drive her back to town, but with his unpleasant accusations still ringing in her ears, the ground itself would have had to be aflame before she’d have considered it. And she still might have punched him in the face and walked.
She kicked a clod of dirt and slipped her hand into the hidden pocket on her dress, closing her hand around the hilt of her favorite knife. The cadre of vampires that had terrorized Crystal Springs had been eliminated, but she knew better than to let herself grow complacent, especially this close to dusk.
She wanted a drink. She wanted a headache powder.
And more than anything, to her unending consternation, she wanted Nate Powell.
Grace met her at the edge of town as if she’d been waiting for her. “Diana.”
“Grace.” Seeing her friend washed away the irritation, and Diana grinned. “I’m sorry it took so long to get away. Jesse’s a very determined man.”
“I’m not surprised.” Grace hugged her tight, then pulled back to study her. “You look no worse for the trouble, though. It seems as if it’s been forever since I saw you.”
Had it truly been less than a month? Diana could scarcely believe it. “You look radiant.”
Grace flushed a charming pink, and even managed to look happy doing that. “You wouldn’t think two former criminals would have so much fun playing at being respectable, but it suits us. As long as we get to be ourselves when we’re alone together.”
“I’m glad. How have things been?”
Grace linked their arms together and steered her toward the saloon. “As well as can be expected. The rich aren’t coming back, which has been a bit of a blessing. The survivors have their pick of fine houses, and everyone’s helped the farmers with the end of the harvest. But the real boon has been Archer’s fellow bloodhounds. They’ve been stopping here and trading coin and goods for rest and companionship.”
It made sense, Diana supposed. The town had been a safe haven for her, and now it could be the same for other bloodhounds, the ones who’d drifted far from the Guild. “I’ve been spending my time letting other hounds punch me in the face. Remarkably, the job of rebuilding sounds even less fun than that.”
“You know, I don’t mind it,” Grace said. “I’ve spent so much of my life managing people, and it’s simply more of that. Except instead of manipulating them into giving up what’s precious to them, I’m urging them to work toward a common goal to benefit us all. It feels good.”
“Then we’re both happy.” Only a little lie on Diana’s part. She relished the new challenges she’d found in Iron Creek, and she was happier than she’d ever been…but she wasn’t as euphoric as Grace. “Where’d Archer run off to?”
“Oh, he and Mr. Powell are discussing things too illicit for a lady’s ears.” Grace wrinkled her nose. “I left to put Mr. Powell out of his misery. I was afraid he’d have a fit at the thought of discussing frank sexual matters with me in the room.”
“He’s reserved, that’s all,” Diana said absently. “What in blazes are they talking about?”
“Contacts in the Deadlands. It seems the vampire you’re meant to meet runs a very exclusive, very carnal sort of establishment.”
“I see.” The last place Nate would want to visit with her in tow. “Does Archer think it a suitable place for us—I mean, for me to pass the new moon?”
“Yes, I heard that much. He thinks the owner is predictable and dependable, if not exactly trustworthy. More interested in hedonism than violence.”
Diana wondered if he’d also told Nate there would be men there who would entertain her company. “Then we can kill two birds with one stone. Specialized lodgings and information.”
“Mmm.” Grace pulled her to a stop in the shadow of the saloon. “Diana, are you sure going into the Deadlands with him is wise? I know better than anyone how capable you are of caring for yourself, and I know he’s a legend
She kicked a clod of dirt and slipped her hand into the hidden pocket on her dress, closing her hand around the hilt of her favorite knife. The cadre of vampires that had terrorized Crystal Springs had been eliminated, but she knew better than to let herself grow complacent, especially this close to dusk.
She wanted a drink. She wanted a headache powder.
And more than anything, to her unending consternation, she wanted Nate Powell.
Grace met her at the edge of town as if she’d been waiting for her. “Diana.”
“Grace.” Seeing her friend washed away the irritation, and Diana grinned. “I’m sorry it took so long to get away. Jesse’s a very determined man.”
“I’m not surprised.” Grace hugged her tight, then pulled back to study her. “You look no worse for the trouble, though. It seems as if it’s been forever since I saw you.”
Had it truly been less than a month? Diana could scarcely believe it. “You look radiant.”
Grace flushed a charming pink, and even managed to look happy doing that. “You wouldn’t think two former criminals would have so much fun playing at being respectable, but it suits us. As long as we get to be ourselves when we’re alone together.”
“I’m glad. How have things been?”
Grace linked their arms together and steered her toward the saloon. “As well as can be expected. The rich aren’t coming back, which has been a bit of a blessing. The survivors have their pick of fine houses, and everyone’s helped the farmers with the end of the harvest. But the real boon has been Archer’s fellow bloodhounds. They’ve been stopping here and trading coin and goods for rest and companionship.”
It made sense, Diana supposed. The town had been a safe haven for her, and now it could be the same for other bloodhounds, the ones who’d drifted far from the Guild. “I’ve been spending my time letting other hounds punch me in the face. Remarkably, the job of rebuilding sounds even less fun than that.”
“You know, I don’t mind it,” Grace said. “I’ve spent so much of my life managing people, and it’s simply more of that. Except instead of manipulating them into giving up what’s precious to them, I’m urging them to work toward a common goal to benefit us all. It feels good.”
“Then we’re both happy.” Only a little lie on Diana’s part. She relished the new challenges she’d found in Iron Creek, and she was happier than she’d ever been…but she wasn’t as euphoric as Grace. “Where’d Archer run off to?”
“Oh, he and Mr. Powell are discussing things too illicit for a lady’s ears.” Grace wrinkled her nose. “I left to put Mr. Powell out of his misery. I was afraid he’d have a fit at the thought of discussing frank sexual matters with me in the room.”
“He’s reserved, that’s all,” Diana said absently. “What in blazes are they talking about?”
“Contacts in the Deadlands. It seems the vampire you’re meant to meet runs a very exclusive, very carnal sort of establishment.”
“I see.” The last place Nate would want to visit with her in tow. “Does Archer think it a suitable place for us—I mean, for me to pass the new moon?”
“Yes, I heard that much. He thinks the owner is predictable and dependable, if not exactly trustworthy. More interested in hedonism than violence.”
Diana wondered if he’d also told Nate there would be men there who would entertain her company. “Then we can kill two birds with one stone. Specialized lodgings and information.”
“Mmm.” Grace pulled her to a stop in the shadow of the saloon. “Diana, are you sure going into the Deadlands with him is wise? I know better than anyone how capable you are of caring for yourself, and I know he’s a legend
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