Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 59151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 296(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 296(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
“You have money. And you’ve made friends, vampires who would offer you their protection and assistance. For instance, Leilah is willing to let you join her at the hotel. She would ensure you were not removed from the premises against your will again.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. You should know Lev has gone north for now. Nicholas is tracking him digitally through cameras and such. His human servants are moving him during the daylight hours. We believe his maker summoned him. No doubt he’ll eventually return, but the danger to you from that region is not as immediate.”
“What about your brother?”
His gaze blanks. “The hunt begins as soon as the sun sets. I will find him and kill him.”
“What are you saying with all of this?”
“That strictly speaking, you no longer need me.” He pauses. “And should you choose to leave, I would do my utmost to respect that choice.”
I don’t know why I’m smiling. “You would do your utmost?”
“Yes,” he says. “Benedict explained that modern women must have choices. That their rights must be equal.”
“Benedict explained all of that?”
He nods. “It would be difficult for me. But I’ve given it some thought. I believe if I stayed close to you and was able to watch over you, that would fulfill this need in me. For a time, at least.”
“Did you actually just admit to planning to stalk me?”
He lifts one shoulder in an elegant shrug. “The way I am with you is strange and new to me. I cannot explain it, but denying it is pointless.”
“So, what you’re basically saying is that I can leave you, but you’re coming, too.”
He thinks it over and nods. “That about sums it up.”
“Lucas—”
“You should get some sleep. Even Henry has been resting today, and he has centuries on you. Healing takes energy.”
He has a point. But my mind is busy as fuck. “I keep thinking about the instruments of torture they had lined up waiting for me in that place. The knives and hammer and saw are all pretty obvious. But what were they going to do with the salt and the needle and thread?”
“Salt in a wound hurts and it delays healing.”
“Oh.”
“As for the needle and thread…I am not sure.”
“I watched a show once where they sewed a person’s lips shut as some sort of strange punishment.” And just the thought of such a thing sends a shiver down my spine. “So gross.”
“Most anything is believable of my brother. Though, I’ve never heard of Marc doing such a thing.”
“I want you to use me as bait to lure him out,” I say before my courage can desert me.
“What?” snaps Lucas. “No. Absolutely not.”
“We need this to end. I refuse to spend every night looking over my shoulder. Just waiting for him to mess with me some more.”
“Skye, he will be found and dealt with. I promise you.”
“I don’t want anyone else being sent back as ashes in a box, either.”
His lips flatline.
“Using me makes sense. You know it does. We can turn his weird fixation with me into a positive. Lure him into a trap and finish him once and for all.”
“You’re not going to let this go, are you?”
“No,” I say. “I’m not. You said this was a family, and I am supposed to be part of it. So let me help solve this problem.”
His sigh is mighty. “I will consider your offer. But first you will allow Nico and me to track him and attempt to deal with him our way.”
I just nod. It’s the best response I’m going to get for now. “The needle and thread were fine.”
“What?”
“The needle and thread with the torture stuff. They weren’t thick. Wouldn’t you need something substantial to push through skin?”
Lucas just looks at me, saying nothing for a long moment, and then, “Skye, what color was the thread?”
“Black.”
“Like your dress.”
“Yes.”
And he’s gone. It takes me a moment longer to follow him into the bathroom, where my abandoned dress is laying on the ground. Lucas inspects the seams of the garment, and then the hem.
“What are you looking for?” I ask.
“Not sure. But I’ll know it when I find it.”
“They left one human to guard me,” I say, thinking aloud. “I know I’m only a newborn. But it still seemed weird. Then there’s how fast you found me, and the fact that Marc wasn’t even in the vicinity.”
“Nico tracked the vehicle they used. Security cameras at The Boulevard and CCTV made the process quite quick and easy.”
“That’s my point.”
Lucas pauses and carefully proceeds to unpick a segment of thread. Some stitching that’s not as neat and perfect as the rest around the bottom of the skirt. From within the section, a silver medallion falls onto the ground. There’s some sort of symbol carved into it. With words curling around and around on the other side. I’ve always had a good imagination, but there’s no way I am imagining the bad vibes emanating from the thing. Now that it’s out in the open, it’s like ill will flows freely from the medal.