They took out the jogger first, then the second assailant, both demons going back to the ether without Allie or Jared breaking a sweat. Though, honestly, I was pretty sure that vampires didn’t sweat.
Jared was poised to take out the final demon when it spoke. “He cannot walk again. He cannot have his mate.”
“Just go back to hell you bastard.” And Jared slammed the stick through the demon’s eye. I saw the demon rise into the ether, and once again, I wanted to run forward.
Once again, Laura stopped me. “Don’t,” she said. “They’ve got it under control. Allie needs to know she can do this on her own. And that she can trust Jared.”
I nodded. She was right.
It wasn’t just me and Eric who had Allie’s back anymore. This boy—this man—was watching out for her too.
I didn’t understand why, but right then it didn’t matter. He’d saved her, and for that he would always have my gratitude.
“Are you okay?” Laura asked, once Jared and Allie had walked away from the pond.
I nodded. I’d been catching my breath, thinking about my past and my family. Remembering that rhythm I’d had with Eric and the other fighters on my team. The way we’d all practice in theForzatraining rooms below the Vatican. It had been intense, but the training had saved my life more than once.
For that matter, it had saved the world.
I turned to Laura as something else occurred to me. A thought, just taking form. “Is Cutter back in town?” I asked.
“Yeah. Later tonight. Why?”
“Do you think he could meet us at the mansion tomorrow?”
“Sure. What for?”
“I’ll tell you tomorrow,” I promised. “But I think I have a really interesting idea.”
Because Cutter had classes all day, he was only available first thing in the morning. Which explained why I was awake and at the mansion far earlier than should be allowed during the summer when the kids didn’t have to get up early. It was especially unfair since Timmy was finally sleeping in these days,and most days I could stay gloriously asleep until at least eight o’clock.
Not so today. It was seven-thirty in the morning, and I was wandering bleary-eyed through the entrance hall, giving the side eye to the contractors who were awake and perky and working hard.
Laura was with me, also awake and perky, and Cutter was beside her, equally bright-eyed.
I clutched my coffee closer and tried not to show how much I would prefer to be back in my bed.
“Stuart’s not coming?” Cutter asked.
I shook my head. “I wanted to get your thoughts on this before I talked it over with him. But we do need to wait for—” I cut myself off as Eric stepped in through the open doors. “Never mind. He’s here.”
“He is,”Eric said. “But why is he here at this hour? It must be important since you’re up and dressed.”
After all these years, he still knows me so well…
“Come with me, and I’ll tell you all what I’m thinking.” I led the way, heading up the stairs and straight to the ballroom the girls had worked out in yesterday. “You’ve all seen this before, of course. And I think most of you have seen the former servant’s quarters, right?”
“I haven’t,” Cutter said, so I took them to the nearby wing and showed them the row of rooms with plenty of space of two twin size beds plus dressers, a table, and even a few other personal items.
A few of the rooms still had musty old beds inside, and we took a moment to sit, Eric and me on one as we looked across at Cutter and Laura.
“It’s like a dorm room,” I said. “Don’t you think?”
Eric gave me a sidelong look. “Kate, what’s this all about?”
“Just humor me. Dorm room. Right?” I looked at each of them in turn, and they all shrugged, as if not certain what I wanted the answer to be.
“There are six rooms on this floor. That would house twelve people. And there’s a slew of guest bedrooms in this place, too, so that could bring in a few more.”
