Bitten in Two

That caught the attention of the Luureken, who stopped eating for a hopeful check on the kil -order. Which put the other Were on edge. He leaned forward to calm his rider, at which point I marked them both.

Bergman had already begun to move east. I caught up to him within a minute, and I asked, “Cole, can you give us a landmark for Vayl’s location?”

He said, “Make for the twelve green patio umbrel as.” Suddenly I felt Cirilai go dead on my finger. Eerie.

Scary. Like standing in the middle of the woods when even the crickets stop singing. I wanted to turn around. Go back to the riad and lock myself in my room until Bergman invented a reliable time machine. Or better yet, cal Kyphas from her place by Sterling’s side. Snatch up her offer like it was a half-legal land deal. But the reason I survive is deeper than whim, and it reminded me now. Keep moving, deeper than whim, and it reminded me now. Keep moving, it whispered, and I obeyed.

I only knew we’d reached the rendezvous point when Bergman’s hand, firm on my wrist, brought my eyes up to his. He pushed me onto a bench at yet another fil -your-face place, and said, “Madame B.”

“Yeah?”

He sank down beside me. “You keep forgetting to breathe.”

I forced myself to inhale. “Better?”

He searched my face. “Jesus, how bad do you have it for this guy?” I shrugged, shook my head. Even if I had eloquence, I stil wouldn’t have been able to put the words together. He nodded. “Al right. I’m sorry to do this to you, but it’s for the best.” He leaned back, the table hitting him halfway up the spine as he said harshly, “Remember after Matt died?”

I felt my eyes widen. You son of a bitch! You bring up the worst moment of my life now ? At the worst moment of my life? How dare you! Gluing my lips together, wil ing the tears back, I jerked my head forward.

He said, “Wal off your heart like you did then. You can’t save Vayl if you can’t think.” He pul ed a handkerchief out of his pocket and dabbed at my nose. Showed me the blood he’d mopped up. “Whatever’s doing this to you isn’t helping either.”

I took another breath. Pul ed off my Party Line and nodded for him to do the same. No reason for Kyphas to get an extra thril off my misfortune. “It’s Brude. I don’t want Sterling to know. But it’s getting— physical—now.”

“I’m not going to let that fucker take you down.” I let out a chuckle. Couldn’t help it. The image of bony little Bergman spinning Brude over his head before throwing him out of a WWE ring cheered me. “You are the best friend I could ever hope for.”

He leaned back. “You’re not going to hug me or anything?”

“Nope.”

“Good. Now come on, show me that cold bitch who makes bad guys want to push her off the sides of mountains.”

I took another breath, this one not nearly as forced.

“Okay, let’s go.”

He helped me up. Not that he thought I needed it. Just that he wanted to preserve that moment, when I’d inevitably look up into his eyes, so he could show me the love he’d always be too shy or stuck in his own gears to be able to voice. I slapped him on the back, letting my own feelings shine right back at him. And, strengthened by my best, most loyal buddy at my side, I strode toward the vampire I did not want to survive without.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

When I saw Vayl, whole and vital, leaning so casualy against one of the carts whose owner sold ginseng and cinnamon tea along with big hunks of spice cake I felt…

nothing. I’d been certain as tornadoes and prostate cancer that he was already gone. Because I had no il usions about myself. Somebody like me, a hired kil er whose best legacy was a niece she saw mostly in pictures, didn’t deserve the love of a man who could shatter bone in his fist and transform blood to ice. Wraiths like him were the legends of their kind. I didn’t even know my neighbors. So, logical y, I should’ve found his remains. But I hadn’t. And that made me…

I put my hand over my heart. Felt it beating, leaping almost, against my palm. But the void was stil there inside me. As if I couldn’t decode my own internal messages anymore.

Anytime you want to stop this bullshit you go right ahead. Granny May was sitting in her lawn chair, French-braiding Teen Me’s hair. She spoke from around the comb she stuck in her mouth when she needed both hands for plaiting.

I don’t know what you mean.

Admit it. You hate loving Vayl this much. Wearing his ring. Walking in his past—he’s becoming a part of you now. You can say all the pretty, noble things you want to, but this closeness terrifies you. Because you know what it is to lose. To be alone.

My throat went hot. Okay, since it’s just us, I’ll admit I haven’t felt this vulnerable since Matt died. But I want to grab life. I want to grab Vayl, preferably by that luscious ass. But there’s this—fear—worse than anything I’ve experienced on the job. I could face a hundred Weres tonight and it wouldn’t shake me the way the thought of losing Vayl forever does.

You’re in love, Granny May said.

Why does it have to suck so much?

Because it’s so precious.

What do I do?