I snorted, trying to sound annoyed rather than charmed. “That was terrible.”
“You liked it,” Tavish said, his voice a low rumble that stoked the fire building in my veins. “You fancy me, lass. I’ve said it from the beginning.”
I pushed at his chest. “If we’re going to sleep, you have to get out of the way.”
Obnoxious smile in place, Tavish led me back to the bedroom. Albie had propped himself on one elbow, and his good eye was open and alert. Without his glasses, his damaged eye was cloudy, the skin around the socket marred by puffy white scar tissue.
“I’m sorry I woke you,” I said.
He smiled. “You didn’t. Tavish did with his foraging.”
Tavish shrugged. “A man has to eat.”
A vampire appeared in the center of the room. He wore a suit like the humans on the street, but his hair fell to his hips. He hissed, his fangs dripping withsila.
Albie was on his feet in front of me before I could blink. Tavish shoved me behind him.
“You killed our princess,” the vampire snarled. “I’ll take your heads for it.”
“How did you find this place?” Tavish demanded.
The vampire’s smile was all teeth. “I’ve been here before, idiot.”
“This very room?”
“Obviously.”
My blood ran cold. He was telling the truth. Vampires could only channel to places they’d been before. The vampire had stayed in this exact room.
The vampire winked out of sight.
Albie rushed to the armoire and flung it open. “He’ll be back with others. We have to leave right now.” He turned and tossed a dress at Tavish, who caught it.
“Why wouldn’t he bring others with him the first time?” I asked, my voice muffled as Tavish yanked the dress over my head.
“Reconnaissance,” Tavish said, jerking the fabric down and smoothing it over my hips. “The vampires must have spies in the city. Or maybe someone spotted us in the sky. The leech might have stayed in this hotel before, but he wasn’t expecting to find us in his old room. We surprised him.”
Albie threw a pair of shoes at him. Tavish caught them one-handed, dropped to one knee, and shoved my feet into them.
My head spun. “What are the chances that same vampire stayed in this exact room?”
Neither man answered me. Tavish raced into the bathroom and emerged with the chronomancer’s bag. He thrust it into my hand, his eyes fierce.
“Open it.”
The vampire materialized with two others. All three hissed, their fangs bared.
Albie and Tavish grabbed me, one on each side.
I fumbled with the bag, my fingers clumsy with panic. The drawstring came loose.
The vampires lunged.
I wrenched open the bag.
The world twisted, and we spun into chaos.
Chapter
