Page 45 of Brushed By Moonlight

I wondered how many miles he’d flown — and how many acres of forest he’d torched in the process. I peeked outside and sniffed for smoke, picturing an apocalyptic landscape where my gardens had once stood. Overgrown gardens, but still.

Then I sighed. The château was probably worth more in fire insurance than it was in the flesh…if I’d made the last payment in time.

I made a mental note to checktout de suite.

“He took off in the direction of town,” Marius growled.

“Who?” Bene, Roux, Henrik, and I all asked at the same time.

Marius shook his head bitterly. “I’m not sure. Maybe Szabo?” He shot Henrik a significant look.

Did the vampire and Szabo, whoever he was, have an ongoing feud? Had it caused trouble for this gang before?

Szabo, who?I wanted to scream.

“In any case, he went toward town,” Marius concluded.

“And you didn’t follow?” Roux barked.

“What, like this?” Marius held out his arms and bared his teeth, as if anyone needed a reminder of his second side. Then he hmpfed. “Sure. Great idea. I could have followed him right through town. Maybe even torched him as he ran down the street. You know, in plain view of everyone.”

Bene cackled. “Not in this town, man. Everyone’s in bed by nine.”

True, but Marius’s point still held, and I said as much.

“He did the right thing. We can’t risk anyone in town reporting unusual sights.”

Marius crossed his arms and shot Bene a smug look.

Bene snorted. “Like long plumes of fire in the sky?”

Marius loomed over him, sticking out his chest. The hair on Bene’s chin thickened, and—

I stuck out my hands, sensing a shoving match brewing — or worse. “Oh no, you don’t.”

I did have the good sense not to step between them, though. That was one lesson I would never forget.

I jerked a thumb over my shoulder. “You want to fight, take it outside.”

Roux sliced the air, using his hands as twin knives. “No fighting at all. We’re not enemies.”

Well, they sure acted like it.

“The enemy is out there,” Roux emphasized, pointing outside.

A chill went down my spine. Having an intruder was creepy enough. Having an enemy was even worse.

But I didn’t have enemies. Neither had my grandmother.

“Wait a minute,” I growled. “Whose enemy?”

I looked from Bene to Roux, over to Henrik, and finally, at Marius.

“Whose enemy?” I demanded.

“His.” They all said in unison, each pointing to someone else.

“Oh, for goodness’ sake…” I muttered, throwing back a gulp of my drink.