She ricochets off a support beam and crashes to the floor in a bloody, furry heap, right back where she started.
Sometimes, I fucking love the universe.
My shadows hesitate. They flicker around me, trying to process the sheer absurdity unfolding in front of us.
One, bolder than the rest, slithers forward and gently pokes her twitchy little rodent body.
The moment she squeaks, it flinches and zips back.
Another shadow bristles, writhing with aggression. It doesn’t care that she’s the size of a rat. It still wants to destroy her.
This might actually top watching Renato shift into an ankle-biting chihuahua, and I really didn’t think that was possible.
I crouch, smirking at the mangled excuse for a predator whimpering at my feet.
Vesna’s shock isn’t surprising. Few know that dandelions are deadly to vampires.
Why they are? No one really knows.
It’s one of those mysteries lost to the universe.
Which just proves how fucking ridiculous it really is.
One smear of a happy little dandelion, and a vampire rots from the inside out.
It’s as brilliant as it is stupid.
“I never took you for a coward, Vesna. Shift back, or I’ll let the Cù Fèidh loose, and we’ll see how well youaggressively glidewith half a spine.”
In a flash of wispy, iridescent vapor, she returns to her pathetic, broken human form.
“I don’t give two shits if Luca is Renato’s son or his lover. He asked me to find them and convince my sibling to allow the vampire to leave. I will do as he asks, fulfill my promise, and hopefully never see either of you again.”
As the Cù Fèidh crunches on the last few bites of Vesna’s arm, I call her back to me, then send out my shadows to restrain Vesna.
And they readily comply.
They lash around her body, twisting and tightening, eager to imprint their shape into her skin.
Twin shadows snake up her throat, wrapping loosely. A few others coil tightly around her remaining arm, flexing just enough to make her squirm.
Sadistic little bastards. They enjoy this as much as I do.
“Now, you will give me the notes and the location, as promised, or I will find Renato tonight and tell him about your conspiracy to overthrow him.”
Vesna’s gaze darts to a red folder with a sticky note slapped on top. I flip it open and sigh. Upstate New York.
By the endless fucking dark.
My shadows press right against my chest, pulsing with irritation.
They know.
That adds at least two days to my journey.
The universe loves to fuck me rough, without lube, any chance it gets.
“Thank you, Vesna,” I say with an exaggerated bow.
