Page 59 of The Mech Who Loved Me
Ivy, by the look of her curls. Grace's hair was a little straighter, and she was quieter than her sister. The twins were a regular feature in the guild, and often came down to see Ava in the laboratory, as she showed them how her instruments and microscope worked. They'd been born blue bloods, as Perry was infected with the craving, and trying to wrangle a pair of super-fast, very agile toddlers had been a lesson in patience for theNighthawks.
Kincaid knelt on the carpet, waggling his fingers in front of his cheeks like whiskers. "You've an awfully squeaky voice," he said, "like a mouse. And such little ears, and alittlenose...."
The thought struck her: he was good with children, trying to make himself smaller so he wasn't quite so intimidating. The smile on his face lit him from within, and the little girl waved her fingers like whiskers too, and then shrieked withlaughter.
Ava's heartmelted.
"There you are, Ivy," Garrett announced, striding down the stairs and catching sight of his daughter. "I've been looking all overforyou!"
Kincaid handed her over, his smile softening. "Someone made herescape?"
"I can handle a half dozen miscreants in the London streets," Garrett drawled, kissing his daughter on the cheek, "but the second my back is turned, one of the twins takes it upon herself to flee. You look away for onesecond...."
"Aye." Kincaid scrubbed at the beginnings of his beard. "I've got many a cousinlikethat."
The two men locked gazes, and though they knew each other, they'd never officially met. Garrett extended a hand. "Garrett Reed. You're Ava's... companion." The hesitation was so minor it might as well not have been there, but Ava scowled at her guild master. He was no fool, and could probably smell herperfume.
Garrett was also devilishly perceptive. If anyone could spot any telltale signs of a flirtation, it wouldbehim.
"Liam Kincaid. And aye, I'm working with Ava, though she's doing most of the work at themoment."
Garrett's gaze locked on her, and he winked, clearly aware of her presence all along. "Speaking of the devil... Ava, what are you doing hiding backthere?"
Very subtle, Garrett.She rolled her eyes at him, and then painted a sweet expression on her face when Kincaid turned to look for her, as though she'd done no such thing. "I've just had another look at Mr.Thomas."
"Any luck?" Kincaid was suddenly allbusiness.
"There's an injection site up under his hair, in that fatty roll of muscle where his scalp meets his neck. We have a murder." And now she knew what had done it. "It's not a disease. I knew it! He waspoisoned."
"Mr. Thomas?" Garrett frowned. "Isn't that one of the Black Veinvictims?"
"Yes," sheenthused.
"Then we have five murder victims," Garrett said grimly, rubbing a hand down his daughter's back as she sleepily rested her head on his shoulder. "Not just one. And they're all bluebloods."
She heard the question in his voice. Garrett was frightfully intelligent, but until Malloryn gave her the go-ahead, she wasn't certain she should be mentioning the caterpillar mushroom to anyone. "We're not entirely certain what the agentisyet."
Kincaid's jaw flexed, but he didn't quite lookather.
If word of something like that got out, then blue bloods would be dropping like flies all over London. Too many people had grievances against the old Echelon, and some of them were blinded enough by hate to see any blue blood as athreat.
"I guess we have some investigating to do," she said brightly. "I'll keep you apprised of anything Mr. Kincaid andIfind."
And Kincaid, thank goodness, kept hismouthshut.
* * *
"Thought Garrett was a friend,"Kincaid said as they strolled down the street toward Malloryn's secrethouse.
He'd kept his suspicions to himself on the tram ride back, but he couldn't help voicing them now. Just why was Ava keeping secrets from theNighthawks?
"He is," she said glumly, her arms wrapped around herself. It wasn't cold, but she often did that when she was lost in thought. Or troubled by those thoughts. "You understand what thismeans?"
"Someone's killing bluebloods?"
"Someone has found a blue blood's mortal weakness," she all but breathed. "Kincaid, this changes everything. Blue bloods have always been impervious to sickness or grave wounds. The craving virus heals everything, short of decapitation or removal of the heart. Or so we always thought. If the wrong hands get hold of thisinformation...."
"There's a lot of people who'd kill to have that power." The thought of it stirred through him like a breath of fresh air. He'd been ground beneath the Echelon's heel once upon a time, forced to slave away in the enclaves with no hope of anything better in his life. Humans couldn't stand against blue bloods, not and hope tosurvive.
