They’re all silent for a moment and I take a sip of my drink, frowning at the bitter taste.
“What even are you?” Jakob asks.
“That’s not your concern. What you want to do right now is make sure you don’t piss me off again.”
“Why? You are not going to kill me in front of all these people.”
Grant hesitates. I am not surprised. It is not even that all the people are here; the fae he killed before were all on impulse, a desire to protect me and himself. I have no doubt that the reality of that will hit him soon. We just do not need it to be now.
I turn and slip into the booth before anyone can stop me. Grant’s head jerks up, eyes wide. Jakob scowls. “What the fu—”
“I will,” I interrupt and, at his frown, add, “kill you in front of all these people. It matters little to me.”
“You’re not even—You’re just some human.”
I let my power ripple, revealing some of the Huntsman’s blessing that I possess. Jakob pales further, if such a thing were even possible. He pushes back against the booth like he wishes to disappear through it. The bodyguard growls, but when I raise a hand, he falls silent.
“Who are you?” Jakob asks. His gaze flicks between us. “You two…”
“I am Grant’s sire. We wish to know how to find the fae Eirian.”
Jakob scoffs. “She told you her name?”
“While I doubt it is her true one, she did give me something to call her, yes. And it would be in your best interest to tell us whatever you know. I am feeling particularly discontented about the events that occurred last night.”
“Discontented.” Jakob looks at Grant. “You lied about your sire, but not that much, huh?”
Grant gives him a little shrug. He looks out of his depth now that I am here and I do not like that at all.
“Doesn’t matter. I don’t know where she goes when she’s not here. She made sure of that.”
“You must have a way to contact her.”
“Oh, must I?” Jakob narrows his eyes. “Seems like you both know a lot about the fae. You thinkIcontacther? Or do you think she gives the orders around here?”
“You killed those vampires because she asked you to?” Grant asks.
“No, we—” Jakob scowls, cutting himself off.
“You are her lab assistant,” I reply. “Nothing more, nothing less. In time, she will dispose of you, too.”
Jakob fiddles with his glass. “Perhaps. It will not matter to you by then. You can’t honestly think she’s outmatched when it comes to you. Either of you.”
Grant growls, and Jakob jumps despite himself, I think. “How would you know?” He slides out of the booth and cocks his head, looking at me. “Let’s get out of here.”
No point in arguing. We will get no further with Jakob tonight and he is right; we cannot kill him in front of all these people. There is far too much at stake for that.
I follow Grant out into the cool night air, our hands brushing as we walk some way down the street. It is still early enough in the night that people are stumbling from place to place, and though we need to speak about what just happened, I am unwilling to break the silence.
Margot and Rachel reach us first, Margot faintly vibrating with anger. Asher and Quinn are quick on their heels, and a frown tugs at the corner of Quinn’s mouth as he looks at Grant.
“This way,” Grant says. He walks as though he is in a daze, but Rachel seems to recognise where he is going. She lets out a sharp exhale when we pause in a square, Grant climbing onto a bench so he can sit on its back.
“What happened in there?” Margot demands. “You didn’t do anything to him!”
Grant ducks his head, but I shake mine. “What would you have us do?”
“I don’t—I don’t know. Kill him, maybe? He’s going to go after more vampires.” She rounds on me, frustrated. “You’re one, too. Shouldn’t you be more worried about that?”
