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He points to the ancient pub phone held to his ear.
“I mean, if you do, it’s fine,” I continue. “You vibe with the short and fluffy things; I get it. But if one of your plague-bearing friends is living in a place where I eat regular meals, I think I should be kept abreast of that, don’t you? Just for safety’s sake? So why don’t we—”
“Hello, Blaire,” Edmond cuts in, the hint of a smile curving his lips. “Yes, it’s Edmond. I assume Darcy is there with you?” He nods, continuing once my sister apparently confirms that her main squeeze is, indeed, at our house. “I thought so. Would you please tell him that Casey and I need him at the pub? Immediately? Sultan just violated at least two clan laws and put his hands on Casey. The memory of his fat fingers around her throat may yet move me to violence if a cooler head doesn’t arrive soon.” Edmond lifts a calming hand, as if Blaire can see him. “Don’t worry, she’s fine.”
“I’m better than fine,” I call out. “Just get here as fast as you can. I’m going to call the daycare and warn them I’ll be late, but I need to get to Amy ASAP.”
I trust that the danger has passed—for now—but I won’t feel right until I’m standing between my daughter and anyone stupid enough to try to take her away from me.
Edmond mumbles something I can’t make out and ends the call before turning back to me. “There. All sorted. You can go pick Amy up now if you’d like. I’ll come by your place and fill you in when we’re done here.”
“As if,” I snort. “I want to watch Darcy rip this jerk’s entrails out through his nose, or whatever vampire justice is about to go down here.” Casting a glare at the still-prone, softly moaning Sultan, I ask, “What clan laws did he violate?”
“He attempted to feed on you without permission,” Edmond says before adding in a softer voice, “And he’s been sharing secrets with the enemy. That was a Shadowbane portal.”
Chapter Three
EDMOND
Casey’s eyes go wide and the color drains from her face, making it clear she understands how serious this is.
The Shadowbanes aren’t just our clan’s sworn enemies, they’re also a group of madmen and women intent on taking Nightfall for vampire kind and exterminating every other species currently living peacefully in our seaside home.
She swallows, her throat working as she whispers, “He’s really going to get his entrails ripped out, isn’t he?”
“The council will hear his case, but…” I lift my shoulder, leaving the brutal part unsaid.
Vampires are usually fairly merciful when it comes to meeting out punishment, but the Shadowbanes are beyond the pale. They’re a brutal, dangerously deluded cult that won’t stop until our planet is a vampire playground cloaked in eternal night—Nightfall is only the beginning for them. They are an existential threat not only to peace-loving vampires, but to life on earth as we know it, and the high council punishes people who assist them accordingly.
Casey pulls in a breath, but before she can speak, Darcy and Blaire arrive down the chimney in a flurry of leathery bat wings.
The moment Blaire swirls back into her human form—dressed for renovation work in a pair of brown overalls and a faded green sweatshirt—her powerful magic fills the room, making the air crackle. “Are you okay?” she demands, making a beeline for Casey.
“I’m fine,” Casey says, embracing her shorter sister, locking eyes with me over Blaire’s head as she adds, “We have more important things to worry about than me right now.”
“Shut up,” Blaire says, pulling back to cup Casey’s face in her hands. “There is nothing more important than you and our family. Is Amy okay? Was she upset that you’re going to be late?”
Casey curses softly beneath her breath. “Shit, I forgot to call. I got distracted by all the talk of entrails and Shadowbanes.”
Blaire’s cheeks drain of color as she turns to Darcy. “Holy shit.”
“Indeed,” Darcy agrees, standing over Sultan, an appropriately lethal expression on his face. “This traitor has some talking to do.”
“I can’t,” Sultan whispers, all the swagger vanished from his quivering bulk now that Darcy’s on the scene. “They enchanted my tongue. If I tell their secrets, it will rip itself from my throat.”
“Then we’ll just have to get to the good secrets first,” Blaire says coldly. “Before the ripping gets too bad.”
Darcy smiles a merciless grin I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of. “What she said.” He claps his hands together. “Now, let’s get you behind bars and strapped to an interrogation chair, where you’ll be more comfortable.” He stands, glancing my way as he says, “Get Casey and Amy home safely. Colin will send someone by to get your statement soon. I have a feeling Blaire and I will be busy for the rest of the night.” His pitch lifts as he adds, “Unless Sultan has the good sense to give us what we need and spare himself the pain and suffering.”
“Oh, I hope not,” Blaire says, taking Darcy’s hand as he places a boot on the center of Sultan’s chest. “The suffering’s the fun part.”
Blaire isn’t the type of person who truly enjoys inflicting pain on others, but Sultan doesn’t know that. He hasn’t taken the time to welcome the Wonderfully family to town or get to know our newest generation of witches. Tonight, that decision will add an extra layer of fear to what I have no doubt will be the longest night of his life.
But then, a man’s last nights are always long, I imagine.
Soon, I’ll know first-hand…
As Blaire, Darcy, and their prisoner dissolve into mist that easily seeps through the crack at the top of the front door, Casey circles back around the bar to grab her purse and jacket. “Do you think they’ll get the truth out of him?”
