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“Too late,” Caleb quips. “They’ve already said no.”
Cora shrugs. “Maybe so, but I can go and get the book since I’m a vampire.”
Maddy’s eyes go wide, and Caleb’s eyebrows hit his hairline.
She grins. “I can see you how you both expected me to show up and save the day.”
“You’re just going to waltz in there and get the book?”
“Iama vampire with lots of vampire abilities.”
“But how do you know it’ll be in there?” Maddy demands.
But both Cora and Caleb give her a long look.
“It’ll be in there. Vampires always take things they want to keep back to their lair,” Caleb says. “We know it was vampire magic that took it, and they wouldn’t take it anywhere else. They don’t have to admit it’s in there for us to know it’s in there.”
“Then you’re sure,” Maddy says.
Cora raises her eyebrows. “Pretty sure.”
Maddy doesn’t understand why she’s stalling. They need the book, and Cora’s volunteered to go get it. None of this situation should bother her, so she’s not quite sure why she’s hesitant. And then it hits her: even with all the craziness lately, she’s worried about her bestie. “What if you get hurt, Cora?”
Cora’s tight expression softens. “I won’t. I know lots of little places to hide in there. When Caleb was a vampire, I learned a lot about the inner workings of the building.”
“That’s a good point,” Caleb agrees. “Benefit of being the one with sire bond with the vampire king.”
Maddy crosses her arms and shakes her head. “It’s not good enough. Once you go in there, we can’t help you. The whole Council could attack you since you have been hanging out with us. Don’t you get that?”
Cora’s face pinches. “No, they won’t. They all understand the bond Caleb and I had from before. It’ll be easy enough to explain as me checking on him because of the sire bond, and I’ll call you when it’s all done.”
Maddy doesn’t answer at first, fighting large swells of fury at how Cora’s arguing with her. Doesn’t she know Maddy’s only trying to keep her safe?
Cora lays her hand on Maddy’s arm. “I’ll be fine.”
“Well, I’m allowed tonotlike it,” Maddy counters. “Even if I understand why it must be done.”
Silently, Cora considers Maddy.
“Now or never?” Caleb urges.
Cora nods. “I’ll be back. Expect my call.” Then their vampire friend makes her way into the building, using the front entrance, and disappears inside as though she owns the place.
Maddy grunts as though she’s gotten a fist to her gut. “What is she doing? Doesn’t she know better?”
Caleb stares after Cora for a long time and then he shrugs. “She knows what she’s doing. Not all the vampires agree with the Council, and I’m willing to bet she knows who the dissenters are.”
Maddy glances over her shoulder at the idling vehicle. “What do we do now?”
“We need to find you something to eat,” Caleb says. “There’s probably a blood bank around here. At the very least, we can do that.”
Maddy studies her boyfriend, appreciating his wide shoulders, confident posture, and the way his hair falls over his forehead. Yeah, he doesn’t swagger as much as he used to, but Caleb’s still the guy who makes her heart skip a beat or three or ten—undead heart or not. She reaches for his hand, and he grasps hers, lacing his fingers between hers.
He lifts his chin, peering into a distant place. “You know, as bad as everything is, Maddy, I can’t help but believe that our love will be what makes the difference in the war against evil. Why else would we be right here, right now?”
“I hope so, Caleb. It all seems so insurmountable now,” she whispers, fighting the desire to sink her teeth into the closest mortal neck (Caleb’s). “But I really need to get some food in me.”
He nods with a creeping, rogue smile. “Let’s find a blood bank right away, or I hate to be one of the pedestrians around here. You can be pretty persuasive when you have half-a-mind, Maddy.”
