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The air reeked of blood and death, and a shiver ran down my back. I wavered a moment, feeling Panther rise. She wanted to hunt, to join the fight, to fol ow whoever it was who had kil ed the last goblin, but there was no one left for her to battle. I pushed the desire down, whispering to myself, soothing the big cat trapped within.
As the others joined me, I saw that Smoky, in his white and pale blue, was spotless as usual. Morio and Camil e were as blood-spattered as I was.
"Aren't we al just a delightful mess?" I asked, glancing at them. "Except you, Dragon Boy. Someday you have to tel us your secret. You're family now."
He merely grinned.
Morio slid his arm around Camil e's waist. "At least we took care of this mess."
Camil e nodded but glanced at me. "Who were you talking to a minute ago?"
Kicking the goblin, I shrugged. "I . . . don't know." For some reason I couldn't bring myself to talk about it. "Let's go see if the others need us."
Smoky frowned. "I suggest we advise Exo Reed to dispose of the bodies. Permanently. Lately the undead seem to have had a thing for Seattle, and we don't want a bunch of goblin zombies--or worse--running around."
"Reanimation," Morio said. He glanced at Camil e. "Not that we'd know anything about that."
She stifled a laugh that sounded mildly hysterical, and we headed out of the room. Exo was standing there beside Chase, who gave me a tight smile.
"Al done," I said. "Exo, you'd better burn those bodies unless you want trouble. Don't chance them ending up on their feet again. Ash them."
The werewolf nodded, his face serious behind the Elton John glasses he'd taken to wearing. "I'l cal my cousin. He's got space on his land for a bonfire." He glanced at the double doors. "I guess it's too much to hope that the room's in one piece."
I stared at him, feeling sorry for the hotel owner. He was just trying to do his job. Goblin invasion had not been on the menu. But my thoughts kept running back to the strange shadow who had saved my life. Who the hel had it been, if it wasn't Hi'ran?
"Um . . . no. I'm sorry. Not a chance."
He sighed. "I didn't think so."
A noise on the stairwel announced Menol y, Roz, and Vanzir as they came trooping down the steps. They were covered with blood, and Menol y's mouth was slick with the red stuff. Looked like she'd had an after-dinner snack. Or maybe it was her dinner. It was then that I noticed she was dragging somebody behind her. One of the two Tregarts--al trussed up and nowhere to go.
"You captured one? You think they have any information worth knowing?" Camil e hurried over to her.
Menol y grinned, her smile al too scary. "Who knows? But I'm going to find out."
I turned to Chase, who was gazing at me, looking . . . somewhere between lost and angry. "Looks like we're done here," I said. Then, because I couldn't stop myself, I added, "Won't you come back home with me? It's been so long . . ."
He chewed on his lip, which was looking terribly chapped. After a moment, he shrugged. "I suppose we should talk." He didn't look overjoyed.
Keeping my hurt feelings to myself, I forced a smile. Enthusiastic much. Not. But best to keep my mouth shut. I glanced over at the others. They were trundling the demon out to Menol y's car. I turned back to Chase. "Are you going to ride with me or--"
"I'l fol ow in my car," he said abruptly. "Just in case . . . you know, I get a cal or need to leave or something."
"Yeah, fine." Again, I forced a smile and leaned in for a kiss, but he turned his head, and my lips slid off his cheek. I headed out to my Jeep.
Menol y took the demon down to the Wayfarer. She, Vanzir, and Rozurial told the rest of us to go straight home.
"We'l find out anything he has to say. Don't wait up." Her eyes were frosty gray, and I took one look at her set jaw and nodded.
I knew that no sounds would penetrate out of that little safe room we had hidden there, and no magic could make it in or out, no demon or anything else could teleport through the barriers. It was our end-of-the-world room, essential y. And once in there, with Menol y and Vanzir especial y, the Tregart would give up his secrets.
I arrived home before Chase and rushed up to my room, where I swept al the dirty laundry into the closet, made sure my kitty box was clean so it didn't stink up the place, and stripped off the bloody clothes. I tossed them. Blood and skunk pretty much guaranteed their demise.
Hopping in the shower, I hosed myself off and then decided to sacrifice a Victoria's secret forest green chemise. It had lace around the bust, and even though I wasn't anywhere near Camil e's size, I fil ed it out nicely.
I wandered over to the window, staring out into the blustery night. Maybe once we were alone, in bed, Chase would loosen up, lose some of the worry that had been plaguing him. Maybe he'd reach out to me. Or let me reach out to him.
Leaning back against the headboard, I pul ed the blanket up to my neck. The room was chil y, but I loved it. My bedroom was normal y a mess--I ful y admitted to being a slob--but it had charm. I'd fil ed it with cat toys and Hel o Kitty posters and stacks of magazines and my computer desk where I spent a lot of my time poring over the Net. I'd bought a personal TV but stil preferred watching my shows downstairs where I usual y could snag Menol y or Camil e into joining me.
