“Good morning to you too, Warlock Holland.” Hearing Boone’s pops’s deep voice no longer made me want to piss myself, but it was a near thing.
“Good is a stretch, Franklin.”
“Can’t argue that.”
I was also used to Holland’s thoughtful pauses and no longer assumed the phone call had been dropped. “You sound tired.”
“That’s because I am.” It was becoming increasingly difficult to hide my growing exhaustion.
“What is going on?” I actually liked how direct and to the point Holland was.
Treating him in kind, I gave a quick rundown of our recent homicides. “I’m on my way back to our more recent site to meet up with the canine unit. We’ll see if Bucky finds anymore bodies that we missed.”
“I assume thisBuckyis a canine.”
“You assume correctly.”
“I mean no disrespect to…Bucky, but I believe my son would be a far better resource.”
“I don’t think Bucky would take offense. As for Boone… Like you said earlier, we have company at the house, and I don’t think he’d be comfortable leaving them there. I can easily get Boone permission to be at the crime scene. I can’t say the same regarding Agent Frost and Leon.” I’d actually considered it but dismissed the idea just as quickly.
“And that brings us back towhymy son has theseguestsin his home. Only learning that Leon is a bonded vampire kept me here in California. I would not risk my son sharing space with one of those blood suckers otherwise. That was not meant as a species-ist slur. Facts are facts. Vampires require blood to maintain their second lives.”
I wasn’t so certain about that. I’d heard that most vampires were actually very particular about their blood source. Regardless, I’d give Holland the benefit of the doubt. He’d certainly been alive longer than me and been around far more vamps than me as well.
I was about halfway to my destination and thankfully knew the route well, considering my conversation with Holland took up a lot of mental space. “Boone trusts them, and they made it through your wards just fine.” Holland’s wards kept out anyone that meant Boone—and now me—harm.
“Yes, well, be that as it may, I am still not pleased, and you have yet to inform me as to the purpose of their visit.”
A sigh rattled through my lungs. “Honestly, I’m not sure.”
There was another long pause before Holland asked, “Why not? Given how smitten Erasmus is with you, I cannot imagine him keeping such information a secret.”
Holland could win the Academy Award for backhanded compliments.Smitten. Really?“I don’t think Boone’s keeping secrets. The honest truth is that I’ve been working too damn much. I was only home for about six hours last night, five of which were spent sleeping. Knowing Boone, whatever’s going on, he’s keeping it to himself because he doesn’t want to stress me further.” I should have quizzed Boone more when I got home last night, but I hadn’t. I’d been so damn tired, and all I wanted to do was get something to eat, shower, and get as much skin contact as I could. My brain felt overloaded, and I hated the fact that I understood why Boone hadn’t discussed anything heavy with me.
Holland’s sigh rivaled my own. “That sounds like my son.” There was a wealth of exasperated fondness in that short statement. “This case of yours is indeed poor timing.”
That was putting things mildly, but I didn’t say those words out loud. Instead I said, “I’ll make sure to speak with him tonight.”
“See that you do.” Those words were clipped, but Holland’s next ones were softer. “I will send some charms that might be useful. Thank Gaia I am no witch, but warlock-made charms are helpful for aches, pains, and general weariness.”
I was desperately searching for something to say as I pulled off the road, heading down a small stretch of gravel toward our latest crime scene. Finally, I settled on “that’s very kind of you.”
“Nonsense. You are important to my son, and therefore, you are important to me. You are, perhaps, more fragile than Erasmus. I will endeavor to use whatever is at my disposal to lessen the odds of your demise.” Holland sounded very put-upon when he added, “I am the best warlock in the country. However, even my talents are limited when it comes to human frailty. I am not Gaia herself.”
No one would ever accuse Nikodemus Holland of humility. “Thank you. I think.”
“No thanks are required.” I thought that was the end of the conversation, but Holland surprised me by asking, “Have the two of you set a date yet?”
“For the wedding?”
“What else would I be speaking of?”
I let Holland’s snark roll off my drooped shoulders. “Not yet. Boone’s not comfortable planning anything with Huxley lingering out there somewhere. He thinks an event like that will paint a target on our backs.” I wasn’t sure I completely agreed but didn’t completely disagree either. “Besides, I don’t think Boone would be able to enjoy the lead-up to the wedding or the wedding itself while worrying about Huxley.” I wanted to get married more than anything. I also wanted the day to be as joyous as it should be. I wanted beautiful memories of ourwedding. I wanted Boone to look back on that day and smile. Huxley’s shadow currently made that impossible.
“I see.” Holland was silently contemplative. “You will inform me if anything changes.”
“I will. I’m sorry about not contacting you regarding our visitors. I assumed Boone let you know.” I wasn’t sure why he hadn’t. Maybe he hadn’t thought about it.
