Bad Blood

And there was still the matter of the kidnapped comarré, Saraphina, to deal with. The comar, Damian, would want to go after her, wouldn’t he? He had no reason to help Doc over one of his gold-marked sisters. Fi parked, turned off the engine, and rested her head against the steering wheel. The early morning sun beat down on her through the windshield. She wanted to cry, but tears weren’t going to do anything but make her eyes puffy and her nose red.

She left the car, trudged to the door, and knocked, knowing it would be locked. A click of the tumblers and Velimai answered, looking like she’d had as much sleep as Fi had, which was none. “How’s the comar?”

Velimai signed that he was okay. Did you find Doc? she asked.

Fi swallowed to keep from crying. “No. But I’m about ninety-nine percent sure I know where he went. Just not how to get there. Or what to do when I find him. Or how to get him out of the mess he’s in.” She sighed as she came in, shutting the door behind her. “This whole thing is a nightmare.”

She followed Velimai into the kitchen. The wysper went back to scrambling eggs and frying bacon and potatoes. The smell was like heaven and a little bit of solace for the night Fi had spent, but as much as she loved food, she would have traded it all in a heartbeat to have Doc back. She sniffed away a new surge of emotion as Velimai pointed to the coffeepot.

“Thanks.” Fi was going to need all the awake she could get. She took a mug down and filled it, then grabbed a seat at the table and sipped her coffee, mentally urging it to work faster than usual. “Any chance you know where Aliza the witch lives?”

The wysper shook her head.

“That’s what I thought.”

Fi was halfway through her coffee when Damian came in. “Morning.” Above his loose white drawstring pants, gauze wrapped his middle, leaving his broad upper body bare except for another bandage on his shoulder and the swirling, jagged signum that covered his skin. She tried not to gape. Dark circles shadowed his blue eyes, but that was nothing compared to the sharp edge of anger sparking through them. Clearly he was ticked off. And had every right to be.

“How are you feeling?” Fi asked, dragging her gaze back to her coffee. “You passed out right before I left last night.”

“Fine.” The word came out almost a snarl. He took a chair as Velimai placed a massive platter of food in the middle of the already-set table.

“You don’t look fine.” Fi took a long swallow of coffee, wondering if she’d pushed the comar too far. Chrysabelle had a temper. Maybe they all did.

He stared at her. “I’m well enough to do what needs to be done.” He picked up the serving spoon. “Are you going to eat? Because I am and quickly, but politeness dictates I serve you first.”

Fi held up a hand. “You go ahead.”

He shoveled food onto his plate and started eating as if someone might snatch it away from him. Fi kept her fingers on her side of the table. “I take it you plan to go after Saraphina as soon as you finish?”

He stopped eating abruptly, the muscles in his jaw ticking. “Not a chance. She’s the one who put the gash in my shoulder.” He shook his head, a little of the fire dimming in his eyes. “I never should have made her leave in the first place. She’s a lifer.”

“A lifer?”

Another forkful of eggs vanished into his mouth. He swallowed before speaking. “She likes the life. Loves it, actually.” He shoved a hand through his near-platinum locks. “I thought if I got her away from it, showed her what freedom was, she’d change her mind. She didn’t. I take the blame for not figuring that out sooner.” He scooped up another helping of potatoes. “I’m sure she’s the reason Dominic wanted us out of his hair. She wouldn’t leave him alone, begging him to be her patron.” He scowled. “She doesn’t get that we’re about more than that.”

New hope filled Fi. “So maybe you’d help me find Doc?”

Damian frowned. “He never turned up last night?”

“No. I went after him, well, where I thought he was going and I was right. He was under the spell of a witch—the one who’d put him under a curse before. Anyway, I lost him again because of the spell. I looked everywhere I thought he might be but couldn’t find him. My best guess is he’s gone to her house, but I don’t know where that is and everyone who does is off to New Orleans.”

“Most varcolai have packs, don’t they?”

“Doc’s feline. They call it a pride. And yes, they do, but in Doc’s case, no.” She didn’t have it in her to explain that history now.

“What about Dominic, then? He seems pretty connected.”

“He is, but…” Fi bit the inside of her cheek. Doc sure had his enemies, didn’t he? “I don’t think he’d help Doc. They have a long past. A bad one. Like Dominic almost killed Doc a few weeks ago.”

Damian tapped his fingers on the table. “He’d probably give up the witch’s location in exchange for the right information.”

Fi held up her hands. “Like what? I have nothing to tell him.”

“But I do. The vampire who took Saraphina is named Laurent. He’s next in line to take over the position of Elder, should Tatiana become Dominus, which is what she wants more than anything. There’s a good chance Laurent’s working for Tatiana.” He paused for a moment. “Tatiana could even be the second presence on the property last night. Dominic would want to know that, wouldn’t he?”