His own was black and simple by comparison. He’d Influenced the rental people so he didn’t have to use his Wake-issued ID or one of their cars in case it had a tracker.
Kyan slid Callum a look. ‘Do you think he’ll answer?’
‘Possibly,’ Callum mused, looking up at the manor with interest.
A surge of impatience simmered through Kyan’s muscles. They couldn’t wait all day. He needed to start tracking Nicole. He thought of calling the Palmers, but it felt like such a betrayal to only have the news that the Wake knew about them.
At least testing the blood should get them an idea of howthe Wake were doing these transformations, and if there was a cure.
He wasn’t hopeful though as he opened the gates to reach the double set of glass doors, one to an inner porch, the next to the entrance hall.
As his fist came down to knock again, someone came into view.
Kyan had expected a doorman of some kind, but instead the Vampire appeared, his expression a picture of irritation. He opened the first doors in a flourish, but the next only a sliver to speak.
‘As much as I love an unannounced visit from the Wake,’ Verin Vinter said, ‘I’m quite detained. So, my exquisitely restored Tijou gates and I, bid you and yourham fists, come back another day.’
Kyan’s foot landed in the gap before the Vampire could close the door, a tight smile on his lips.
‘Verin,’ Callum greeted from over Kyan’s shoulder with a saccharine smile. ‘Always a pleasure.’
Verin’s eyes narrowed. ‘A pleasure when you spilled wine on my favourite robe?’
‘It was a hideous robe,’ Callum whispered to Kyan.
Kyan’s already tense body tightened further. ‘Callum is very sorry about your robe—’
‘I’m not sorry.’
‘—but we need to …’ The words died in Kyan’s throat as a familiar scent struck him like a blade. There, beneath something like bleach and an incredible amount of nose-stinging dust, was blood.
Nicole’s blood.
It was a ridiculous thought, one his logical mind almost rejected.
How could he have stumbled across her after six months? Perhaps he’d been away from her for too long and the stress of the Wake’s mission had made him delirious.
But this was different, despite its familiarity. There was no echo of the newly turned scent that had triggered his oath. Beneath the heady fragrance – entwined with the subtlest scent identifying her as an Empyreal, but complicated by her Seer heritage – it had matured, darkened. And it twisted his stomach and need up a notch.
He’d gone still as a standing stone. Only Callum’s pointed cough made him realise his hand was splayed against the door, ready to shove it open. He blinked, his vision gold at the edges.
Nicole—
If she was in danger, he needed to get inside this damn house. But snarling and shoving his way in might get her killed.
It took every inch of his control to stop himself squeezing Verin’s throat until the trachea crumbled to a pulp.
The Vampire shouldn’t have any idea that Kyan knew Nicole, butVerin was watching every minute transition on his face with unnerving interest.
‘Ignore him, he’s had a long night,’ Callum said, gripping Kyan’s shoulder with a force that cut through his screaming urges. He’d never met anyone stronger than Callum, and his friend was unleashing a fair bit of that strength right now.
Kyan could only release a pained grunt in response.
‘Smells like blood,’ Kyan managed instead. ‘Care to explain?’
Verin’s eyes glittered. ‘Iama Vampire.’
‘Blood andrubble.’
