“Never again,” I promised. “I give you my word. Never again.”
“I’m so glad you woke up.”
“Aha! The shoe is on the other foot.”
“Shut up.” He kissed me, and I pulled my personal psycho into bed with me.
TWENTY MINUTES LATER I WAS EATING CHICKEN soup. It was the best soup I ever tasted. “How long was I out?”
“Three days.”
“That’s nothing. You were out eleven.”
Curran shrugged. “Three was enough.”
“How’s Julie?”
“Freaked out and under house arrest, but okay.”
“Why under house arrest?”
Curran shook his head. “ ‘Oh no, I killed Kate. Kate is dead because of me. If she dies, I’ll kill myself.’ And other stupidity along those lines. I ordered her locked up so she doesn’t do something idiotic. Doolittle says she’s healing well. No trace of Lyc-V. No vampirism.” Curran focused on me. “I thought I lost you both back there.”
“I think you might have. I was really confused at some point. I think I hallucinated. I can almost swear I heard somebody.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know. I promise, never again. I don’t think I can survive another one like that.”
Curran sighed. “I suppose you’ll want to see the kid now.”
“Yes.”
Curran roared. “Barabas!”
The door opened and my nanny stuck his spiky head inside. He saw me and his face split in a sharp grin. “My lord, my lady, may I say that I am delighted that my favorite alpha is feeling better. Why, you’ll be running recklessly into danger against overwhelming odds anytime now.”
Curran growled. “Shut up. Bring Julie.”
Three minutes later Julie stepped into the room. She stopped at the entrance, a pale, skinny wraith. I waited, but she didn’t come any closer.
“Hey,” I said.
“Hey,” she answered.
“Are you okay?”
“I don’t know.” Julie swallowed.
Oh boy. “What’s the problem?”
“You did something to me.” Julie hesitated. “My magic looks like yours.”
I glanced at Curran. “You didn’t tell her?”
“Oh no, that’s your mess. You can have that job. You go right ahead.”
I sat up straighter. “When Leslie bit you, she infected you with Lyc-V. I used an old ritual and cleaned your blood with mine to save you.”
Julie blinked a few times. “So what does it mean?”
“It means that you are now immune to Lyc-V and vampirism. You might develop some new powers. It might be strange for a while, but I will help you through it.”
Julie swallowed. “So I am like really your niece now?”
“Something like that. I almost died saving you. Am I going to get some sort of hug or what?”
She took a step, broke into a run, and hugged me.
Curran shook his head.
I stuck my tongue out at him. Whatever. She was alive. I would deal with everything else as it came.
“You can never tell anyone,” Curran said. “What Kate has done for you can’t be done to anyone else, do you understand? The Pack is full of desperate parents whose kids might go loup. You can’t go around telling people that Kate cured you of it. If anybody asks, you pulled through on your own. Your magic was so strong, your body rejected Lyc-V. Julie, answer me.”
“Yes, sir,” Julie said in my arms. “I pulled through on my own.”
A knock sounded and Barabas stepped back into the room, carrying a narrow blue vase filled with flowers. “Happy reunion. Also, these came for you, Kate. I put them in a vase. Not quite sure what these flowers are, but they smell divine.”
The vase held a dozen small flowers, their petals pristine white, like small stars solid black at the center. I froze with Julie still hugging me.
Morgan’s Bells. I knew these flowers; I had made them. They’d sprouted during the flare on the spot where I’d cried my eyes out, holding Bran’s lifeless body.
Next to me Curran was very still.
I willed my mouth to move. “Is there a card?”
Barabas nodded and passed me a small white rectangle folded in half. I flipped it open.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native- born Russian, and Andrew is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Andrew was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Andrew is still sore about that.) Together, Andrew and Ilona are the coauthors of the
Ace Books by Ilona Andrews
MAGIC BITES
MAGIC BURNS
MAGIC STRIKES
MAGIC BLEEDS
MAGIC SLAYS
ON THE EDGE
BAYOU MOON
