On Midnight Wings

“Does Heather know?”

Annie sighed, nodded. “I told her that morning, the same morning that my asshole father stormed the place.” She spat into the gutter. “Prick.”

“My old man was a prick too. A boozed-up bullying loser who used his family for punching bags.”

“I hope you made the bastard pay.”

Silver shrugged. “I had more important things on my mind—like surviving. The Portland streets made my old man look like Mary Poppins.”

“How about after you were turned? Did you make him pay then?”

“Nah. I forgave him then.”

Annie stared at him. “The fuck? Forgave him? Why the hell would you do that?”

“I dunno. Maybe so I could live again. Maybe so I could leave the past and my old, unhappy life behind. Maybe because I had a new father—one who actually wanted me.”

“Huh,” Annie said, nonplussed. “Sounds like you missed one hell of an opportunity to me. I don’t think my dad deserves forgiveness for what he’s done. And he’s sure as hell not going to get it.”

“Hey, again, no argument here. I’m with you on this one. Some things you can’t forgive.”

“Exactly.” Annie sparked up a fresh cigarette from the butt of the old.

Watching her, Silver shook his head. “Smokes and booze ain’t exactly good for baby, y’know.”

“Neither’s having a bipolar fuckup of a mom,” Annie retorted. Old pain flared in her eyes, vanished. “I should know. I had one. And who says I’m even keeping it?”

“No one,” Silver replied. “That’s your decision, and I’m not trying to influence you one way or another on that point. But until you decide, maybe you should keep the booze and nicotine to a minimum. Just saying.”

“What’s it to you, anyway? It’s not like it’s yours. Dante told me that turned-nightkind shoot blanks.”

Silver rolled his eyes. “I know it isn’t mine. That’s not what this is about.” He dropped his gaze to the weathered sidewalk underneath his sneakers as he gathered his thoughts. Whenever he looked at Annie, he saw himself again on the Portland streets, desperate and alone, stubbornly shoving away what few friends he had because being alone was all he thought he deserved.

“What is it about, then?”

“Being your friend.”

Annie snorted. “Oh, don’t worry. My getting knocked up hasn’t changed your ‘with benefits’ status.”

Silver raked an exasperated hand through his hair. “Fuck, Annie, stop being a dick. Just for five minutes, okay?” He closed the distance between them. “I’m just saying you can talk to me. I’m here. You’re not alone. That’s all. Christ.”

Annie studied him from beneath her lashes, her hands knotting into fists, then unknotting again, then she stretched up on her slippered toes and planted a warm kiss tasting of nicotine smoke and ashes on his lips; a kiss that he returned and deepened.

“So garlic doesn’t work, huh?” Annie said, ending the kiss.

Silver frowned at her abrupt change of topic, then realized it wasn’t a change but a self-protective gas-pedal stomp into reverse. He glanced at his—Jack’s—garlic-redolent T-shirt. “Oh. Right. Nope. It might make us gasp for air, but that’s about it.”

“So what does work against vampires? I mean, given that just a couple of weeks ago I didn’t even know you guys existed outside of paranormal romance novels and the CW Network, I wanna weed truth from fiction.”

Silver shook his head. “Can’t tell ya. Trade secret. When we’re turned, we each take a solemn vow not to spill the details of how best to ice our asses. Sorry.”

Annie nodded. “Smart. Especially during a breakup.” She tilted her head, studying him. “Y’know with your hair like that, you remind me of that Zero character in those manga books of yours—except your hair is purple, not silver-white, and your eyes are silver, where his are violet, and not to mention that you’re flesh and he’s not—but other than that . . .”

Silver blinked, surprised by the comment, then felt a pleased smile stretch across his lips. “Zero Kiryu, huh? Didn’t know you liked Vampire Knight.”

“Gorgeous nightkind, sex, and betrayal, what’s not to like?”

Another voice chimed in. “Mmm-mmm. I hear you, girl. And he does look like Zero.”

Catching a whiff of spice and smoky cloves, Silver turned to face Merri. She stood on the curb, her weight on one hip, arms crossed over her suede-jacketed chest. Frustration and a deepening concern glimmered in the dark depths of her eyes, despite the amused smile curving her lips. And that told Silver all he needed to know. Nothing new on Von.

Aside from what he’d learned.

“Merri’s here, so spill, dude. Anybody see our missing nomad?”

“Pizza dude said he saw Von,” Silver said, tucking Von’s keys into a front jeans pocket. “But he wasn’t alone. Three others were with him, a blond chick and two guys in kilts—all nightkind.”

Merri straightened, dropping her arms to her sides. “Kilts. That sounds like the llafnau,” she said, voice grim. “And no one else would dare lay hands on anyone marked with a crescent moon. No one with brains, anyway. You can bet your sweet ass that if llafnau were in the French Quarter, they weren’t here to drink Hurricanes and traipse about on vampire tours.”

Silver nodded, jaw tight. That was his thought too. Dammit. The only question was: “Why would they come after Von?”

“You know why,” Merri said softly. “Think about it. Von kept silent about Dante until that announcement. Kept silent. Lost his impartiality. He broke his oath to the order.”

“Shit.” Silver drew in a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. “If Von broke his oath, then it was to protect Dante. And I know there’s nothing Dante wouldn’t do to help Von—if he was here. Same goes for me. There’s gotta be something I can do.”

“Maybe there is,” Merri said. “I think I’ve heard from my mere de sang that the llygaid compound is in Memphis. If that’s true, we could be there in seven hours. I’ll contact Galiana for the address.”

“Aside from the fact that you’re hot for Von’s tattooed nomad ass, why would you do that? What’s it to you? Von ain’t your friend, ain’t your llygad. Hell, he doesn’t even trust you.”

Merri held his gaze, chin lifted. “I know. And I can’t think of a better way to start earning it than by taking a rescue run to Memphis. Unless you’d rather sit on your ass at Jack’s house and twiddle your thumbs?”

“Fuck, no.”

Silver raked a hand through his gel-spiked hair as he pondered Merri’s suggestion. Her words resonated deep within him, a pealing bell. She hoped to gain Von’s trust and he hoped to regain Dante’s. He remembered a nearly week-old conversation with the nomad about just that.

He doesn’t trust me.

Nope. Not anymore. But he does care about you, man. You still have a chance to earn his trust again.

Silver had no doubt Dante would be all for a rescue run to Memphis. And, until Lucien returned, sitting on his ass at Jack’s house, twiddling his thumbs would be exactly what he’d be doing.

No thanks.

“Yeah,” Silver said finally. “I like the idea. Jack and Emmett could take turns driving the van during the day while we Sleep in back. I don’t want to leave anyone behind.”

Merri nodded. “Smart. That works. The llygaid will be Sleeping too. Whatever they plan to do with Von won’t happen until after sunset. We’ll be there in plenty of time.”

“Look, I’ll drive, okay? But on one condition.” Annie’s gaze skipped over to the zydeco-bopping tavern. Lingered. “Can we eat now?”

Silver laughed. “Food it is. And a beer sounds good.”

“Maybe even two,” Merri agreed.