“You may change your mind if other Houses come to view us as weak.”
I flashed him a grin. “That’s why I have you to show them differently.”
The impression he’d made by ripping out the hearts of two vampires who’d planned on challenging me was still vivid in theminds of those who’d been present that night. No one was going to be quick to challenge our House as long as he was by my side.
“Let’s not forget a certain realm guardian either,” I added.
Though I wasn’t certain about that second part, given Alches’s extended absence. I hadn’t seen him in almost as long as Liam had been gone.
For all I knew, the realm guardian had gone back to Noctessa.
Connor’s grunt didn’t sound like he entirely agreed with me but he didn’t argue.
“Is there a reason you’re following me?” I asked, noticing him still behind me when I stopped beside the driver’s side door.
“I’m waiting.”
“Waiting for what?”
“For you to compliment my brilliance.” He nodded at the minivan. “I told you it would come in handy. And look, not even a day later, I was proven right.”
My mouth fell partially open as he brushed past me with a self-satisfied smirk.
“Even though this is my vehicle, I shall be magnanimous and allow you to drive,” he added, heaping injury upon injury.
“You’re a smart ass,” I told him.
Just like his uncle. And father.
six
Pulling into the airfield’sparking lot, I had the urge to curse when I got a look at the pair of vampires waiting for us.
“Shit,” I swore under my breath.
From the way a subtle tension ran through Connor’s body, I could tell he’d spotted the enforcers as well.
“So much for keeping this a secret,” I sighed.
I must not have been as convincing as I thought I’d been. It was totally like Thomas to send his goons as escorts to make sure I wasn’t up to something.
“Caroline, do you have any cash on you?” I asked as one prowled toward us.
“Not really. Why?”
“I do,” Deborah said, digging into her purse. After a moment she pulled out a crumpled five-dollar bill and handed it to Caroline. “Here you go.”
Caroline took it, looking confused.
I held my hand back. “Give it to me.”
The look of befuddlement on her face as she handed it to me slowly was almost worth everything else.
I grabbed the five-dollar bill and stuffed it into my pocket. “There. Now it’s official. You’re a client.”
Which meant I couldn’t share the details of what she’d hired me for unless she agreed.
“That’s it?” Caroline asked.
