Page 67 of Graced
Cargill was stunned.“My silence?That’s all?”
“Yes.From you and your men, your nest.Total silence and secrecy about Grace’s blood.I dread to think what her life, our life together, would be like if other vamps learned about her.”
Cargill glanced over at his men, both of whom nodded in agreement.“It’s a deal,” Cargill promised.
“As soon as you get settled into a new location, we’ll find a way to get in touch.”
“Agreed.”Stepping up to Rhyne, Cargill held out his hand to seal his vow.The other two men also shook Rhyne’s hand.“Now…” Cargill waved a dismissive hand at Rhyne.“You go to your Grace.Me and my men will dispose of Welsh’s remains.”
No more needed to be said.Cargill and the others would remove every trace of Welsh until nothing remained.Just as it had always been done by their kind for centuries.
No words passed between them as Rhyne and Nash made their way back to the highway.Rhyne had no way of knowing how long it took them to return to the main road.When they finally emerged from the heavy brush, they were somewhat surprised to find the sheriff’s department cruisers still in the vicinity.The helicopter was no longer within hearing distance.
A large, bear-like figure of a man, along with a couple of the deputies, approached them as they climbed over the barbed wire fence.Rhyne recognized the guy’s seniority before he spoke.
“I’m Sheriff Veese with the Massey County Sheriff’s Department.Who are you two?”
Nash answered first.“I’m Nash Villaton.This is my friend, Rhyne Castille.”
A deputy spoke up.“These are the men who told us about Roebuck’s whereabouts, Sheriff.”He pointed to Rhyne.“That’s the female victim’s boyfriend.”
Veese’s gaze took in their torn and bloody appearances.“Why did you two run off?”
“We tried to find him for you,” Rhyne calmly replied.
“And?Were you successful?”
Rhyne held his hands out to his side.“Does it look like we were?”
“How do we know you didn’t find them and warn them?”the deputy sheriff asked.
“Warn them about what?”Rhyne cast him a questioning look.“You crashed their car.They took off running.Nash and I tried to find out where they’d gone but we gave up because it was too dark to see anything.It’s not like we were going to try to capture them and bring them back here.Not when it’s just the two of us against the four of them.”
“That’s a battle we wouldn’t have won,” Nash sardonically remarked.
Veese chuckled.“Looks more like you got the worst of it from battling that brush.Do we need to call you an ambulance?”
“No.I’m fine,” Rhyne declined.“But I would like to go to the hospital to see how Grace is doing.”
Veese crossed his arms over his chest.“I’ll dismiss you after you answer a couple more questions for me.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Well, for starters…” The sheriff threw a thumb over his shoulder.“What are you doing with a deer carcass in your back seat?”
CHAPTER33
Yes
Grace awoke to discover the sun shining over the blanket on her bed.
Correction.This wasn’t her bed.
She lifted her head.And it’s not my room.
She spotted the familiar figure slouched in the chair at the foot of the bed.His stockinged feet were propped on the edge of the mattress, and he appeared to be sound asleep.Grace blinked against the bright sunlight.Were there more bloody scratches on his arms and face?
Rhyne shifted slightly, when his eyes suddenly opened and he raised his head to stare directly at her.
