movement causes pain."Am I about to die or something?"
"You're fine," Gwen soothed."You'll just need some peace and quiet to heal from your injury." She glanced at the guys who had come to surround my bed, but none of them took the hint.
"Then why the death bed scene?" I persisted.
Micah grinned."We wanted to see you for ourselves."
Alejandro nodded."But this will not get you out of your contract, you know." He smiled, and I realized he was making a joke. Would wonders never cease?
"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm hungry," Gwen said in her brisk nurse tone."Who wants to help me make something to eat?"
She collected Josh and Andrew with her gaze and they went willingly—Gwen's cooking was legendary in the Demon Underground. She was one of the few humans who knew about us, and because of her cooking and nursing, everyone had sort of adopted her as one of us. Luis followed, too.
When they left, I noticed Shade hadn't approached the bed. He just stood there and, because of the swirls where his face should be, I couldn't tell what he was thinking.
HE'S NOT SURE YOU WANT HIM HERE, Fang told me.
Why not?
BECAUSE YOU REFUSED TO LET HIM HEAL YOU. DUH.
Sheesh. I wondered how to reassure Shade without letting him know Fang was picking his brain for me.
"Why didn't you want Shade to heal you?" Micah asked, sitting on the end of my queen-sized bed.
What a great coincidence. I glanced at Fang. Or maybe not.
From the smug look on his face, definitely not. The furry telepath had struck again.
I answered Micah's question but looked at Shade."Because I know how much it takes out of you . . . and what happens afterward. I didn't want that for you."
I held out my hand and Shade took it. His features blipped into focus then, and he looked both pained and relieved at the same time. He sat gingerly next to me on the bed."I would've healed you, gladly."
"I know, and that's why I couldn't let you do it."
AWW, HOW SWEET, Fang cooed, projecting his thoughts to all who could hear him.
Micah chuckled.
"Don't encourage him," I warned."Or you might be his next target."
"Oh, I've been used for target practice many times," Micah said with a laugh."Remember, he was with me before he came to you."
"And now I see why you foisted him on me." I rubbed Fang's fuzzy head to let him know I didn't mean it. I didn't have to, though—he knew it. And if Fang ever lost his snark, I'd probably think he was possessed or sick or something.
"So," Alejandro said."No more vampire hunting for you until you are well. Besides, Luis tells me that the message was delivered."
"Yes, but the other vamps aren't really organized, so I don't know how the word will spread. Or how much good it'll do if you're not willing to back up Luis's threats . . . . "
"That will not be a problem. We will indeed take the war to the streets. We cannot jeopardize our big announcement. He spoke for me in this matter."
I shrugged then winced when the movement hurt my side."Okay, boss. I won't purposefully hunt down any vampires. But I'm scheduled to meet Trevor at dawn." Which was probably coming up really soon.
Alejandro nodded."I called him and let him know you will not be able to make that appointment, so he plans to canvass the city on his own. He asked if you could meet him at midnight tonight." He looked at Micah."Will she be well enough then?"
My cuz nodded and said,"She'll still be in pain, but her accelerated healing will help. So long as you weren't planning on her doing anything strenuous, she should be fine."
I hated the way they talked about me as if I wasn't there. Strengthened by Fang and Shade's nearness, I said,"She is right here and can decide that for herself."
Micah lifted an eyebrow."And what does she decide?"
"That I can meet Trevor, because it shouldn't involve anything more strenuous than driving around in a car looking for some sign of the books."
"Very good," Alejandro said."I shall see you then. And now, if you will excuse me? It's
"You're fine," Gwen soothed."You'll just need some peace and quiet to heal from your injury." She glanced at the guys who had come to surround my bed, but none of them took the hint.
"Then why the death bed scene?" I persisted.
Micah grinned."We wanted to see you for ourselves."
Alejandro nodded."But this will not get you out of your contract, you know." He smiled, and I realized he was making a joke. Would wonders never cease?
"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm hungry," Gwen said in her brisk nurse tone."Who wants to help me make something to eat?"
She collected Josh and Andrew with her gaze and they went willingly—Gwen's cooking was legendary in the Demon Underground. She was one of the few humans who knew about us, and because of her cooking and nursing, everyone had sort of adopted her as one of us. Luis followed, too.
When they left, I noticed Shade hadn't approached the bed. He just stood there and, because of the swirls where his face should be, I couldn't tell what he was thinking.
HE'S NOT SURE YOU WANT HIM HERE, Fang told me.
Why not?
BECAUSE YOU REFUSED TO LET HIM HEAL YOU. DUH.
Sheesh. I wondered how to reassure Shade without letting him know Fang was picking his brain for me.
"Why didn't you want Shade to heal you?" Micah asked, sitting on the end of my queen-sized bed.
What a great coincidence. I glanced at Fang. Or maybe not.
From the smug look on his face, definitely not. The furry telepath had struck again.
I answered Micah's question but looked at Shade."Because I know how much it takes out of you . . . and what happens afterward. I didn't want that for you."
I held out my hand and Shade took it. His features blipped into focus then, and he looked both pained and relieved at the same time. He sat gingerly next to me on the bed."I would've healed you, gladly."
"I know, and that's why I couldn't let you do it."
AWW, HOW SWEET, Fang cooed, projecting his thoughts to all who could hear him.
Micah chuckled.
"Don't encourage him," I warned."Or you might be his next target."
"Oh, I've been used for target practice many times," Micah said with a laugh."Remember, he was with me before he came to you."
"And now I see why you foisted him on me." I rubbed Fang's fuzzy head to let him know I didn't mean it. I didn't have to, though—he knew it. And if Fang ever lost his snark, I'd probably think he was possessed or sick or something.
"So," Alejandro said."No more vampire hunting for you until you are well. Besides, Luis tells me that the message was delivered."
"Yes, but the other vamps aren't really organized, so I don't know how the word will spread. Or how much good it'll do if you're not willing to back up Luis's threats . . . . "
"That will not be a problem. We will indeed take the war to the streets. We cannot jeopardize our big announcement. He spoke for me in this matter."
I shrugged then winced when the movement hurt my side."Okay, boss. I won't purposefully hunt down any vampires. But I'm scheduled to meet Trevor at dawn." Which was probably coming up really soon.
Alejandro nodded."I called him and let him know you will not be able to make that appointment, so he plans to canvass the city on his own. He asked if you could meet him at midnight tonight." He looked at Micah."Will she be well enough then?"
My cuz nodded and said,"She'll still be in pain, but her accelerated healing will help. So long as you weren't planning on her doing anything strenuous, she should be fine."
I hated the way they talked about me as if I wasn't there. Strengthened by Fang and Shade's nearness, I said,"She is right here and can decide that for herself."
Micah lifted an eyebrow."And what does she decide?"
"That I can meet Trevor, because it shouldn't involve anything more strenuous than driving around in a car looking for some sign of the books."
"Very good," Alejandro said."I shall see you then. And now, if you will excuse me? It's
Similar Books
