“Why so?” Alex asked, the tone of his voice telling EJ the queen’s team was already mulling over that very thing.
“Because the bounty is still on my head. Because I’m not in the queen’s livery or armor. Because I, personally, challenged Karson to Sangre Duello. If I take care of a threat to me and to mine, my rep will continue to build, separate from the queen’s, and that keeps us all safer. And because we also need Ravensport and Konstantin dead. If anyone can track and kill a child of Prince Oleg, we three can, magic, vamp, and fighting, combined skillsets that none of your people have except the Consort, Koun, and the queen herself.”
“I’ll pass that info up the channel,” Alex said. “But if they agree, you have to act smarter, Ange. Entering Karson’s lair, magic blazing, without backup, was sss…not wise.”
He had meant to say it was stupid. And it was. They hadn’t called for intel, rushing in like untrained idiots. The instant EJ saw all the cars he should have initiated a withdrawal and put his sister in a headlock. He hadn’t. EJ had screwed up, letting emotions and Angie’s desire for revenge get in the way of the goal—find and kill Konstantin and Ravensport.
Overhead, a helo appeared through the clouds, the chudchudchud of the rotors muted. It dropped down through the snow, across the lake. The queen’s people had been activated before they ever entered Karson’s clan home, available to provide assistance, which meant Alex had been aware of what was happening at the home and what they would run into. He had let them handle it. And they had FUBARed themselves.
It wasn’t much defense, but EJ said, “We’d not have known about the witch-vamp if we hadn’t rushed in. A lot of humans could—would—have died had backup been here. You had cams, so search back to the explosive working. One blasted through Angie’s personalhedgeand mine.”
Angie rubbed her sternum, remembering. She said, “The witch had a working I’ve never seen before. It was designed to capture all the energies in ashieldworking, ball them together, and hit the hearts of anyone behind it. EJ had battlefield experience andrepelandhealingworkings or we’d both be dead.”
“That’s…not something we can protect against,” Alex said.
“No. I need to redo the mathematics and strengthen mygauntlethedge.”
Alex didn’t reply.
The helo, a decommissioned military helicopter, didn’t land on the far side of the lake, but a six-man unit dropped from lines to the ground. The occupants dashed into the dark.
They waited silently. Listening. Thinking. Considering.
No sound of vampires dying resounded across the lake. No ululation of fear and pain. Nothing.
Frozen precipitation fell faster, obscuring the view, melting where it hit. Icy water trickled down Angie’s face and beneath her gorget and collar. EJ fought shivers, willing his body temp to rise, breathing the rhythm to help it. Angie shivered. A trauma shiver. She removed the tiara from a pocket and put it on.
The helo moved away and hovered over a clear area, barely visible in the growing whiteout.
Alex said, “The fangheads had transport waiting. Their neighbors are still sleeping. No damage, no DBs. The queen will send a cleanup crew. And despite the stupidity you exhibited tonight, you two will remain on your own with one caveat. She’s placing one of her units at your disposal, Princess Angelina Everhart-Trueblood. You still have an empty apartment?”
Adrenaline shot through EJ. The queen—not Aunt Jane—was putting an official unit under his sister’s command, despite—or maybe because of?—the fact that they had rushed in unprepared. Alex said, “On the other hand, your aunt said, and I quote, ‘Flying by the seat of my pants taught me things. I managed not to get killed. Don’t you get killed.’ ”
“No apartment,” his sister said, “but we have the workout area. It should do. Human or vamp unit?”
“Both,” Alex said. “Human unit on the ground will be heading to your building when they’re done sweeping the area. The vamp will come as soon as we can make the transport.”
Shock shot through him. His eyes met Angie’s again.Another vamp? Who?
“Thank you,” Angie said, her throttled reply indicating the same kind of reaction he’d had. “I can make something work. Angie out.” She ended the call.
Command of one of the queen’s personal units?Son of a witch!
“This isn’t all sparkles and glitter,” she said. “We’ll have a unit, one ultimately loyal to the queen, on our doorstep, in our apartment building, twenty-four/seven.” She turned and reentered Asshat’s house. EJ followed, the way he followed her when they were kids.
There were pools and blood spatter everywhere. Lots of dead vamps.
“No dead humans,” Angie said, sounding grim. “Thank God and all his angels, we don’t have to call Villetti.”
There was an odd tone in her voice, as though calling Villetti might not be the worst thing in the world. Interesting.
“Hey, Walter?” she called.
The vamp glided to her from the shadows.
“The queen’s sending a cleanup team and giving us a security unit, falling under our command. Let’s toss this place and see what we can find. Maybe our subject is on premises.”
Walter nodded, unsurprised. He’d been listening. Vamp ears.
