by Jaye Wells
“Anyway, after that, I called in every vamp I know in the area for a powwow. Only it wasn’t to recruit them.”
“You were warning them to skip town?” Adam said, shooting me a look.
She nodded. “Fat lot of good it did. Only a handful decided to run.”
I leaned back against the couch cushions. “And the rest? Do they plan on working for Lavinia?”
“Nope. The rest of us are staying to fight for our city.”
A humorless laugh escaped my lips. “Then you’re all fools.”
“All right,” Mac said. “That’s enough. You’ve gotten your explanation. Now get the hell out.”
“No, wait,” Georgia said. When Mac made disgusted noises, she held out a hand for patience. “Why are we fools for not allowing a bully to push us around?”
I sighed from deep in my chest. The kind of sigh you take before you break bad news to a trusting soul. “Well, Georgia, the answer to your question is this: Lavinia Kane isn’t just a bully, she’s the godsdamned Alpha Domina. Just because you live in New Orleans instead of Los Angeles is no excuse not to understand what that title means.”
Georgia shrugged. “So she’s powerful.”
I snorted. “Not just powerful, Georgia. Ancient. She’s seen empires rise and fall. She’s killed more vampires than you’ve met in your lifetime. Created rivers of blood in the streets of both the Old and New Worlds. And when she wants something, she won’t stop until it’s hers. So, yes, I believe you and your friends are fools for even considering the possibility you could defeat her.”
Georgia tipped her head to the side. “Didn’t Mac tell me you aim to kill Lavinia Kane?”
I licked my lips. “I do.”
A slow smile spread across Georgia’s lips. “Well then, darlin’, I guess that makes us both fools, doesn’t it?”
I liked this Georgia. She had spirit and a refreshing lack of bullshit. “You have no idea.”
“Save your breath,” Mac said. “She’s leaving tonight.”
Georgia’s smile disappeared. “Like hell I am. If you’re staying, I’m staying, and that’s final.”
Mac glanced at me before pulling Georgia aside for a whispered argument. In order to give them privacy, I turned toward Adam and waved Giguhl over. The mage blew out a long breath.
“How you holding up, mancy?”
“I’ll live. If Mac doesn’t turn that shotgun on us, that is.”
“Oh, please, she’s just mad we found out she’s dating a vampire. I’ll just tell her that secret’s safe with us and that will be that.” That earned me two incredulous looks.
The conversation across the room escalated into a full-on shouting match. “… don’t let her put thoughts in your head. She’s a nut job.” Mac didn’t even try to pretend she wasn’t talking about me. In fact, she pointed a finger in my direction as she yelled, “She’ll get you killed.”
“I think we need to get something straight,” Georgia said, her voice icy. “I only like tops in bed. When the clothes go back on, you lose the right to boss me around.”
“On second thought,” I said. “Maybe they need some privacy.”
I stood and made my way for the door. Adam and Giguhl lagged behind, each enjoying the show too much to leave.
“I think they’re about to kiss,” Giguhl hissed.
I rolled my eyes and grabbed Adam by the ear. “Let’s go.” He yelped and rose immediately. I released his lobe and pushed him toward the door, careful not to nudge his wound.
Giguhl got less careful treatment and had to be forcibly pulled from the room. If we were lucky, the ladies would have furious makeup sex later. Then maybe Mac wouldn’t come after me with that shotgun for pulling a gun on her girlfriend over a misunderstanding.
A crash sounded from inside the apartment.
Then again, maybe I should have taken the shotgun.
16
In the dream, brass cuffs bound my hands to an overhead rafter. A werewolf in full-moon beast form pointed a shotgun at my face. Just beyond the light pool of a single bare bulb, the silhouette of a male paced in the shadows. Every now and then, the dim light caught the shock of red hair on his head.
“Who are you?” I demanded, yanking painfully with my wrists.
He paused. Turned. I still couldn’t make out a face. “We’ve known each other since the beginning.”
He stepped forward into the light. I gasped. He was beautiful. Too beautiful. Long cardinal-red hair, olive skin, eyes the color of wet emeralds. Tall and finely muscled. Not the bulk of a body builder, but the grace of a Greek statue. David instead of Goliath. Everything too perfect to be anything but evil.
“I don’t know you.”
He placed a hand over his heart and closed his eyes. Like my words wounded him. “My beloved Lamashtu. Soon we will be reunited. Forever.”
Blood dripped down my wrist, my arms, to spill on the concrete floor. “You’re a lunatic.”
He looked up, his irises darker now. Crazier. “Remind her where her heart is. Who her master is.”
The were stepped forward. Jabbed the cold metal into my breastbone. “I don’t know you!” I yelled.
The ominous double click of the pump action.
His slimy smile evaporated. He whispered, “Where’s my fucking owl?”
Boom!
I woke with a start. My breath labored, and cold sweat coated my chest. I rubbed at it, relieved to find unbroken skin. A green claw appeared in front of my face. The scent of coffee from the mug it held went a long way toward calming me.
I groped for it, but the claw moved out of range.
“You’re gonna have to get out of bed first,” Giguhl said, sounding amused.
Right, like that was going to happen. “Go away,” I groaned, rolling over to burrow back into the pillows and blankets.
My tormentor ripped the pillow away. Unholy light and frigid air hit my face.
“Don’t make me hurt you, G.”
“I’d like to see you try, trampire.” The covers disappeared next. “Now get up and shake a leg.”
I rolled over to deliver a well-deserved glare at my minion. “What time is it?”
He stood just out of kicking range, waving the mug in the air like bait. “Four.”
No wonder Adam sent Giguhl in to wake me. Four in the afternoon to me is like four a.m. to humans. Though my room had heavy quilts over the windows, I squinted against the ambient light streaming through the door Giguhl had left open.
“Why?” I barked.
Giguhl sighed and stomped across the room to retrieve a pair of sunglasses from the bedside table. “Gods, you’re such a diva,” Giguhl complained as he handed them over.
“Bite me, demon.” With great effort, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and sat up with a groan. Pushed the echo of panic from the dream away like a bad memory. Not surprising I’d have a stress dream, given everything going on. “Where’s the mancy?”
“He went to go buy some more blood for you. Said when he gets back we’re all having a meeting before we head out to do the ritual with Zen.”
I’d forgotten all about Zen’s suggestion that we try to contact the spirit world that night. I ran a hand over my face and yawned. “What’s the meeting about?”
Giguhl shot me a look. The disastrous conversation with Mac rushed back to me, along with Georgia’s revelations. “Oh, right.” I held out my hand for the coffee.
He crossed his arms and glared at me. My feet slammed into the floorboards and I pushed my butt off the bed. I stalked over the demon and glared up at him. “Happy now?” The sunglasses probably ruined the effect, but he seemed to sense failure to comply would result in pain.
He handed the cup over with a sneer. “Jesus, you’re bitchy today.”
I took a couple of bracing gulps, not caring that the brew had gone lukewarm. “Didn’t sleep well,” I said between chugs.
“Tell me about it, sister. The mancy’s got toenails like a fucking sloth. Scratched my ca
lves up to be damned. Not to mention, the hell-owl started screeching like a banshee two hours ago.”
I stopped mid-sip. “Oh, shit.” With everything else going on, the owl in the fridge had totally slipped my mind.
“Don’t worry. Apparently Zen and Brooks hadn’t forgotten about him like the rest of us. Zen said she fed him some rats yesterday while we were out.”
I blew out a breath. “I can’t believe we forgot about him.”
“You know what you need?” Giguhl said. I raised a brow, bracing myself for a punch line. “A to-do list. Might help you keep track of all the beings who want you dead and the satanic birdlife you’ve kidnapped.”
I imagined the list in my head:
1. Perform voodoo ritual on evil owl.
2. Find out who sold us out to the anachronistic Caste vampires.
3. Make amends with lesbian werewolf.
4. Rescue twin.
5. Murder grandmother.
I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. “Yeah, I’ll get right on that.”
Giguhl heard the sarcasm. “Suit yourself, but don’t come crying to me if you forget who you’re supposed to kill when.”
I rolled my eyes and went to get clothes from the dresser. “I need to grab a shower.”
That was his cue to leave, but Giguhl lingered, looking unsure of himself. I shot a meaningful look to the door. “Hello?”
He kneaded his claws together. “Um, there’s something I need to tell you.”
My stomach clenched. That kind of talk from a Mischief demon was never good. “What now?”
His goat-slit eyes looked at the floor. “I kind of, well—and it totally wasn’t my fault since I was asleep,” he said. “But I kind of sort of made a move on Adam last night.”
I choked on my coffee. “You tried to sleep-sex Adam?”
“I didn’t sleep-sex him. Just kind of, well, humped his leg a little.” A bark of laughter escaped me before I could stop it. The demon’s head drooped. “I guess my subconscious thought he was you-know-who.”
Despite my horrified amusement, I tried to remember Giguhl was still recovering from being dumped. Mostly he seemed unaffected, but I guess the demon had more layers than I gave him credit for. I swallowed the remaining giggles and pasted an empathetic expression on my face. With my free hand, I patted him awkwardly on the arm. “I’m sorry.”
He looked up, his gaze narrowed suspiciously. “What, no jokes?”
I shook my head. “Don’t get me wrong. I would have paid good money to see the look on Adam’s face—” Giguhl pulled away. I grabbed his arm. “Look, I’m sure Adam understands you didn’t really mean to—” I bit my lip to stop the giggle threatening to break free. “Get frisky with him.”
Luckily Giguhl didn’t notice my struggle and went to plop down on the bed. “I miss her sometimes.”
By her, I assumed he meant Valva. I set my clothes on the bedside table and sat next to him. Seeing him look so downtrodden made me uncomfortable. I felt totally ill-suited to be handing out love advice. Patting his knee awkwardly, I said, “That’s understandable, I guess.”
He looked up then. Uncertainty shadowed his expression. “Really?”
I shrugged. “Sure. I mean, until she revealed her true colors”—by stripping in front of a room full of horny vampires before causing a full-on stripper brawl and getting my friend’s bar burned to the ground—“you guys seemed to really be into each other.”
His lips turned down into a demonic facsimile of a pout. “I just don’t get it.”
“Me, either. You’re a great catch, and if she couldn’t see that it’s her loss.”
“You think?” He looked up from under his eyelids.
“I know it. You deserve a demon who understands how lucky she is to have you.”
“I guess so.”
I gave his shoulder a friendly bump. “In the meantime, maybe we should put a divider between you and the mancy in bed.”
The demon’s lip twitched. He looked up with a sparkle in his eyes. “Or he could sleep with you.” His black eyebrows waggled suggestively.
Now it was my turn to sigh heavily. “I don’t know, G.”
His nostrils flared as if smelling drama. “Ooh!” He shifted to face me. “Tell Gigi all about it.”
I shrugged. “Not much to tell, really. We’ve definitely grown close and all, but I keep holding back.”
“Oh, Sabina,” Giguhl said, shaking his head sadly. “What are you doing?”
I drew away. “What do you mean?”
He tilted his head and shot me a get-real look. “Don’t play dumb with me, trampire. We both know you’re hot for the mancy.” I opened my mouth to argue, but he steamed ahead. “Don’t even bother to deny it. The question is, why do you keep sabotaging something that could be really great for both of you?”
I rolled my eyes. Just my luck to have a minion who considered himself the Dr. Phil of the demon world. “I’m not sabotaging anything.” I looked away, unable to bear the knowing look in his eyes.
“Whatever. I think you need to go find that boy and tell him how you feel about him. Then you need to ride him like a tilt-o-whirl.”
“I can’t.”
“And why not?”
“You mean besides the numerous attempts on our lives, the sister to save, and the grandmother to kill?” He shot me a look that clearly indicated those were bullshit excuses. “Fine, how about the fact that we’d basically be recreating my parents’ Greek tragedy?”
His expression didn’t change except for a raised eyebrow. I looked up to the ceiling, knowing what I was about to do might be a horrible mistake. On the other hand, maybe sharing the burden of my secret might lessen its power. I hesitated for a second and then went for broke. “There’s something I haven’t told you.”
“You’re frigid? I knew it!”
I slapped his arm. “No, I’m not frigid.”
“VD?”
“Shut up and listen before I lose my nerve.”
He mimed locking his lips.
I let out a rush of breath. “Okay, remember in New York when Maisie helped me escape so I could go hide out with Slade until things blew over after the Banethsheh incident?” When the demon nodded, I rushed forward. “Well, the thing is I kind of sort of hadsexwithSlade.”
The demon’s eyes widened into saucers. “What the fuck were you thinking, Sabina?”
I shushed him and looked around to make sure no one heard him. Then I remembered we were alone. “Clearly, I wasn’t thinking. I could make excuses about thinking the mages had turned their backs on me and finding comfort in the arms of an old friend, but that doesn’t really matter right now.”
He waved a claw. “Oh, I don’t care about all that. I meant what were you thinking keeping this dirt from me? You know I loves me some gossip.” He leaned in eagerly. “Was it good?”
I blinked. “Aren’t you going to give me shit for betraying Adam?”
The demon shrugged. “If I recall correctly, you and Adam weren’t—and still aren’t, I might add—an official item.”
I frowned. While he was technically right, the excuse didn’t sit well with me. “No, but we’d discussed exploring that option when he returned from Queen Maeve’s court.”
Giguhl placed a talon over my lips. “Hush! You need to listen to Gigi now.” I squinted at him until he removed it. He turned fully toward me and placed his claws on my shoulders. “Are you listening? Because I’m about to lay some serious insight on your ass.”
My first instinct was to tell him I didn’t want to talk about it anymore. But in the end, curiosity got the better of me, so I nodded.
“Your guilt is just an excuse to avoid facing your fear of intimacy.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but the knowing look the demon shot me then told me I’d be wasting my breath. Because, really, who was I kidding? “Let’s say you’re right,” I said slowly. “What do I do about it?”
“Well, first of all, you’re going to have to mak
e the first move. Adam knows you’re skittish and doesn’t want to scare you off.”
“When exactly am I supposed to stage this seduction?” I leaned forward. “Tonight in the cemetery during the voodoo ritual, or right before I kill my grandmother?”
Giguhl rolled his eyes. “You’ll know the right time. Trust that shit. The trick is not sabotaging the moment because you’re too chicken to let yourself be happy.”
“Okay, so let’s say for the sake of argument I make a move and everything works out.” My stomach did a little flip-flop at the idea of seducing Adam. “What about the Slade thing?”
He looked me right in the eye and said, “You don’t tell him.”
“But—”
“No, you can’t tell him. If what you say is true and the thing with Slade didn’t mean anything, then I say what Adam doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Besides, how do we know Adam didn’t get himself a little piece of faery ass while he was in North Carolina?”
That stopped me. A red haze dripped down over my vision at the mere thought of Adam cavorting with another female. “He wouldn’t do that.”
“Sabina, he’s a male,” Giguhl said. “He’d totally do that, especially when you’ve been so quick to deny any interest in him every time it comes up.”
My fists clenched in response. Giguhl must have sensed my competitive streak rising to the surface, because he soldiered on. “Are you really gonna let some trampy faery steal your man?”
My eyes narrowed. “No!”
Giguhl clapped a claw on my back. “That’s my girl.”
My resolve sputtered. “But what do I do until the right moment presents itself?”
The demon patted me on the arm. “Just act natural. Be yourself.”
Oh, right, sure. Most days when I looked in the mirror I felt like I was looking at a stranger. How the hell was I supposed to be myself when the mere thought of being that emotionally vulnerable made me want to cut my losses and run the hell away?
Right then, the apartment door opened in the living room, announcing Adam’s arrival. Giguhl shot me a meaningful look as he rose from the bed.