I sigh. “Figured as much,” I mumble. “So what now?”
Eli’s hand grasps mine.
“We lure him out,” Gilles says.
“You mean Riley lures him out?” Eli answers. “No, Papa.”
I roll my eyes. “Okay, Eligius,” I say, and turn to him. “Seriously. After all this, after all we’ve been through, after all I’ve endured, you’ve seen what I’m capable of. Now’s not the time to be overprotective.”
That little speech wins me a frown from Eli.
“It won’t be as easy as you think,” Victorian adds. “My brother is cunning. He suspects something is up.”
“Have you told him anything?” Luc says.
“No,” Victorian answers, and looks at me. “I wouldn’t.”
Gilles nods in satisfaction. “There is an old woman. Gullah. She’s been…in hiding for many years. Preacher says she’s back and knows something that will help us.” He looks toward me and Eli. “I want you two to go and speak with her.”
Eli nods. “Done. When?”
“Tonight.”
“You others will span the city,” Gilles continues. “Nyx, love, you will stay here, with me and Elise.”
“Okay,” Nyx says.
“Garr believes the research facility off the coast has been taken over by Valerian and his clan,” Gilles says. “Drummond Research. The Gullah have watched them for years, but to my knowledge, they’ve been one hundred percent scientific in their research.”
“We’ll check it out,” Eli says. “After our visit.”
“I want no less than four visiting the research island,” Gilles said. “If Valerian has taken over, it will not be easy to maneuver.”
“Will do,” Eli says.
Gilles glances around, then nods. “Eat. Rest. And be careful.”
“You better hit the platters of food before the wolves do,” Luc whispers in my ear. He grins.
I shake my head and head for the spread. He may be right about that.
By eight forty-five p.m., we are all ready to head out. I’ve showered and changed into a pair of green cargos, a black tank, and a black, long-sleeved tee over the tank. Plus my Vans. Every holster I own sits against my body, filled with silver blades.
I’m ready.
We all exit the Dupre House at the same time. We all head in different directions. Wolves. Vamps. Immortals. Humans with Tendencies.
As I step out into the chilly October air, a new scent invades my senses. It surrounds me, invades me, and I draw it in and taste it on my tongue.
It’s a fight. A big fight.
And it’s close.…
Part Eight
Feral
Damn, it’s almost funny to watch Eli with Riley these days. She has changed, yet…not. It’s almost like she was born to belong to Eli, born to become what she is now. Like it was her destiny or something. She was sick before. Now? It’s hard not to stare when she does…anything. It blows my mind to think there’s anything human left in her, but there is. And that’s why Eli won’t budge from her side. I don’t blame him. If she belonged to me, I’d do the same. And yeah—she hates when we say she belongs to him. Cracks my ass up, though. The one thing I don’t understand about her is her liking for Victorian Arcos. It’s fucking bizarre. I guess she has so much of his DNA inside of her? Who knows. What I do know is, you don’t fuck with Victorian. Not that he can’t handle himself. For such a pretty boy, he is tough as shit. But he has it bad for Riley, and if he doesn’t watch himself Eli will be all over him. Damn, that would be a fight worth taking bets on.
Eli can’t help but stare, and to me, it’s pretty funny to watch. I’d never met the woman, and I have to admit even I’ve never encountered such a soul before. From what we can see, Darling is beyond bizarre in all her dark, glorious three-hundred-plus pounds of splendor. She wears colorful beads woven in her hair by the dozens, and… plants? Eli bends his head to my ear as we cross the square. “She wears nothing but weeds?”
I elbow him in the ribs. “No, Dupre, not weeds. Palmetto fans. She’s woven them together for a dress. And don’t forget—she’s not just eccentric. She’s paranoid schizophrenic. Don’t antagonize her. And the dress? Come on, you’ve seen that before. You’ve lived here for centuries. And it’s the only thing she ever wears.” I lean in. “The only thing, might I repeat.”
Eli shudders. “I thought I’d banished it from my memory.”
I silently chuckle. Surrounded by no fewer than a dozen filled, handheld plastic bags, Darling claims the bench in LaFayette Square, talking to herself.
Or, maybe to the Marquis himself.
As we approach, I pull Eli back. “Let me go ahead. She might start yelling at you. No need for a scene.”
I narrow my eyes.
Eli stares hard. “I’m right behind you.”
With reluctance, Eli lets me walk ahead. I repeat.
“Darling?” I say, stopping a few steps from the bench.
Darling jerks her head up, surprised by my appearance. She squints. “Who dat?”
“Preacher’s goddaughter. Riley Poe.”
“Preacher?” Darling said, laughing. “You all white, girl. Preacher Man, dat old cod is black as da night. You ain’t his kin. Go on.”
“I’m his goddaughter, Darling. Preacher and Estelle raised me and my brother after my mom was killed.” My voice lowers. “I slay vampires.”
“Hot damn, girl!” she exclaims. “Yeah, I remember you.” Black as coal, appearing to be in her mid-fifties, with cataracts clouding both eyes, Darling stares hard at me. Recognition sets in to match her words.
“Don’t say dat out loud, girl,” Darling says in a hushed whisper. “Damn. People tink you crazy.” She erupts into a cackled laugh.
Eli stands silent behind me. I’m surprised Darling hasn’t mentioned him yet. She probably doesn’t even see him.
“Darling, listen. I need your help.” I go down on one knee, closer to the woman, but nonthreatening. I hope, anyway. “Have you seen or heard anything about the bloodsuckers lately? Or about me?”
Grabbing one of the bags next to her, Darling begins rifling through it, searching for…something. Then, she stops and turns her head, away from me, as though someone sits down beside her. “What dat? No. I don’t like dat. No!”
I sit still. Eli doesn’t move a muscle.
Darling scrunches her features, looks in the direction of whomever she was speaking to in her mind. Finally, she sighs. “Fine. I do it.” She waves to me. “Tell dat big boy behind you to come here.”
I turn, meet Eli’s gaze, and incline my head. He eases up beside Darling.
