The Real Werewives of Vampire County

That’s when I knew. “Sunny figured it out, didn’t she?”

Bliss sniffled. “The bitch. She couldn’t just be happy being one of his wives. She had to be his only wife.”

“Did she know you were sleeping with him?” Wild guess, but I wasn’t about to try to enter her mind right now.

“No,” she gulped, “but Sunny was going to tell about his other wives. She was going to bring in her wolf pack. She told me and Francine all about it.” Her eyes were wild. “She was going to take him from me!”

“So you killed her,” Lucien said.

She nodded, gulping. “You don’t understand. I need a man. I have nothing. The damned dog has more than I do!”

Chi-Chi growled.

Damned straight.

“The only money I had came from Nina,” she said.

Right. “You mean from blackmailing Nina.”

Who wasn’t blackmailing Nina?

Bliss shrugged. “She had the money. And she’s a slut.”

Err … pot calling kettle?

“Sunny’s husband, Gaston. He was giving you money, wasn’t he?” asked Lucien.

Bliss stiffened. “He could afford it.”

Maybe. Still, “You didn’t love him. You just needed a sugar daddy.”

“I loved him!” she wailed. “And I hated Sunny.”

“How’d you kill her?” Lucien demanded.

She cowered, trapped.

“You already told us you did it, Bliss,” I reminded her. I could see how getting clocked with an ornate medieval chandelier would kill Sunny. But how had Bliss nailed her with it?

I could see her making her decision. Finally she relented. “I snuck in while she was out mooning over that damned gardener. It didn’t take long to cut the links on the chandelier.” She gave a sullen look. “I only had to knock it enough to spin free of the broken link for it to fall. I hated that god-awful piece of junk. He gave it to her. She didn’t deserve anything from him. She didn’t even see it coming.” Tears welled in her eyes. “Now he’s never coming back.”

I just hoped Tia’s husband could.

CHAPTER 10

The werewolves arrived that morning. The war was off, which was great because my pack seemed more interested in raiding our kitchen than fighting. The vampires would arrive tonight.

Bliss was taken into custody by her own people, which I thought was horse pucky until Finnegan told me what they’d probably do to her. It wasn’t pretty, but at least she’d live. Unlike Sunny.

That left Chi-Chi the Chihuahua at loose ends. I offered to take her in if she was willing to give up life on Mysteria Lane. From her enthusiastic wriggling, I figured she was up for the challenge.

We retreated back to the Duke house to wait for representatives from the Vampire Council. Nina sent her chef over to help out, which was pretty nice of her, all things considered.

He’d loaded the granite countertops with meat pies, steak tartar and roasted venison. I slipped a bite to Chi-Chi and wondered if I should break it to the cook that we did eat other things besides meat. You know what, though? The guy looked happy. He was actually getting to cook for once, so I left him to it.

Tia had skipped her husband’s pill that morning and had reported no results yet. She planned to sit with him all day, to see if she could detect a change.

I’d spent as much time as I could that morning interrogating Francine and Nina, just to make sure there wasn’t anything we’d missed. Nina had been telling the truth all along. Good for her. And it turned out Francine was bald as a bat under that expensive brunette wig.

I insisted she remove it for the remainder of our questioning.

None of the residents of Mysteria Lane would be any wiser. But I’d sure enjoyed it.

I managed a quick “hello” with Lucien when he woke up for the evening. I made sure to show him exactly why I was so glad we’d survived the night before. He returned the favor.

Twice.

I love it when the Vampire Council runs late.

But they eventually arrived. More’s the pity. And went into closed meetings with Finnegan and our pack elders.

The pack used it as an excuse to enjoy an eighteenth course, courtesy of Nina’s chef. I swear if he ever wanted to leave her, he’d have his choice of about thirty slavering Topanga Pack members, ready to bow at his command.

Good food could do that to a wolf.

Vinny plucked a beef skewer off a silver tray and leaned up against the counter next to me. “Tia’s husband woke up.”

I smiled. “Fantastic. When?”

“About ten minutes ago. She skipped his evening meds. I helped her prop him up enough for a drink.”

“Good for her.”

“I’ll say. They’re even louder than you two.”

“Oh, shut up.”

“I ran like a girl.”

I smacked him on the arm, not really meaning it. I wished Lucien would get back soon. No telling how much time we’d have before he had to be on to his next assignment.

The mere thought of it made my stomach hollow.

Suck it up, McPhee.

I’d known this moment would come. I couldn’t have Lucien forever, even if I wanted it.

And boy, did I want it.

The Vampire Council and the wolf elders made it back to the house alive, which was a good sign.

Finnegan slapped me on the back so hard he almost knocked the wind out of me. “The war is off,” he announced to the crowd at large. “Thanks to your hard work,” he added under his breath.

Sure. Nothing like accolades for a job well done.

Oh, who was I kidding? I didn’t need praise. I had a happy ending.

At least until, “Hi, Lucien.” The corners of my mouth turned up as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me on the head.

We ignored the catcalls from my pack mates.

Yeah, yeah.

McPhee was smiling. McPhee was smitten.

McPhee was in love.

Damn it all.

I vowed to keep my pride. I’d let him go when the time came. I just hoped it wouldn’t be tonight.

“Heather,” he said into my hair, “we need to talk.”

Damn.

I felt my smile falter. “Sure. Whatever you say.”

He led me out of the packed kitchen and upstairs to his room.

Hoo-boy. To be dumped in the same spot where we’d made love this evening. I could hardly wait. Then again, maybe this was for the best. I’d know it was over. We’d make a clean break. I could do this.

I let out a hard breath.

This was worse than preparing for a fight.