Page 67 of Cold Curses

He watched me for a moment, and then his cheek dimpled as he smiled that glorious smile. “Elisa Sullivan, did you go to New Orleans to see me?”

“No comment,” I said. I did not want to relive the hours spent being nauseated or actually retching in the hotel bathroom.

“Changing the subject again,” I said to avoid further humiliation. “So, you declined the trip.”

“I did. And I plan to tell him that directly if he asks. And recruit more help.”

“For the demons?”

He nodded. “We have muscle. And if vampires can help, so can we.”

“You’re going to make a damn fine Apex.”

“Not soon enough,” he murmured.

All that to explain why I stood alone in front of Cadogan House. Because Connor had gone to Pack HQ to deal with the likely fallout of his being rational.

Monster, whom I’d necessarily brought with, hummed with anticipation. Aunt Mallory had already gone to work on the wards, or so Mom had messaged, and her absence reduced some of the risk that monster would be discovered while I was in the House. But not all of it. Vampires could feel magic, and the House was literally full of them. They wouldn’t want to hurt me, but they’d want to protect Cadogan House. And what would happen when those things became mutually exclusive?

When Cadogan House and its vampires became my enemies?

This isn’t the night,I told monster.We have to save Lulu first, so you have to stay down.

I could feel it ignoring me—reaching out toward the basement armory.

No,I said loud and clear and firm.

And then Dad stepped onto the portico and came down the steps toward me.

“Hey,” he said. “Are you okay? The guard said you were here, but it’s been a few minutes and you didn’t come in.”

“I’m fine,” I said. “Tired.” Not a lie. “Worried about Lulu.” Not a lie. “Afraid.”

Absolute truth.

“She looks very peaceful,” he said. “You’ll see.”

He gave a careful look around, and then put a hand on my back as we walked up the stone steps together. Then we were in the House’s big grand foyer, where the colors and decor were crisp and cool, and the air smelled of the enormous white gardenias in a vase on a center pedestal table. The vampires at the security desk nodded as I followed Dad to his office in the House’s administrative wing.

“Where is she?” I asked, as we clearly weren’t heading in the direction of the dorm rooms.

“The guest suite on the second floor,” he said. “We have a guard stationed outside.”

“Good,” I said as we stepped into his office, which was sleek and efficient but in a welcoming way.

Mom stood inside, one hand on her hip, and she talked on her screen. “Okay,” she said. “I’ll talk to Scott and Morgan and Malik and coordinate.”

They were Chicago’s other three Master vampires and the leaders of their houses: Grey, Navarre, and Washington, respectively.

“Thanks, Roger,” Mom added, then ended the call.

She looked at me and smiled, but that expression faded to concern, which had me directing every defense I could muster against a breach by monster.

“Hey,” she said. “Are you all right?”

She searched my face. I didn’t know what she saw, or if she saw monster, but her expression didn’t change.

“Nightmares,” I said. “Still a little groggy.”