Part 18 (2/2)
”Um, not to get personal, but I saw that dessert you brought. Were you planning on sharing that, or was that just your portion?”
”HA,” I repeated.
”It's a good thing you're not obsessive. Oh, wait,” he said dryly, ”yes, you are.”
”Some people like wine. Some like cars. Some,” I said, tugging at the hem of his undoubtedly designer T-s.h.i.+rt, ”like fantastically expensive clothes. I like chocolate.”
”Yeah, Mer, I can see that. But the real question is, do you apply that pa.s.sion to other areas of your life?”
”I have no idea what you're talking about.”
”Liar,” he said, closing his eyes and lowering his lips to mine. Our lips had just touched when the silence was broken.
”Would you please stop feeling up my Sentinel?”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
THEY'LL EAT YOU ALIVE.
Ethan, in black pants and a snug, long-sleeved black s.h.i.+rt, stood at the threshold of Mallory's kitchen,hands in his pockets. His hair was tied back, the casualness of the ensemble indicating he had plans that didn't involve negotiations or diplomacy. Mallory and Catcher stood just behind him.
Morgan's eyes snapped open, emotion tightening his features and, for a fraction of a second, silvering his eyes.
I was just kind of dumbfounded. Why was Ethan here?
”If you want me to court her properly, Sullivan, you're going to need to give us some time alone.” The words and tone were for Ethan, but his gaze was on me.
”My apologies for the . . . interruption,” he said, but he couldn't have sounded more sarcastic. In fact, he sounded plenty happy to interrupt.
It was a long, quiet, awkward moment before Morgan finally looked over at him. They exchanged manly nods, these two Masters, the two men who together controlled the fates of two-thirds of the vampires in Chicago. Two men who claimed a little too much authority over my time.
”I'm sorry to steal her away,” Ethan said, ”but we have Cadogan House business.”
”Of course.” Morgan turned back to me, and in full view of G.o.d and the a.s.sorted houseguests, kissed me softly. ”At least we got dinner.”
I looked up into baleful eyes. ”I'm sorry.”
”Sure.”
Uncomfortable silence fell again until Morgan offered, ”I guess I should get going and leave you two to your . . . business.” His tone was petulant, as if he wasn't entirely convinced Ethan was here for Cadogan-related reasons. G.o.d only knew why Ethan had decided to darken Mallory's door. If he needed me, why hadn't he just paged me?
”I'll walk you out,” I said.
Ethan, Catcher, and Mallory turned to their sides in the hallway, allowing us egress from the kitchen.
Morgan walked out, me behind, both of us ignoring Ethan as we pa.s.sed him.
I walked him to the door and resumed my position on the stoop.
”It's not your fault,” Morgan said, his eyes on the house. There was no doubt about that-it's not like I invited Ethan over-but I wondered if he really thought me truly blameless. I'm sure he mostly blamed Ethan, but Morgan had raised questions before about my relations.h.i.+p with my Master. This probably wasn't helping.
Whatever his thoughts, he shrugged off the gloom and gave me a cheery smile, then bobbed his head toward the brownstone. ”I suppose being an omnipotent Master has its advantages: having people at your beck and call.”
”Don't you have people at your beck and call?” I asked, reminding him that he was one of the Masters he'd been referring to.
”Well, I dohave them, but I don't think I've officially becked or called them yet. And I suppose this is the price of dating the hot s.h.i.+t Cadogan Sentinel.”
”I'm not sure about hot s.h.i.+t, but the Sentinel part is true enough.” I cast my own dark glance at the doorway; Ethan and Catcher communed in the hall. ”Although I have no idea what this is about.”
”I'd like to know.”
I looked back at him, hoping he wasn't about to pump me for information. That concern must have shown on my face; he shook his head. ”I'm not going to ask, I'd just like to know.” Then his tone went flat-Master vampire flat. He must have been practicing. ”I hope that if it's something that affects us all, he'll fill us in.”
Don't bet on that, I thought.
After we said our goodbyes, I shut the door behind me and found everyone still standing in the hallway.
Catcher and Ethan were in identical poses-chests back, arms crossed, chins dropped. Warriors in concentration. This was serious, then, and not just a means for Ethan to further irritate me.
When I joined them, they expanded their semicircle to let me in.
”I've learned,” Ethan began, ”that a rave was held earlier tonight. We need to check it out. We also need to hope that we're the only ones who've heard about it.”How Ethan had learned about the rave, given that his usual source for such things was standing beside him, was an interesting question.
Catcher and I were apparently on the same wavelength. ”How'd you find out?” he asked.
”Peter,” Ethan said. ”He received a tip.” That made sense, I thought, since Peter was known for his contacts. ”A friend of his, a bartender at a club in Naperville, heard two vampires discussing the fact that they'd received the text message announcing the rave.”
”Alcohol loosens the lips of the fanged?” Catcher sardonically asked.
”Apparently so,” Ethan agreed. ”The bartender didn't recognize the vampires-they were likely drifter Rogues. By the time Peter heard from his source and contacted Luc, the rave was long since over.”
”So we can't stop it?” I asked.
Ethan shook his head. ”But we have an opportunity to investigate with significantly less political maneuvering than might be required if we were cras.h.i.+ng the party.” Ethan looked at Catcher. ”And speaking of political maneuvering, can you join us?”
Catcher gave a single nod, then looked at me. ”Is your sword in the car?”
I nodded. ”Will I need it?”
”We'll know when we get there. I've got some gear stashed here, flashlights and whatnot.” He glanced at Ethan. ”Did you bring your sword?”
”No,” he said. ”I was out.”
We all stood silently, waiting for Ethan to elaborate, but got nothing.
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