“Charm your way inside,” I said to him.
“She doesn’t even like elevators,” he pointed out. “I can’t see her hopping aboard a teacup with spinning propellers.”
“She has to know we’re watching the building, so she can’t escape by car. What better way to make a grand exit? Unless they can land a jet or hot-air balloon up there, I don’t see any other way out.”
Once we got inside, the man at the desk recognized me.
Christian went up to the desk and did his best aristocrat impression before leaning in, ripping off the man’s glasses, grabbing him by the lapels, and charming him.
I was already at the elevator by then.
Christian waltzed up, flashing a plastic card between two fingers. “Resident access,” he boasted, swiping the card across the reader. “They have spare ones under the desk. Fecking eejit.”
Christian groaned when I tapped button 61. “Imagine a wee one pushing all those buttons.”
We made a fast ascent.
“She owns the entire floor,” I quickly said, filling him in. “It opens into a short hallway, and her door’s on the left. I think there was another one on the right, probably a stairwell. I’m not sure if the doors are Vampire proof.”
Christian tapped the card against my nose, implying that it washerspare card, not just one that operated the elevator.
“The bedrooms and extra rooms are to the right when you walk in. To the left, a huge living space with tons of windows,” I added. “No carpet and no soundproof rooms.” I lifted my shirt to make sure my push daggers were attached to my belt. “I don’t have any impalement wood.”
“Let’s not plan her murder just yet. I’ll handle Lenore while you look for the other one.”
When the door opened, we stepped into the blue light.
Christian swiped the card and unlocked Lenore’s front door. There was no sense in sneaking in since she would have already heard the elevator.
“Honey, I’m home,” Christian called out.
There was a suitcase by the door.
I sharpened my light and went left into the open living space while Christian went right toward the bedrooms.
As soon as I entered the all-white living room, the first thing I noticed was one of her statues broken into pieces.
Someone had a tantrum.
Fletcher blurred toward me from around the corner and knocked me over.
His nose touched mine, and his piercing blue eyes bored a hole right through me. “Another time, my pet.” He slammed his forehead against mine.
Blinded by pain, I forced myself to roll over. When I glanced up, Fletcher was flashing into the hall.
I scrambled to my feet and went after him. He made it through the stairwell door, which locked when I reached it. “Hurry!” I shouted.
“She’s gone,” Christian boomed as he caught up with me and swiped his card.
When a red light flashed and the door didn’t open, he backed up several feet. “Step aside.”
With my back to the wall, I watched Christian charge into the door like a bull. It swung inward and flew off the hinges.
I ran past him, up the stairs, and out the roof door. Unexpected sunshine blinded me for a moment. The helicopter lifted off the ground and, as if by magic, Fletcher suddenly went from standing on the helipad to sitting in the helicopter. He was a Jumper—of course he could do that.
I flashed toward the helicopter as it slowly ascended. Fletcher looked down at me through the half-open door. I knew he wanted to have his moment with me, and I wanted it too. So without thinking, I grabbed onto the landing skid.
“Are you stark raving mad!” Christian ran across the roof and jumped for my ankles, but we were out of reach.
