Page 61 of Mortal Blood
“What the hell are you playing at?” I demanded.
“Peace,” he said, waving aside my anger. “I require just a moment of your time.”
“You better open that portal back up or Cole’s going to kick your ass. You had a deal.”
“One that I shall fulfil. Just as soon as we’ve spoken aboutourbargain.”
A chill ran down my spine.
“You did not imagine I’d forgotten?” He sounded equal parts amused and annoyingly smug.
“Hardly,” I muttered. “You’d better speak quickly.”
He eyed me. “You’ve grown more confident, haven’t you?”
“Clock’s ticking, Aodh.”
His eyes glittered with amusement. “Time doesn’t work that way this close to Underhill.”
Well, that was disturbing.
“Rest assured, Cole will not notice your delay.”
Also disturbing.
“What do you want?” I asked evenly.
“Nothing beyond your ability to repay, as we agreed. I merely require you to meet with someone, alone.”
“Alone? Who?”
“A better question would be when. You have one moon in which to do as I ask, or you shall be considered forfeit of our deal.”
“A time frame was never part of our deal.”
“Nor was it specifically not. An error on your part, not mine.”
I blew out a resigned breath. I had a lot to learn when it came to the fae. Namely, don’t make deals with them.
“Fine. Where do I meet your friend? And how will he know I’m coming?”
Aodh reached into his pocket and withdrew a flat, egg-sized red stone that shone faintly. At first I thought it was reflecting the firelight, but as I looked more closely, tiny lights danced within the gem. Twenty-eight of them, I knew instinctively.
“Hold this tightly, and your intention more tightly still. The Cailleach stone will both guide you to your contact and alert him to your impending arrival. Unless twenty-eight days have passed…but by then, you’ll have more pressing concerns.”
I suppressed a shudder.
“I’m not going back on my word, Aodh,” I said, aiming for bored and probably not pulling it off. “Who am I meeting?”
“Your father.”
Chapter Twenty
If Cole noticedI was quiet over the next week, he didn’t make a big deal out of it. Maybe he thought I was just worried about the plans he and Blaine were putting in place for his alpha challenge—and I was plenty worried about that, too. Cole was a good fighter, fast and strong, but Cain lived for the thrill of battle and the thought of Cole facing him in single combat was terrifying. He needed to spend all of his time training and preparing for that if he wanted a chance at winning. He didn’t need to be distracted by my worries.
That was what I told myself, anyway. But Aodh had been clear I had to meet my father alone, and if I told Cole, there was no way he wouldn’t try to come with me…and if he asked, I’d be weak enough to let him.
I knew exactly three things about my father. One, he was a vampire. Two, he had no regard for the law. And three, he had ruined my mother’s life.
