“Honey, where are you?” a female voice said from the top of the stairs.
Angela. I’d recognize that slightly whiny, smug little twat anywhere.
Victor’s face turned mean as Angela thudded down the stairs. I stayed where I was, not wanting to waste any precious energy.
“What are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay away until I called for you.”
Angela came to a stop a few feet away, her overly makeup-caked face turning stricken and unsure. Victor radiated a cold anger.
“I missed you. I just thought that we, that I, could do something to help things along.”
“I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t do any more thinking after the debacle with the vampire. There’s a reason I told you to stay where you were. You’ve put everything in jeopardy by coming here.”
I almost felt sympathy for her at Victor’s shift to heartless prick. Almost.
Angela rubbed her hands on her jeans before taking a step toward Victor and laying one hand lightly on his chest.
“But, babe, I missed you.”
I snorted. Really? That was her response? She sounded like a brainless nit wit, not a powerful witch capable of terrorizing the entire supernatural community of Columbus. Where was the deception? The cunning that had tricked me into this trap?
How had I missed the facts right in front of me? A detective I was not.
“What’s that, bitch?” Angela’s voice changed from cute flirting to hardened steel.
“Nothing, nothing. Just wondering how Victor could bring himself to fuck such a brainless lightweight. He must have a lot invested in his plan to put up with your lame seduction attempts.”
I detected blood rushing to the surface of her skin. It was hard to tell if she flushed or turned red with all the powder covering her. My fangs pushed against my gums as my thoughts turned hazy with hunger.
My eyes fixed on her throbbing pulse. Her voice faded into a high-pitched drone. I bet she’d taste yummy. I licked my lips. Yes. So yummy.
“-like that? What is she even doing still alive?” Angela was saying as I tuned back into the conversation.
I blinked. Shit, the blood lust was making me lose time. That wasn’t a good sign. The sun and the silver must have further depleted my reserves, even more than the blood loss and healing had earlier.
At this rate we wouldn’t have to wait for the draugr to drive the wolves into a frenzy. I’d be there all by myself in a few hours if I didn’t get any blood into me.
“Enough,” Victor roared. “Quit with the harping, woman. I will decide what needs to be done.”
I watched with interest as Angela’s face crumpled. Things weren’t turning out as either of them had planned. I wondered what had changed from last night. Victor had been pretty sure he had everything handled.
Now, he seemed oddly off center. I was surprised that Angela was still alive, given how irritating he found her. The fact he hadn’t killed her told me something had gone amiss. He must still need her.
Angela whirled and stomped up the stairs, slamming the door behind her.
The draugr’s eyes glinted, briefly reflecting the light, as he watched her go with hungry eyes.
“Uh oh. Looks like trouble in paradise,” I said with a half-hearted laugh that ended when my ribs protested. I hadn’t fully healed during the day. Possibly because my body had been so busy trying to stay awake while at the same time mitigating the sun’s effects.
“You have a smart mouth,” Victor observed.
Not usually. It was just that facing hopeless situations brought out the sarcastic in me. I blamed TV. Too many plucky heroines when facing the big bads. It had affected my behavior. I swear.
“I wonder how long that will last.”
He turned and headed after Angela with those parting words. I watched him go through narrowed eyes. Truthfully, I wondered that as well.
“He’s going to kill you.”
