“One date,” Ruby reminded them. “And that one ended in disaster.” Not quite true, so she modified it. “With a bang anyway.”
“And a dead body,” Alan agreed, then changed the subject. “Is Carter going to be all right, Moira?”
The witch’s smile disappeared. “Angus says so.” She shook her head. “Three vampires and seventeen werewolves and yours truly. We ended up with four wolves that are going to be down for a few days at least—and Carter, who’s still touch and go. Those were some gnarly vampires. Angus is pretty irked that we had an infestation like that here without him knowing anything about it.”
“ ‘Irked’ is one word for it,” Alan said, and Moira flashed him a half smile.
“He needs to be shaken up once in a while.” She frowned. “Are the two stray humans still here? Sorry, blind, you know. I can’t see you.”
“We are,” said Mari-Brigid, and then she introduced herself and Bobby.
“Good to meet you,” the witch said briskly. “You two need to stay here with Alan and me until Angus gets back from dumping what remains of the vampires into the nearest body of salt water. Then he’ll haul you up to the pack house. Until we are sure the Angel is dealt with, you two need to stay out of his reach, and the pack house is the only place we can guarantee your safety.”
“He’s still alive?” Ruby said.
“Oh yes,” said Mari-Brigid, wrapping her arms a little more tightly around herself. She might have been cold. The old housewas drafty and her ball gown had not been designed for warmth. But Ruby was pretty sure that wasn’t it.
“He’s still alive.” Bobby started to put his gun—which he’d kept out for the whole of the vampire battle—back into his ankle holster. Then he hesitated and held it out. “Alan, maybe you should take this. If Alvarez shows up and starts ordering me around, I’d rather not have a gun.”
Arrogance is a dangerous thing.Asil’s wolf sounded grimly satisfied.
Diverted by the sudden illumination of the lanterns, the vampire did not notice that the golden blaze behind him was different from the rest of the displays. But Asil was pinned so that he couldonlysee the vampire and the area behind him. He watched the golden light flare and become solid.
The WildLantern’s soundtrack meant Cristofano did not hear the pad of big feet. He didn’t hear the lioness until the ground under Asil shook with her roar. By then it was too late, the goddess of the Serengeti had already landed on the vampire’s back.
Cristofano struggled to get his arms under his body, but her mouth closed on him before he managed it. Her teeth might be old, blunted by time and the fading of her magic, but her jaws were still mighty.
Asil felt as much satisfaction in the sound of cracking bone as he would have if it were his own fangs digging in. But satisfaction couldn’t keep him conscious.
IX
Water dripped in Asil’s ear. He shook his head irritably and realized there was water falling all over him; his fur was soaked in the stuff. But he wasn’t cold because he was surrounded by warmth and a sound reminiscent of a chain saw.
She’s purring, noted his wolf.
Asil didn’t hurt, which he found confusing because the last time he’d been conscious he’d had a sword stuck through his rib cage. Then he realized who the wolf meant when he said “she” and opened his eyes and tried to stand up at the same time. He’d have made it if his hip hadn’t lit up like fire, meaning his right rear leg refused to move properly.
Good, said the lioness.You are awake. An hour later and we might have some problems because people will start arriving. I can keep the few who guard this place at night away from here, but if I do it for too many people, someone is going to notice.
The lanterns were dark and the music was silent.
You were supposed to stay safe, he told her.
I do not listen to puppies who try to tell me the sun is warm and the rain is wet as if it is a revelation, she answered him, somewhat obscurely—and with enough irritation that he felt it best to let the matter drop.
Asil tried to get to his feet a second time. This time he was aware that most of the damage from this night was mostly healed. He was weak and the wound from the silver blade was still making itself felt. He compensated for the weakness and the wound and found himself, somewhat wobbly, on all four feet.
A person-wide swath of odd-colored muck marked the place where Cristofano had been when the lioness landed on him. The wet ash reminded Asil of the reason for the itch of urgency he’d been feeling since he woke up.
We need to get what remains—dust for the oldest, bones for the younger ones—to the sea, he told the lioness, trying to resume his human shape. He felt his bones try to shift, but they resettled and a wave of dizziness almost dropped him back to the ground.
Stop that, growled his wolf.
Don’t waste all the work I did on you.The lioness’s growl was a lot more impressive than his wolf’s.
They’ll come back, he told her.The Angel won’t even take that long—twenty minutes maybe.
The sea would take care of them if she needed to, the lioness agreed placidly. She stood up and shook herself as if that would dry her coat in this downpour.But I have eaten all their magic. None of those who fell tonight will rise again. There is nothing for the sea to feast upon.
