Page 131 of Marked By Moonlight

Mina slumped, looking ashamed. “You mean, running for my life while you fought three vampires? Thank you, by the way. They would have killed me…or worse.”

I fought away horrible images of vampires drinking from Mina.

Henrik shook his head. “Running was your only option. But that shadow-walking… Well done.”

My eyes went wide. A compliment from Henrik was like a twin moon — it never happened. But Mina just shook her head.

“They figured it out, though.”

Henrik shrugged. “Only after a while, and in close quarters. If we’d been out in the open, they might never have caught on.”

Mina brightened a little. “Really?”

Henrik looked genuinely impressed. “I haven’t seen anyone create that convincing an illusion in decades.”

I wasn’t surprised, but Mina just looked back at the tunnel.

“Are they…?”

Henrik’s clothing was splattered with crimson that turned to ash and fell away as he plucked at the fabric.

“Szabo and one other are dead. The third…” He looked at Roux.

The tiger flexed his claws and dipped his head in a nod.

Is that all of them, then? Just three?I asked.

Henrik shot me a hurt look. “Just?”

Not what I meant,I muttered.

Mina rubbed her arms in the night chill. “So, what now?”

Henrik straightened, wincing, but already healing. “No cleanup necessary in the tunnel. But out here…” He gestured at the slain shifters with disdain, implying something like,At least we vampires have the grace to go cleanly.

Yes, conveniently. They left nothing but piles of ash, which wouldn’t be noticed in the tunnel. But shifters…

Bene tilted his head at the river, and Roux nodded. I held up a wing, trying to distract Mina as they disposed of the bodies. Still, she peeked around the edge, grimacing.

“I can’t even bring myself to feel bad for them. God, I really am going over to the dark side,” she lamented.

I snorted. Etienne deserved no pity, and neither did the other two, whom I’d recognized as a couple of thugs from his fight club. The world was truly better off without them.

I led Mina over to the van Roux had parked nearby and quickly shifted into human form. Mina watched, rapt, as I did so. Scrutiny like that from anyone else would have felt invasive, but I loved it.

Roux and Bene joined me, and we all pulled on the workmen’s jumpsuits Roux had packed along with an assortment of equipment.

“Let’s go,” Bene urged, sliding the van door open.

“Where to?” Mina asked.

Roux waved. “I’m not sure, but let’s start by getting out of here.”

***

We were on edge all the way to Anastasia’s, where we dropped off the cash — all three million pounds worth.

“Are you sure you want this much cash sitting around your apartment?” Mina asked, as ever looking out for others. She was a lot better at that than looking out for herself.