“Good. Because then I should warn you that Great Aunt Patsy was saying we should get a family photo before we head home. She wants it for our Christmas card and has decided Considine should be in his bat form for it. She said he’ll add a touch of cuteness to the photo.” Mom said.
“That’s great,” I said without any sort of feeling.
“You don’t think he’ll go for it?” Mom asked.
“Oh, no. The opposite—he’ll be more than happy to do it,” I said. “He’ll just probably get the photo blown up, printed on a canvas, and hang it in his apartment.”
Mom laughed. “He’s good for you. Can’t say I would have picked a vampire as your partner, but Considine…I can see it. It’ll work for you.”
“Thank you.” I sighed happily, then stiffened when I realized Considine had his cell phone out and appeared to be exchangingnumbers with Dad and my brothers. “Wait—you’re the distraction, aren’t you? So they could get Considine’s number?”
Mom lovingly pinched my cheek. “Right you are.”
I gave Mom the universal look of suffering that all youngest siblings perfected, then strode into the family circle, busting it up. “Okay, we need to get back to the command center and start taking it down. I also need to call my superior to update them, and we should call Killian and let him know you’re freed, Considine.”
“You’re right,” Considine acquiesced way too easily. “We ought to, and we must observe a certain amount of professionalism. Besides—I’ve already invited your family to Queen’s Court for breakfast, followed by a luncheon at the Flying Curry.”
My brothers snickered, and Dad and Mom both looked entirely unapologetic. In my desperation for a sliver of wisdom, I turned to Orrin.
He shrugged at me. “Queen’s Court has good tea.”
I sighed, giving in. “Right.”
Peri, still cackling, patted my shoulder. “Don’t worry, sis. We needed to have our regular strategy meeting anyways, to go over the highlights of the fight and anything we learned or would do differently.”
Considine studied Peri as if he was a fascinating new species. “I thought it was just Jade, but are all of you O’Neils so steeped in such fanaticism for fighting?”
My Dad furrowed his bushy eyebrows. “Reviewing strategy is hardly fanaticism.”
“Wow,” Considine said. “So now my follow up question is: is this a learned behavior, or genetic?”
I shook my head at Considine as I pulled out my cellphone and turned away from my family, circling around to the otherside of the van so I would be away from the continued conversation.
As I found Sarge’s contact on my phone, I registered that Considine had followed right on my heels, and Orrin had wandered after him.
I made the call, and as my phone rang I studied Considine. “Everything okay?”
Considine moved behind me and threaded his arms around my waist, tugging me so my back rested against his chest. “Yes. I’m fine.” He rested his chin on the top of my head.
I was perfectly happy to stand in his hug—it was reassuring to have him so close—but I idly wondered if it was proper given that we were finishing out a mission.
Just as I concluded I didn’t care, and I liked it—I was even willing to go for a second kiss despite the nearness of my trollish brothers—Sarge picked up.
“Blood?” He answered the phone.
“We have him—Considine,” I said. “He’s doing okay—he’s conscious and fed.”
There was fuzz on the line. Sarge must have covered his phone with his hand, because his shout was somewhat muffled. “Blood recovered Considine. He’s fine.”
I couldn’t understand the shouted replies to Sarge’s announcement, but I could make out faint cheers before Sarge’s musical voice filled my ear again. “Good.I’m glad—that you found him and that he’s fine. Though I never doubted the two of you that he’d survive and you would recover him.”
“I’ll give a verbal report back at the Cloisters—all the slayers are packing up and heading there—and will work on a written report during the next shift. Is that acceptable?” I asked.
The task force had to be wrapping up the arrest of the Tellier wizards, given that he’d answered his phone.
“Yes—take your time. You and Considine have been through a lot. In fact, you should take a few days offand see your family before they leave—I assume they’ll head home now that Considine is freed?”
“Yes.”
