“I’m sure we can come to an agreement,” Piscary said, and somehow, she found the courage to look at the master vampire. His expression was wary, but it gave her strength. It had all ended with a whiff of brimstone and burnt amber, a fading laugh, and a scream—Algaliarept taking Ulbrine in exchange for . . . nothing.
Arms wrapped around her middle, she stood in the intersection and looked up at a night without stars. She would marry Kal, but it would be a flavorless arrangement. Perhaps it was what she deserved, and seeing Quen five feet away with Daniel and Leo discussing the logistics of how to get to the nearest radio station, she realized how badly she had served herself in her quest for recognition. I won’t betray you.
Daniel clapped his hands once, beaming as he left the two men and headed to her. “Trisk. Leo is going to take us to the radio station. We can get the word out tonight.”
Feeling ill, Trisk looked to her left at Kal. Never ceasing his conversation with Piscary, Kal looked pointedly down at his right side as if waiting for her to join him. “You go ahead,” she said, and Daniel’s lips parted.
“But . . .”
Eyes smarting, she gave him a hug. It was allowed, especially when he started, clearly feeling the good-bye in it. “Go,” she repeated as she rocked back. “I have to stay here.”
Daniel looked over her shoulder to Kal, a reluctant nervousness in the pinch of his eye as he realized everything had shifted. “Okay,” he said as he kissed her forehead and the lump in her throat hardened. “Bye, Trisk. I’ll stop in and see your lab when you get settled.”
Leo groaned impatiently by the open car door. “Now, you little snack.”
“I’d like that,” she said, knowing she’d have to be circumspect about her friends from here on out, even if friendship was as deep as it went. “I’ll give you the full tour,” she said, her voice rising to a squeak.
Daniel drew back, his hand leaving hers reluctantly. In the distance, the basilica’s bells began to toll, cheerful peals of sound that rolled out over the river valley in an unexpected wave. Everyone turned to look into the night as the noise was picked up by first one, then another church, until they were all ringing.
“What is it?” she asked, following Piscary’s attention to the color TVs on display in the store window. “My God, they’re going to extirpate Cincinnati?” she said in sudden fear, but Piscary had a hand up in a gentle admonishment.
“Perfect timing,” Piscary said, pointing at the appliance store and the TVs still on behind the window.
Trisk’s brow furrowed, then evened out as she saw Rynn Cormel on TV. Orchid was on his shoulder, and the man’s confident voice rolled out, his smile saying everything would be fine.
“You are not alone,” the senator said, Orchid’s dust spilling down his front as her wings fanned. “We have always been here. Today we came forward to save our society, and tomorrow we will work openly together to build it anew. Witch, vampire, Were, and human.”
Trisk started when Kal came up beside her, standing too close but well within his rights. “It’s my decision that we will not come out,” Kal said softly, his eyes on the glowing TV. “I wish to remain on the rolls as human.” His eyes flicked to hers and held. “Understand? No magic from here on out.”
Her eyebrows rose. “What I do in the privacy of my garden is my business.”
His lip twitched. “You don’t have a garden.”
She eyed him up and down. “Get me one. Wall it off. I want pixies.”
Behind them, Quen chuckled, muffling it when Kal looked at him.
Bothered, Trisk turned to Piscary, now done directing his people to spread the word door by door if need be. “You said you wouldn’t allow anyone to come out if we didn’t have Kal to make the metabolism booster,” she accused, and the master vampire smiled, making him look soft and pleasant. It was a lie, but it was a comforting one.
“I knew you’d accomplish it,” he said as he gestured at the cars now rolling up. “And many people enjoy eating ketchup on their eggs, do they not? Every life we save puts us closer to a new balance that much sooner.” Nodding confidently, he breathed deep of the night. “It is done. Excuse me.” Piscary walked away. “Leo!” he called, and the young living vampire held the door for him. Apparently he wanted to go to the radio station, too.
Together the remaining three turned to the car Piscary had left for them. “So, where do you want to live?” Kal said. “There are no virgin woods here.”
Trisk could feel the heat from his shoulder near hers, but not touching. “I like the field, but if you want a woods, by all means, plant one.”
Quen jogged ahead to open the back door. The gesture would have grated on her but for his smile. “Sa’han?” he said almost mockingly, and Kal got in first, the rims of his ears a bright red.
“Behave yourself,” she whispered to Quen as she gracefully folded herself into the supple leather seats to find Kal brooding, his brow furrowed in thought.
Giving her a wink, Quen shut the door with a firm thump. His motion to cross in front of the car held a curious excitement, and once he settled behind the wheel, they slowly drove away.