. He confirmed it with the slightest of nods, and she suspected they’d have a lot of talking to do.
“Ice cream,” Justine repeated, unamused.
“Freezer’s full of it. Never would have guessed Birch had a sweet tooth.” He took another bite.
“We drove straight, all the way from Amarillo, because we heard you were slated for elimination.” The Keeper crossed her arms, stalking forward. “We come all the way here, we bust down the door, and you’re just sitting here eating ice cream?”
“Bustin’ down the door was probably unnecessary,” Kade said. “Would have called, but Birch won’t give me my phone until we’re back in Texas. Protocol.”
Justine rolled her eyes.
“But why are you here?” Felicity thought she’d be relieved to see him in one piece, but something about the situation put her on edge. There was a tension in the air—crackling between them—she couldn’t figure out, and it made the short hairs on the back of her neck prickle. “We went to the Nashville headquarters. They said-”
“Birch didn’t want to let me go home. He wanted a new identity for me. Pretty adamant, really. But he can’t make me sign the papers, he can only punish me for not doin’ it.” Kade scraped the last of the ice cream from the bottom of his bowl. Something about his manner was too casual. Forced, Felicity decided.
He licked his spoon clean. “But I have a good rapport with ’im, so he was willing to negotiate a little. I asked for a couple days. He agreed. If the threat in Holly Hill resolved before they were up, I could go home. Otherwise, I’d do everything he asked. Go back to huntin’, even. Until then, the organization said I had to be under supervision.”
Justine scoffed. “And sitting in a Keeper’s house alone is Birch’s idea of supervision?”
Indifferent, Kade shrugged. “I don’t have a car, and he took all the umbrellas. Middle of the day like this, I might as well be on house arrest.”
“And you were flying back tomor
row?” The Keeper’s dark eyes narrowed.
“Mmhm. Word of what happened in Amarillo reached the office here first thing this morning. Birch was... a little annoyed, truth be told.” He uncrossed his ankles and sat up straight. “He was here ’round noon, said he had some things to verify and some supplies to get, then gave me the go-ahead to book a flight to Dallas for tomorrow mornin’. Should be back soon, actually.”
Felicity lingered in the foyer, looking out at Cole. He shrugged, pushing a toe at the threshold. Frowning, she crept into the living room. “So you think he’ll let you go?”
“So long as there’s no threat, I don’t see why not.” Kade smiled at her, but the pinched look at the corners of his eyes made it look more like a grimace.
She hesitated. Then he stood and opened his arms, and Felicity all but flew to embrace him.
Kade’s arms closed around her and he nuzzled into her hair, breathing deep and squeezing her until her ribs creaked. “We’re gonna get through this,” he murmured, his lips just brushing her ear.
Felicity closed her eyes and wanted to believe him, but the uneasiness within her only drew to a boil. “It’s not over yet, is it?” she whispered, clinging to him as if he might vanish.
“No.” The quiet honesty in the single word wrenched her heart, but at the same time, it offered some semblance of peace. It sounded as if he knew what was coming. Even if she wasn’t prepared, being wrapped in his arms made the ground beneath her feet feel a little more stable.
“I hate to break up whatever party is going on in there,” Cole called, “but we’ve got company.”
Lacing her fingers with his and taking a moment to savor the feeling of his cool skin against hers, Felicity crept toward the doorway. She reached the foyer just in time to see Thaddeus storming up the walk with a white-knuckled grip on his umbrella.
“What is the meaning of this?” the old man snarled. “What have you done?”
Cole stepped away from the door, raising his hands defensively. “Hey, if you want to keep people from kicking your door in, you shouldn’t use a wooden front door.”
Thaddeus almost trembled with rage. “You don’t put metal doors on an authentic Victorian! That was the original oak!”
Felicity leaned closer to Kade. “You could have opened the door for us,” she murmured.
“Oh, I know. I think he deserves a little thorn in his side.” Kade draped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze.
Thaddeus stormed into the house, his gaunt face white.
“Hey, uh...” Cole cleared his throat. “Can I come in?”
“Absolutely not!” the old man roared. “How dare you intrude upon my home? I expect as much from the lower rabble, but from a Keeper?”
Justine raised her chin. “You’re outside your jurisdiction, Birch. Word of us finding du Coudray’s informant would have reached headquarters by four this morning. You moved him after that. Why?”
“Because finding the informant changes nothing!” Thaddeus shook one gnarled finger at her. His bowler hat slipped back, letting a few strands of thin, white hair spill across his brow. “Yes, the organization desired it. Yes, the boy might have connections that might lead people to us. But having him in custody changes nothing. If anything, it only makes the situation more hazardous for my hunter!”
“He’s not your hunter anymore,” Justine replied, voice cool.
Thaddeus stared back at her, his fury fading. Slowly, he lifted his hat, smoothing back his hair.
“Justine’s right,” Felicity said, clinging to Kade’s side. “There are no rules saying a hunter can’t step down from their position. He’s officially retired.”
The old Keeper settled his hat and righted his black tie, drawing a deep breath before speaking. “Forgive me,” he began. Once again, he sounded calm and collected. “It isn’t like me to become impassioned. I am fond of my house. And my hunter.” His dark eyes flicked toward Kade. “After so many years, it has become difficult to think of him as anything else.”
“Hard to think of myself as anything else,” Kade said with a wry smile.
Thaddeus frowned, the craggy lines of his worn face growing deeper. “The work you have done is appreciated. Commendable, even, as there was little reward offered for eliminating the remnants of du Coudray’s operation. But it changes nothing. So long as the informant is alive, our secrets are not safe. So long as the Foster family resides in Holly Hill, the familial connection still bears risk of exposing our organization.”
Justine stiffened. “You aren’t suggesting we kill him?”
“Absolutely not,” the old man growled. “But it’s the only certain solution. I am sorry. Truly. But the identity of Kade Colton must be laid to rest. There is nothing we can do.”
“Actually...” Kade’s arm slid from around Felicity’s shoulders. From the way he caught and squeezed her hand, she knew she wouldn’t like what he had to say. “I think there is.”
A myriad of emotions flickered over the old Keeper’s face, the likes of which Felicity hadn’t thought Thaddeus capable of. Surprise and suspicion gave way to disappointment and, finally, remorse. His bushy white brows drew together and his mouth pursed. His shoulders sagged, and at last, the old man nodded. “Very well.”
* * *
Kade exhaled, rubbing the palms of his hands against his jeans. He didn’t sweat, but he swore some things still made him feel clammy.
Felicity touched his thigh. “Think they’re going to let you in?”
Thaddeus answered before he could. “They shall, or I will have come all this way for nothing.” The Keeper stepped from the car and straightened his suit, leaving them alone in the vehicle, though his door stayed open. Kade was beginning to wonder if the man was keeping them from having a single moment of privacy on purpose.
Worries had run through her head without cease. He couldn’t make out all of it, and didn’t want to, besides. The idea of rifling through the thoughts in her head gave him the creeps.
Yet, he got the impression she didn’t mind. If anything, her thoughts had grown clearer to him after she’d discovered that potentially unsettling ability—almost as if she’d consciously opened her mind to him. According to one of the books he’d found on the shelves in Thaddeus’s office, that was entirely possible.
He’d read as much as he could while the Keeper was out. The books had taught him a great deal about those notes in his file, some more worrisome than others.
The books were where he’d gotten the idea to try that ice cream.
Though they’d driven back to Texas, rather than flying, Thaddeus had refused to let them travel separately. Kade was still expected to be under supervision, it seemed. As a result, he hadn’t had a single chance to explain what had happened or what he had planned. From the rigid way she sat, he knew Felicity was unhappy about it.
Thaddeus opened the back door, holding his wide black umbrella at an angle to block the sun.
Kade sighed. “I’ll tell you everything as soon as I can.” He pressed a kiss to Felicity’s forehead. At least a hundred times during the drive, he’d regretted that the mind reading only worked in one direction. “You’d better wait here. With you bein’ involved, it’s probably better you not show up in there at all.”
Felicity nodded, drawing her fingertips over his unshaven cheek. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
He managed a grin. “No promises.” Sliding out of the car, he tucked his hands into his pockets and lingered under the umbrella’s shade.
Thaddeus passed the keys to Felicity. “I’m sure the air conditioning will make this more pleasant for you.”
“Thank you, Thaddeus. Make sure he stays safe.”
The Keeper grunted. “As Mr. Colton said, no promises.”
Kade made himself smirk, though he knew it wasn’t a joke. He blew Felicity a kiss, then turned to follow Thaddeus.
He thought he’d done a lot of things and seen a lot of places, but he’d never seen the inside of a detention ce
nter. Kade kept his head down, trying not to look like a tourist. He didn’t want to see. He didn’t want to remember. With luck, he’d never be here again.
“Wait here,” Thaddeus said.
Kade stepped out of the way, waiting as the old man did his job. A Keeper like Thaddeus could get him almost anywhere he wanted to go, which made it ironic that he was standing and waiting to get into the last place he wanted to be.
His mind drifted as they checked in and Thaddeus gave directions. He followed them unconsciously, working through everything he’d say. Though the books in the old man’s office had been helpful, they didn’t have the answers to everything, and he hadn’t had a chance to try any of what he intended. He didn’t know what would happen if it went wrong, but the only alternative was killing Nick. Even if it would have been permissible by the Keepers—and Kade imagined Thaddeus could have it approved with a moment’s notice—it wouldn’t have sat right with Kade’s morals. He’d killed people before. Some without a lick of remorse. But this was different.
Up until that bad morning in the bunkhouse, he’d thought Nick was his friend.
The visitation room was empty. Thaddeus stopped just inside the door, motioning for Kade to carry on. All things considered, it was probably best the Keeper stay out of sight.
Kade strode to the far end of the room, watching through the bulletproof panes as a correctional officer escorted Nick into the space on the other side of the glass. They regarded each other in expressionless silence. Then, at the officer’s command, Nick sat and leaned against the counter.
Swallowing back his doubt, Kade took a seat and reached for the telephone receiver mounted on the wall.
Even after he pressed it to his ear—and Nick took his—they sat in silence for a long time.
Nick was the one who spoke first. “Me being here doesn’t change anything, you know.”
Kade shrugged. “It changes a lot. Changes things for your family. For Penny.”