He wrapped his arms around me. “Don’t be silly. If you hadn’t done it, I would have. Unfortunately, I was indisposed at the time.”
Standing straight, I tried to check his color in the light of the bridge. “How are you feeling?”
“Less like writhing in pain for a few hours, thanks to you.” He kissed me and I was finally able to relax. He was going to be okay.
“As far as the rest of them are concerned,” he continued, “you entertained some profoundly bored vampires and gave them something to talk about.”
“I guess there’s that. Do they know I’m the one who?—”
He kissed me again. Never mention that. As far as they’re concerned, it could have been me, Vlad, or Cadmael. No one thinks a werewolf could destroy a vampire like that, and we don’t want to do or say anything that makes them suspect, all right?
Okay. I broke the kiss and then gave him another quick one before resting my head on his chest. If I didn’t screw up your chances, shouldn’t you be in one of those meetings?
I would imagine it’s chaos right now. Two are dead. I wasn’t watching, so I have no idea if they were Guild members or underlings. Either way, there’ll be upheaval.
I’ve been thinking about the timing of the poisoned goblet. Do you think they took advantage of the creepy, Kubrick-esque spectacle to try to kill you, or was the spectacle created in order to kill you?
A chicken or egg situation.
I squeezed him around the middle. I mean is it one person trying to eliminate you or did the Guild invite you here to kill you?
We’ve been causing trouble in the vampire world of late. He kissed the top of my head. So I’ve been wondering the same thing. I was under the impression Sebastian was an ally, but he’s been acting strangely.
Could that Ava chick be messing with his head? She seemed pretty sketchy to me.
Possibly, but I wouldn’t have thought her strong enough.
Maybe she’s only pretending to be weak. Or maybe she’s actually ancient and just escaped from a prison created eons ago to hold her. She had to dig her way out, as the prison was part of a hidden city far beneath the earth. No one knows her because she’s been chained up longer than any of you have been alive. She’s biding her time, learning about this new world, and about the vamps who will soon be her servants.
Hmm, less possible. You need to listen in on one of our meetings and then tell me how she’s an all-powerful mastermind.
Done and done. Let’s head back so I can eavesdrop.
Thirteen
Don’t Make Me Have Him Hurt You
We made our way back up the hills, along empty streets. A block from The Bloody Ruin, Clive paused and listened. Dogwalker, I believe.
A moment later, a woman walking her German Shepherd appeared around the corner. The dog growled at us, not that I blamed him. I’m sure we deserved it. The woman gave us a nervous nod. Clive said something to her in Hungarian and she smiled, the tension easing in her shoulders.
We turned up the next road and ducked behind The Bloody Ruin. Clive waved his hand, now wearing a thick gold ring with a large ruby in the center. The passage opened and we stepped in before the door slid shut again.
“Cool ring,” I said, turning on my phone’s flashlight.
“Vlad let me borrow it so I could get you back inside more easily. He wants you to keep it while we’re here.” He took it off his finger and handed it to me.
The ring was weighty, the dark ruby huge. “Really?” I shined the light on it. “This looks like a family heirloom that I do not want to lose. Maybe you should hold on to it.” I tried to pass it back, but he wouldn’t take it.
“Sorry, love. I was given very specific instructions. Consider it a compliment. He wants to make sure you can get in and out whenever you need.”
“What about him? Doesn’t he need this?” I asked.
Clive put the ring on my thumb and then held my hand. “He says he has other ways.”
We walked quietly for a while, having to move single file because of the narrowness of the tunnel. Clive changed the hand he reached back to grab mine with, so I had to switch hands with my phone.
It hit me why he might not want to hold that hand. “Does it bother you that I’m wearing Vlad’s ring?”
