Nathan laughed. “You’re kidding, right? Look, it’s simple. Sly stakes, I chop.” He pulled his long coat aside to reveal an axe. “And you burn the pieces.”
“But why me? I…”
Nathan rolled his eyes. “We all know about your special—condition, Lily.”
Her jaw dropped. A moment later her shoulders slumped, and she gazed at the floor.
“It’s nothin’ to be ashamed of, sugar. We’re all a little peculiar in different ways. It’s just that your…fire-breathin’ would come in mighty handy if you’re willin’ to lend a hand—or a sneeze.”
Lily smiled for the first time since they’d entered her home. “I suppose I could help. I wouldn’t be setting the whole building on fire, would I?”
Gwyneth sat up proudly. “No, ma’am. That’s where I come in. I’ll carry the fire extinguisher.”
“And he’s a really bad vampire?”
“Most are,” Nathan said. “Sly here is the exception, but he hasn’t been a vampire long enough to get cocky. We’re still hoping he doesn’t turn into an ass.”
Sly chuckled. “Some might say it’s too late.”
Gwyneth waved away the comment. “Pshaw. You are the nicest vampire I know, Sly.”
Nathan’s eyebrows shot up. “How many vampires do you know?”
She counted on her fingers. “Well, let’s see. There’s Sly, Vorigan Malvant, Morgaine’s friend Mikhail, and Dracula—but I don’t really know the last two, I just heard o’them.”
Nathan looked relieved, then amused. “So, are we going to do this thing or not?”
Outside his maker’s lair in the alley, Sly began to quake in his boots. He was here to do murder, plain and simple.
He wasn’t used to the hustle and bustle of daytime traffic and exhaust smells. What if someone saw them break in? What if Malvant woke up and shrieked? Or worse, what if he didn’t? Would staking an unconscious, defenseless vampire in his coffin feel worse than killing a vampire able to fight back?
He tried to clear his head, but his brain was foggy from all the wine he had just consumed.Remember, Morgaine is in there. You need to protect her and the rest of the world from this evil bastard—if she’s still alive.
He didn’t want to entertain thoughts to the contrary, but Gwyneth had said she couldn’t sense Morgaine’s energy in there.
“How do we get in?” Nathan asked.
Gwyneth smiled. “Hold this for me, darlin’.” She passed him the fire extinguisher. Then she kneeled in front of the door and took a small glass vile out of her skirt pocket. Shaking a bit ofpowder into her hand, she mumbled a few words, then blew the powder into the lock.
Click.She rose and tried the door handle. When it opened, she grinned. Lowering her voice she whispered, “Sly, you go first, followed by Nathan, then Lily and I’ll be in the rear. I mean…” She blushed the peach shade of a natural redhead. “I’ll be the caboose on this vampire huntin’ train.”
Sly nodded and entered silently. She had told him the door to his lair would be on his right as they first walked in. He held the stake in his other hand as he tried to open the door, but it was locked.
Gwyneth muttered, “Fiddlesticks.” Then she pushed her way to the front of the line and poured more powder from the vile into her hand. She blew the powdered herb into the key hole and mumbled “Open says me, you S.O.B.”
Those are the words of her spell?When the door clicked and she was able to open it, Sly gave a mental shrug.Whatever works, I guess.
She stood aside and waited while the rest of the line advanced.
Sly was touched that three of his neighbors—even one who didn’t know him well—were willing to stick their necks out for him and Morgaine. Probably more for Morgaine since she was the one held captive in there—he hoped. Why was it so quiet? And why were the shades open, letting light into the living room?
A door to the right of the kitchen stood open. As he hurried over to it, he noticed her scent, but she wasn’t there. Shehad beenthough.
“This is the right place,” he whispered to the others. “So where is she?”
“Why don’t you ask her?” Gwyneth suggested.
“Ask?” Suddenly he knew what she meant. “Telepathically?”
