The vexingly attractive one: “Jacob.”
The blond: “Marjorie.”
The white man with a possessive arm wrapped around her: “Adrian.”
The pretty, plump woman in lace: “Philippa.”
The older gentleman so hunched and decrepit he looked as though he’d just crawled out of his own coffin: “And Tommy.”
All five of their jaws fell open in unison.
“B-but,” Marjorie stammered, her eyes wide as saucers, “how?”
“If she says it’s because of my lace…” Philippa murmured through clenched teeth.
“I presume the hedgehog in my apron gave me away,” Jacob guessed.
Tommy crossed her ancient arms over her thin chest and scowled at Viv like a disgruntled old man.
“It’s fairly obvious, isn’t it?” said Viv with a shrug.
“Is it?” Tommy groused.
“Wouldn’t you say Marjorie is the one most likely to have been painting a portrait of your brother?”
“What?” Marjorie glanced around in alarm. “Shh. No one knows what I’m working on.”
Jacob blinked at her. “And Tommy?”
“Ah, the easiest identity of all to deduce.”
“I amnot,” Tommy burst out. “No one can tell I’m anything other than what I appear to be!”
“Precisely. And since there is no five-hundred-year-old Wynchester vampire in residence, I can only conclude that you are the woman behind the impeccable cosmetics.”
“How would you know what Marjorie is painting?” Philippa demanded. “Wedon’t even know what she’s been painting.”
“Then you are not very observant,” said Viv, “which bodes poorly for my visit here. I had hoped you would be able to help with my problem, but I fear I have come to the wrong place.”
“There’s more Wynchesters,” said Jacob. “We’re the only ones here at the moment, but we’re rather a large family. The other twothat live here are handling a different case, but the others are in their homes. We can summon them if need be.”
“You know what? There’s no need.” Viv took a step back toward the front door. “Coming here was a mistake.”
Jacob’s eyes met hers and held them. The intensity in his warm brown gaze pinned her in place. He was the one least mentioned in the scandal sheets, yet the most captivating by far. Viv hadn’t been prepared for how handsome he would be. If she’d spotted him under different circumstances, she’d have been tempted to lick her lips.
But right now, the only thing tempting her was the desire to burst into tears and demand they comport themselves like the genius heroes they were supposed to be.
“Please,” Jacob said softly. “Sit for a moment. If we cannot resolve your problem, the least we can do is offer you some tea.”
Nothing good ever came of little girls far from home accepting sweets from attractive strangers. The Wynchesters would be no exception. Jacob was clearly the most dangerous of all of them. But she was here because of her cousin, for whom she would walk through fire to see again.
Viv rolled back her shoulders and stepped farther into their lair.
7
Jacob gestured for the new client to have her pick of the many comfortable seats. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. A woman like that could sit on his lap if she preferred.
Except of course she wouldn’t want to stand within a yard of him. The rest of his siblings looked reasonably presentable, but Jacob had just rushed in from the barn—and apparently looked like it. Or worse,smelledlike it.
