Then the small toddler flies up and out of her chair at Vlad like a little bullet.
We’re all so shocked that no one moves in time to do anything about it. All of us, that is, except for Vlad’s sons. One ofthem shoots from the nearest corner and snatches Raven out of the air by her wings a moment before her little snaggle-toothed fangs can connect with Vlad’s face.
“Filthy meat-eaters,” Vlad’s son snarls at her.
Raven’s not finished with her surprises for the morning, apparently.
Suddenly, she transforms in Vlad’s minion’s hands from a cute little toddler into something else entirely. We all gasp as she lets out an animal growl and shapeshifts into some sort of monster three times her size. She opens her mouth to reveal three rows of razor-sharp teeth. A tail whips out from behind her, covered in spikes. Her torso becomes furry and heavily muscled. Instead of being cute and fluffy, her wings stretch out behind her like a huge, mutant bat with leathery, veined membranes.
Vlad’s minion drops her at the same time that she shoves him back.
When Vlad’s minion grabbed her cousin’s wings and snatched Raven out of the air, Luna began crying. As the vampire flies back from Raven’s shove, a portal opens behind him. He doesn’t even have a chance to realize what’s happening before he disappears into the shining man-size pool hanging in the air like a liquid mirror. Then it closes up behind him.
Right after, Raven transforms back into her adorable child self and hovers to the side of Vlad’s chair. Her fluffy wings flap madly as she looks at where Vlad’s son disappeared.
There’s a moment of silence as the rest of us do the same.
It’s broken by Vlad clapping loudly as enjoyment transforms his angular features. “Such delightful allies I have as in-laws.” He looks at Phoenix and me with a dark, avaricious tone. “I can’t wait until we get our own.”
“Raven!” Hannah jumps up and holds her arms out to her daughter. “Get away from him.”
“Father,” another of Vlad’s sons objects. “Make them bring Avram back!”
“We’re leaving,” Abaddon declares as Raven lands back in her mother’s arms with her thumb embedded in her mouth. She looks for all the world like a normal toddler apart from her wings and the little horns peeking out from the abundant curls on her head. “Now.”
The rest of my family stands up from the table.
Beside me, Phoenix shudders. I understand last night’s performance more than ever. She’ll never give Vlad what he wants. I feel her hand brush against mine under the table. It’s brief, maybe seeking comfort, before she pulls it back.
If I’m really her friend, and I am—friend before hungry monster, always—then I’ll do everything in my power to aid her cause.
“That’s hardly necessary,” Vlad says nonchalantly from his throne-like chair at the head of the table. His tone is no more bothered than if a fly had just been swatted in his presence.
“Father,” his son says again. “What about Avram?”
Vlad looks annoyed for the first time since breakfast started and turns a stone face toward his son. “We’ll have a far-superior replacement for your fool brother soon. If Avram had been quicker-witted, he’d still be with us, wouldn’t he?”
His son is astonished and obviously furious, but one look from Vlad has him swallowing it back. He bows his head to the floor. “Yes, Father. Of course, your wisdom prevails.” He backs away to the corner.
Abaddon is already shuffling my family out of the room. I’m glad to have them out from under this man’s roof and sphere of control. I’m just sorry I can’t get Phoenix out with them. I hate that she’s under his thumb in any way.
I hurry over to my brother as he ushers the last of my family out and pull him aside. “Will you go back to the castle?”
I can feel Vlad’s eyes on us. It makes my skin crawl. I pull Abaddon into the hallway, even though I hate to have Phoenix out of sight for even a moment.
“I’m not sure that’s possible now that it’s been discovered, even if we tried to hide it again with more runework,” Abaddon says. I hear the regret in his voice.
“I might have a possible fix.”
Abaddon rolls his eyes. “Let me guess. Magic.”
“You’ve witnessed Phoenix’s mage at work.”
Reluctantly, Abaddon nods. “I found us a villa in the city for the time being.”
“I’ll start working on it with Sabra immediately. She’s in the city, too.”
He nods and cuffs me on the shoulder as his face softens. “Good night last night?” His eyebrow arches up.
