Page 65 of Cold Curses
Mom nodded. “I know,” she said, and they shared a look of understanding. “I can ask some of my…former colleagues…for help. We’ll let you know.”
“You’ll need a new sword,” Dad said.
I was tired, my nerves on edge, and I nearly jolted at the reminder. My mother’s sword, locked in the House’s armory, held the Egregore. Or most of it.
My parents discussed the available weapons, and monster ached to be part of that conversation. To assert itself. It surged against me, and I worked hard to keep it hidden—while standing amid everyone from whom I was trying to hide that part of myself.
Sweat bloomed, a drop sliding down my face.
“Are you all right?”
I looked at Aunt Mallory, whose face was pinched with concern.
The question ended my parents’ discussion and brought everyone’s gaze my way.
“I’m tired,” I said as Connor stepped beside me, took my hand, squeezed it.
“We should go,” he said. “Or the vampires at least. Dawn is getting close.”
Dad checked his watch. “I didn’t know it was so late.”
“Early,” Uncle Catcher said wryly, and I had a feeling they’d had this conversation before.
“Go home,” Roger said with a nod. “We’ll coordinate at the office at dusk.”
I nodded. Monster, apparently realizing it wasn’t going to win this particular battle, relented. Exhaustion seeped into my bones.
I didn’t remember the goodbyes, the drive home, or the walk upstairs. Only landing facedown on the bed. And the world going dark.
* * *
For a little while.
And then I was dreaming that I stood before a machine that was spewing demons into the world. I was the only one fighting them. I use sword, fists, and kicks, but they kept coming and I couldn’t keep up. Each was more horrific than the last.
So I ran through a park and grassy field and quiet neighborhood and hospital maze…. And then I was inside something deep and dark and unfriendly. Monster shifted, slithered, moving like a snake beneath my skin. I tried to climb up and out of the pit, but the walls were sand and they fell away in my hands.
And then the light shifted and I looked up, and Lulu was at the edge of the pit, and she was screaming something down to me, buther voice made no sound. I could hear only a machine whirring in the distance. She screamed again, but I couldn’t hear her.
I couldn’t hear her.
“Lis.”
Connor’s voice, gentle even as the sun burned outside, and his hand on my waist, strong and steady.
“You’re safe.”
And darkness fell again.
ELEVEN
Cadogan House was the fourth vampire house established in the United States, and it had occupied the same stately stone building in Hyde Park since its vampires had settled in Chicago in 1883.
It was a beautiful building, if intimidating in its size, scale, and security. But I was the Master’s kid, so the guards let me through to see the sorcerer’s kid, who as expected had been moved there for her protection. And with monster already pushing me toward the front portico, I knew I’d face my second threat of the night at only an hour past dusk.
I didn’t count the nightmare, but I did count the warning we’d received on waking. Connor’s dad had called, which was unusual. I’d still been facedown in pillows—the same position I’d fallen into the night before—when the yelling had begun.
“For fuck’s sake,” Connor had muttered, stalking across the room. He pulled on jeans, but no shirt or shoes. “We have more important things to deal with right now. If he wants to challenge me, he can get his ass up here. I’m not leaving Chicago.” Then he turned to look at me, his eyes brilliantly blue even in the room’s dim lighting. “I won’t leave her alone to fight this.”
