better, stronger.
He didn’t push the issue, just continued to sew Irish’s wounds closed.
She didn’t know how much time passed, but his body finally began to warm. “Good,” she said, feeling a bit drunk once more.
Eric gathered her in his arms, and with a quick, “I’ll be back,” to Blake, carried her upstairs and into the parlor. He set her gently in one of the chairs near the fireplace, then stoked the fire until it blazed, spreading warmth over her cooled skin.
Eric growled, “You may have saved the man’s life, but it’s no reason to push yourself so far you dip a toe onto death’s side of the door.”
“What I did won’t kill me. I just need to refill on blood and food.”
“I’ll bring you something.” He paused, looking her over, and she almost thought he was seriously worried.
As another flash of weakness hit, she figured maybe she should be worried, too.
* * *
Cat ate, drinking enough blood to make her feel a little better. But all she wanted to do was nap. After calculating the time, she realized she must have only gotten about two hours of sleep after the party before Blake’s call.
Eric and Blake came upstairs, taking seats on opposite sides of the room.
“How is he?” she asked.
“Still unconscious, but mending,” Blake tiredly replied.
“We’ll keep an eye on him.” She carefully studied each man. “So the human bite marks?” Just the thought of it made her lose the sense of warmth from the roaring fire. A chill covered her arms with goose bumps.
“We don’t know the bites came from wolf shifters,” Blake stated slowly.
Cat raised an eyebrow. “You think what? He was attacked two separate times? Or the wolves let some mortals chew on their prey alongside them? How many mortals do you know that go around chomping on people?”
He shrugged uncomfortably.
A despondent fog embraced her. “Everything is wrong with this city lately. It’s like a cloud of darkness, of something putrid and evil, hanging over us. Vampires murdered without a known cause. Now this. None of it makes any sense.” Weary, she drew her legs up on the chair and laid her forehead on her knees. “Jacques would be able to figure this out.”
“Yeah? Well he’s not here,” Blake replied harshly.
She raised her head and shot him a glare until he looked away. “No. He. Is. Not. So it’s up to us. Yet, everyone we talk to knows nothing. Every hopeful hint I’ve followed has only led to more questions, never any answers.”
Eric cleared his throat and she turned her dark glare on him. He didn’t glance away. “Now you have my fresh eyes. We’ll go over everything you guys know, think you know. Even what you don’t know. Every problem has a solution.”
She rested her cheek on her knees, captured by his confidence. His assurance. She just didn’t know if it would be enough.
Eric and Blake finally drew closer to each other. She listened to them going over her plans to get the younger vampires out of town to a safe haven, making the exodus move along faster.
Blake slapped his hand on the arm of his chair. “The problem is, some of them are hiding. They don’t want to leave the parties, or their mortal friends, or whatever. And when we do actually find some of them, they run away. It’s one thing to hunt an enemy, but it doesn’t sit well with my guards to hunt our own.”
“The young do stupid things,” Eric said, making her think of Nina. “But remind your men it’s to save their lives.”
They continued to strategize, soon turning to maps of the city and the areas where she’d put people on guard. Her eyes slipped closed as she grew drowsy, the sounds of the men’s voices lulling.
“This is well thought out,” Eric told Blake.
“It’s Cat’s idea. The overlapping areas, changes of guard, everything. We’re just doing as she asked.”
She felt Eric’s gaze on her and opened her eyes. Admiration flitted across his face.
She breathed deep and his scent took over
He didn’t push the issue, just continued to sew Irish’s wounds closed.
She didn’t know how much time passed, but his body finally began to warm. “Good,” she said, feeling a bit drunk once more.
Eric gathered her in his arms, and with a quick, “I’ll be back,” to Blake, carried her upstairs and into the parlor. He set her gently in one of the chairs near the fireplace, then stoked the fire until it blazed, spreading warmth over her cooled skin.
Eric growled, “You may have saved the man’s life, but it’s no reason to push yourself so far you dip a toe onto death’s side of the door.”
“What I did won’t kill me. I just need to refill on blood and food.”
“I’ll bring you something.” He paused, looking her over, and she almost thought he was seriously worried.
As another flash of weakness hit, she figured maybe she should be worried, too.
* * *
Cat ate, drinking enough blood to make her feel a little better. But all she wanted to do was nap. After calculating the time, she realized she must have only gotten about two hours of sleep after the party before Blake’s call.
Eric and Blake came upstairs, taking seats on opposite sides of the room.
“How is he?” she asked.
“Still unconscious, but mending,” Blake tiredly replied.
“We’ll keep an eye on him.” She carefully studied each man. “So the human bite marks?” Just the thought of it made her lose the sense of warmth from the roaring fire. A chill covered her arms with goose bumps.
“We don’t know the bites came from wolf shifters,” Blake stated slowly.
Cat raised an eyebrow. “You think what? He was attacked two separate times? Or the wolves let some mortals chew on their prey alongside them? How many mortals do you know that go around chomping on people?”
He shrugged uncomfortably.
A despondent fog embraced her. “Everything is wrong with this city lately. It’s like a cloud of darkness, of something putrid and evil, hanging over us. Vampires murdered without a known cause. Now this. None of it makes any sense.” Weary, she drew her legs up on the chair and laid her forehead on her knees. “Jacques would be able to figure this out.”
“Yeah? Well he’s not here,” Blake replied harshly.
She raised her head and shot him a glare until he looked away. “No. He. Is. Not. So it’s up to us. Yet, everyone we talk to knows nothing. Every hopeful hint I’ve followed has only led to more questions, never any answers.”
Eric cleared his throat and she turned her dark glare on him. He didn’t glance away. “Now you have my fresh eyes. We’ll go over everything you guys know, think you know. Even what you don’t know. Every problem has a solution.”
She rested her cheek on her knees, captured by his confidence. His assurance. She just didn’t know if it would be enough.
Eric and Blake finally drew closer to each other. She listened to them going over her plans to get the younger vampires out of town to a safe haven, making the exodus move along faster.
Blake slapped his hand on the arm of his chair. “The problem is, some of them are hiding. They don’t want to leave the parties, or their mortal friends, or whatever. And when we do actually find some of them, they run away. It’s one thing to hunt an enemy, but it doesn’t sit well with my guards to hunt our own.”
“The young do stupid things,” Eric said, making her think of Nina. “But remind your men it’s to save their lives.”
They continued to strategize, soon turning to maps of the city and the areas where she’d put people on guard. Her eyes slipped closed as she grew drowsy, the sounds of the men’s voices lulling.
“This is well thought out,” Eric told Blake.
“It’s Cat’s idea. The overlapping areas, changes of guard, everything. We’re just doing as she asked.”
She felt Eric’s gaze on her and opened her eyes. Admiration flitted across his face.
She breathed deep and his scent took over
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