just…”
Jones let out an annoyed sound. “He’s going to be dead before you finally get around to spitting it out, you know. We’re already hours late and sneaking in is only going to get tougher after dark.”
His words were soft but utterly serious. I turned my head and my friends did as well. “Who will?”
His hands were tucked in his pockets, casually. But his eyes … those eyes held anger, worry, and something dark and dangerous that I wouldn’t want to cross. Ever. He raised his chin toward Emma and I felt my stomach tie in knots. “Her brother. Still want to shop?”
Oh, fuck a duck.
2
A pained sound from Emma forced me to turn her way. I almost wished I hadn’t. How could I stare into her terrified face and still tell Jones no? Because I wanted to. I was angry beyond words at Kevin. He and his father had kidnapped me, trussed me up, and offered me up to a demented siren who wanted me dead. Yes, Emma’s life had been at stake, and yes, they had had a plan to save us both. But I would have volunteered to help if they’d only
Now I knew why Emma had been so hesitant all day. She’d rightly assume my first instinct would be to say no. Plus, Kevin’s a werewolf as well as a black-ops commando. There isn’t much he can’t handle. I couldn’t imagine what I could do that he couldn’t do for himself. Still …
“What happened?”
Instead of answering, Jones turned and walked away. I was guessing he didn’t want to discuss whatever it was in the middle of the store, which made sense. I followed at his heels and Emma and Dawna followed me in turn. Our own little parade, without the floats.
The sun was right in our eyes as we opened the door. Damn. I’d thought it was earlier than that. Had we really been shopping long enough for sunset to approach without my noticing?
Jones walked straight to a nondescript gray sedan at the edge of the parking lot. I caught up to him so we didn’t look like we were playing crack the whip. “Jingle Bells” was playing from loudspeakers outside the store. Cool ocean winds and my ever-present flock of seagulls made the whole situation totally surreal. Even Jones looked up to watch the white birds swooping and dancing in the air above our heads.
“You have a very weird life, Graves. Did the gulls follow you before the siren blood activated?”
I shook my head. “The most attention seagulls paid to me before was to poop on my car. Can you see why me sneaking up on
“I’ve already tried everyone else.” Emma caught up to us; she sounded both frustrated and afraid. “I had a vision last night. One of the strongest since I saw the vampires attacking you in the alley. I didn’t even know Amy had been captured, but Kevin went to get her out. She made it out safely, but they caught Kevin. Unfortunately, I didn’t know where he was—who
“And I found him. But there’s no chance of getting him out without your help.”
My head shook of its own accord. “I find that hard to believe and it’s even harder to believe that Kevin would want me involved.”
Emma smacked me on the shoulder, so apparently she was no longer afraid of me. “Celia! If Kevin needs help, we have to help him. He’d do the same for us.”
I didn’t let my jaw drop in shock, even though the comment deserved it. I didn’t even laugh sarcastically. Instead, I took a deep breath and let it out slow.
I was still so angry with him, so hurt. Part of me wanted him to suffer. But another part, which I prayed every day was still the larger portion, wanted to rise above the pettiness and show Kevin and his father, Warren Landingham, what true friendship was. But it had only been three weeks since the night they’d betrayed me, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to face them.
Jones was watching me with an odd expression. He leaned on the car door and crossed his arms over his chest. “I have to admit you’ve surprised me, Graves. I expected I’d have to hold you back, not convince you to help. Can you at least tell me where he is in the facility?”
I felt myself rear back in surprise and the looks Dawna and Emma gave me said they were clueless as well. “What facility? How am I supposed to know where he is?”
Jones raised his brows like he didn’t believe me. Apparently he believed I was kidding and was about to announce that I’d take him straight to Kevin. But that wasn’t going to happen. I stared at Jones while the sun continued to lower and my stomach growled. My gaze moved from his eyes to his neck. His body started to glow faintly and I felt my breathing growing shallow and my muscles tensing. He very carefully didn’t move, but his center of gravity shifted just a bit, preparing.
“Okay, this is getting ridiculous!” Dawna finally exclaimed, exasperation plain in her voice. She grabbed my hand and shoved the yellow bottle into it. “You. Drink this before you go nuts. It’s been nearly four hours since you ate and you exerted yourself with that robber. Hold your nose if you have to.” She turned to Jones.
“You. Tell them why Kevin might die and what facility he’s at. I’m going to go back inside the mall and get us
I shuddered and blinked and then grimaced at the bottle. She was right, of course, but I didn’t have to like it. Jones was already starting to look yummy, and that would be counterproductive on a number of fronts. I twisted off the lid, held my nose, and literally poured the drink down my throat, successfully avoiding most of my taste buds. I managed not to choke or gag, which was a plus.
Jones sighed, then opened the back door of the car and pulled out a sealed four-pack of chocolate Ensure, still in shrink-wrap. He tossed it toward me, but I let the bottles hit the ground at my feet. I’d wait for Dawna. Her I trust.
Emma spoke, her voice filled with anger fueled by fear: “Where is my brother? You still haven’t told me. You owe him your life, you know.”
“Several times over,” Jones agreed. “But I still find it difficult to believe Celia doesn’t already know the details. I thought all you’d have to do is mention you ‘saw’ the capture and she’d be racing to his side.”
“Believe it,” said a new voice. I jumped. I couldn’t help it. Even with my super new senses I hadn’t heard our newest member approaching. Damn it. I hate it when real vampires join the party. I hissed and moved back as Edgar, an extraordinarily powerful vampire, simply appeared in the shadow of a nearby palm tree.
If you saw Edgar walking the streets of L.A., you’d assume he was an ordinary businessman on his way home from the office. As long as you didn’t catch sight of the fangs peeking out from under his upper lip, you’d never have a clue he was the most dangerous person in a fifty mile radius. The fact that he was out in nearly broad daylight told me he was even more powerful than I’d realized, and I’d already put him at nearly the top of the list.
“She’s not lying, John. I’d know.”
Jones and Edgar were on a first name basis? Terrific. Why wasn’t I surprised?
Jones hadn’t even flinched when Edgar arrived, which meant he’d either invited him or could sense him. “She’s his Vaso, Edgar. She
“Vaso.” The word rang a bell, but it had been too long since lycanthrope cultural studies in college, so I turned to the resident expert, Emma. My questioning look made her nod and respond with lecturelike precision. “A werewolf often chooses a human partner, called a Vaso, to maintain its energy level. Excess energy is one of the leading causes of off-moon shifting and aggressive tendencies. In order for a werewolf to maintain a human appearance in normal society, the energy must be bled off periodically.”
Okay, that made sense. “Meaning Kevin
