I was pretty sure he hadn’t given what Killian Drake would consider a sufficient explanation, but before I could suggest this, Considine asked for an update on the task force.
Orrin and I spent the drive over to House Tellier filling Considine in on the specialist, the oracle, and the suspicions against House Tellier.
I wasn’t surprised, however, when I parked the van about three blocks away from House Tellier, and we walked past four black SUVs that I was fairly certain were Drake vehicles.
My suspicions were confirmed when the doors flew open, and out popped Margarida, tearful as she forcibly hugged Considine.
“You’re okay.” She cried. “You’re really okay.”
Considine hesitated for a moment, then settled into Margarida’s hug and patted her back. “I’m fine,” he said. “I’m too old and crusty to get rid ofthateasily.”
Margarida hiccupped, and she stepped back and wiped her tears away with more elegance than I possessed in my entire body. She smiled at him, and the storm of tears appeared to be over, until she saw me.
“Oh,Jade!” More tears coated her face as she hugged me. “Thank you. Thank you for finding him—you really are what’s best for him!”
I was awkwardly frozen in her hug, even though it was quite sweet of her.
What if I mess up hugging her? Is it possible to be rude when hugging someone?
I didn’t think it was, but social anxiety wasn’t exactly reasonable.
Thankfully, Margarida was an experienced hugger, and she held on well past when most people would have backed off, giving my brain enough time to kick in so I could return her hug, squeezing her slight frame.
Okay, now say something.
“I’m glad,” I said.
It wasn’t much, but Margarida seemed to understand what I meant, because her smile was small but brimming with joy as she pulled back from the hug so she could gaze into my eyes. “Me, too.”
Shockingly,Baldwinwas next out of the cars, nearly tripping on his own feet in his anxiety until he set eyes on Considine. “You’re whole. Good.” He awkwardly cleared his throat, then adjusted the lapels of his suit coat—which must have been borrowed from one of the Drake vampires because it was one of their uniform-like suits.
“Of course.” Considine reached out and ruffled the younger vampire’s hair.
Baldwin’s shoulders shook, and he was silent as he nodded.
Considine’s smile faded, and he enfolded Baldwin in a hug similar to the ones my brothers gave each other: the kind that contained a lot of backslapping and grunts, but unmistakable affection.
When Baldwin stepped back he nodded gruffly, then put on a petulant expression. “Took you long enough,” he said.
“It’s worse than you think,” Considine said. “I had to be rescued by my darling partner.”
“Ah. Yes.” Baldwin turned to me and bowed. “Thank you, Jade O’Neil,” he said, his voice formal. “It seems Vìgì is right, and we have much to thank you for.”
I awkwardly waved. “It was my fault he was caught.”
“Nonsense.” This came from Amée and Auberi. They’d been in an SUV parked a few spaces up, so it took them longer to reach Considine. “You freed him. We owe you our thanks.”
Together, they nodded to me—not with the same warmth as Margarida and Baldwin, but with respect—a rarity in vampires as powerful as them. They stopped in perfect synchronization and studied Considine with matched intensity.
“You…” Amée paused, her voice thick with emotion. “You’ve never been bested. You’ve been such a constant—nothing has ever gotten you before. We…”
“We didn’t know what to think,” Auberi finished for her. “We didn’t know what todo. We tried to look for you, but…” He shook his head.
Considine studied the pair. “I’m not Ambrose,” he said, finally. “I’m not affectionate like he was…but I’m also too jaded and spiteful to let myself get offed by a mere lizard.”
Auberi shook his head as the visible strain around his eyes faded.
Amée—to everyone’s surprise, herself included—hugged Considine. “You’re insane,” she grumbled.
