“Wait,” Kip interjected. “What’s this about hand-knotted briefs?”
Max sighed. “Dammit, Edie.”
***
Gwen’s head hurtlike a mofo.
Two people were quietly talking nearby—including one with a deep, rumbly voice—and she wished they’d stop, because each word was a vicious spike hammered into her poor beleaguered skull. For that matter, she wished she could open her eyes or move or do anything but lie on…whatever she was lying on…and involuntarily eavesdrop on what seemed to be a very private discussion.
“We handled the pit, so the entire pack is dead,” the woman said flatly. “No more zombies. What’s next?”
Mr. Rumbly Voice sounded extremely determined. Alsoextremely homicidal. “Next, I’ll find whoever’s responsible for this clusterfuck—”
“Cluster ofunfortunateness, as Edie always says,” his companion chided. “Remember, the Girl Explorers are nearby.”
There was an aggrieved sigh. “Fine, witch. Let me rephrase. Once I find whoever’s responsible for nearly killing my Edie, I will track that fucker—”
A vigorous throat-clearing produced no noticeable reaction.
“—down and bring them to you. Alive.” When he spoke again, he sounded very pleased with himself. “Temporarily, anyway.”
“You’re giving me someone to…”
That was definitely Sabby speaking to Max. But what in the world were the two of them—
“Sacrifice. Yes. Their life for your wife’s. Because they’ve earned their death, and Starla deserves to live.”
Whoa. That was kind of—
“I’m in.” Gwen’s friend hadn’t even hesitated.
“Although the exchange healed Edie, she’s still quite weak. But as soon as she regains her strength, I’ll begin the hunt.” He paused. “I’ll also buy her a Pottery Barn couch.”
A moment of silence.
“What the hells does Pottery Barn have to do with—” Sabby began, echoing Gwen’s own thoughts.
“After we’ve executed our agreement, I’ll be calling in favors on a different matter as well,” he continued, ignoring the attempted interruption. “I intend to regain my immortality and offer it to my beloved. Since you saved her life, I would gladly offer the same to you and your wife. As a gesture of my…” He cleared his throat. “Heartfelt gratitude.”
“Saying that to me hurt you, didn’t it?”
“Correct.”
“Good.” Sabrina made a thoughtful humming noise. “It’s an incredibly generous offer, Max, but I’m not sure immortality is something either of us wants. A single healthy lifetime together is enough for me. I’ll talk to Starla, though, and find out what she thinks.”
He was offeringimmortality. Double whoa.
Clearly, Gwen needed to be hanging out with more vampires. Only, that would involve actually hanging out with vampires. Who were generally terrifying and total dicks, so…
“Fair enough,” he said. “Let me know.”
Leaves rustled in the wintry breeze, and Sabrina’s teeth had begun to audibly chatter. “Who are you going to talk to about the breach and the fae?”
The breach. The fae.
Without warning, the memory of her vision exploded to life in Gwen’s throbbing brain, replaying behind her eyelids and echoing in her ears. Protectively, she wrapped her arms around her belly and trembled at what she saw and heard and all its terrifying implications.
For more than two decades, she’d wanted to be a different sort of oracle. One whose predictions would hold grave importance and not focus, inevitably, on piddling shit.
