32. A Small Hug?

Ishook my head and waved my hand, trying to erase the accusation in Clive's voice. We weren't blaming Abigail's victims for what she forced them to do. "I got lots of help. See?" I lifted my head so he could see my unmarked neck. "I'm fine."

"Now," Clive added. "It was not without a great deal of pain on Sam's part."

I smacked Clive's hand. "Stop it. None of this is Dave's fault. None of it. You want to be pissed at someone, be pissed at Abigail."

"Oh, I am."

"Good. Dave fought her. Right to the end, I could see it. She was pushing him to kill me, and he was doing everything he could to hold back the flames." I stared him in the eye. "I know how hard you fought to protect me. And I'm not blameless here. Those scars across your face are because of me. I was so afraid I'd killed you or sent you to someplace you'd never find your way back from." I placed a hand on my churning, guilt-laden stomach. "I'm sorry."

He stood, shook his head, and began to prowl the room.

Russell studied Dave a moment and then turned to Clive. "How sure are we that Abigail is no longer in him, watching us?"

"Very," Dave said, stopping to lean against the conference table. "Sam sent me to Hell. Good on you for that one. And when someone is trying to kill you, you fight back any way you can. Do you think I give a shit about this?" He motioned to his face. "You've done me a favor. Fewer randos stopping me on the street asking questions."

Clive gave me an appraising gaze before turning to Dave. "Sam sent you to Hell?"

"Yeah. No big deal. They know me there." He winked at me, which was completely out of character for Dave. The big lug was trying to assuage my guilt. Then again…

I got up and crossed to him. When I was standing directly in front of him, I pulled at his arms, which had been crossed over his chest, and put his hands on my neck.

"Whatcha doin'?" Eyebrows raised, he waited.

"You winked."

"I did."

I stared him down. "Super unlike you."

"Ah. Maybe I'm not choking you because she's smart enough to know that if I tightened my grip a centimeter, three vampires would try to kill me."

"She wouldn't care what happened to you as long as she hurt me."

"Good point." He patted my shoulders, turned me around, and then shoved me back toward Clive. Rude.

"You need to practice that spell. It was a good one. Anyway, since I was there and I still had her in my head, I was able to trace the demon she's been working with."

My hand flew to my mouth. "You found him?"

"I did," he said. "She only stayed with me for a second or two after I made my descent, but it was enough." He shrugged his broad shoulders. "Lower-level demon. I unmade him. It'll take an eon to reform."

"That's wonderful, but couldn't she find another?" Russell asked.

Something occurred to me as I noticed the now vacated seat beside Russell. It was uncomfortable for a predator to have another predator at his back. I guessed that was why Dave was now standing on the other side of the room.

"She could, but she doesn't know she's lost her symbiont. I called in a favor. Junior-level demon. He'll keep tabs and fulfill the role in all ways except one. He won't allow her to act against you. When the time comes, he'll cut her off so she'll be flying solo with no warning." The grin that spread across Dave's face sent a chill down my spine.

I raised my hand.

Lifting one eyebrow, he waited for me to speak.

"I know you said no hugs, but I really want to hug you right now. Are you in more of an I'll-put-up-with-it-but-I-won't-like-it place or is it a hard I-will-yank-out-your-arms-and-beat-you-with-them head space?"

"Why don't you hug me instead? I believe Dave has been through enough." Clive opened his arms and I dove in, hugging the life, sort of, out of him.

"You know what this means?" I asked, getting myself under control. "The tide is turning. I may actually have a shot at this. She's lost her demon and we just added a banshee!"

"Don't forget. You're now a friend of the dragons," Clive added, his eyes glowing as he took me in.

"What is it?" I whispered. He seemed even happier than I was.

He squeezed my knee. "The more people on your side, the longer I get to keep you."

"That's it," Dave grumbled. "When vampires start getting mushy, it's my cue to go." He put up both hands, warding me off, when I started to get up. "Don't even think about it," he warned and then walked out.

"I'm hugging you in my mind!" I shouted as the door slammed shut.

"So," Godfrey said after a moment, "now that we have a handle on the Abigail situation, what are we doing about Leticia?"

"I could call Stheno and ask her and her sisters to watch the house. Keep an eye on her for us while we plan?" I patted my pocket and then remembered. "But before that, I need to replace my phone."

Clive pointed to his desk and grinned. "Russell already got you one. The box is in my top drawer."

"I picked up a few extras while I was at it," Russell assured me in all seriousness.

"Oh, sure. Everybody yuck it up."

"And," Clive interrupted, "I spoke with Stheno last night. She said they would watch their neighbor." He paused, brow furrowed and then stood abruptly, Russell and Godfrey in his wake as he rushed for the door. "Apparently, they're visiting us now," Clive called back.

I caught up to the boys at the front door. Stheno and her sisters were standing on the other side of the closed gates while the vamps on guard duty looked anywhere but at them.

"Listen, you little shits, if you don't welcome us with overflowing cups and dancing boys, we will tear these gates off their hinges and create a fanged sculpture garden." Stheno was pissed and her sisters weren't far behind.

"Stheno," Clive called as he crossed the courtyard, "Euryale, Medusa, we are honored to have you visit."

The vamps were already opening the gates, so Clive didn't need to pause before leaning over Stheno's hand to kiss it. He did the same for her sisters, the very image of a handsome prince bestowing courtly attentions.

"Please, come with us." Clive offered his arm to Stheno, who took it with a wink at me. Russell and Godfrey offered theirs to her sisters, escorting them in.

As the library was right out, Clive chose a salon decorated in blues. I'd seen the room but hadn't spent any time in it. It was really quite lovely, all soft watercolors. The ladies were left to choose their seats while the vamps went to the sideboard to pour glasses of wine.

The women sat in the chairs, leaving the sofa for the vamps, which was such a funny power move. Grinning, I sat in the middle of the sofa and extended my arms along the top of the cushions. When the men turned around, there was the briefest of hesitations before they passed out the wine.

Clive sat beside me while Russell and Godfrey remained standing by the wet bar like wine stewards. Unerringly, Clive reached over his shoulder, grabbed my arm and pulled it forward so it was draped around him.

Stheno lifted her chin at me. "What's with the hair?"

"Oh." I touched the streak self-consciously. "It's nothing." At Stheno's continued scrutiny, I added, "I don't lose my sight anymore."

She nodded. "Good trade-off."

"Come."

A vamp walked in with a tray of fancy hors d'oeuvres he offered our guests—not me— and then left the tray on the coffee table.

"Thank you for the visit," Clive began. "I don't believe I've seen you all together like this since the late eighteen hundreds. Chicago, wasn't it?"

Euryale and Stheno stared at their sister while Medusa threw her head back, laughing. "Damn, that was fun. We should go back there next time. Everybody who'd remember us is dead."

"No." Euryale's tone put a stop to Medusa's musings. "When you burn down a city, you do the people the favor of not returning."

"Listen to Miss Manners over here." Medusa rolled her eyes and grabbed another snack off the tray. "And we've met in Athens loads of time." She glanced at us. "The ruins speak for themselves."

Leaning forward, I grabbed what looked like smoked salmon, cucumber, and some white stuff. Mmm, delicious.

"What do you think, Sam?" Stheno asked as I reached for another one.

"Really good," I said, popping it into my mouth. When I looked up, I realized she was glaring at Clive.

"I can't help but notice your surprise at the appearance of food or that the bloodsucker didn't offer you any." Her expression was thunderous. "We had this conversation in New Orleans. You said you'd do better."

"No, no, I'm fine. See? Jeans fit perfectly. And his assistant offered to get me whatever I want. It's going to be a fully stocked kitchen soon."

"Soon," Stheno echoed, not taking her eyes off Clive.

"So," I said, desperately trying to change the subject. "Have you guys seen Leticia in the neighborhood?"

Medusa held up her glass for more wine and Godfrey filled all three glasses.

"The vampire?" Euryale had been watching the exchange between her sister and Clive closely. "We haven't seen her. The house appears closed up and empty. Medusa's sure she heard a racing heartbeat last night, though."

"It was two or three in the morning." Medusa picked up the story. "I was having a drink on the deck, avoiding these two and listening to the ocean. I thought I saw movement in the water. The moon was bright, but there are trees between the properties. It sounded like something slapped on the dock.

"The ocean was roaring," she continued, "but I'm sure I heard footsteps. I was interested, so I was focusing on the house. I'm sure I heard a door close. A heart raced and then stopped. It could have been anything, a rabbit caught by a hawk. I don't know, but it felt like it was coming from inside the house."

We were silent a moment, considering.

"Do you think she has a minion, bringing her meals?" But why would someone just offer themselves up like that? If it came from the ocean, was she feeding on the fae now?

"You tell us. But eat more first." She slid the tray toward me.

"Oh." I glanced at her sisters. Were we telling everyone I could read vamps? Gorgons probably didn't give a shit, but it still left me feeling exposed.

"Now who's endangering her?" Clive said, all welcome and humor lost from his voice.

Stheno blew out a short breath and swore. "People need to tell me when things are secrets." She turned to her sisters. "What I told you about that one," she said, aiming a thumb at me, "forget it. The whole New Orleans story. Forget it."

The sisters looked me up and down before Euryale finally nodded and drank her wine. Medusa took longer, finally shrugging like an angsty teen, finishing her wine and holding up the empty glass to Godfrey.

I couldn't help but notice a shrug wasn't an agreement, but it was probably the best we were going to get. Toeing off my running shoes, I curled my legs up under me, leaned into Clive, and closed my eyes.

Throwing a mental net over San Francisco, I searched for Leticia. The immortals across from me registered as black with an almost ultraviolet halo, not that I'd ever tell them. That was the kind of info that would get me killed right quick.

I sorted through the vamps in the nocturne, the ones out in the city, and looked where I'd last seen her. She wasn't there anymore. How was she making her signature so dim? The only people who knew I could read vampires were the ones in this room, as well as Dave, Owen, George, and Meg.

Stheno's sisters had only known for a day or two. None of the others would betray me. How would she know she needed to hide from me?