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I picked her up, careful not to bend her wings, which were still pliable. In time they'd grow leathery and wide, able to hold her aloft. Until then we had to make sure that they weren't damaged. She hadn't spoken yet—just let out her little moophs, and we weren't sure if she'd ever develop to normal intelligence. She'd been bred by demons, and most likely she hadn't received her mother's milk long enough to jumpstart the quickening process. Whatever the case, we'd love her and take care of her and protect her. She had a long, long time to live, and we'd be there.
She threw her arms around my neck and clung tightly as I moved to the rocking chair and sat down, rocking her gently back to sleep. I nuzzled her neck, breathing in the musky scent. Her little heart slowly pounded out the rhythm of her life, but I felt no urge, no temptation, no draw.
"Hush, little baby, don't you cry; Mama's gonna bake you a sugar-plum pie," I whispered, singing the song our mother had sung to us when we were little. "And if that sugar-plum pie's too sour, Mama's going to buy you a golden tower…" Smiling, Maggie closed her eyes and drifted off. I rocked her gently, trying not to think about the Elwing Blood Clan. After a few moments, there was a knock on the door.
"That should be Wade," I told Iris, reluctantly handing her Maggie. "But let me get it just in case."
I peered out the peephole and sure enough, Wade was standing there. He gave me a little wave and I opened the door. Other than me, he was the only vampire allowed past our threshold. It just wasn't a good idea to give bloodsuckers free access to a house. True to form, we couldn't enter any private residence where we hadn't been invited. I opened the door and invited him in.
Wade was an odd fellow. With spiky blond hair and pale eyes, he could easily be mistaken for a geek, if you didn't look too close. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans, a thick flannel shirt, and his ever-present glasses. The lenses were fake, but he'd worn them all his life and couldn't get used to going without them now that he was dead.
"What's shaking, beautiful?" He winked.
That's one thing I liked about him—he'd accepted his place as a vampire and was using it to help others new to the life. And yet he hadn't lost his humanity. He enjoyed a good joke, a good book, a good cigar.
"Bad juju, Wade. Bad news." I reached out and gently pressed my fingertips against his—our usual greeting—then led him into the living room.
Wade bowed to my sisters and tossed a wave at Chase. The two had met once or twice, but had never really had a chance to sit down and talk. Chase started to hold out his hand but I gave him a warning shake of the head. Delilah touched his arm lightly and he pulled back.
"Oops, that's right. Sorry," Chase said.
Wade shrugged. "I'm not hungry, but even if I was, I make it a point to not eat the other guests." He looked around and I motioned to one of the side chairs. When he'd settled himself, we filled him in on what had happened.
"We need to know if there's anything stirring in the underground." I flipped the desk chair around and straddled it. "Seriously, Wade. There could be some deep shit going on here, and we have to know what we're up against."
He didn't know everything about Shadow Wing, but he knew enough to keep him on our side. Wade thought we might be able to raise a small army of Earthside Supes should the demons break through in any great number. They'd be our best fighters, far more effective than guns and soldiers.
Wade leaned back, lacing his fingers behind his head. "Well, crap. And we've made such good progress with the V.A. group so far. Listen, what makes you think it's your sire rather than some rogue Earthside vamp, somebody who went over the edge or someone new to the area? I don't want to limit my search."
Chase looked at me. I shrugged at him.
"We don't know for sure," he said, staring at Wade. I had the distinct impression that facing an Earthside vamp unnerved Chase more than facing me did. I was from a different land, different world in fact. He could tie me up neatly in a box. "Menolly's from Otherworld; of course she's a freak." But Wade… Wade had sprung up right in the middle of Seattle. A homeboy of the distinctly dangerous type.
The pause became noticeable and I reached out to tap Chase on the knee. He jerked his head up and I snorted. "Calm down, I was just going to suggest you finish your thought. You seemed a little lost in the ozone."
"Oh, right. Thanks… I think." Blinking, Chase continued. "The girls think the Elwing Blood Clan might be involved. But you're right. We should run on the assumption that it could be any vampire. Let's not close any doors."
"So what's our first step?" Wade looked at me, a faint grin on his face. He was used to jumpy mortals. He saw them often enough at friends and family night down at our V.A. meetings.
I glanced around. Camille and Delilah had curled up together and were eating Cheetos. Chase was fiddling with his notebook. Iris was filing her nails. I waited for a moment, but it was obvious that we'd reached a painful lull in conversation.
"Don't everybody talk at once," I said, shaking my head. "I'm not the only one with a brain around here, am I?"
Camille shrugged, wiping the corners of her mouth, somehow managing to keep her lipstick perfect. "Well—"
"How'd you do that?" I interrupted.
"Do what?"
"Your lipstick. It didn't smear."
She grinned. "It's long-lasting lip lacquer. Won't budge unless I take a Brillo pad to it. Makes it easier to eat out in public. Now, may I continue?"
"Sure," I said, wondering how the chemicals in the lip gloss would react with my skin now that I was a vampire. Sometimes things didn't wash off that were supposed to be temporary. I'd seen a horrible example of rouge-gone-bad on a vamp who had been passing through town last month. Think great balls of fire on the cheeks and you get the picture. What made it worse was that it was a pudgy geek boy who's so-called friends—all of whom were still alive—had played a joke on him when he was sleeping. And breathers wondered why we didn't always let them know where we made our lairs.
"Anyway, we thought you'd have some ideas. After all, you know vampire habits better than we do." Camille glanced at Delilah, who gave her a nod. "In other words, tag, you're it."
With a burp, during which she barely covered her mouth, Delilah vigorously nodded. "That's right! You're the leader."
