Chapter Twenty-Three #2
“Just wait for the cash to come through,” Bene whispered. “She’ll be dancing through the house in a cha-cha.”
She and Mina locked us out of the study for some kind of private service, and when they finally opened the doors, the place looked and smelled like an Orthodox church. Anastasia had even moved a couple of icons into the room and burned incense for the occasion.
There was one bright side to all this. No Celeste. She was back in the hotel, ostensibly coordinating things. Which couldn’t have amounted to much since we kept communication with her to a minimum.
Mina patted Anastasia’s hand as Roux and I slid the painting into its crate.
Henrik murmured solemnly. “Our time on earth is limited. But art is eternal.”
Pretty rich, coming from a vampire, but Anastasia didn’t need to know that.
“You will always be a critical part of this painting’s story,” Mina assured Anastasia.
“Immortal, in a way,” Henrik threw in, somehow keeping the irony out of his voice. And, hell. Maybe he meant it. He was that hard to read.
Anastasia brightened. Having already kissed the painting (leaving no lipstick smudges, to Mina’s relief), Anastasia kissed the crate and finally allowed us to carry it outside.
She followed us every step of the way, hugged and kissed Mina on the sidewalk, and finally disappeared inside.
When I glanced back up, she was gazing down from the study window.
No cha-cha. In fact, she looked more like a widow than ever.
Mina sighed from beside me. “I’ll have to help her find something to put in its place.” She forced a rueful smile. “Or get Bogdan to.”
I rubbed a thumb over her cheek, wiping away Anastasia’s lipstick. “You are too good, you know that?”
She frowned. “Not so sure.”
“For once, the dragon is right,” Henrik said quietly, patting the pocket he’d slipped his contract into. “You are too good.”
He and Mina locked eyes for a long time. I stood on guard in case the vampire tried to pull anything, from sucking her blood to kissing her hand — or any other part of her. But he didn’t. He just stood there, looking sincere.
“Oh, you know.” Mina shrugged. “Someone’s got to make up for all the shitty people in the world.”
Henrik digested that for several quiet seconds before murmuring, “I’m deeply indebted to you.”
“We all are,” I added, while Roux nodded solemnly.
Someone like Celeste would have pounced on that, but Mina just squirmed uncomfortably. “Don’t we have a painting to deliver?”
Roux, Henrik, and I did, but Mina was supposed to catch a train to Paris. She refused, of course, so I nodded, looking forward to getting this all over with. “We do.”
We sat three across the front seat of our rented van, with Roux driving, Mina in the middle, and me at the window. Henrik rode in the back with the painting. At a stoplight along the way, my phone pinged, and I checked it, expecting another of Celeste’s demands for an update.
But the avatar that came up was blank, and the message included a photo. One of Mina and me that had been taken outside our hotel that morning, judging by the clothes and van in the background. Our hands were clasped, our eyes locked.
A nice shot, but terrifying too.
Remember, those who love, lose, the caption said. And even a moonlight mark can’t stop that.
I whipped my head up to scan the area. Someone knew we were in London together. Someone who hated me enough to want Mina dead. A shifter — or vampire — who could recognize the mark I’d left on her.
My mind scrolled through a long list of suspects. Szabo. Celeste. Etienne. Gordon.
No, scratch Gordon. He would hurt me, not Mina. But that still left plenty of suspects.
I turned my head left and right, cursing nightfall.
Mina touched my arm. “What is it?”
I nearly stuck my phone in my pocket and bluffed. But we’d sworn to come clean, so I turned the screen to Mina.
She stiffened, prompting Roux to look over.
“What?”
Mina glanced at me, probably just as tempted to lie as I was. But lying to Roux might imply that I might someday lie to her, so I gave him the short version.
He cursed and ran a hand through his hair. “Now?”
I scrutinized every vehicle and pedestrian in the vicinity. Windows and roofs too, in case our unseen enemy lurked up high, sniper-style. But nothing. Not a hint of him — or her — in the darkness.
A car behind us beeped, and Roux cursed, then drove slowly onward.
“What now?” He tapped on the steering wheel.
Mina pointed ahead. “We stick to the plan.”
Roux glanced over at me. I didn’t like that either, but I didn’t have an alternative plan. So, we drove on, keeping our senses piqued.
We were nearly at the warehouse when my phone rang again, and Bene came over the line.
“Caution. Repeat, caution. Jensen’s security people report a man in the vicinity whose description matches Szabo.”
For once, he didn’t sound like he was kidding.
Roux hit the brakes, and Mina stuck out a hand to brace herself.
“Where?” I growled, looking around.
“Corner of Manchester Road and Stewart Street, moving south.”
Mina tapped her phone, pulling up the location, with ours showing nearby as a blue dot. Making a split-second decision, I motioned for Roux to continue, then pull over two blocks later. Popping the door open, I slid out, ready to tear the vampire to pieces.
“What are you doing?” Mina protested.
“Going after Szabo. This ends now,” I grunted.
“But—” Mina started.
I flicked my eyes to Roux, who nodded to say, Of course we’ll take care of Mina.
I gritted my teeth and backed away from the van. “I’ll catch up.”
With that, I forced myself to slam the door shut. Mina’s shocked expression haunted me, but what could I do?
I turned and sprinted down an adjoining alley, every sense on alert, ready to hunt down a vampire.