He shakes his head like I’m an idiot. “Just tell me. Is it about my mother?”
“I found out who Nicodemus is.”
That gets his attention. He stands up again.“Who?”
“He’s Ebb’s brother.”
“Ebb your girlfriend?”
“Ebb the goatherd.”
“She doesn’t have a brother.”
“She does,” I say. “A twin. He was stricken from the Book when he became avampire.”
I swear Baz’s face gets even whiter.
“Ebb’s brother was Turned? They struck him from the Book for that?”
“No, he joined up with the vampires himself. Voluntarily.”
“What?” Baz sneers. “That isn’t actually how it works, Snow.”
I step into his space. “Howdoesit work, Baz?”
“You don’t fuckingjoin up.”
“This Nicodemus did. He tried to get Ebb to go with him.”
“Ebb. Thegoatherd.Has a brother named Nicodemus that nobody’s ever heard of—”
“I told you—we haven’t heard about him, because he’sstricken. That’s why Ebb lives at Watford. Your mum gave her a job, so she wouldn’t join her brother. They’re both bloody superheroes, I guess, and everybody was afraid they’d team up and be supervampires.”
“Ebb knew my mother?”
“Yeah. Your mum gave Ebb her job.”
Baz is just standing there like he wants to punch something—or suck it dry.
“Well, where is he now?” he asks. “This Nicodemus?”
“Ebb doesn’t know. She’s not supposed to talk to him. She’s not supposed to talk about him, even.”
Baz sneers again, then reminds me that he actuallyisa supervampire—a supervillain: “Doesn’t know, does she? Well,” he says, “we’ll see about that.”
I put my hand on his chest. I don’t have to step any closer to reach him. “No,” I say firmly. “Ebb doesn’t know where Nicodemus is. We’re not talking to her again.”
Baz swallows and licks his grey-pink lower lip. “I’ll talk to the goatherd if I want to, Snow.”
“Not if you want my help.” I keep my hand on his chest because I feel like he still needs to be held back, but I can’t believe he’s letting me do it.
His hand flies up and closes over my wrist. (As if he’s read my mind.) (Is that a vampire thing?) “Fine,” he says, shoving my wrist down. “Then howdowe find Nicodemus?”
“I haven’t thought it through that far. I came here as soon as I left Ebb’s.”
“Well, what does Penelope think?”
“I haven’t talked to her yet.”
