Ten, p.36
Ten, page 36
Lorcan added as he entered the room, “That would certainly lessen any miniscule guilt my grandfather would feel over killing them.”
“Both Belinsky and Filipovic had multiple assault and drug charges,” Toy said. “And each had been suspected for second degree murder and manslaughter, respectively. Wow, four nasty pieces of work—”
“With Rh-negative blood and ties to the Matsuoka family,” Kyle said. “Blood sample six was Rh-negative too, but there is not enough of him to identify.”
This time Kayleigh piped in, “There was a Vegas mafia enforcer that was supposed to be busted this week, but he turned up missing.
Some guy named Vinny “The Pinkie” Fratto was nowhere to be found, and, before you ask, there were a few checks made out to V.P. Fratto in the records I liberated from our Jaeger friend, while he was stupid enough to use the Wi-Fi on the plane. Oh, look, he evaded charges on first-degree murder due to a chain of custody evidence error in 2012.”
“Any DNA evidence in the case?” Kyle asked.
“That’s what went missing, but I have a prison medical record listing his blood type as O negative,” Kayleigh said without looking up. “Is that a match, Bro?”
“Why, yes, it is—” Kyle said as he snatched a marker and updated victim six to “The Pinky Murderer”.
“So that leaves only one outlier,” Paige said as she approached the elephant in the room, the only name on the middle whiteboard.
“Dr. Kunal Langer,” she whispered.
“Blood type B-negative,” Kyle offered weakly. “But he’s not—”
“Apparently Dr. Langer suffered from bipolar disorder after an unrecoverable traumatic event,” Nadia finally spoke up. “He attempted suicide on two separate occasions and described that he was missing an important part of his life, but when pressed by his psychiatrist, he couldn’t remember exactly what he was missing. His therapist attributed it to his blocking out his injury and having to substitute a promising medical career with one in research.”
“Nadia—” Paige said as all eyes turned to the Russian.
“He had to take a lot of meds,” she said without skipping a beat.
“Even a slight manipulation might have sent him into a suicidal depressive state.”
“I didn’t test enough, but—” Kyle confessed.
“Did you get the saliva sample from Steve?” Nadia asked. “I think you’ll find all your answers there.”
“Wait? What?” Paige asked. “Have you guys been spying on Steve and taking samples?”
“He is a Jaeger—” Kyle said.
“He’s my family! You could have at least warned me that he was being investigated,” Paige said.
Lorcan shook his head. “I’m sorry, but in this case, we needed upmost discretion—”
“You mean you don’t trust me,” Paige barked as she tossed the marker to the ground. She almost made it to the front door in her huff when she felt a cold hand on her shoulder. She whirled around to be face-to-chest with an exasperated looking vampire.
“Miss Paige—”
“Don’t you Miss Paige me,” she snapped as she shoved her way past him. Even though she was still in scrubs and non-running shoes, she took off in a brisk pace once she exited the condominium. A few of the Chicagoans gave her strange looks as she slipped past them until she had muscled her way to the Chicago Lakefront Trail.
A guy in shorts and sneakers did a double take as the tiny girl in a work uniform darted past him. Paige made a point to ease up her pace and slip down to a loping jog as she let the breeze off Lake Michigan cool her burning cheeks. The wind changed, and she let out a deep sigh.
“What?” she growled as she saw a familiar, pale form lounging on a nearby bench.
“You weren’t even trying,” Lorcan said as he rose to his feet.
“You ran in a straight line and cut me off halfway,” she countered.
“And I didn’t want to cause a scene.”
“Well, you certainly have caught my attention,” Lorcan said. He smiled apologetically as Paige snarled at him. “Sorry, but believe me when I tell you that trust is not a problem that you and I have—”
“Yes, yes, it is,” Paige snapped. “Merlin specifically came after me. He knew way too much, and he wanted to be all slimy and get
me to have a drink with him, and he told me all these gee-whiz stories about you and his kids and how lonely he was—”
“He wanted you to have a drink with him?” Lorcan asked suddenly concerned. “What kind of drink?”
“Peppermint tea, said it was your favorite; but it’s also conveniently pungent, so I didn’t fall for it. However, I’m pretty damn sure that your grandfather knows exactly what I am, and he knew that Nadia and Kyle—”
Lorcan suddenly grabbed both her arms and jerked her against his chest. After a moment of frozen shock, Paige broke away. She stared at him intently.
“He knows way too much about us, and he doesn’t seem concerned in the least. He finished our conversation off with telling me to ask about your wife.”
“Mina is Merlin’s only surviving daughter—” Lorcan said weakly.
“Not Mina,” Paige corrected. “He wanted me to very specifically ask you about your first wife.”
“Sionann,” Lorcan whispered. “I haven’t said her name in centuries.”
“Why was I supposed to ask about her? Is it just another secret for Merlin to torture you with? Is it another secret for you to keep from me?” Paige asked.
“Sionann was the reason I agreed to be a berserker,” Lorcan said. “I would have done anything to protect her when Arthur and his monsters invaded. She was one of our village’s finest trackers, but they still managed to capture her. I was willing to do anything for her, even give up my life.”
“All those dreams—” Paige whispered.
Lorcan took her hand. “I descended into madness and did terrible things, all in the name of a woman. I was certain that she was dead, and it took an army of vampires and their servants to finally stop my revenge. Merlin, however, made damn sure to find me in my cage and tell me that she was indeed alive.”
“You turned yourself into a werewolf and nearly destroyed an army for one woman,” Paige said.
“The rest of the world could burn for all I cared. Unfortunately, that overwhelming obsession gave Merlin everything he needed to manipulate me,” Lorcan said as he took her other hand. “He knew that I would do absolutely anything for the woman I loved, so when I was given the choice between betraying my people and saving her, I did exactly what he expected.”
“That’s how you became Mordred then,” Paige said.
“I was just the lucky one that survived. Merlin’s theory is that my single-minded focus allowed me to survive when all the others perished. He truly believes that the mind is stronger than the body.”
“And he wanted you to tell me this,” Paige said. The wind began to whip around them both. A few drops of cold rain splattered against Paige’s neck.
“I believe that Merlin is reminding me of my true nature and giving me a very clear warning. Remember how I told you that at his heart, my grandfather is a man of science?”
Paige nodded. Lorcan took it as an opportunity to lean slightly closer.
“And what is the fundamental rule in science? A result is only valid—”
“If you can repeat it,” Paige choked out. Her eyes widened as Lorcan leaned in closer.
“A rún,” he whispered.
Paige closed her eyes as the vampire finally leaned all the way in to kiss her. She felt his cold breath on her lips and his hands slide from her arms to her waist. After a few intoxicating moments in his arms, she reluctantly pushed him away.
“You can’t be saying what I think you’re saying,” Paige said.
Lorcan kept his arms wrapped around her.
“Paige, you know exactly how I feel about you. What you never knew is that you are just like Sionann – tiny, fierce, and constantly irritating me in every imaginable way. At first, I was certain that you were targeted to fuel the feud between the Pendragons and the Jaegers, but now I finally see what Merlin is planning.”
Paige slipped out of his grasp. She watched the moon peeking between the clouds and the ripples as the rain continued to hiss and
spit. While the sane nighttime joggers started making a beeline back to the city, Paige remained transfixed by the water.
“There were six victims,” she said softly. “Think that was a message to you too?”
“Probably,” Lorcan said as he joined her by the water.
“You don’t think he’s making some sort of terrifying werewolf-vampire to replace the old you, do you?” Paige asked.
“We didn’t find any werewolf blood.”
“Yeah, we found exactly what Merlin wanted us to see,” Paige sighed. “And I have a terrible feeling that Merlin invited me to this little party so that he can do something terrible and manipulate you into something stupid because apparently you love me.”
“Sounds about right,” Lorcan said as he wrapped his arm around her again. “Morgan is out of the way. Vlad the Impaler has already written me to inform me that he plans on petitioning the Cesare to order Mina and I to divorce—”
“Yeah, well, call me old fashioned, but you are still married, and I’m still not over my ex, so don’t get ahead of yourself,” Paige said.
“We can’t go to this ball. It’s not just a trap; it’s a trap with a big neon sign flashing, ‘you are all screwed!’ over our heads.”
“And if I refuse, the repercussions will be dire for myself and my family.” He approached her again. “And for everyone I care about,”
he said.
“So, what do we do?” Paige sighed.
“The same thing we always do, A rún – prepare as best we can, and then improvise when it inevitably goes to hell.”
“This has to be a new low,” Georgia sighed as she sat all alone on the patio of a hipster-friendly local Beantown coffee roaster. She sipped something known as a Nitro Double Blast—Vietnamese Style
— and picked at a cinnamon roll, while a mix of students and locals wandered by.
The chair opposite her remained empty even as the last traces of sun dipped behind the buildings. She finished her foamy, sweet coffee and then wandered out into the streets of Boston. Somehow, her feet led her past the botanical gardens and the common and towards the more industrial area of the old seaport. She shook her head as she saw a familiar awning and a door still marked with the words The Intercontinental. She also saw a scary legal notice posted on the glass.
“Notice of eviction,” Georgia read. “What the hell?”
She heard a clattering in the alleyway by the old hotel. As she peeked around the corner, she could see a flustered-looking Shinosuke Matsuoka dragging two suitcases out to the curb.
“Colin?” she called. He looked up and then sighed deeply.
“What’s going on?”
“Have you come to gloat?” he asked in a terribly huffy tone.
“Excuse me?” she asked.
“Your Pendragon masters foreclosed on us!” Colin snapped.
“After all the time and effort my master spent renovating and restoring a vampire landmark—”
“Wait, what?”
“The Pendragons offered a loan, which my master took in good faith,” Colin snorted. “Now he’s disappeared to god knows where, and I’ve been ordered to pack up and drive to Baltimore!”
“What’s in Baltimore?” Georgia asked.
“Like I’d tell a Pendragon hussy like you!” Colin sniffed as he dragged his bags to a beat-up old Buick rather than the snazzy cars Steve liked to drive around. “Oh, and if you see my master, I hope you tell him. . . I hope you tell him—”
“Yes?” Georgia asked as she opened the door for the aggravated assistant.
“Tell him that I want to call him something unrepeatable!” Colin snapped as the engine rolled to life.
Georgia could only shake her head in amazement as he drove away. “I guess someone is having a worse day than I am,” she muttered.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She flipped it out to see none other than Steve waiting on her notification screen. She tapped it to reveal a mysterious, “Is he gone?”
“Yes,” she typed back.
“Oh, good,” a familiar voice called from above. She looked up to see a distant figure swinging on the fire escape. She squinted to make out the silhouette of a lanky figure in jeans and a T-shirt.
“You have got to be kidding me,” she said as Steve swung from the escape ladder like a monkey.
The vampire jumped down with a satisfying thud. He took a moment to smooth back his freshly trimmed hair and gave Georgia a full-fanged smile. “Miss me, Sweetheart?” he asked.
“You sent your servant to Baltimore, and you’re apparently missing,” Georgia muttered. “Also, what happened to The Intercontinental?”
“Oh, he just has to pick up my sister and sneak her to an airport since she’s supposed to be dead. I’m not really missing, and Lady Pendragon is a certified snake,” Steve said in a surprisingly chipper tone. “How have you been?”
“I got ditched by a date that I really had no desire to see in the first place, but I’m mad anyway,” Georgia said. “I’ve had to spend multiple days getting fitted for dresses that I’m only going to wear once and plan international travel again for a nervous nelly of a vampire.”
“Wait, you had a date? With who?” Steve asked.
Georgia shook her head. “I didn’t have a date with anyone.
Instead, I got stood up by a dude who refused to take no for an answer. Now, I’m hopped up on caffeine, and am probably gonna end up cleaning the bathroom and doing laundry all night,” she said sadly.
“Well, I’ve been evicted from most of my homes and am now a destitute drifter,” Steve said. “I’m torn between becoming a hobo or hustling cougars to survive until my mom forces me to come in for the party.”
“Tough decision,” Georgia said. “How about you come back with me and help me do laundry?”
“Ooh, tempting, Sweetheart,” he said, shuffling his feet.
“I’ll throw in a free bottle of pig’s blood,” she offered.
“As enticing as that sounds, I’m pretty sure that Gingersnaps’
family is out to get me. Until I’m sure, I think I’m going to lie low, but hey, if you’re ever really bored, give me a text or something. They still haven’t taken away my season tickets and my phone is paid through the twenty-eighth.”
“Sounds pretty good,” Georgia sighed. “Are you still going to make it to the ball, all things considered?”
“Oh, my mom will be hunting me down soon enough, and she’ll make sure I don’t embarrass the family too much. I’ll get to hear her complain for ages because she has to take a Pendragon lackey. Do you remember that Professor Harvey?”
“The one who almost started the fight with the Jaegers last time I was at a vampire social event?” Georgia asked.
“Yeah. Sis and I currently have a wager on how long he lasts before she maims him. If he lasts more than five minutes, I win. Lady Asrun has it even worse. She has to take an Azarola guy who once accidentally married his dog in a drunken bender.”
“Wow, and is the Jaeger stuck with someone terrible too?”
Georgia asked.
“Oh, no, he is one of the few people who will tell Merlin exactly where he can shove that lovely paper invitation. He declared that he would be going alone as party head of security. I don’t normally cheer the old man, but he got a serious golf clap for that one. We will get one little bit of fun, though. Apparently, I’m not the only vampire who will be bringing a human to the ball this time. You started a sensation, Sweetheart.”
“Oh, really?” Georgia asked.
“Yeah, Gingersnaps’ dad is bringing a human too. It’s kinda an interesting story, that I’ll be sure to tell you once we get there. Just, um, don’t make Lord Pendragon’s date angry.”
“Really. . . is she some sort of bitch?” Georgia asked.
Steve shuffled his feet again. “Trust me, Sweetheart,” he said.
“You don’t want to know. Anyways, take care of yourself, kid. I have a feeling that this party is gonna be a bit wilder than last time.”
Georgia shuffled this time. “Steve, are you OK?” she asked. “You seem—”
He scooped her up in a big hug and nearly took her breath away.
Georgia only protested when he actually swept her off her feet. “Hey now!” she said. He set her down and ruffled her hair.
“Just take care of yourself, Sweetheart. I don’t think I could take losing anyone else, you know,” he said softy. “See you in jolly old England.”
“Take care too,” she said as she watched him walk away. “What the hell is going on though?”
26
“HOW DOES it feel to be home, Mr. Lambley?” Georgia asked as they stepped out of Heathrow Airport. A row of awestruck tourists gawked as a shiny Rolls Royce rolled up in front of the bleary-eyed Georgia and her mussy-haired vampire company. He sniffed the air.
“Smells like industrialization,” he said after a tremendous yawn.
“And feels like jet-lag,” Georgia said after echoing his yawn. “Who would have thought five hours could feel like so much?”
“Welcome home, sir,” the driver said as he opened the door for them. “Your mother is waiting for you back at the estate. Your baggage has been collected and sent ahead as well.”
Geoffrey flopped in the back and gave a polite nod. The driver then turned to Georgia. “There is a carafe of fresh coffee for you, ma’am, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you to the United Kingdom.”
“Wow, I could get used to this. Thanks!” she said as she slid onto silky-soft leather seats. “Mr. Lambley, I’m pretty sure this flask is for you,” she said as she took a quick sniff of a gorgeous silver bottle.
He grabbed it and took a swig. “Oh my, that is fresh and delicious,” he said.
“Yeah, your family is going all-out,” Georgia said as she checked her phone. “Apparently we both get a spa day and a personal assistant each. Man, I don’t even know what I’d do with an assistant.”
“Both Belinsky and Filipovic had multiple assault and drug charges,” Toy said. “And each had been suspected for second degree murder and manslaughter, respectively. Wow, four nasty pieces of work—”
“With Rh-negative blood and ties to the Matsuoka family,” Kyle said. “Blood sample six was Rh-negative too, but there is not enough of him to identify.”
This time Kayleigh piped in, “There was a Vegas mafia enforcer that was supposed to be busted this week, but he turned up missing.
Some guy named Vinny “The Pinkie” Fratto was nowhere to be found, and, before you ask, there were a few checks made out to V.P. Fratto in the records I liberated from our Jaeger friend, while he was stupid enough to use the Wi-Fi on the plane. Oh, look, he evaded charges on first-degree murder due to a chain of custody evidence error in 2012.”
“Any DNA evidence in the case?” Kyle asked.
“That’s what went missing, but I have a prison medical record listing his blood type as O negative,” Kayleigh said without looking up. “Is that a match, Bro?”
“Why, yes, it is—” Kyle said as he snatched a marker and updated victim six to “The Pinky Murderer”.
“So that leaves only one outlier,” Paige said as she approached the elephant in the room, the only name on the middle whiteboard.
“Dr. Kunal Langer,” she whispered.
“Blood type B-negative,” Kyle offered weakly. “But he’s not—”
“Apparently Dr. Langer suffered from bipolar disorder after an unrecoverable traumatic event,” Nadia finally spoke up. “He attempted suicide on two separate occasions and described that he was missing an important part of his life, but when pressed by his psychiatrist, he couldn’t remember exactly what he was missing. His therapist attributed it to his blocking out his injury and having to substitute a promising medical career with one in research.”
“Nadia—” Paige said as all eyes turned to the Russian.
“He had to take a lot of meds,” she said without skipping a beat.
“Even a slight manipulation might have sent him into a suicidal depressive state.”
“I didn’t test enough, but—” Kyle confessed.
“Did you get the saliva sample from Steve?” Nadia asked. “I think you’ll find all your answers there.”
“Wait? What?” Paige asked. “Have you guys been spying on Steve and taking samples?”
“He is a Jaeger—” Kyle said.
“He’s my family! You could have at least warned me that he was being investigated,” Paige said.
Lorcan shook his head. “I’m sorry, but in this case, we needed upmost discretion—”
“You mean you don’t trust me,” Paige barked as she tossed the marker to the ground. She almost made it to the front door in her huff when she felt a cold hand on her shoulder. She whirled around to be face-to-chest with an exasperated looking vampire.
“Miss Paige—”
“Don’t you Miss Paige me,” she snapped as she shoved her way past him. Even though she was still in scrubs and non-running shoes, she took off in a brisk pace once she exited the condominium. A few of the Chicagoans gave her strange looks as she slipped past them until she had muscled her way to the Chicago Lakefront Trail.
A guy in shorts and sneakers did a double take as the tiny girl in a work uniform darted past him. Paige made a point to ease up her pace and slip down to a loping jog as she let the breeze off Lake Michigan cool her burning cheeks. The wind changed, and she let out a deep sigh.
“What?” she growled as she saw a familiar, pale form lounging on a nearby bench.
“You weren’t even trying,” Lorcan said as he rose to his feet.
“You ran in a straight line and cut me off halfway,” she countered.
“And I didn’t want to cause a scene.”
“Well, you certainly have caught my attention,” Lorcan said. He smiled apologetically as Paige snarled at him. “Sorry, but believe me when I tell you that trust is not a problem that you and I have—”
“Yes, yes, it is,” Paige snapped. “Merlin specifically came after me. He knew way too much, and he wanted to be all slimy and get
me to have a drink with him, and he told me all these gee-whiz stories about you and his kids and how lonely he was—”
“He wanted you to have a drink with him?” Lorcan asked suddenly concerned. “What kind of drink?”
“Peppermint tea, said it was your favorite; but it’s also conveniently pungent, so I didn’t fall for it. However, I’m pretty damn sure that your grandfather knows exactly what I am, and he knew that Nadia and Kyle—”
Lorcan suddenly grabbed both her arms and jerked her against his chest. After a moment of frozen shock, Paige broke away. She stared at him intently.
“He knows way too much about us, and he doesn’t seem concerned in the least. He finished our conversation off with telling me to ask about your wife.”
“Mina is Merlin’s only surviving daughter—” Lorcan said weakly.
“Not Mina,” Paige corrected. “He wanted me to very specifically ask you about your first wife.”
“Sionann,” Lorcan whispered. “I haven’t said her name in centuries.”
“Why was I supposed to ask about her? Is it just another secret for Merlin to torture you with? Is it another secret for you to keep from me?” Paige asked.
“Sionann was the reason I agreed to be a berserker,” Lorcan said. “I would have done anything to protect her when Arthur and his monsters invaded. She was one of our village’s finest trackers, but they still managed to capture her. I was willing to do anything for her, even give up my life.”
“All those dreams—” Paige whispered.
Lorcan took her hand. “I descended into madness and did terrible things, all in the name of a woman. I was certain that she was dead, and it took an army of vampires and their servants to finally stop my revenge. Merlin, however, made damn sure to find me in my cage and tell me that she was indeed alive.”
“You turned yourself into a werewolf and nearly destroyed an army for one woman,” Paige said.
“The rest of the world could burn for all I cared. Unfortunately, that overwhelming obsession gave Merlin everything he needed to manipulate me,” Lorcan said as he took her other hand. “He knew that I would do absolutely anything for the woman I loved, so when I was given the choice between betraying my people and saving her, I did exactly what he expected.”
“That’s how you became Mordred then,” Paige said.
“I was just the lucky one that survived. Merlin’s theory is that my single-minded focus allowed me to survive when all the others perished. He truly believes that the mind is stronger than the body.”
“And he wanted you to tell me this,” Paige said. The wind began to whip around them both. A few drops of cold rain splattered against Paige’s neck.
“I believe that Merlin is reminding me of my true nature and giving me a very clear warning. Remember how I told you that at his heart, my grandfather is a man of science?”
Paige nodded. Lorcan took it as an opportunity to lean slightly closer.
“And what is the fundamental rule in science? A result is only valid—”
“If you can repeat it,” Paige choked out. Her eyes widened as Lorcan leaned in closer.
“A rún,” he whispered.
Paige closed her eyes as the vampire finally leaned all the way in to kiss her. She felt his cold breath on her lips and his hands slide from her arms to her waist. After a few intoxicating moments in his arms, she reluctantly pushed him away.
“You can’t be saying what I think you’re saying,” Paige said.
Lorcan kept his arms wrapped around her.
“Paige, you know exactly how I feel about you. What you never knew is that you are just like Sionann – tiny, fierce, and constantly irritating me in every imaginable way. At first, I was certain that you were targeted to fuel the feud between the Pendragons and the Jaegers, but now I finally see what Merlin is planning.”
Paige slipped out of his grasp. She watched the moon peeking between the clouds and the ripples as the rain continued to hiss and
spit. While the sane nighttime joggers started making a beeline back to the city, Paige remained transfixed by the water.
“There were six victims,” she said softly. “Think that was a message to you too?”
“Probably,” Lorcan said as he joined her by the water.
“You don’t think he’s making some sort of terrifying werewolf-vampire to replace the old you, do you?” Paige asked.
“We didn’t find any werewolf blood.”
“Yeah, we found exactly what Merlin wanted us to see,” Paige sighed. “And I have a terrible feeling that Merlin invited me to this little party so that he can do something terrible and manipulate you into something stupid because apparently you love me.”
“Sounds about right,” Lorcan said as he wrapped his arm around her again. “Morgan is out of the way. Vlad the Impaler has already written me to inform me that he plans on petitioning the Cesare to order Mina and I to divorce—”
“Yeah, well, call me old fashioned, but you are still married, and I’m still not over my ex, so don’t get ahead of yourself,” Paige said.
“We can’t go to this ball. It’s not just a trap; it’s a trap with a big neon sign flashing, ‘you are all screwed!’ over our heads.”
“And if I refuse, the repercussions will be dire for myself and my family.” He approached her again. “And for everyone I care about,”
he said.
“So, what do we do?” Paige sighed.
“The same thing we always do, A rún – prepare as best we can, and then improvise when it inevitably goes to hell.”
“This has to be a new low,” Georgia sighed as she sat all alone on the patio of a hipster-friendly local Beantown coffee roaster. She sipped something known as a Nitro Double Blast—Vietnamese Style
— and picked at a cinnamon roll, while a mix of students and locals wandered by.
The chair opposite her remained empty even as the last traces of sun dipped behind the buildings. She finished her foamy, sweet coffee and then wandered out into the streets of Boston. Somehow, her feet led her past the botanical gardens and the common and towards the more industrial area of the old seaport. She shook her head as she saw a familiar awning and a door still marked with the words The Intercontinental. She also saw a scary legal notice posted on the glass.
“Notice of eviction,” Georgia read. “What the hell?”
She heard a clattering in the alleyway by the old hotel. As she peeked around the corner, she could see a flustered-looking Shinosuke Matsuoka dragging two suitcases out to the curb.
“Colin?” she called. He looked up and then sighed deeply.
“What’s going on?”
“Have you come to gloat?” he asked in a terribly huffy tone.
“Excuse me?” she asked.
“Your Pendragon masters foreclosed on us!” Colin snapped.
“After all the time and effort my master spent renovating and restoring a vampire landmark—”
“Wait, what?”
“The Pendragons offered a loan, which my master took in good faith,” Colin snorted. “Now he’s disappeared to god knows where, and I’ve been ordered to pack up and drive to Baltimore!”
“What’s in Baltimore?” Georgia asked.
“Like I’d tell a Pendragon hussy like you!” Colin sniffed as he dragged his bags to a beat-up old Buick rather than the snazzy cars Steve liked to drive around. “Oh, and if you see my master, I hope you tell him. . . I hope you tell him—”
“Yes?” Georgia asked as she opened the door for the aggravated assistant.
“Tell him that I want to call him something unrepeatable!” Colin snapped as the engine rolled to life.
Georgia could only shake her head in amazement as he drove away. “I guess someone is having a worse day than I am,” she muttered.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She flipped it out to see none other than Steve waiting on her notification screen. She tapped it to reveal a mysterious, “Is he gone?”
“Yes,” she typed back.
“Oh, good,” a familiar voice called from above. She looked up to see a distant figure swinging on the fire escape. She squinted to make out the silhouette of a lanky figure in jeans and a T-shirt.
“You have got to be kidding me,” she said as Steve swung from the escape ladder like a monkey.
The vampire jumped down with a satisfying thud. He took a moment to smooth back his freshly trimmed hair and gave Georgia a full-fanged smile. “Miss me, Sweetheart?” he asked.
“You sent your servant to Baltimore, and you’re apparently missing,” Georgia muttered. “Also, what happened to The Intercontinental?”
“Oh, he just has to pick up my sister and sneak her to an airport since she’s supposed to be dead. I’m not really missing, and Lady Pendragon is a certified snake,” Steve said in a surprisingly chipper tone. “How have you been?”
“I got ditched by a date that I really had no desire to see in the first place, but I’m mad anyway,” Georgia said. “I’ve had to spend multiple days getting fitted for dresses that I’m only going to wear once and plan international travel again for a nervous nelly of a vampire.”
“Wait, you had a date? With who?” Steve asked.
Georgia shook her head. “I didn’t have a date with anyone.
Instead, I got stood up by a dude who refused to take no for an answer. Now, I’m hopped up on caffeine, and am probably gonna end up cleaning the bathroom and doing laundry all night,” she said sadly.
“Well, I’ve been evicted from most of my homes and am now a destitute drifter,” Steve said. “I’m torn between becoming a hobo or hustling cougars to survive until my mom forces me to come in for the party.”
“Tough decision,” Georgia said. “How about you come back with me and help me do laundry?”
“Ooh, tempting, Sweetheart,” he said, shuffling his feet.
“I’ll throw in a free bottle of pig’s blood,” she offered.
“As enticing as that sounds, I’m pretty sure that Gingersnaps’
family is out to get me. Until I’m sure, I think I’m going to lie low, but hey, if you’re ever really bored, give me a text or something. They still haven’t taken away my season tickets and my phone is paid through the twenty-eighth.”
“Sounds pretty good,” Georgia sighed. “Are you still going to make it to the ball, all things considered?”
“Oh, my mom will be hunting me down soon enough, and she’ll make sure I don’t embarrass the family too much. I’ll get to hear her complain for ages because she has to take a Pendragon lackey. Do you remember that Professor Harvey?”
“The one who almost started the fight with the Jaegers last time I was at a vampire social event?” Georgia asked.
“Yeah. Sis and I currently have a wager on how long he lasts before she maims him. If he lasts more than five minutes, I win. Lady Asrun has it even worse. She has to take an Azarola guy who once accidentally married his dog in a drunken bender.”
“Wow, and is the Jaeger stuck with someone terrible too?”
Georgia asked.
“Oh, no, he is one of the few people who will tell Merlin exactly where he can shove that lovely paper invitation. He declared that he would be going alone as party head of security. I don’t normally cheer the old man, but he got a serious golf clap for that one. We will get one little bit of fun, though. Apparently, I’m not the only vampire who will be bringing a human to the ball this time. You started a sensation, Sweetheart.”
“Oh, really?” Georgia asked.
“Yeah, Gingersnaps’ dad is bringing a human too. It’s kinda an interesting story, that I’ll be sure to tell you once we get there. Just, um, don’t make Lord Pendragon’s date angry.”
“Really. . . is she some sort of bitch?” Georgia asked.
Steve shuffled his feet again. “Trust me, Sweetheart,” he said.
“You don’t want to know. Anyways, take care of yourself, kid. I have a feeling that this party is gonna be a bit wilder than last time.”
Georgia shuffled this time. “Steve, are you OK?” she asked. “You seem—”
He scooped her up in a big hug and nearly took her breath away.
Georgia only protested when he actually swept her off her feet. “Hey now!” she said. He set her down and ruffled her hair.
“Just take care of yourself, Sweetheart. I don’t think I could take losing anyone else, you know,” he said softy. “See you in jolly old England.”
“Take care too,” she said as she watched him walk away. “What the hell is going on though?”
26
“HOW DOES it feel to be home, Mr. Lambley?” Georgia asked as they stepped out of Heathrow Airport. A row of awestruck tourists gawked as a shiny Rolls Royce rolled up in front of the bleary-eyed Georgia and her mussy-haired vampire company. He sniffed the air.
“Smells like industrialization,” he said after a tremendous yawn.
“And feels like jet-lag,” Georgia said after echoing his yawn. “Who would have thought five hours could feel like so much?”
“Welcome home, sir,” the driver said as he opened the door for them. “Your mother is waiting for you back at the estate. Your baggage has been collected and sent ahead as well.”
Geoffrey flopped in the back and gave a polite nod. The driver then turned to Georgia. “There is a carafe of fresh coffee for you, ma’am, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you to the United Kingdom.”
“Wow, I could get used to this. Thanks!” she said as she slid onto silky-soft leather seats. “Mr. Lambley, I’m pretty sure this flask is for you,” she said as she took a quick sniff of a gorgeous silver bottle.
He grabbed it and took a swig. “Oh my, that is fresh and delicious,” he said.
“Yeah, your family is going all-out,” Georgia said as she checked her phone. “Apparently we both get a spa day and a personal assistant each. Man, I don’t even know what I’d do with an assistant.”
