Chapter 10
Startled, Gwen twisted her neck to stare up at Hugh. He intercepted her stare and held it unapologetically, his angular face taut with tension.
“Shocker,” Lorrie whispered far too loudly to her cousin, who snickered in response.
Sabrina snorted. “Oh, Starla’s going to love hearing about this.”
Max’s arms folded across his broad chest, and he raised a brow at the demon. “Explain your reasoning, Blacke.”
For another moment, Hugh’s sharp brown gaze clung to hers, and her chest tightened with something that could have been either dread or excitement. Then he turned toward the vampire, and she could breathe freely again.
“For the purposes of my investigation, I need to know about the content of any future visions she might have without delay, and I don’t want her left alone.
She’s been far too helpless during her recent prophecies.
” His words as bland as unsalted oatmeal, Hugh laid out his reasoning.
“I have a guest room in my apartment, so the solution seems obvious.”
Max’s tone was knowing. “I imagine it does.”
Hugh pressed his lips together and said nothing more.
“Are you okay staying with him, Gwen-my-sweet?” Lorrie tipped her head toward Hugh. “Because if you’re not, we’ll figure something else out.”
Playing the uncultured country mouse to Hugh’s sophisticated town mouse in his my-family-is-the-greatest penthouse might prove a bit uncomfortable, and her proximity to his power might draw the attention of some very hungry, very dangerous cats.
But…as pathetic as it might sound, she’d take any excuse to feed her growing fascination with quiet, upright, steadfast Councilor Hugh Douglas Blacke, Esquire.
“I’m fine with that plan.” Gwen offered Lorrie a smile of gratitude, then caught Hugh’s eye. “We’ll just need to stop by my apartment first so I can pack a few things.”
“Of course.” Hugh’s tense thigh relaxed against hers, and his brown irises warmed to liquid honey. “If Lorrie is willing to take us there, we can go after this meeting.”
Lorrie nodded agreeably. “After I drop Kip off at our condo, I’ll bring you two to Gwennie’s apartment. I’ll run some errands while she packs, then come back to take you to your car.”
“Hey, demon-bro. I have the best idea ev—” Kip began.
“Do not forget, Councilor Blacke.” All amusement had fled Max’s expression.
“Your investigation needs to remain unknown to the conspirators. They must continue to believe that your presence at their crime scene was an accident. More importantly, they must continue to believe that Gwendolen’s presence was an accident. ”
“I understand.” Hugh spoke the words like a vow. “I won’t fail her.”
Gwen waved off that concern. “I’ll be fine. Besides, Hugh is the more important—”
The vampire didn’t spare her a glance. “Our little oracle is human. A moment of distraction, of overly cautious dithering, and the fae could consume her remaining lifespan. She’d drop at your feet, withered and still, and never draw breath again.
You’d have to bury her in the cold earth, demon.
Preside over her funeral, knowing you were its cause. ”
Well, damn.
Gwen closed her eyes and inhaled shakily, trying desperately not to picture it. Failing.
Absolute silence blanketed the room. Beside her, Hugh’s body might have been fresh obsidian, as hard and sharp and hot as magma. His arm lowered firmly onto her shoulders and tightened, dragging her tight to his side.
His searing embrace banished the tremors of fear chilling her to the marrow, and she huddled even closer to him.
“Holy fuck.” Sabrina spoke at last, her voice hoarse, and Gwen opened her eyes again. “Vamp, you don’t need to—”
Max continued, pitiless. “And that’s only one of thousands of ways her fragile body could break beyond repair within a single heartbeat.”
The vampire raised his hand-painted porcelain cup high, its gracefully curved edges translucent before the glow of the fireplace’s licking flames.
Then he dashed it violently upon the marble hearth.
The impact smashed the priceless cup into thousands of pieces, and they fell to the floor in a tinkling shower of razor-sharp shards.
Everyone except the vampire and the demon gasped. At their preternatural stillness, some ancient instinct tucked deep in Gwen’s primeval brain chittered with fear.
“Remember this moment, demon.” The remains of the cup glittered in the firelight, but Max’s pitch-black stare remained fixed to Hugh. “Remember and take care.”
“I will.” Hugh’s assurance to the vampire didn’t sound like a mere vow anymore. It sounded like a blood oath, one whose violation would drag him screaming into the Realm Below.
“Good,” Max said, and that sounded like a threat of annihilation.
Gwen was definitely not hungry anymore. Her hand trembling, she set her glass container down on the marble table to her left with a quiet click.
More silence.
“So, uh…yeah.” Kip gave a little cough. “If…whatever that was…is done now, I have an extremely helpful suggestion.”
Gwen couldn’t claim complete understanding of the confrontation she’d just witnessed either.
She did know that a vampire of Max’s power, age, and arrogance would detest handing over authority to someone with whom he wasn’t exhaustively familiar.
The fundamental differences between himself and Hugh would only exacerbate his natural wariness.
And above all else: Max had just watched his human beloved narrowly escape a horrible death mere hours ago. Gwen figured he was a bit touchy when it came to the safety of human females in his orbit right now, even if a random oracle obviously meant far, far less to him than Edie.
Hugh’s intensity, on the other hand, she didn’t comprehend at all. Maybe he simply didn’t appreciate the challenge to his protective abilities by another powerful male?
Whatever his reasoning, the demon finally dismissed Max after one last confrontational clash of stares and turned toward Kip instead.
“The answer is no.” Hugh’s declaration was unequivocal. “You and Lorrie can’t stay in my apartment too.”
“But we’d be extra protection for Gwennie!” Lorrie hesitated a beat too long. “For you as well, I suppose.”
“A very generous proposal.” Hugh gave her a closemouthed smile so polite it somehow rounded the corner to offensive. “I suppose your offer has nothing to do with the unplumbed contents of my refrigerator and pantry.”
“Nada. Zilch.” Kip dismissed that possibility with a flick of his wrist. “And it definitely has nothing to do with Georgetown’s endless, exciting restaurant delivery possibilities.”
“Give it up, Kip.” Sabrina had stood and donned her puffer jacket. “Two random trolls staying in Blacke’s apartment would only raise questions about the whole girlfriend cover story.”
“I imagine the conspirators might keep an eye on me for at least a few days to make certain my presence at the breach site was accidental,” Hugh agreed.
“I don’t want anyone to suspect Gwen’s new prophetic power, and her sudden acquisition of two very large, very strong bodyguards could tip off observers. ”
“Well.” Lorrie preened at the reference to her strength. “Can’t argue with that, I suppose. I am deliciously huge and enviably powerful.”
“As the Brits would say, we’re both absolute units.” Kip kissed his own enormous flexed biceps. “But you promise to call if you could use backup, mini-demon-bro and Gwen-my-love?”
“We will,” Gwen promised for both of them.
“I’m going.” Sabrina headed for the elevator. “Keep me updated and let me know if you need help. And make sure that list of witnesses for the authorities contains entirely fake names, aside from those of you who met the officials at the breach site.”
Gwen nodded. “There won’t be any record of your interference with the conspirators’ plans.”
When the authorities searched for the listed witnesses and came up empty, Max would no doubt feign shock that their compatriots supposedly hadn’t shared their real names—and claim they must have worn disguises that rendered them utterly unidentifiable.
Gwen added, “Also, please tell Starla that I’ll be visiting her as soon as possible and bringing a pan of her favorite brownies with me.”
“Will do.” Sabrina stepped into the elevator car. “Thanks, Gwennie.”
“Give Star my love,” Lorrie told her, echoed by Kip.
“Be careful, witch, and keep in close contact.” Max watched the elevator doors close, then surveyed his remaining visitors. “That goes for the rest of you too. You know where to find me.”
“Is that your subtle way of saying we should leave?” Kip blinked at him mournfully, his mouth full of candied pecans from the vampire’s pantry. “How rude.”
“Then I suppose I have nothing to lose by further impoliteness.” Max smiled coldly, revealing fangs sharp enough to puncture steel. “Once Gwen is done eating, get out.”
“I’m full,” Gwen said, and it wasn’t a total lie. “We should go.”
Hugh nodded in agreement, but Max had already dismissed them from his attention. Bending over Edie, he gently roused her and eased her upright. She leaned heavily against his side, eyes still closed, as he slowly guided her to his bedroom.
The vampire didn’t look back, clearly—and mistakenly—expecting his orders to be followed forthwith.
Lorrie levered herself upright and punched Hugh in the arm hard enough to make him stagger. “Fine, mini-demon-bro. We won’t stay in your apartment. But you’d better be good to her, or else I’ll twist your head from your tiny, hot body like a Ken doll.”
“He will,” Gwen answered, because she could see that words had failed him.
Kip tossed back another handful of sugar-crusted pecans. “Seconded. Let me know if you need me to murder him, Gwennie.”
“Uh…” Gwen hesitated. “Thank you?”
With a subtle sigh, Hugh rested a light hand at the small of her back, nudged her toward the elevator, and pushed its discreet call button.
“Hey, Lorrie.” Gwen glanced over her shoulder as the elevator car began its descent from ground level. “You promised to help my neighbor Horst change his smoke detector batteries. Can you do that while I’m packing?”
“So he doesn’t take a header off his ladder.” The troll nodded. “I’ll check on all your other elderly neighbors too while I’m there.”
Gwen smiled at her. “You’re the best.”
“Yep. Sure am.” Lorrie turned back to her cousin. “Hey, cuz, did you see the small-batch frozen custard in mini-vamp’s freezer?”
Kip grinned and leapt to his feet. “Saffron, rose water, and pistachio, bay-bee.”
“We’ll bring it with us,” Lorrie declared. “Kip, help me look for other flavors and pack up our leftovers. Gwennie, we’ll be there in a jiffy.”
The two trolls sauntered in the direction of the kitchen. Gwen and Hugh entered the elevator instead, rose to the earth’s surface, retraced their path to Max’s broken front door, emerged into a dazzlingly bright, bitterly cold day—and headed toward a very uncertain future.
—
Fifteen minutes later, as Lorrie crossed the still-open drawbridge leading to Zone C, Gwen snuck another glance at the demon in the SUV’s back seat.
Even though she’d gone to his apartment that very morning and pleaded for his help, she still couldn’t quite believe that she was sitting in the same vehicle as Councilor Hugh Blacke, of all beings.
Sure, whenever his name had appeared in the news or on a ballot, she’d indulged her urge to internet-stalk him for a few minutes.
Otherwise, though, she hadn’t thought much about him or the entire humiliating incident at Delphi Academy for… the last decade, maybe?
With one notable exception.
Six weeks ago, she’d celebrated her thirty-eighth birthday. And something about the twenty-year anniversary of the worst moment of her life—at the time, anyway; last night’s battle had forever changed that particular designation—had screwed with her head.
For the first time in forever, she’d imagined the future she might’ve had if she’d been granted even a modicum of oracular power. Considered her frugal, unimportant life, full of endless piddling predictions, unhealed cuts on her palm, and a never-ending hustle for income.
Alone in her kitchen that night, she’d flexed her hand to feel the sharp sting. She’d remembered.
Then she’d dug a guy’s number out of her trash.
Because her birthday was simply another workday, she’d met with Vic, a first-time client, earlier that afternoon. He was a neighbor’s casual friend, newly unemployed and eager for prophetic guidance before a job interview. He’d flirted with her. Made her feel pretty.
He’d also made it clear that he only wanted a quick fuck. Still, she’d called him. Distracted herself from her emotions with her body and his.
The condom had broken. A few weeks later, a plus sign had appeared on her pregnancy test.
She’d thought hard about an abortion. But she’d always wanted children and didn’t figure she’d get another shot, given her age and circumstances, so she’d made an appointment with an obstetrician instead.
Vic had signed away his rights. Gwen’s neighbor Maneet had promised to help with childcare, just as she did for her own daughter, in exchange for weekly prophetic sessions.
So here Gwen was. Pregnant. Single. Humming with unfamiliar power. Terrified for herself, the child growing within her, and everyone else in this godsforsaken world.
Hugh Blacke was now privy to yet another awful moment in her life.
Except for when he was actively kissing her for an audience, he still wasn’t the world’s most expressive individual.
This time, though—unlike two decades ago—she was smart enough to recognize his kindness when she saw it.
Back then, it had revealed itself via an intervention with her headmaster, advice intended to offer comfort, and a fair hearing.
Now it was a thermal bottle of herbal tea.
Crackers. A blanket. A supportive arm across her back and an invitation to stay with him for her safety.
His presence in this SUV, despite his better judgment.
“We should arrive at your apartment momentarily.” Squinting against the late-morning glare, he met her eyes. “Are you well?”
“I am,” she told him, and for the moment she truly was.
She was also grateful. No matter what happened next, she’d remain so.