AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“So, either a Slayer sense of some kind, which means you need to keep asking questions, or a human one, where you need to know more because she’s caught your attention for other reasons.”
I didn’t answer, so she kept talking. “She’s quite beautiful, in an unconventional kind of way.”
When I still didn’t respond, she relaxed back in her chair and changed the subject. “What can you tell me about Brooke in Birmingham?”
The fist in my gut relaxed. This was safer territory. “Brooke was turned somewhere between six and nine years of age, and was forced to work as a child prostitute for centuries. She’s scary powerful now. She tortures and kills human pedophiles as a hobby, but both the Slayers and the Concilio are choosing to look the other way so long as the human authorities aren’t involved. Her actions have resulted in Birmingham having fewer human monsters than other cities the same size, and she’s careful not to draw attention to herself.”
“For someone who holds his secrets so close, you’re talking an awful lot tonight.” She tilted her head. “How are Abbott and Spence doing in Alaska?”
“A few challenges with the bear population, but Abbott was brutal to start, and now no one dares look at him the wrong way. Spence is managing the flock and has settled in well.”
She rubbed her thigh. Smokey had moved to be at her feet, and she was using his huge body as a footrest. She wiggled her toes in his fur. “I don’t know what to tell you about Etta. It’s hard for me to see the two of you together, but then, it’s hard for me to think of you having sex with anyone. I mean, I’m sure you do, but—”
“I don’t fuck the dead, Kirsten.” Even to my own ears, it sounded as if I was protesting too much.
“You know they aren’t dead. She isn’t dead.”
I sighed. “I don’t know what I know anymore.”
“You were taught abomination, evil, no soul, cursed. I don’t believe any of that.”
“Rumor has it you’ve tortured, and that Kendra gave you pointers.”
“You don’t slay supernaturals for torturing other supernaturals. Especially when it’s the Celrau being tortured.”
I hadn’t needed her to admit her guilt, but I was surprised she’d nearly done so. I nodded, acknowledging she was correct, but I couldn’t leave it at that.
“No, but we know who is the most feared amongst vampire-kind and the other supernaturals.”
And Kendra and Gavin are both pretty high on that list, along with Kirsten as a recent addition. Instead of admitting one of her close friends was on the list, or facing the fact she’s on it, she asked, “Where does Etta fall on the list?”
And once again, her skills as a therapist had her asking the questions I’d have been happier not answering. I chose to sidestep her question, rather than answer it outright. “She lived in the household of a Concilio member until recently. She’s been there for centuries.”
“Where did she fall in the household hierarchy?”
“We only know his top two for certain, and she wasn’t on that list. We have no idea if she was leadership, or...” If she wasn’t leadership, life had likely been extraordinarily difficult for her. I didn’t think she’d recently been whored out to the highest bidder, but I couldn’t be certain. If she was leadership, then she’d done his dirty work because she chose to, and I didn’t want any part of her.
“I can ask Kendra to find out,” Kirsten said.
“Please don’t. Kendra’s shields aren’t as strong as yours, and I don’t want anyone seeing that questions are being asked. I’m not asking you to spy, just asking for your gut reaction, and for you to share anything you hear.” Which meant I was asking her to spy, but it sounded good to say I wasn’t.
“Maybe. I’m not happy acting as spy. If a vampire needs to die, I’ll do it if Marco won’t. I won’t call you. If you’re trying to figure out your personal feelings, I’ll try to help you with that. You and I have never had that kind of relationship, but that doesn’t mean we can’t.” She picked up a remote, aimed it at the television on the wall, and turned it on. At least a dozen shots from around the property came up on little squares.
“People are watching these cameras. We have wolves patrolling the grounds, owls in trees around the perimeter, ex-military posted in strategic zones. We have a state-of-the-art alarm system, and even more, the doors are barred. I can get out, but no one can get in — not even with a key.”
“You should know by now that locked doors don’t keep me out. Also, just a point, but there were owls in animal form near the house, and hawks in human form carrying rifles. The wolves were a mix of animal and human form.”
She merely shrugged. She'd either been trying to throw me off about their security, or she'd been testing me. Or a little of both.
Or she hadn’t known Nathan had beefed their normal security up a good bit, since she was here alone.
“Would you like to walk me out?” I asked.
“You aren’t going to leave the same way you came?”
“No.”
She walked to the bedside table, unplugged her phone, pushed a few buttons, and walked back to me.
