“I understand.” Hugh spoke the words like a vow. “I won’t fail her.”
Gwen waved off that concern. “I’ll be fine. Besides, Hugh is the more important—”
The vampire didn’t spare her a glance. “Our little oracle is human. A moment of distraction, of overly cautious dithering, and the fae could consume her remaining lifespan. She’d drop at your feet, withered and still, and never draw breath again. You’d have to bury her in the cold earth, demon. Preside over her funeral, knowing you were its cause.”
Well, damn.
Gwen closed her eyes and inhaled shakily, trying desperately not to picture it. Failing.
Absolute silence blanketed the room. Beside her, Hugh’s body might have been fresh obsidian, as hard and sharp and hot as magma. His arm lowered firmly onto her shoulders and tightened, dragging her tight to his side.
His searing embrace banished the tremors of fear chilling her to the marrow, and she huddled even closer to him.
“Holy fuck.” Sabrina spoke at last, her voice hoarse, and Gwen opened her eyes again. “Vamp, you don’t need to—”
Max continued, pitiless. “And that’s only one of thousands of ways her fragile body could break beyond repair within a single heartbeat.”
The vampire raised his hand-painted porcelain cup high, its gracefully curved edges translucent before the glow of the fireplace’s licking flames. Then he dashed it violently upon the marble hearth. The impact smashed the priceless cup intothousands of pieces, and they fell to the floor in a tinkling shower of razor-sharp shards.
Everyone except the vampire and the demon gasped. At their preternatural stillness, some ancient instinct tucked deep in Gwen’s primeval brain chittered with fear.
“Remember this moment, demon.” The remains of the cup glittered in the firelight, but Max’s pitch-black stare remained fixed to Hugh. “Remember and take care.”
“I will.” Hugh’s assurance to the vampire didn’t sound like a mere vow anymore. It sounded like a blood oath, one whose violation would drag him screaming into the Realm Below.
“Good,” Max said, andthatsounded like a threat of annihilation.
Gwen was definitely not hungry anymore. Her hand trembling, she set her glass container down on the marble table to her left with a quiet click.
More silence.
“So, uh…yeah.” Kip gave a little cough. “If…whatever that was…is done now, I have an extremely helpful suggestion.”
Gwen couldn’t claim complete understanding of the confrontation she’d just witnessed either. She did know that a vampire of Max’s power, age, and arrogance would detest handing over authority to someone with whom he wasn’t exhaustively familiar. The fundamental differences between himself and Hugh would only exacerbate his natural wariness.
And above all else: Max had just watched his human beloved narrowly escape a horrible death mere hours ago. Gwen figured he was a bit touchy when it came to the safety of human females in his orbit right now, even if a random oracle obviously meant far, far less to him than Edie.
Hugh’s intensity, on the other hand, she didn’t comprehend at all. Maybe he simply didn’t appreciate the challenge to his protective abilities by another powerful male?
Whatever his reasoning, the demon finally dismissed Max after one last confrontational clash of stares and turned toward Kip instead.
“The answer is no.” Hugh’s declaration was unequivocal. “You and Lorrie can’t stay in my apartment too.”
“But we’d be extra protection for Gwennie!” Lorrie hesitated a beat too long. “For you as well, I suppose.”
“A very generous proposal.” Hugh gave her a closemouthed smile so polite it somehow rounded the corner to offensive. “I suppose your offer has nothing to do with the unplumbed contents of my refrigerator and pantry.”
“Nada. Zilch.” Kip dismissed that possibility with a flick of his wrist. “And itdefinitelyhas nothing to do with Georgetown’s endless, exciting restaurant delivery possibilities.”
“Give it up, Kip.” Sabrina had stood and donned her puffer jacket. “Two random trolls staying in Blacke’s apartment would only raise questions about the whole girlfriend cover story.”
“I imagine the conspirators might keep an eye on me for at least a few days to make certain my presence at the breach site was accidental,” Hugh agreed. “I don’t want anyone to suspect Gwen’s new prophetic power, and her sudden acquisition of two very large, very strong bodyguards could tip off observers.”
“Well.” Lorrie preened at the reference to her strength. “Can’t argue with that, I suppose. Iamdeliciously huge and enviably powerful.”
“As the Brits would say, we’re both absolute units.” Kip kissedhis own enormous flexed biceps. “But you promise to call if you could use backup, mini-demon-bro and Gwen-my-love?”
“We will,” Gwen promised for both of them.
