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Bones’s brows shot up. She’d donewhat?
Rodney seemed equally taken aback. Cat and Tate were oblivious as they both sniffed and swiped at their eyes.
“Kitten, you didn’t tell me you poured vampire blood onto your friend as he died,” Bones said in a very controlled voice. “Did he swallow any of it?”
Pain knit her brows. “Juan made him swallow a little, but Dave had been missing almost half his throat by then. He bled to death before the blood could heal him all the way.”
He’d swallowed enough to start to heal him? And they didn’t realize the significance of that? Then again, they wouldn’t. Cat’s experience with ghouls was limited to killing them, and everyone on her team only knew what she did.
“Tricky,” Rodney said, doing the mental math as well.
Cat gave the ghoul a hurt look. “It was a lot more than ‘tricky.’ Dave was a friend.”
Rodney started to speak, but Bones cut him off. “Not now, mate.” They had too much to deal with to add that to their plates, at least for tonight. Then, Bones turned to Cat. “The timetable’s been moved up. While you were sleeping, Ian rang me and said he’d discovered your location.”
Cat tensed, muttering “Shit,” under her breath.
Bones nodded. “I would have preferred another two weeks to get your men up to speed, but the die is cast. I told Ian I’d found you myself just last night, and I’d have hostages for him later today. Ian’s assembling a welcoming party for you tonight. Bloke always did like to do things the flashy way.”
“Okay, tonight,” Cat said with a sigh. “I’ll tell Don, we’ll get the rest of the guys assembled, and we’ll finally settle things.”
If only it were that simple. “Actually, there are a few problems. Ian wasn’t satisfied when I told him I had three of your men as collateral. He wanted more, and he’s dispatched someone to get it.”
“What’s more?” Cat said, her gaze sharpening.
“Noah,” Tate replied before Bones could. “And that’s not even the punch line.”
Bones gave Tate a look that made the impertinent lad shut up. “Your rash bloke is correct, Kitten. Ian intends to kill one of your men in front of you, both as incentive for you to heed his demands, and as payback for you killing his butler, Magnus. Ian’s saving Noah for the coup de grace because he doesn’t know you’ve broken up with him, and he sent your father, Max, to get Noah since Max apparently offered to do it.”
“What?” Cat shot up from his lap as if she’d been fired from a canon and began to pace. “Don’s already watching Noah’s place, right? We’ll catch Max in the act, that piece of shit, and then I’ll kill him. It’ll make my whole existence.”
As he’d feared, as soon as she realized her father was involved, she could focus on little else.
“If we do that, Ian will know we’re playing him false. How else would you have a team of vampire hunters at the ready?”
Emerald blazed in her gaze. “I don’t care.”
Of course she didn’t. She’d never admit it, but from the moment she found out the circumstances of her birth, she’d brainwashed herself into believing that if she could only murder her father, then her mum would finally love her.
“I’m not endangering you that way,” Bones said flatly. “Why do you think Max offered to go? He’s probably intending to set Noah up as his own blackmail, and then kill you on sight.”
“You don’t know that,” she said stubbornly.
“No,Iandoesn’t know that,” Bones countered. “I do. That’s why I’m sending Rodney to ensure Noah’s safety. Rodney will grab Noah first and deliver him to Ian. Ian won’t kill Noah-he thinks he’s too valuable. Max, on the other hand, would do just that-or worse-to enrage you into coming after him.”
She gave him a frustrated look as logic finally penetrated her bloodlust. Then, craftiness filled her gaze.
Bones stiffened. Nothing good could come ofthatlook.
“You go, Bones. Rodney, nothing personal, but if Max shows up sooner than expected, I want someone there who’ll scare Max into not pulling any tricks. That’s you, Bones. You’re not just an old, powerful vampire with a badass hitman reputation. You’re also higher up in Ian’s line, and Max knows it. He wouldn’t dare try anything with you around, but without you, I have visions of Noah’s tombstone dancing in my head.”
As if that were the worst bloody thing that could happen! “No, I’m going to be withyou, helping to capture Ian’s guards. Your men aren’t able to do that themselves yet since their training was cut short. Annette can accompany Rodney to get Noah, if you’re concerned about Max trying something.”
Cat looked at him as if he’d sprouted a second head. “As if it would break Annette’s heart if Noah died! Or yours, either, but the death of an innocent guy whose only crime was once dating medoesmean something to me!”
“Left to myself, I could give a rot if Noah dies,” Bones replied with brutal honesty. “I won’t deny that. But you’d suffer for it, and that I do bother about.”
That crafty look was back in her eyes, with reinforcements. “I’lltake Annette. She can come as backup to help me and the guys take Ian’s guards captive. That leaves you free to go with Rodney to get Noah.”
