“Starla, sweetheart…” Sabrina rubbed her forehead. “I’m not sure I can carry you to the car. Maybe we can—”
“I’ll get her into the car,” Max interrupted. “You know how strong I am, witch. I won’t jostle or hurt her in any way.”
A long, tense silence stretched between them.
When she finally replied, her voice had turned chilly once more. “Swear on her life, vampire.” She tipped her head toward Edie, fear and suspicion pulling her delicate features taut. “Because if you harm my wife, your sweet companion will pay the price.”
Max’s fingers bit into Edie’s shoulders, and when she looked back at him, his irises had darkened to the cold, deep blue of a fathomless ocean.
“Do it, Max,” she demanded in a low whisper. “We need their help. And we both know you won’t harm her wife, so your promise changes nothing for me.”
He made a sort of growly sound deep in his throat as he scowled down at her, but he eventually turned back to Sabrina.
“I will not inflict intentional harm on Starla or act carelessly in regard to her safety and comfort,” he told the witch, reluctance in every syllable. “I can’t promise she won’t come to harm due to chance or someone else’s actions—”
“Let him finish, Sabby,” Starla gently ordered when Sabrina began to protest.
“—but if I can prevent that harm, I will. That much I’ll willingly…” He paused, his skin an odd shade of pale. Almost greenish. “I’ll willingly swear on Edie’s life.”
“That works for me.” Starla curled a trembling hand aroundthe loft railing. “Baby, his thoughts indicate he’s telling the truth, and I shouldn’t be wasting my energy on this conversation. Stand down, please.”
“Fine.” Eyes still narrowed on Max, the witch extended a hand to him. “I accept your promise.”
“Good,” he said pleasantly enough, and shook briefly. “Glad we’re in agreement.”
Sabrina offered him a curt nod, and Edie let out a relieved breath.
“Also…” An unsettling smile spread across Max’s face. “Please know that if you willingly harm or allow harm to befall Edie, I won’t kill your wife.” He bared his teeth, displaying lengthened, needle-sharp fangs. “I’ll killyou, witch.”
“All righty, then,” Edie quickly said, taking Max’s arm and yanking him farther away from their openly seething host. “Let’s move on from the threat-issuing portion of this morning’s schedule, shall we?”
“Seconded,” came Starla’s gentle voice from upstairs, right before her face disappeared into the shadows once more.
Her wife grunted. “Fine.”
“Fine,” Max sneered.
And then—gods and goddesses help them—they all got to work.
20
Over the course of a long day, the others arrived.
There weren’t many possible helpers, as it turned out. Most people Starla and Sabrina knew had traveled outside the Zone for the holidays, so the telepath couldn’t reach them. Those who’d stayed behind were often either homebound—like Starla—or elderly. Others simply refused to venture outdoors with a horde of ravening zombies nearby or battle said horde of ravening zombies, and despite the high stakes, Edie had a hard time blaming them for that.
At first there was only one addition to their small battalion. No one showed up while Max and Starla took their road trip, but by midmorning, a white redhead named Gwen, round and short and roughly Edie’s age, knocked on the door. She appeared nervous and didn’t say much. After nodding in greeting to Sabrina, Edie, and Max, she immediately went upstairs for a quiet conversation with Starla and came back down looking even more concerned.
She seemed human, but who knew, really? Not Edie.
Around lunchtime, when Edie and Max traveled back to themall and warned the counterfeiters about the upcoming battle, Belinda said they appreciated the heads-up but couldn’t join the fight.
“Too dangerous,” Belinda told Edie, ignoring Doug’s pleading look. “We’ve pared our group down to essential personnel only. If we lose even a single person, the entire enterprise falls apart.”
Austin’s head tipped in thought. “But we can offer you weapons.”
“And a pan of homemade lasagna.” Doug smiled apologetically at them. “I made the pasta from scratch. Oh, and don’t forget the tiramisu!”
So Max and Edie returned to Sabrina’s home with plenty of weapons and tasty provisions in tow, but no new recruits. None had arrived in their absence either, sadly.
