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“Actually, I was wishing my mother was around.”

“You know, I find it hard to imagine you with a mother. Is she a witch as well?”

Regan grinned. “No, she’s not a witch.” He raised an eyebrow and she thought—why not? “She’s a goddess.”

His eyes widened. “A goddess?”

“Hmm. The Morrigan—goddess of war and pestilence, among other things.”

He looked at her closely. “Well, that figures. Right, so your mother is a goddess. And your father?”

Regan shrugged. “I don’t know. My mother isn’t the type to kiss and tell, but I do know she has atrocious taste in men.”

“So, where is she?”

She shrugged again. “Who knows? The last time she was seen was just before Gina was turned. Darius asked our mother’s help, and she came.”

Regan was surprised at the bitterness in her voice. That her mother should listen to the prayers of a blood-sucking vampire, but refuse to hear her own daughter, was hard to accept. She suspected her mother had always felt an element of guilt for her part in the whole Sardi affair, and the Morrigan did not do well with guilt. It was far easier to ignore her than to face it.

“Could she help us here?”

“She probably could, but whether she would is another matter.”

He looked at her then shrugged. “Okay. I’m going to bury Kelly and Jason. You rack your brain for anything that could help. Anything.” He reached down and picked up Jason’s body. “I know you have something else on your mind. So get ready to spill it.”

He walked from the room, carrying his burden as though it was weightless. When the front door slammed, she rose to her feet. She opened her mouth to speak the spell that would clean up the pool of blood congealing on the carpet, and then clamped her lips closed. The blood would serve to remind her of why she wanted Ethan Stone dead. Not that she needed much reminding. She rubbed her shoulder where he had bitten her to the bone.

Sinking into one of the armchairs, she stared at the stain, trying to decide what she should tell Caleb. She still didn’t really believe all this could be anything to do with Sardi. Nevertheless, she was going to have to bring it out. Maybe there was no direct connection; on the other hand…

The shrill ring of the phone broke her concentration. She reached across and picked it up.

“Caleb?”

She recognized Ethan’s voice straight away. “I’m afraid not. He’s out burying bodies.”

He was silent for a minute. “It’s the witch, isn’t it?”

“Right first time. So, would you like to leave a message for Caleb, or can it wait until we come and see you? We won’t be long.”

“Aren’t you curious as to who I’m working with?”

“Oh, I’m very curious, but I’m sure I can summon up a little truth spell when we meet. Or maybe we’ll do it the old-fashioned way.”

“You think you could get me to talk.”

“I’m sure of it. And I’m sure Caleb will help—you’ve really pissed him off this time.”

He was silent for a minute, then he spoke again. “You know, I get the impression that Caleb cares about you.”

“So?”

“And do you care about him?”

“That’s none of your goddamn business. I think you gave up the right to fatherly interest a long time ago.”

He sighed. “I’m just warning you, if you have any feeling for my son, you’ll leave him out of this.”

“If you’d had any feelings at all, you wouldn’t have tortured a five-year-old boy.”