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Executions?
“That’s why we’re taking every precaution possible to protect you,” Anna insists. “Like I said this morning, there are still too many vampires who want things in Australia to go back to how they were before, and Tristan stands in their way.”
“Okay,” I say finally. “I get it. I really do. But I have friends who don’t know anything about vampires, and I don’t want to give them up. How do I explain to them why you’re tagging along to our group brunch next week?”
“Tell them I’m your new girlfriend,” she suggests. “I don’t care what they think.”
I laugh. “I’m gay. I haven’t had a girlfriend since I was sixteen and realised guys were a better fit for me.”
Pierce coughs violently, and I realise what I just said. “No pun intended,” I add sheepishly. Pretty sure sexual innuendoes are also considered unprofessional.
“We can hire a male bodyguard to pose as your boyfriend,” he offers, then glances at Anna. “Can’t we?”
“Yeah, but it might just be easier for me to sit at a separate table and pretend not to know him.” She frowns. “Your cousin has human friends, doesn’t she? I’m sure I remember Baz saying something about it. I’ll give him a call and see how he handles it.”
Baz? Wait, does Cat have a bodyguard?
“Good idea,” I manage. “Uh, Cat and I share a friend group, so maybe you and Baz can sit together or something.” Has this Baz guy been there every time I’ve seen Cat for the last six years? Oh my god, was he there the other night? Wouldn’t I have seen him following us home? I’m positive nobody got off the tram with us… maybe. I try to remember, but I don’t usually pay attention to that stuff.
“That would make us stand out less,” Anna agrees, making a note for herself. “Do you have any regular appointments I need to know about?”
I shrug. “Not really.”
“Great. I’d appreciate if you can give me as much notice as possible for when you want to go out, but it’s fine if you can’t. The car has some nonstandard security features that I’ll show you, too, though I’d prefer to drive.”
Control is rapidly slipping out of my hands. “Am I allowed to go running?”
“Of course,” she assures me. “I love to run. We can go whenever you want.”
That’s something, I guess.
“Do you have any martial arts or hand-to-hand fighting experience?”
I shake my head. “No, sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry, that just means we don’t have to fix bad habits,” she teases. “I’d like to get you started with self-defence lessons. We’ll also teach you how to use weapons and make sure you’re armed.”
“Weapons? What kind of weapons?” This is starting to freak me out.
“Knives and handguns. Maybe—”
“No.” I hold up my hands. “No, sorry, absolutely not. I don’t believe any person needs a handgun, and I won’t use one.”
Anna looks across the table at Tristan, and I follow her gaze.
“I won’t,” I repeat. “I’ll learn how to use a knife if I have to, but I can’t shoot someone. There has to be another way.”
“Past experience has shown that it takes six to eight rounds directly to the chest to slow a vampire enough for a human to escape,” he says, eyes locked with mine. “In more than seventy-five percent of those cases, the vampire survived. A knife might give you a momentary advantage, especially if it’s silver, but you won’t get away. So you will learn to use a gun.”
“No.” The word leaves my lips without conscious decision on my part, but even though I’m shaken by his revelation—they don’t die even after eight bullets to the chest?—I don’t want to give in. I’m determined to win something today.
“Why don’t we start with self-defence and the knife and go from there?” Anna interjects tactfully.
“You can start with whatever you like, but he will be adequately armed,” Tristan orders, then looks at the gold watch on his wrist. “We’re done for today. Misha will be here soon, and I don’t want him to see Adam.”
It says a lot about me—none of it smart—that I instantly want to hang around and meet this Misha person, just to piss Tristan off.
“Definitely not,” Anna agrees. “Come on, Adam, let’s go. Clive baked lamingtons yesterday, and I reckon it’s about time for a coffee break.”
