I nodded. “Okay. I believe you,” I said, smiling. “And I don’t think you’re old at all.”

Gilles’ eyes twinkled.

I suddenly remembered what he could turn into. Any doubts were immediately stricken from my mind.

“Bon,” he said, with a slight nod. “I’m glad you see it my way.”

I narrowed my gaze and gave him a mock frown. He chuckled.

“And now that Nyx knows of us,” Gilles continued, “we’ll take care of her and help with your business.”

I again nodded. “Thank you.”

Before we left, I hugged Preacher, then pulled a still-worried Estelle into a hug. “I’ll be fine, Grandma,” I said, crooning into her shoulder. “I have the best guardians in the world right beside me, dat’s right.”

Estelle’s face, darker than usual in the dimmed parlor, gleamed perfect ebony. Her eyes widened, her teeth shined in a large, comforting smile. “I know dat, baby.” She grasped my face between her aged hands. She gave a firm shake, squishing my cheeks. All at once I thought of how I would now outlive her by God only knew how many years. “You listen to dem Dupré boys and dat Josie, and dat odder one dere, Noah. Dey will keep you and your brodder safe. Come back to me, girl. I mean dat ting. You my baby.”

I smiled, my cheeks squishing even more. “I will. Promise.”

Estelle hugged Seth. “You, too, boy. Keep a good eye on your sister. She got dat hard head, yeah.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Seth said, and kissed her cheek. “I love you, Grandmodder.”

“I love you, boy.” She swatted his backside. “Now git on dere. You got work to do.”

After good-byes, we all left.

The ride back to my place felt shorter than usual. “Eli—”

“No need to say a word, Riley,” he said, then slipped his hand over my thigh. “Noah pulled you out. I couldn’t.” He smiled, his eyes dark orbs in the shadows. “Besides, I got mine in. We’re cool.”

He was referring to that pop he gave Noah on the jaw. “Okay,” I answered, and downshifted as we came to a light. I stopped the Jeep. “But—”

Eli leaned over and covered my mouth with his. I instantly melted into his kiss, and only the honk of the car’s horn behind us pulled me back to the present. He smiled seductively. “Drive.”

If the air hadn’t cooled my skin, I would’ve had to fan myself.

Once back at Inksomnia, I glanced around my living room and marveled at how many vampires could fill a small historic building-turned-apartment. I was introduced to Noah’s people—Saul, Tate, Cafrey, and Jenna—and they left for Charleston. I figured I’d get to know them all better once there. Also crammed into my apartment were Zetty, Jack, and Tuba, along with all the Duprés; .a lot of big guys taking up a lot of space.

On the way out, Noah stopped at the door, turned, and looked at me. “For the record,” he said, his smile crooked, arrogant, his strange silver eyes twinkling. “You’re a helluva kisser. Ever get tired of Dupré? …”

I shook my head. “Whatever. Get out. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

As I closed and locked the door, his laugh sounded in the merchant’s drive.

Upstairs, I made plans with Eli, his siblings, Seth, and Zetty, and Jack and Tuba. We’d leave for Charleston at daybreak. We were staying in a house on the battery belonging to a friend of Eli’s, although, according to Phin, we probably wouldn’t see much of it.

Apparently, we’d be spending a lot of time running the streets.

I hoped we’d be gone only a few days. I wanted to stop the monster and break up the newling band, and I wanted to do it yesterday.

“I gotta get a little sleep,” I said, and said good night. Eli moved with me.

The others whistled. I ignored them.

I threw some stuff into two backpacks. One was for clothes and a few necessities; the other was for my sheaths and blades. Eli leaned against the wall, watching in silence. When I finished, he pulled me against him. “Slow down, chérie,” he said. “You’re shaking.”

“I just want this to be over,” I answered, and leaned against him. “I have to make a call.”

I made a quick call to Nyx; she was, as I knew she’d be, totally cool with taking on the business until we wrapped things up in Charleston. She’d take Chaz home with her after work and keep him at her place. I assured her I’d be careful.

Zetty, Jack, and Tuba went next door to stay with Preacher and Estelle. Seth and Josie took Chaz out for a walk, and I showered. Exhaustion overcame me, and I hoped like hell I wouldn’t have any more dreams or murderous visions. I was simply too tired. I showered, changed, and when I finished, Eli was waiting for me. I crossed the room, my towel loosely wrapped around my body, and when Eli pulled me to him, I went willingly. I forgot my exhaustion when Eli’s touch seared me, awakening my desires. He tugged at the towel, and it dropped. His hands found my waist, moved up along my ribs, cupped my breasts, and kissed with silent passion. Shadows played across his face in the darkness of my room, and slowly, I undressed him. Taut muscles covered by silky flawless skin played beneath my palms, and when I traced the lines of his abdomen, he scooped me up and laid me against the pillows stacked on my bed. Without a word, without a sound, he made love to me, his eyes never leaving mine. When he entered me, I gasped, and he covered the sound with his mouth in an erotic kiss that sent me soaring. We moved together, exquisite friction, until the orgasm built with such ferocity, I lost my breath. Slowly, we both came down; his lips dragged across mine in a possessive, delicious brand. We settled in, slumber once again pulling at me, and with Eli wrapped around me, I drifted into a peaceful state. His fingers stroked the skin of my stomach, traced the dragons on my arms, the wings at my cheek. He murmured words in French; I had no idea what they were. I didn’t care.

“I’ll keep you safe, love,” he said against my throat. “Sleep.”

The urge to tell Eli how I felt about him overwhelmed me. But sleep came too fast. Soon, I thought. I’d tell him soon.

Once asleep, I did dream, but thankfully, it was just of something out of the blue and bizarre, with no meaning. At least, I thought it had no meaning. It was a dark and stormy night—literally—and for some reason I was lying on the ground, in tall, wet grass—a forest maybe? It was winter, the trees bare and stark, the forest bleak, the air cold, the moon huge and round, like a harvest moon. Thunder boomed, lightning flashed, and rain splattered down. Staring up at the spindly, leafless branches that weaved and stretched above me, I saw in the moonlight a single bird, crawling across the branch.

Crawling? Birds didn’t crawl. How retarded. What did that even mean? I guess anything was better than watching a vampire rip into a victim’s heart.

After that, I slept. And while I slept I must have done some serious soul-searching, a little dwelling on certain things that pissed me off, and nursed a lot of hatred toward whoever—whatever—was behind the Charleston kills. I slept all the way until my alarm went off at five a.m. When it did go off, I awoke refreshed, edgy, determined.

And ready to kick some dirty nasty vampire ass.

Part Seven

BLOODLUST

“All the ways you wish you could be, that’s me. I look the way you wanna look, I fuck the way you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways you are not.”

—Tyler Durden, Fight Club

“The word monster means something a little different for everyone, I guess, but let me tell ya—to me, it defines every vile, fanatic, horrific dark evil you could possibly ever conjure up. It’s the thing that wracks your body with unstoppable quivers, terrors so mind-numbing you pee your pants just thinking about it. That’s him—the monster whose feeds I’ve been witnessing. I haven’t peed my pants yet, but I damn sure almost did. Never has something petrified me so badly. I’m now not only hesitant to fall asleep, but to not fall asleep, because that bastard shows up at any given time, day or night. It’s dragged bad memories of my past out of the dusty recesses of my once-juvenile mind and pushed them to the surface. I’m seeing my mother’s death all over again; feeling her lifeless body limp in my arms, her wide dull stare fixed but not seeing. I’m scared I’m losing my friggin’ mind, and to top it off, I’m faced with fighting a fuck-load of newlings in some sadistic fight club. Bullshit, man. Simply put, bullshit.”

—Riley Poe

The TV was on in the living room; I knew the Duprés were just chillin’ while the mortals rested. I rose, worked out on the bag for thirty minutes, showered, and dressed. As I stood in my bra and panties, I adjusted my blade straps; one on each upper thigh, inner and outer; one on each calf, inner and outer; one at my lower back, one on each hip. I stared at myself in the full-length mirror, satisfied that the lightweight sheaths Preacher had had made for me out of moleskin were adjusted just right, the weight of the blades perfect, easily retractable. Turning halfway, I stared at the reflection of my back; the dragon tattooed up my spine, down my arms, the black angel wing at the corner of my eye, and me, standing in black bra and a black thong with eleven pure silver knives strapped to various body parts. I had fifty more in my bag.

I confess, I looked badass—Marvel badass.

I prayed I could be Marvel badass when faced with a dozen vampires.

“You can,” Eli said, studying me from the doorway through my mirrored reflection. “And you’re definitely Marvel badass.”

I grinned. “Thanks.” Seeing him there shot a thrill through my insides.

Eli smiled wider. Sexy as hell, that one.

I pulled on a pair of loose knees-blown-out boyfriend jeans that sat low on my hips, a black tank, and a lightweight black Adidas jacket. No need for a trip to Mullet’s this go-round. I was dressed for comfort, movement, jumping, stabbing, throwing. Pulling my hair into a ponytail, my feet into my worn black Vans, I grabbed my bags and we left the room.