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I bit my lip, then gave her a short nod. “I had no choice, Erin. I promised her, some months back, that I wouldn’t let her become a monster. And that’s what was happening. When you let your predator take over from the reasoning side of yourself, you forever lose control. There’s no coming back. Some vampires live for thousands of years without losing control,” I said, thinking of Roman.
“Some don’t.” Dredge had total y given in to his predator and embraced the fury and terror he spread.
“Did you . . . was it by stake?” Her voice was very smal now, and she looked afraid. I nodded.
“Did it hurt?”
“I can tel you this: After she died, her spirit came back and thanked me. She’s with her little girl now, and they’ve gone to their ancestors.”
We sat there for a while, hand in hand, thinking about Sassy. After a while, Erin stood up and kissed my hand, then went back to work. I wished her a good night and headed downstairs. It was time to go home. Derrick and Chrysandra could take care of the bar for the last hour or so.
I needed to see my sisters, to hold Maggie, to push the memory of kil ing someone who’d once been a friend out of my mind. For the first time in a long while, I mourned not being able to sit out under the light of day, to bask in the healing rays of the sun. The moon gave pale comfort, and the new moon—none at al .
CHAPTER 11
When I got home, Chase was there, Nerissa was there, and it seemed that everybody else was up and active. I kissed Nerissa, then glanced around.
“What’s going on?”
“Quite a bit, apparently.” Chase leaned back in his chair. He was staring at Delilah, a soft smile on his face as he watched Shade softly stroke her arm. “You guys go first. My news is important, but not immediate.”
Smoky gave me a grim look. “I wish I could stay to help, but I received word this evening from my mother. She has an emergency on her hands and needs my help. I’m the oldest son, so I must attend her.”
Camil e clutched his hand. The two of them were on constant watch for any sign of Smoky’s father, Hyto, who had it in for them. The thought that the emergency involved the lecher of a white dragon crossed my mind, and I knew they must be thinking the same thing.
Hyto had been excommunicated from the Dragon realms and banished from the upper reaches of the Northlands for breathing flame on sacred grounds and for going up against the Wing-Liege.
He’d blamed everything on Camil e and Smoky’s marriage and had vowed to get revenge.
“Did she tel you what’s wrong?”
“No, but I must attend her and make certain she’s al right. I’l return as soon as I can, and send word to you if I can, once I find out what’s wrong.” He paused, then added, “I’m taking Rozurial with me. He knows the Northlands, and I can use the company.”
Camil e let out a little huff and glared at him. “I offered to go.”
“Of course you did, wife.” His eyes luminous, he leaned down and kissed her cheek. “And I refused. I wil not drag you into danger. Here, I have no choice but to al ow you to engage monsters. But I won’t wil ingly put you in danger because of my family. I love you too much.”
Tril ian arched his eyebrows. “Fox-Boy and I wil take care of her.” Then, his voice belying his carefree look, he added, “Go, but return as soon as you can. We don’t want Camil e to pine too much. And you’re . . . useful around here.” He nodded to Morio, who let out what sounded like a growl of agreement.
“Then we’l be off, and return as soon as we can.” Smoky stood and Camil e jumped up, throwing her arms around him and kissing him deeply before standing back, her face aflame.
“Come back to me. I mean it.” She raised one hand and Smoky pressed his palm against it, and then he and Rozurial faded out of sight into the Ionyc Sea.
Camil e let out a long sigh and took her seat again, Tril ian and Morio flanking her. Iris entered the room, carrying a tea tray, and Tril ian quickly leaped up to take it from her and slide it onto the coffee table. He pressed a cup of hot tea into Camil e’s hands as Morio snaked one arm around her waist and gave her a gentle squeeze.
I decided the best way to distract her was to press on with business as usual. I turned to Nerissa. “Love, what brings you here?”
Nerissa let out a long sigh. “I was fired today.”
“What?” We al stared at her. I leaned forward and took her hands, stroking them lightly. “Are you joking?”
“No. Andy Gambit’s story about me in the Seattle Tattler stirred up sentiment against me at work. Today my supervisor cal ed me into his office. He said my performance hasn’t been up to par and then fired me. I’d take them to court, but I recognize a frame-up when I see it.” Nerissa was a government worker for the Department of Social and Health Services.>He thanked me, took my number, and hung up.
Looking around one last time, I let out a long breath and then softly locked the door and drove back to the bar. It was done. I’d kil ed a friend. I’d also kil ed a monster primed to take on the world. As far as nights go, this one ranked right up there on the suckometer.
I entered the bar through the back. I was covered with dust and blood and stil had a few wounds from the fight with Sassy that were healing up. They’d vanish soon, unlike the scars Dredge had left on me before I died.
Heading for my office, I intended to wash up and then change before heading out to see how Derrick was doing. What with the early rising thanks to the sun setting earlier, even though I’d been through the haunting, talked to Wade, and staked Sassy, it was stil only a few minutes past eleven and the bar wouldn’t close until two A.M. But as I opened the back door, I heard a commotion out front. The gates wouldn’t help when we were open.
