“Bet you wish you’d carried on,” I couldn’t help but quip to Annette.
A ghost of a smile flitted across her lips. “Not quite, darling. I just rang Ian,” she continued, more to Bones than me now. “He was furious to hear what Max did. He’s formally cutting Max off from his line.”
That was the worst punishment a vampire could inflict on a member of their line. It meant no vampire would challenge whatever happened to Max in the future, and right now, my father’s future looked pretty grim.
“Max said Ian didn’t know about this,” I added, even though I was no fan of Ian’s. “He said he had new friends who wanted me dead as much as he did.”
Bones gave a short nod. “We’re going home, luv. To find out who helped Max orchestrate this, so we can kill every last one of them.”
Our house was a large cabin at the top of a hill, with sweeping views of the Blue Ridge Mountains out of bulletproof-glass windows. It was remote enough that we’d never met our neighbors, so the helicopter pad and hangar on the side of our house hadn’t been cause for any awkward conversations.
Annette went back with Don to help with Tate, as was the original plan, although Bones refused to go with her. He told my uncle his priorities had changed, not that Don had any trouble understanding why. Tate would be okay with two undead people taking care of him. It was my safety that seemed to be in a more tenuous position than Tate’s, according to what Max had said.
When I walked into my house, my cat jumped out to twine around my legs. We hadn’t figured on being back for a week, so I’d set up the automatic feeder and litter-box cleaner. Now my kitty would get some of my leftovers instead of just his dry food. No wonder he was glad to see me.
My mother had never been to Bones’s and my house, but I was too anxious to wash the blood off me to give her a proper tour.
“Here’s the guest room,” I said, directing her to the downstairs bedroom. “I’ve got some clothes in it, too, so help yourself to whatever’s there. I’m taking a shower.”
Bones followed me upstairs. I stripped off the jacket Cooper had given me, plus my bloodied bra and pants. If I never saw those clothes again, it would be too soon. Bones also peeled off his crimson-spattered shirt and pants, kicking them into a corner before joining me in the shower.
At first, the water was icy. It took a couple minutes to heat up this time of year. I shivered as the frigid spray landed on me. Bones folded me in his arms and moved to where the majority of it splashed on him. Even when it turned warm, however, and Bones turned to let the heated water rinse my blood away, I was still shivering.
“I didn’t think I’d make it today.”
My voice was low. Bones’s arms tightened around me.
“You’re safe now, Kitten. And nothing like this shall ever happen again, I promise you.”
I didn’t reply, but I was thinking this was one promise Bones might not be able to keep. Who knew what could happen in the future? This wasn’t just about the revenge my father had wanted on me-and my mother-for my existence. Max had done this with promises of rewards and help. Now the question was, from whom?
But I didn’t say any of that. Bones was correct-I was safe now. And he was here. Right now was all I’d concentrate on.
For the moment, anyway.
We weren’t home for more than an hour before people started showing up. First it was Juan and Cooper, who Don sent as added protection for me. Both of them were carrying enough silver knives and guns with silver bullet clips to take on a dozen vampires.
Then Bones’s brand of added security arrived in the form of three vampires I hadn’t met before. The one named Rattler reminded me of a young Samuel Elliott, Zero looked albino with his long blond hair and glacier eyes, and Tick Tock was pitch dark with black skin, black hair, and black eyes. Mentally I referred to them as Cowboy, Salt, and Pepper.
Then came Spade, or Charles, as Bones called him. Spade preferred everyone else to call him by the tool he was assigned when he was a lowly penal colonies convict. Something about never forgetting how helpless he’d once been. Bones had picked his name after rising as a vampire in Aborigine burial grounds. Vampires sure made it complicated to remember what name to call them by.
Rodney the ghoul was next. He endeared himself to Juan on the spot by starting to cook up a storm. I didn’t eat, I went to bed, but to no one’s surprise, I didn’t get a very restful sleep. My dreams were filled with seeing my mother dangle by the neck from a banister and my father’s sneering face as he shot me.
Don showed up a little after noon. I was seated at the kitchen table with Juan, Cooper, my mother, and Bones. We’d been talking about anything but the obvious when my uncle came in. I was surprised to see him, actually. I thought he’d be busy directing the transfer from one base to another.
“Does your boss know you’re playing hooky?” I asked.
Don gave me a dry smile. “I can’t stay long, but I wanted to go over a few things and…just see how you were doing.”
He could have gone over any pertinent work-related items on the phone, so I was guessing his presence had more to do with the latter part of his statement.
“I’m glad you’re here,” I said, meaning it. We might have had a rough start-okay, avery rough start-but aside from my mother, Don was the only family I had.
“Have some breakfast,” I offered, gesturing to the multiple covered dishes near the stove. “Rodney’s cooked more food than I even knew I had.”
Don gave the items a wary flick of his eyes that made Rodney laugh.
“It’s a ghoul’s version of vegetarian,” he assured Don. “Nothing in there you wouldn’t find in a grocery store.”
Don, still looking hesitant, filled a plate and sat down. I watched him take a tiny bite, swallow…and then spear a bigger portion. Yeah, Rodney was a superb cook.
Bones’s cell rang. He excused himself to answer it, speaking in a low tone. I could only make out a few words, since Juan and Cooper began talking to Don about the new compound we were moving to. Getting everything up and running on no notice was going to be challenging.
Bones came back in the room and snapped his cell shut. There was something tense in his shoulders that hadn’t been there before.
“What?” I asked.
“I have to leave for a while tonight, Kitten, but it’s nothing to fret about.”
“Who was on the phone? And what’s going on later?”
Bones seemed to choose his words. “That was my grandsire, Mencheres. He was confirming he’ll be at the showing.”
I sighed. “You’re being deliberately vague, Bones. What showing? What’s this about?”
The other vampires all pretended to be fascinated by the decor around them. Bones’s expression closed off into unreadable planes.
“I’m calling together members of my line, Ian’s, and other pertinent vampire Masters to witness Max’s torture.”
I blinked. “You’re holding a rally just to beat on my father in public?”
“Whoever aided Max and Calibos didn’t fret over my reaction to you being tortured, murdered, and mutilated. It’s obvious some people believe I don’t care, or that I’ve gone soft. But soon everyone will see what happens to those involved in a scheme to harm you.”
“There’s a certain sense to it,” Don said. “Making an example of one keeps the rest in line. But killing Max tonight, Bones, even if you hurt the literal hell out of him first, will only postpone another attack. You’ll still have to find out who else is involved to prevent this from happening again.”
“Quite right, old chap,” Bones agreed. “But I’m not going to kill Max. I’m going to keep him alive to demonstrate a new meaning of the termcruel and unusual punishment. Only when Max is completely broken in spirit will I kill him. I expect it will take years of daily suffering before that happens. Personally, I’m hoping it takes decades.”
Don looked ashen at this pitiless pronouncement. Rodney, Spade, and the three other vampires showed no
