Ian’s eyes flashed with emotion. Then he arched a jaded brow, recovering.
“About bleedin’ time. I expect it to take another two centuries before you’ll apologize for threatening to kill me over Cat?”
Bones laughed. “You’ll shrivel waiting for that apology, mate.”
“Let’s hatch a dastardly plan, then,” Ian said with amused grimness. “Or Patra will ensure that we’llall shrivel.”
Vlad showed up at our house, remarking that he’d been in the neighborhood. I doubted that, but I wasn’t about to call him a liar, especially since he’d proved to be a useful source of information. Still, part of me wondered if he’d shown up just because it irritated Bones. Vlad seemed to have a devilish sense of humor that way.
“Whatever happened to Anthony?” he asked after hearing that Hykso and Kratas were being held hostage. Unfortunately, according to Spade, so far they hadn’t proved to know a wealth of information.
“I’ll be shipping pieces of him back to Patra,” Bones replied. “Along with pieces of the other blokes. It’ll give her people something to think about.”
The sick part of me wondered if Bones would cover those boxes with Christmas wrapping paper. Talk about getting an unwanted present. Here’s hoping Patra didn’t have something similar in the works for us. Nothing said “home for the holidays” like opening a present full of body parts.
“That’s it!” I shot straight out of my seat, struck with an idea like a proverbial light bulb had gone off.
Bones arched a brow at me, not knowing what it was. My thoughts must have been whirling too fast for him to catch.
“It’s Christmas. Most people are with their loved ones today,” I said. “Rather than ship bits of Anthony and the other guys from flunky to flunky, hoping they got to someone high enough to pass them onto Patra, how would you like to deliver them in person?”
Ian leaned forward with interest. Bones stared at me, tapping his chin.
“You know the answer. Go on.”
“We know that Patra’s been on the lookout for anyone who’d give her information on us. Hell, we’re doing the same thing. So what if an informant contacted Patra through one of the numbers Kratas had, offering to sell information on where she can find us? But this person wants cash up front, in person, and right away.”
“Patra would assume it could be a trap,” Mencheres pointed out. “So she’d expect you and Bones to be waiting for her.”
I smiled. “I’m counting on that.”
Bones finally caught the plan in my head. “Kitten,no.”
“It’s an acceptable risk,” I argued.
Vlad must have picked the idea from my mind, too, because he started to laugh.
“Oh, Bones, maybe you should have married a docile girl who didn’t stray too far from the kitchen.”
“Get stuffed, don’t you have more publicity stunts to pull?” Bones shot back. “How about chatting with another writer who can smear your name into greater popularity?”
“What, did Anne Rice not return your calls,mate?” Vlad asked scathingly. “Jealousy is such an ugly trait.”
A noise escaped me before I could choke it off. Ian had no such discretion, and his laugh was clear and hearty.
“Don’t glare at her, Crispin. It was funny, and that’s not even counting the look on your face.”
Which was far from amused, but after a beat, Bones relaxed and his lips twitched.
“Indeed it was. Right. Let us sort out this plan of yours, Kitten. It may be our best opportunity.”
Bones selected the members of the vampire entourage who were going with me. When he directed Tate to be one of the five, I was speechless. Then he confounded me even more by choosing Vlad as another.
“Are you kidding?” I asked when I found my voice.
“If there’s anything your bloke does better than incense me, it’s watch you,” Bones replied. “He’d give his life for you without the slightest hesitation. It’s the one thing he’s useful for.”
Tate gave Bones an evil look, but didn’t argue. Vlad watched their exchange with mild curiosity.
“And why do you want me with her?”
“You’re a ruthless sod who never lets conscience interfere with your objectives,” Bones said curtly. “It’s a trait I haven’t often admired in you, yet one I’m counting on now.”
I grabbed his jacket. “Don’t worry about me, just take care of yourself. I want you back in time for dinner.”
There were two other vampires present who could hear the rest of my message, but I sent it to him anyway.When you get back, I’m going to cover myself in whiskey and nothing else. Then I’ll pour gin all over you. We’re going to drink from each other, in every possible way.
Vlad let out an amused grunt, saying, “Excellent motivator, isn’t she?” as he walked away. Mencheres kept his features blank. How mannerly. Dave just muttered, “She can’t cook. How’s that incentive?”
Bones moved closer until his body was tight against mine. There was a distinct hardness to him as he bent me back, his mouth pillaging mine like we had all the time in the world.
When he let me go, my heart was hammering. His eyes were swirling green and he inhaled, absorbing the scent of my arousal.
“I shall scarcely be able to think about anything else.”
Yeah, well, now neither would I.
“Keep those bottles close, Kitten. I’ll be back before you know it.”
He gave me one last kiss and walked away with Spade, Ian, and Rodney in tow. I watched them climb into the helicopter and shielded my eyes from the wind of the churning rotors. Dave stood next to me as it lifted off and then faded into the distance.
He broke the silence. “I have to get back to Juan. Rattler’s staying with your mom, Denise, and Randy, and Tick Tock’s going with you. He’s stronger than I am, so it’s better.”
“I’d rather have you,” I replied, still staring at the sky even though I couldn’t see the chopper anymore.
Dave shifted, obviously pleased by the compliment. “In several years maybe he won’t be. I’ll see you when it’s over.”
Tate approached, his short brown hair not even rustling in the wind, and all of a sudden, something cold slithered up my spine.That’s irrational, I told myself.You’re being superstitious, Cat, get a grip.
“What’s wrong?”
Dave knew me too well. Enough to know it wasn’t the temperature that made me shiver all over. I rubbed my hands over my arms, fixing a fake expression of confidence on my face.
“Nothing. Forgot my jacket, that’s all.”
Dave gave me a look, but I ignored it. Just as I ignored the paranoid little voice in my head that made me want to call Bones and insist he return.
I’ll be back before you know it.
Comforting words, you would think, but not to me. Those were the last words Bones said to me before I left him all those years ago. That sentence had tormented me during the years we were apart, and now I was afraid him saying it again was prophetic.
Telling myself it was coincidence and nothing more, I went inside. I had a job to do and there was no time for groundless fears. After all, I had enough to be afraid of that wasn’t imaginary.
TWENTY
MANY THINGS WERE CLOSEDCHRISTMAS Day. Restaurants. Bars. Clubs. Malls. Of course, one establishment was notoriously busy. The movie theater.
Today’s six o’clock showing of a romantic comedy starring two big-named Hollywood actors was about to get interesting. It helped that this was an upscale theater with balcony seating. More chance to show off the aerial abilities of the undead.
