“Go. Be safe. Call us if you’re going to be out there all night so we don’t worry.” Delilah waved her off.
I let out a sigh. We were done here, it seemed. “I guess we’d all better head out. I think we’re just treading water right now.” I turned to Carter. “Keep us informed of anything you learn, and we’ll do the same.”
He stood, walking us to the door. “Be cautious, all of you. Revenge is a lot more personal than just making a grab for the spirit seals. Shadow Wing has you on his personal scope. And mad or not, he’s a very powerful and dangerous enemy.”
And with that, he shut the door behind us. As we headed to our respective cars—Trillian opted to ride with me, while Smoky went with Delilah and Shade—the night felt filled with prying eyes and unseen dangers. I shivered as I unlocked my car. Unfortunately, I was getting used to the feeling of being terribly, terribly vulnerable.
*
By the time we reached home, Delilah was tuckered out.
“I don’t want to go to bed yet, though, because I want to know what’s happening at Talamh Lonrach Oll.” She yawned and poked in the kitchen, looking for a package of Cheetos. Shade found an open bag and handed it to her.
“Then rest on the sofa in the living room. We need some down time, Degath Squad or not. After the assault on Trenyth, we just need a breather. Or rather—you need a breather, given me . . . the vamp thing, you know.” It was a lame joke, yes, but she laughed like I’d just won an award on Stand-Up Central. Maybe we were all punchier than we wanted to believe.
I followed the others into the living room. Nerissa was there, curled up in one of the chairs, dozing. She woke as I entered the room, giving me a drowsy kiss.
“Chase gave me tomorrow off. So I decided to stay up and wait for you.” She scrunched over, making room for me in the oversized chair. I snuggled in with her, leaning my head on her shoulder.
Shade and Delilah curled up in the love seat. Smoky took one of the armchairs, and Trillian settled into the rocker. Rozurial stretched out on the sofa. Another moment and Hanna entered the room with a tray full of goodies. I was about to say that Carter had already handed out snacks, but at the rush for her cookies and tartlets, I shut my mouth. Trillian took the tray from her and set it on the coffee table, and the others, their treasure procured, returned to their seats.
“You want me to bring Maggie in? She’s been missing you fiercely, with all the time we’ve had to spend away due to the goblin insurgents.”
“Please do, Hanna. We’ve missed her, too. Camille and Vanzir will be home . . . well, I guess when they get home. They had to make a trip out to the Fae Sovereign Nation.”
“Yes, Miss Menolly. Oh, there was a phone call for you from Lord Roman.”
I wondered why he hadn’t called my cell phone. Then, pulling it out and glancing at my missed calls list, I saw that he had and I hadn’t heard. By the time stamp on it, I saw that it had been while we were at the meeting. No doubt the throng of protesters and the singing and shouting had drowned out the ring tone.
I listened to his voice message. “My mother wants to see you, and I will expect you tomorrow night here, at ten P.M. sharp. This is a formal-dress occasion. Bring Nerissa with you. I’m going to be exceptionally busy the rest of the evening, so don’t bother returning my call. Just make sure you are here.”
Frowning, I stared at my phone. What the hell? Wondering if I’d missed something, I replayed it, listening closely. He didn’t sound mad—just busy. And given his schedule, I knew he wasn’t blowing me off. But Blood Wyne wanted to see me? What the hell was up now?
“Nerissa, love . . . tomorrow night, Roman’s mother wants to see both of us.” I swallowed, hard. It was one thing taking my wife to meet Roman. But to meet his mother? Blood Wyne was a terrifying figure—beautiful but so far from the human she had once been that she might as well be an alien, for all intents and purposes.
Nerissa paled. “Why does she want me there?”
“I don’t know, but we can’t refuse. I will protect you, no matter what.” But even as I made the promise, the worrisome thought ran through my head that no vampire could stand against the Queen of the Crimson Veil. “There’s no use speculating what she wants. It could be anything, given the whims of nobility.”