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“I can get them.” I said. “And Lannan can.”
Lannan leaned forward. It was disconcerting to have him at my shoulder but not to be able to see him in the rearview mirror. “Are you willing to put your life in my hands? I can rip the stakes out of the gate. You fly in with your father. The Prince will have to make a run for it on his own.”
I bit my lip. “Are you sure you can make it without getting caught?”
“If you cause a distraction, yes. Once you’re inside, do something to draw their attention to the back of the house.”
I sucked in a deep breath. “Okay. That’s how it is. Grieve, when you hit the ground, don’t stop running. Meanwhile . . .” I cringed. “I’m going to have to take off my clothes before we get there if I expect to be able to transform into owl shape. Lannan, I guess you’d better take the wheel.” I abruptly pulled to a halt and we played musical seats, with me running to the back of the car and Lannan leaping into the driver’s seat.
I began to yank off my clothes and had the distinct feeling Lannan was watching me through the rearview mirror, though there was no way I could prove it, since I couldn’t see him other than the back of his head. I slid beneath a throw in the back of the car and pulled it around my shoulders as we drove off again.
Grieve simmered, but he simmered at me, his eyes drinking their fill as I disrobed. Hard as it was, I forced myself to hold back, to keep from tumbling into his arms. But I did kiss my fingers and press them against his lips.
“You make me want to—” Lannan started, but my father interrupted him.
“Be cautious, vampire. That’s my daughter you’re talking to,” Wrath said, his voice thick with warning. “You will behave like a gentleman.”
“You may be the King of Summer, but Cicely owes me more than you want to know and I intend to collect. And chill out, Wolf Boy, because I know she only has eyes for you.” Lannan’s words took on an edge as he added, “She’s made that all too apparent.”
I pulled back, not wanting to start any more arguments. Grieve gave me a curt nod, but his eyes promised me that once we were finished, if we managed to come through this alive, he’d prove to me just how much he missed me.
Ulean, we’re near. Did you hear our plans?
I did—your thoughts were clear.
Can you start a distraction in the backyard?
I can, but if you can get to your fan, we can wreak much more havoc together. You have yet to use the most powerful force that it can summon.
I’ve created a tornado before—and gale-force winds; what more can there be?
Hurricane force. Typhoon. But beware, Cicely—it can devastate an area.
We may have no choice. I’ll meet you in my bedroom.
And then we turned on to Vyne Street. As we raced along the silent asphalt, I shivered, more out of fear than cold. Before we arrived, I leaned over and pressed my lips against Grieve’s. He gathered me close and I ached, wanting him to reach out and touch my breasts, to slide his hands along my body. But, mindful of my father’s presence, he simply pulled me close, and I found myself falling deep, sucking under, into the spiral of love and lust that permeated our connection.
And then we were there, and the car screeched to a halt. We slammed out of the doors, Wrath and I transforming into our owl selves and winging into the sky. Last I saw, Grieve was racing for the house as Lannan began yanking iron stakes off the neighbor’s gate. And then, as I neared my bedroom window, I could see them out back—the Shadow Hunters, gauging the house.
It was official. We were at war.
Chapter 22
I swooped high enough to stay out of range should they have archers, but low enough to fly directly in the window, which was open, with Kaylin waiting to slam it shut the minute I was through.
I landed on my dresser, then hopped to the floor and quickly transformed, my moonstone pendant lightly hitting against my breasts. As I spilled forward, Kaylin quickly handed me a pair of jeans, a bra, and a turtleneck. I wriggled into my clothes.
“We have big trouble—but we don’t have time to tell you. Just know that Lainule, Anadey, and Geoffrey are no longer on our side. Lannan and Wrath, however, are. Grieve’s back, too.”
At his startled look, I shook my head. “Don’t ask—it’s just too complicated right now. Have the Shadow Hunters made any attack?”
“Not yet, but I think they were waiting for you. They made themselves obvious, and then held off, keeping us in the house.”
“They must have seen me leave earlier. And Myst knows we have Grieve—how can she not?” I slid on a pair of lace-up steel-toed boots and then strapped my blade to my wrist and grabbed my fan. “I need a better blade.”
“What about the obsidian one? The one we caught when we fought Myst and her cronies last week? Remember?”
I thought back. When we’d rescued Peyton, we had picked up an obsidian blade off one of the Shadow Hunters. “Oh hell, yeah. And it wants blood. Bring it to me.”
