Page 38 of Blades and Bone

Hamish circled around so it looked as though he was coming from the rainforest and stepped onto the path, looking around as if he was completely lost. When he stumbled onto the garden, the fence he faked sighed of relief.

“I am so lost. I have no idea where I am. I haven’t had a drink of water for about an hour. Is this still part of the resort?” he rambled on, knowing that the guard wouldn’t take in everything and would want to be rid of him, thinking him a dumb tourist.

The guard stared at him and shook his head. “Head that way.” He pointed in the opposite direction to where Hamish had come from. “It will take you straight to the main resort.”

“What is this place?”

The guard sneered. “It’s our private facility.”

“Ohhhh…” Hamish stepped closer. “Is there anyone famous here? Movie star or singer?”

“It’s none of your concern. The resort is that way.”

Hamish pouted and lowered his voice. “Unlock the gate and let me in so I can get a drink of water. I’m about to pass out, and you don’t want to be calling the medics.”

“You look kind of pale. You need a drink of water,” the guard agreed and unlocked the gate, ushering Hamish into the shade where he had a seat and a laptop to view the cameras around the outside…though he also had a movie going.

The guard handed him a bottle of water.

“Lock the gate and give me the key. Make sure no one leaves, or Brodie Ashby will be very unhappy.”

The guard nodded and complied, handing Hamish his bunch of keys, which he put in his pocket. “I need to borrow your shirt.”

The guard took it off without missing a beat. Hamish pulled it on over his T-shirt.

“You’re going to sit down and watch your movie on repeat until sunset. And if anyone calls you, you tell them everything is fine.” Sometimes the ensorcellment didn’t hold as long as he wanted it to, as it depended on how susceptible the human was and how easy the instruction was, which was another reason he liked to add time clauses. He much preferred using his skills to ease someone’s pain or help them sleep.

“Everything is fine. Enjoy your day.” The guard sat and turned his attention to the movie.

While Hamish didn’t look like security, at least he looked like staff of some kind. He made his way through the garden at the back of the property, which was useful for protecting the visitors’ privacy and for someone to creep through. He moved slowly and carefully in case anyone was outside.

No one was, though, as the vampires were continuing their discussions, and the staff would be busy. He lifted his gaze to the two-story house, wondering who might be watching him from the windows.

It didn’t matter if he was being watched. All he had to do was act as though he belonged there and then ensorcell his way through the staff. He was going to have a fucking migraine by the end of the day…which was better than being poisoned.

He strode across the lawn and then the pavers, pretending he had somewhere very important to be, keys jingling in his pocket. What he needed was a fucking phone, or some paperwork. Either made someone look more official.

He skirted the pool that, unsurprisingly, no one was using in the middle of the day. He’d been planning to use it one evening. Now he wasn’t even allowed in the ocean.

Fuck Brodie and his rules.

And the treaty.

There was a main door that opened up onto the courtyard and the pool area, and a much smaller door to the side…the staff door. That was the one he went toward. He was surprised that the handle turned, and he walked into the house unimpeded.

He shut the door and locked it to stop others from getting in. It didn’t take long for his eyes to adjust to the slightly dimmer interior. He was in the laundry, which wasn’t where he needed to be, because if people were being poisoned, it was happening in the kitchen.

Not that he had any clue where that was, and the longer he spent walking around, the more likely he was to be caught. While the treaty may not be officially broken, being there wasn’t going to help, but he couldn’t refuse to help his family…his old family.

His pulse was heavy and loud in his ears as he tried to walk along the corridor like he belonged there.

A woman bustled toward him and stopped; her eyes widened, then she smiled. “You’re the plumber?”

Hamish blinked, then seized on the opening. “Yes.”

As soon as the word was out of his mouth, he regretted it. He didn’t have any tools, and while he could change a bedpan, he didn’t know how to fix a toilet.

“Follow me.” She’d already turned away so he couldn’t ensorcell her.