Christ, he couldn't do this. "How do you drink?"
She mumbled, "Liquid goes into my mouth, whereby I swallow it."
"When was the last time?" he snapped.
As though he'd dragged the answer from her, she sighed, "Monday, if you must know," then peeked over, clearly noting his reaction.
"Just Monday you did it?" His voice conveyed a disgust that he didn't bother to hide.
She frowned at him, but then another bright light caught her eyes. She winced and the vehicle swerved before she righted it. "I need to concentrate on staying on the road."
If she didn't want to discuss it, he wouldn't press. Not tonight.
Having escaped the congestion of the Paris streets, they'd picked up speed on the smooth autoway, and as Lachlain watched the fields pass, the feeling was akin to running. The pure enjoyment of the experience dimmed the rage that always simmered deep inside him. He would be able to run soon. Because he was free and healing.
He deserved just one night of this, one night without having to think about blood and aggression and death. He wondered if that was even possible with a vampire seated next to him.
A vampire disguised as an angel.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow he would have to demand the answers he dreaded knowing.
Val Hall Manor
Just outside of New Orleans
"Is Myst back?" Annika shrieked as she ran through the doorway. "Or Daniela?" She clutched the thick door, sagging against it as she scanned the darkness outside. The light of the gas lamps made the oaks quaver in shadow. She turned to find Regin and Lucia in the great room just off the entry hall, painting each other's toenails while watching Survivor. "Have they returned?"
Regin arched an eyebrow. "We thought they were with you."
"Nïx?"
"Hibernating in her room."
"Nïx! Get down here!" Annika screamed to her sister as she slammed the door and bolted it behind her.
To Regin and Lucia, she said, "Is Emma back yet?" She put her hands to her knees, still gasping for breath.
They shared a glance. "She's, uh, she's not coming back right now."
"What?" Annika shrieked, even though at this moment she was grateful Emma wasn't here.
"She met some hottie over there - "
Annika held up her hand. "Got to get out of here."
Lucia frowned. "I don't understand 'got to.' Sounds like you want us to leave?"
"There's a plane about to crash, isn't there?" Regin asked, her confusion genuine, her amber eyes curious. "That is so gonna hurt."
Lucia's brows knit. "I might run from a crashing plane - "
"Go...something's coming..." They didn't understand - the idea of fleeing so foreign. "Now..." She'd sprinted all the way from the city.
"We're safest here," Regin argued, her attention back to her toenails. "The inscription will keep anyone out." She looked up sharply, and then a sheepish smile spread over her features. "But, I, uh, I might not have renewed the inscription spell with the witches."
Lucia said, "I thought we were on auto-renewal. They charge our credit - "
"By Freya, I mean now!" Annika yelled, finally able to stand upright.
Taking their half-mother's name in vain? Eyes wide, the two scrambled up, lunging for their weapons -
The front door burst in.
A horned vampire stood in the doorway, eyes red and scanning Regin's and Lucia's faces intently. This was the one Annika had been unable to defeat. Only her knowledge of the maze of streets downtown had saved her. Now it was in their home.
"What is that, Annika?" Regin asked as she slipped a dagger from her arm sheath. "A turned demon?"
"Not possible," Lucia said. "That's supposed to be a true myth."
"Has to be." Annika had barely fought him off, and she killed vampires routinely. "Never seen one so powerful." The only reason she'd come back was to see if any of the older Valkyrie were here. The older ones could vanquish him. Regin and Lucia were among the youngest.
"Is he one of Ivo's minions?"
"Yes. Saw Ivo giving orders to this one. They're searching for someone - "
Two more vampires traced behind him just as Lucia readied the bow that was like an extension of her.
"Just go," Annika hissed. "Both of you - "
Chapter 6
Ivo appeared directly after, his red eyes ablaze, his head completely shaven. All the runnels and reliefs of his scalp stood out as distinctly as his facial features.
"Hello, Ivo."
"Valkyrie," he sighed to Annika as he dropped onto their settee and rudely kicked his boots up on their table.
"You still have all the arrogance of a king. Though you aren't one." Annika regarded him gravely. "Can never be one."
Regin tilted her head at him. "Just a wittle wapdog. Demestriu's wittle bitch man."
When Lucia tried to bite back a snicker, Annika rapped Regin on the back of her head.
"What? What'd I say?"
"Enjoy your taunts," Ivo said pleasantly. "They'll be your last." To the demon, he said, "She isn't here."
"Who?" Annika demanded.
An amused glance. "The one I seek."
Out of the corner of her eye, Annika spied a flickering shape. Lothaire, an ancient foe of theirs as well, had traced into the shadows of the room, behind Ivo's seat. Everything about Lothaire was chilling, from his white hair, to his eyes that were more pink than red, to his expressionless face.
Tension stole through her; they were even more outnumbered. But Lothaire put his finger to his lips. He doesn't want Ivo to know he's here?