He put Caryn in the one bedroom with windows, knowing that no witch would want to wake and not be able to see either the stars or the sun. But he left Jessica in a bedroom with heavy blackout curtains that would block the sun while she slept.
Then, before the mingled scents of Jessica's and Caryn's blood could defeat his usually iron self-control, he went searching for dinner. Having fed well, he returned home to watch over the girls, and finally allowed his mind to turn to other things.
Like how many ways he could fillet Fala, for one. Or how many ways he
An hour before sunset, Aubrey dragged himself away from Jessica's side. Fala needed to be dealt with before Jessica woke.
He appeared just behind Fala in her room, his knife at her throat and his mind clamped on hers to hold her in place.
'I hope she sliced you open
'And I hope she's very,
'I suggest you don't,' he said. Considering how the last fight had gone, Jessica might win if Fala chose to pick another.
'She drew blood, Aubrey,' Fala answered. 'I have claim, and you can't stop me from acting on it.'
What he had done for Jessica would have been illegal had Fala conquered her pride earlier and admitted that Jessica had been the one who wounded her. Instead, she had waited until now to actually call on blood claim, and now was too late.
'The law only applies if she's human,' he answered coldly.
Then his attention was drawn away as he sensed a familiar presence just outside the door.
Jessica had washed the blood off her skin, but her pallor showed that she still needed to feed.
'Don't stop her,' Jessica said. Aubrey released Fala but didn't move away; Jessica was certainly not strong enough to best Fala in a fight now, before she had even fed. Yet she walked calmly toward Fala, looking at the vampire with scorn. 'Wounded by a human…what a blow that must have been to your pride.'
Fala growled, but she restrained herself from attacking with Aubrey so near.
'I have no desire to fight you,' Jessica said simply, almost regally.
Fala's eyes narrowed in response, but she made no immediate comment. Aubrey knew that Fala could tell as well as he could how strong Jessica would be once she had fed.
'However,' Jessica continued, just as controlled, 'if you ever harm anyone I care about, or come anywhere near me, you will very quickly learn just how many interesting stories about your past I still have to share.'
She didn't wait for Fala to react. Instead, she disappeared, presumably to feed.
CHAPTER 33
JESSICA RETURNED SHORTLY to Aubrey's home in New Mayhem, her fair skin flushed with the blood meal she had taken in a sleazy corner of New York City only minutes before.
Aubrey was lounging on one of the couches in the living room when she entered. He stood and approached her. 'Caryn went home, but she left this for you,' he said, handing her a letter.
Jessica scanned Caryn's letter—a long, rambling, maudlin farewell. She made a point to hide her own emotions as she silently said her goodbyes to the person who had probably been her last tie to the mortal world.
'And,' Aubrey added reluctantly, glancing toward the table, where Jessica's computer now sat, 'she had me bring that here.'
Jessica smiled wickedly. How harmless the contraption appeared—plain black plastic without a single scratch or mark to show how much tumult it had helped her cause. She wandered to the table and brushed the laptop's case affectionately.
Aubrey had followed her. 'Do you really need that?' he asked.
'I can't write without it,' she answered, assuming the closest she could manage to an innocent expression before the underlying mischief showed through.
'You live to make trouble, don't you? '
'Life is nothing without a little chaos to make it interesting.' She turned to face him and playfully raised her gaze to meet his, challenging. 'What do you want to do about it?'
