Destined for an Early Grave (Page 66)

I cursed myself for forgetting to tell him about a very important detail concerning my eating, even though that had been the last thing on my mind. After our aerial exit from the free-for-all that had once been a party, Vlad kidnapped the first person he came across, green-eyed him, and had us driven to the train station. There, we boarded the next available train. Once on it, I’d insisted on calling Bones, who hadn’t answered. Neither had Spade or Mencheres.

Vlad dismissed my concerns, saying they were probably too busy to bother answering their phones. My further attempts to reach them were cut short when the sun rose an hour later, and I passed out in my chair. That was the last thing I remembered.

"Have you heard from Bones?"

"I spoke with him a few hours ago. He should be here soon."

I digested this, noting that my heartbeat, which had precipitated the melee, was silent now. How ironic that we’d had the coming-out party to try and soothe any ghoul concerns. Now the repercussions from last night might give Apollyon more fuel for his paranoid fire. I could only hope that Mencheres and Bones had managed to calm things down, and that my being a weird vampire was less threatening to ghouls than being a half-breed.

Vlad drew the torn edges of his collar together and I brought my attention back to explaining my earlier actions.

"Something strange happened after I was changed. I went straight for any vampire near me instead of drinking human blood. For some reason, vampire blood is what I, ah, crave – and now you already know that sometimes my heart still beats."

Vlad looked as stunned as I’d ever seen him. "Extraordinary," he murmured.

Even as he said it, I couldn’t help but lick my lips. Vlad’s blood had a different flavor, sure, but it was still delicious.

Vlad watched me doing it, and I stopped. Even though I hadn’t been aware when I did it, I felt guilty for munching on my friend.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

His lip curled. "Never let it be said that you’re predictable, Cat."

I wished I were. First, I’d been a freak as a half-breed, now I was an even bigger one as a vampire.

And now my mother was a vampire, too. My mother, who’d hated vampires ever since she first found out about them. My mother, who’d begged me to kill her last night.

"You might want to rethink your friendship with me, Vlad, because I’m getting my mother back even if I have to break every vampire law to do it."

Vlad’s coppery green gaze was steady. "I wouldn’t expect any less from you."

I didn’t reply to that, just glanced out the window. The sun was halfway up in the sky. It must be around noon. I’d been unconscious for hours. All vampire laws aside, how I’d make good on my promise to rescue my mother, considering that dawn stole all the strength from me, was the real question. Not to mention I didn’t know where the hell Gregor had my mother hidden away. She could be anywhere by now.

"Cat." I looked up to find Vlad still staring at me. "I can’t help you with this, you know that."

A small, sad smile twisted my lips. "Yeah, I know." I understood, but oh, I would have liked Vlad as backup.

"Gregor’s greatest weakness is his pride," Vlad stated. "Use it against him. He’ll fall for it every time."

I felt Bones minutes before I heard the car. Since he’d changed me, I was attuned to him in a way that defied logic. Even now, I could sense his impatience, like sandpaper grating across my subconscious.

I was already out of the car by the time the black Mercedes pulled up next to Vlad. Bones got out, yanking me to him before I could speak. He gave me a hard kiss that would have stolen my breath if I still had any. Then he set me back, tracing my mouth while his eyes turned green.

I knew he could taste Vlad’s blood on me. Part of me wanted to apologize while the other argued that out of all people, Bones would understand.

"Bones," I began.

"Don’t fret about it," he said, brushing my mouth again. "Let’s go. Tepesh." Bones gave Vlad a short nod. "Until the next time."

Vlad leaned against his car with his usual jaded half smile.

"Somehow I think that might be sooner rather than later."

Chapter Thirty-One

I WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT ONLY THREE people had been killed last night. Since it was a formal gathering under an all-truce, most of the guests had been unarmed. The three who’d been killed were humans, who couldn’t survive a weaponless undead free-for-all the way vampires and ghouls could. As far as the ramifications of breaking an all-truce, no one knew – or would say – who’d started the violence. Mencheres and Bones managed to get people calm enough to leave without wars being declared. Gregor left with my mother and Cannelle in tow. As for how Apollyon and his ghouls would deal with my unprecedented vampiric heartbeat…time would tell.

I was less worried about that as I was about hatching a plan to rescue my mother. I brooded over ideas the entire drive and train ride to Bucharest. Don and my old team couldn’t help. My uncle had international connections, true, but not of the undead variety. He’d be as out of depth in this scenario as I was. I also stalled calling him because I didn’t want to start the whole, "So, I’m a vampire now," conversation. Overcoming my uncle’s long-held prejudices was the last thing on my To Do list at the moment.

We arrived at our destination, a mansion that looked straight out of a horror novel, after 3:00 A.M. With dawn in just a few hours, I’d be comatose again soon. Losing morning time was something I’d thought I’d prepped myself for before changing into a vampire, but I hadn’t figured on how dire the circumstances would be when it happened. Now every minute I was passed out seemed like a taunt. What was Gregor doing to my mother? God, what was Cannelle doing to her? I’d thought the worst thing Gregor could do was kill my mom. I should have known he wouldn’t be that merciful.

Rodney came out to meet us. The ghoul had the same smoldering-furious look in his eyes that I probably did. On impulse, I hugged him, feeling a lump in my throat when he squeezed me back, hard. Bones would walk through fire to get my mom back, if that’s what it took, but he’d do it out of love for me. Not out of any affection for her. My mother didn’t have many fans, which was her own fault; but right now, it meant more to me than I could articulate to know someone cared for her, flaws and all.

"She’s tough," Rodney said. His beard rasped my cheek as he leaned back. "If we can get her back, she’ll make it. Doesn’t matter what she is now or what he’s done to her."

"She wanted me to kill her," I whispered. "God, Rodney, she always said she’d rather be dead than be a vampire."

"She’ll make it," he repeated. His voice hardened. "You had it hard growing up, but so did she. Justina’s shocked and scared now, but she’s not a quitter. I’d bet my life on it."