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I blinked. "What about you, though? Aren't you…"
She grinned, daintily wiping her mouth. "Don't worry about me. I have my ways. Now go. I'll be a phone call away. I have to go back to the compound. I know you have plans tonight, but call me later, when things calm down. If you'd like." Her smile was infectious and I found myself grinning back, giddy for the first time that I could remember in a long, long while.
"I'll call, Nerissa," I said, hesitating. Then, heedless of what it might mean, I plunged on. "You're incredible. You're beautiful and you're fearless. I never knew…"
She shrugged into her clothes and gave me a quick kiss. "Menolly, I'm not fearless. I'm just aware of what world you live in. Venus the Moon Child walks under the shadow of death. He taught me to look it in the face and find the beauty within all of its aspects. And he taught me how to return from the abyss." And with that, she scurried out of the room.
I watched her retreating back, thinking I should say something, but then she was gone. Anyway, no matter what I said now, it would be anticlimatic. Whatever this thing between us was meant to be, it would grow at its own pace.
With a last glance at the curtained windows, which were starting to show the overcast glimmer of morning, I slid into my jeans and top and hurried into the living room. Everyone was getting ready to crash. Trillian, Morio, and Camille were about to head upstairs, and Tim had fallen asleep in the rocking chair.
Iris wandered in. "The kitchen's clear," she said as Camille said good night. "Delilah's driving Nerissa home." She gave me an expectant look and I just smiled. As I passed her to head down to my lair, she whispered. "Good for you, Menolly. But be careful. There are so many complications."
"I know," I said softly. "I know." And I did. But I wasn't willing to walk away. What I'd told Trillian was the truth: collateral damage was going to happen, like it or not. And it seemed a crime to walk away from friendship and love, the things that make life worth living—even for those of us long past life. Wondering if I'd regret my choice, I stopped to give Maggie a gentle kiss on the forehead, then headed downstairs for the night.
Camille woke me just past dusk. "Menolly, we have to go if we're heading to Aladril."
I sat up, blinking. My dreams had been filled with passion and the vision of a golden goddess, a fiery mane of sun-kissed hair trailing down my skin. A nice change from the usual.
Surprised to hear her so eager to leave, I said, "You still want to go, with what's happened to Erin?"
"Now more than ever. Morio and I did our best last night but we couldn't track them. Dredge is too good at hiding. We have to do something and soon." She paused, then burst out, "It's bad. The local tabloids have gotten wind that at least a half-dozen people are missing and they're screaming at the cops to find them. The one saving grace is that while we know they're dead and that some of them have gone vamp on us, nobody else knows yet. Think of the panic that's going to erupt if this continues."
"What do you mean if? Dredge won't quit until he's stopped." I slipped into a pair of skintight jeans and a long-sleeved tunic made of spider silk, cinching it with a black-studded leather belt. Pulling on a pair of leather gloves and my spiked heel ankle boots, I was ready in five minutes. I nixed the makeup—it took me too long to apply without being able to see my reflection, and why bother when we were headed back to OW anyway?
"It gets worse," Camille said, staring at the floor. She was wearing a flowing skirt from Otherworld, and a custom corset made from a plum-colored jacquard. Unlike me, she was in full makeup. Her hair flowed over her shoulders in a cascade of curls.
"You look like you're made up to pay a visit to Court and Crown," I said. "And what do you mean, 'it gets worse'?"
"Hey, we don't know who we're going to meet over there," she said. "I want to look my best. To answer your question, Chase got a report in from the red light district on the strip near SeaTac. Last night four of the regulars—all girls—disappeared with a couple of rowdy guys and never came back. Their roommate, also a hooker, reported them missing. Chase picked up on it and showed her the photos of the two guys killed at the theater."
"And?" I didn't even have to ask. I knew the answer already.
"She ID'd them all right. Our vamps have struck again, and who knows if those were their only victims. The girl's already on the run—apparently she's afraid it's another Green River Killer thing. Chase couldn't convince her to stay." Camille shook her head. "I want to find Erin, but we can't do that if we can't find Dredge. Maybe this dude in Aladril can help us because we sure aren't having any luck on our own. Queen Asteria seems convinced he can help. We have to go."
"Delilah ready?" I looked around the room, wondering if I should take anything else with me. Deciding that my claws and fangs were better than any weapon I could carry, I motioned to the stairs. "Let's go."
"Delilah's not coming. She's staying here to help Tim on the database. The sooner we can field more info out through the Supe groups, the better. And somebody should stay with Iris and Maggie. It's just you and me. And Trillian."
I let out a low grumble. "Why is he coming along?"
"Because he knows the territory and Tanaquar has called him back for a mission. Which means we'll be shorthanded over here."
"Morio going? I'd like to have the fox demon with us." Morio was good in a fight, and I trusted him to help Camille from going totally haywire on magic.
She sighed. "I'm a little worried taking him into Aladril—he sure doesn't know the customs, but yes, he's willing to come with us.">"I don't know for sure, but if we don't find her soon, then yes. Dredge will kill her." I didn't mention torture. Why bother?
"First light is coming, Menolly," Iris said.
"I know, I can feel it." And I could. The slow gentle draw into unconsciousness was tapping at my shoulder. Not long before I'd have to withdraw to sleep. And, if I was lucky, I wouldn't dream. I glanced at the clock. An hour left, at most. "Nerissa, come with me?"
We headed into the parlor from the back way so as not to disturb Camille and Morio. As I closed the door behind me, I said, "Do you want Delilah to drive you home?"
"Now?" she asked, sounding surprised.
Thoughts of Camille's fears echoed through my mind. "Nerissa, our enemies are far more dangerous than you know. You could get hurt if you stick around here. If you get involved with… us… me."
She slowly closed the gap between us and gently raised her hands to cup my face. "I know that. I knew that before I made up my mind that I wanted to be with you. I'm not asking for a lifetime. I'm not asking for any commitments. I just want to be here, right now, tonight."
