I waved. “I’m good.”
Clive looked back at me. “Sunset isn’t too far off. I’m going to move him before all the others awake.”
“We may be cutting it close,” Vlad said. “I’ve noticed a few others rise before the sun goes down.”
Vlad went with Clive, no doubt to get the story. I, on the other hand, showered off the blood spatter and got dressed, ready to deal with the fallout. There was no way the vamps were just going to accept a dead Renfield, especially a black-shirted one, if I was involved.
When I came out of the bathroom, Clive was dressed and our bags were packed. “Gather your things, love. I’m getting you out of here.”
I grabbed my toiletry bag, stuffed it in my suitcase, and put on my running shoes. After strapping on my axe, Clive helped me into a short jacket and we headed to the door, only to find Sebastian, a very angry Thomas, a one-armed Delores—who gave me an appraising look—an expressionless Cadmael, and Vlad. Who winked.
“Clive,” Sebastian said, “we can’t let you go. Thomas is rightfully angered by his assistant’s death.”
“Whereas, I,” Clive began, moving in front of me, “am angered by Thomas sending his assistant to murder my wife in her sleep.”
Sebastian raised a hand. “Now, now, we can’t know exactly what happened. Before Thomas’ man succumbed to his injury, he told us your wife shot him.”
I stepped to the side of Clive to better see the vamps in the hall. “He brought the gun into our bedroom. He walked around the bed to me and aimed it at my head. His intent seemed pretty clear. I defended myself. And he ended up shooting himself. I never touched the gun.”
“No one cares what a dog?—”
Clive had Thomas by the throat against the hall wall. “Apologize or I take your head.”
“Tempers are high,” Sebastian said, “but that doesn’t mean?—”
Clive slammed Thomas against the wall again. “Now.”
Thomas was not without skills himself. He struck out at Clive, knocking him back. Sebastian and Vlad stepped between them.
Pointing at me, Thomas said, “She must pay for the life of my assistant. It is my right.”
By this time, other vamps had left their rooms to watch this play out.
I had to pay him? How much did assistants go for, and could Clive loan me the money?
“I will stand in her stead,” Clive said.
Thomas shook his head. “She stole from me. It is my right to challenge her.”
Oh, shit. He didn’t want cash. He wanted to fight me.
Sebastian looked at Clive. “I’m afraid he’s correct. It is his right to challenge her. We can’t let you leave until this is decided.”
“Watch us,” Clive growled.
This was about to get ugly fast. Sebastian was a weak paper pusher and Thomas was clearly an asshole, but Clive could be doing a lot of good for the North American Masters, assuming the Guild survived our visit.
I patted Clive’s shoulder. “It’s okay.” I turned to Thomas. “You can smell your guy in our room. Clearly, he was trespassing. How is his death on us if your guy was where he shouldn’t have been? With a gun?”
“You probably invited him in,” Thomas countered. “We all know about dogs in heat.”
Clive tensed under my hand, so I stepped in front of him. “So, your theory is that although I’m married to one of the most intelligent, powerful, and drop-dead gorgeous men in the known world, I chose to invite the human with the weak chin and the crazy eyes into our bedroom, knowing full well that Clive can wake when the sun is up? That’s your thinking at this moment?”
Vlad’s mustache twitched but Thomas’ eyes were more than a little crazy as well.
Tilting my head back, I whispered over my shoulder, knowing everyone in the hall would hear, “Apparently, there are no intelligence tests for Counselors.”
Thomas leapt forward but got slammed back by Vlad
