“I like the work too, both policing and bridging, but filling your shoes has been…hard. I’ve made some dumb decisions. Bad mistakes.”
“I’ve made my share.”
“Not like this.”
“Is Ordinary still standing?”
“Yes. But people have died on my watch. People who I should have kept safe.”
“People died on my watch too, Delaney. There is a limit to what you can do, what any of us can do,” he said gently.
“You are the law and the bridge for power, but you aren’t a god who can bend the world to your desires. You aren’t a creature who has influence over a man’s thoughts, or the flow of time. You’re human, Delaney. Maybe a bit more than, but human just the same. There are events beyond your control. A whole wide universe of them.”
“I know.” And I did. I didn’t like it, but I understood my limitations compared to so many who stayed here in my sleepy little beach town.
“Are you sure I can’t talk you out of this?” he asked. “You are giving away your soul.”
“Ben was beaten. Kidnapped. Lavius broke his bond to Jame and nearly killed Jame. Before that, he murdered another vampire, and we’re pretty sure he killed four vampire hunters who had rolled through town. He…” This part wasn’t going to be pretty. “He sent a zombie vampire to run Jean over with a car.”
“What?” Dad yelled. And that I could feel. His fury hot and stinging as if it were my own deep in my gut. “Who the hell is Lavius? How does he know our town? What does he want?”
“He’s a vampire as old as Rossi. Turned at the same time. He wants something Rossi has. Look, Dad. Jean’s fine. She broke her arm and twisted her ankle. Bed rest and a cast, and she’s going to be okay. But I can’t….”
My voice gave out on me, caught up on a mix of grief and anger that clogged all sound.
“You’re not going to try to kill him, are you Delaney? A vampire that old isn’t something you are equipped to deal with. Promise me you’re not going to try to kill him.”
I wasn’t going to make promises I couldn’t keep. “Rossi is first in the kill-him line. I’ve never seen him so angry. Lavius hurt Ben, and you know Ben is…”
“…his son. Yes. Yes, of course.” He was silent a moment. “I’ve seen Rossi kill. Have you?”
“No.”
“It will change what you think of him.”
I huffed out a choked laugh. “That’s been happening an awful lot lately. I think I can take it.”
“I wish….” His eyes clouded and sorrow settled into the shadows of his face. “If I could have stayed with you, with all of you, you know I would have.”
“I know, Dad. We know.”
“I didn’t…it wasn’t suicide. I don’t know how I lost control, but believe me when I say I was trying to come home, honey. I never meant to leave you all so soon.”
“We know. We know.”
“Isn’t this sweet?” Bathin was back, standing beside Dad even though I hadn’t seen him approach.
I hated that smug smile on his face. I wanted to smack it off of him.
“You’ve had your private time,” he continued. “Now we seal our deals. Delaney Reed, I swear to release your father, Robert Reed’s soul unto the afterlife he has chosen, and grant you one wish in exchange for your soul. Is that acceptable?”
“Yes.”
Something thrummed, like a great bass string being strummed somewhere in the universe, rolling out one note, deep and long and eternal.
“Name the favor.”
“You will find Ben Rossi and return him to Ordinary, alone and alive, in as complete health physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually as he is found before midnight tonight. You’ll bring him to Jame Wolfe and give him to him freely into his open arms with no deals or bindings, contracts, or debts outstanding.”
