This side of Nina, this protective, almost mother bear side, not only intrigued Teddy, it made her long to have a female influence in her life just like her.
Okay, maybe all the swearing and threats could be left out of that wish. But Nina was fierce about her loyalties and her friendships, and it was evident in her tone. What was also evident was her selflessness. She’d saved Toni, if the story was true. Who did that for someone they hardly knew?
Nina was clearly still touchy about losing her vampiric powers, but she made no bones about the fact that she’d done it out of allegiance and, by her definition, out of friendship.
“Nina, I had no idea,” Cormac intervened, his voice gruff. “I mean, I knew you kept her from being killed, and you bit this Angria, and that by drinking her tainted blood you all surmise the act stole your powers, but I didn’t know how close you’d become to my sister. I’m sorry. I meant no disrespect for what you did for Toni. I’ll never forget that kind of loyalty. If there’s anything I can ever do, you just have to say the word.”
Nina tucked her hair behind her ears, her eyes narrowed. “Well, you might know if you didn’t spend all your time brooding in the corner. Your sister tried like hell to find you, pal—from the day those dick-knuckles took you. She loves you, and the guilt she felt over thinking she’d lost you was big, brother. Bigger than she is. She hated that she hid away in Jersey all that time. She was all torn up with guilt that she didn’t know what happened to you. That maybe there was something else she could have done to find your ass. Toni figured if she was alive, she could at least bring to justice the fuck that did you in, and she tried hard. Which was a fucking smart move. So here’s the score, Moody Blues, she can’t ever come back here if you don’t get off your butt and play an active part in taking these assholes out. So get the fuck up, Pooh Bear. No more mopin’. We have a Russian mob boss to bag.”
Nina turned on her heel, stalking off toward the entry to the basement and back upstairs, the slamming of the door the only sound.
Teddy puffed her cheeks out, intending to rise and get a move on. Even without powers, Nina was pretty scary. She shuddered thinking of the damage she must have caused with them.
Cormac grabbed her hand and voiced that very thought. “Imagine her with the strength of ten men.”
Teddy’s head fell back on her shoulders as she tried to stifle a giggle while Lenny settled next to her. “And fangs.”
Cormac laughed.
“I fucking hear you!” Nina yelled after popping the door open. “Imagine me coming down there and beating your face with your own leg after I chew it clear off. Get the fuck up here or I’m sending Wanda the Warden in!”
Both Teddy and Cormac looked at each other in panic. “No,” she whispered, mocking horror. “Not Wanda!”
Cormac’s chest rose and fell, barking more laughter as he slid from the bed and reached for his jeans.
That was exactly when more guilt set in. First, because she had to tear her eyes away from him. Second, because the guillotine was poised over her head, just waiting to hack it off. She couldn’t keep hiding her reasons for being here, and after Cormac had confessed what this Andre wanted from him, how could she keep something as vital as the information she had to herself? The time to come clean was here.
The news she was about to share made her grateful Nina was no longer a vampire.
She was pretty okay with her face, and she was sort of fond of her legs remaining attached.
Chapter 8
After a shower, wherein she stalled for as long as possible, she made her way back upstairs, where Carl greeted her with a hot cup of coffee and pointed to the kitchen table where everyone had gathered.
Heaps of food were piled high on plates, fluffy yellow scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages and croissants were in abundance, while Archibald, dressed as immaculately as last night, like some food maestro, orchestrated the meal. His joy at having everyone together was obvious in his twinkling eyes and spry step.
Teddy’s stomach growled in appreciation.
Until she remembered what she had to do.
Tell the truth.
As she looked for an open seat, Cormac smiled and patted the one next to him. The day was gray and snowy just outside the sprawl of big windows enveloping the breakfast nook, where Lenny napped on a pillow Nina had Archibald bring him, but it didn’t dull his gruff good looks.
His warm, inviting smile did things to her stomach, and her heart, somehow syncing up, creating a riot of unsettled emotions.
As she sat next to Cormac, he leaned into her and whispered in her ear, “You feel better?”
“Is Nina still going to eat my legs off?”
He chuckled, sending a ripple of awareness along her arms. “Nah. Well, maybe only one leg.”
Teddy shuddered, tucking her down vest around her. “Scary ex-vampire is scary.”