Night's Surrender by Amanda Ashley Page B

Edna and Pearl better lay low for a while.”
    â€œI don’t think they’re in any danger,” Rane remarked. “We’re the only ones who know they killed the McDonalds.”
    â€œUnless they let something slip,” Mara pointed out. “Edna never could keep a secret.”
    â€œWhat’s the third thing?” Savanah asked.
    â€œPearl and Edna are missing.”
    â€œAnd that’s a bad thing?” Logan muttered.
    Rane looked at Mara. “There’s more, isn’t there?”
    â€œIt seems those meddling old fools are very popular this week. The coalition wants them dead, but there’s a rumor that an unknown hunter is offering a thousand credits for information on their whereabouts.”
    â€œI’d be happy to turn them in.”
    â€œForget it, Blackwood,” Rane said brusquely. “Edna and Pearl are like family.”
    Logan shook his head. “Not to me.” He held up his hands in a gesture of surrender when Rane glared at him. “Okay, okay. You win.”
    â€œEnough, you two,” Mara said. “We need to find out if Pearl and Edna are in hiding, or if they’ve been captured, and if so, who has them.”
    â€œIf the coalition found them, they’re no longer a problem,” Logan stated. “They’re already dead.”
    â€œAnd if the other hunter has them?” Savanah asked. “What then?”
    â€œI don’t know, but I’d love to know why a hunter would want to take a vampire alive.”
    â€œI can think of several reasons,” Mara said. “Maybe he wants to change sides. . . .”
    Logan snorted. “Yeah, right.”
    â€œMaybe he’s looking for the cure,” Rane suggested. It wasn’t well known, but Edna and Pearl had concocted some mysterious brew rumored to restore a vampire’s mortality.
    â€œThe cure?” Savanah murmured. “Why?”
    Mara lifted one shoulder in an elegant shrug. “Who knows why mortals do what they do.”
    Logan slapped his hands on his knees. “So, do we look for them, or let ’em sink or swim on their own?”
    â€œWe ask around,” Rane said, “and see what we can find out. Right, Mara?”
    She nodded, none too enthusiastically.
    Sighing, Savanah murmured, “It never rains but it pours.”
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    Near dawn, when Logan and the rest of the family were occupied elsewhere, Mara went in search of Nick. His scent—so familiar, so easy to follow—led her to a deserted shack at the edge of Rane’s property.
    She should have known he would be outside, waiting for her.
    â€œYou look the same,” he remarked. “Just as beautiful as I remember.”
    She smiled, pleased by the admiration in his eyes. “What are you up to, Nicky? Why are you here?”
    â€œI came to see Abbey.”
    â€œIs that the only reason?”
    â€œDo you think I’ve got some ulterior motive?” His eyes narrowed. “Revenge, perhaps?”
    â€œWhy are you really here, Nicky?”
    â€œI told you. I came to see Abbey. I met her in New York a few days ago, and I wanted to see her again.”
    â€œYou had no idea she’s my goddaughter?”
    â€œHow would I know that?”
    â€œYou tell me.”
    â€œIf I hadn’t met Abbey, I’d think it was a nice twist of fate that I found you.”
    â€œOh?”
    â€œI’d heard you regained your humanity. I was weary of my life, and I wanted to know how you did it. And if you couldn’t tell me, I was going to ask you to destroy me.”
    She hadn’t expected that. The very thought of destroying him made her gasp with surprise. “That’s why you’re here? You want me to end your life?”
    â€œNot anymore.”
    Mara regarded him for several moments. “I see. Abbey’s given you a reason to go on.”
    He nodded. “How did you do it? How did you regain your