Page 140

No wonder Nick looked like that.

I knew how vampires were when they fed. They would have had their hands all over Jem. And Jem wouldn’t exactly have been able to keep himself from reacting to the feeding and the physical contact, at least somewhat.

They’d basically molested, if not outright raped Jem, right in front of him.

They’d more or less forced Nick to watch.

A surge of rage hit me, so intense I closed my eyes.

Motherfuckers.

Brick was sauntering up to me and Black now.

Stepping to my left, the vampire king slung a friendly arm around my shoulders and began steering me up the ramp that led to the kitchen.

“I am quite sorry about this, love,” the vampire purred. “I hope you understand why we felt it had to be done. There reallywasa short window to act before the humans started getting crazy ideas. War isnevera fun way to spend one’s time… and it’s all so wasteful and unnecessary, especially now. We should all be living happy lives now, yes?”

Peering into my face, clearly looking for a reaction, he smiled wider.

He continued to coo in that soothing voice.

“I know it will not comecloseto repairing the damage, but I have arranged for a brand new, fully loaded jet to bring you and Quentin to your honeymoon spot on that island. The same one where you had made reservations before. I have procured an idyllic spot for the two of you… you will not be disappointed, I promise you.”

He glanced over my head at Black.

I could feel my husband stalking behind us like a great cat.

“…all expenses paid, of course,” the vampire king purred. “Think of it as a rather inadequate wedding present from a loyal friend and admirer. You can keep the jet too, of course. And stay as long as you like on Fiji… or the Maldives… or Madagascar… wherever. The jet will take you wherever you wish to go. All of it will be billed to me. I insist.”

I glanced at Black, too.

From his expression, he was in danger of bursting a blood vessel.

He didn’t speak, though, even after we surfaced in the kitchen.

Black continued to remain quiet as they finished unlocking the house.

I stood there, more or less just waiting as Brick’s people descended down into that basement, likely to dismantle the chute and the inflatable cushion where we’d all landed, prior to shutting the whole thing down once more.

A tall, dark-haired vampire winked at me as he motioned the last of his team to descend below the house.

I blinked… and then that vampire had vanished, too.

25

LEAVING

We left the house shortly after.

Brick walked us out to the car he had waiting for us, a white stretch limousine with a human driver. Black looked at the driver, then at Brick, and motioned the rest of us to climb into the back.

I alone stayed outside.

I did it partly because I was waiting for Black.

I wasn’t leaving him outside with Brick alone.

Also, I think I was a little worried Black might do something crazy.