Book 1 - Page 50 (1/2)

”We just came back into town late this afternoon,” I apologized. ”I haven't had a chance to go home and change yet. But you're not much better.”

He looked down at himself, rocking back on his heels and spreading his hands like a vaudeville comic exaggerating his motions for an audience. He was wearing a casual black long-sleeved s.h.i.+rt unb.u.t.toned over a plain white T-s.h.i.+rt, and jeans with a hole over one knee. I've never seen him wearing anything more formal, but for some reason his casual clothes always looked... wrong somehow, as if he were wearing a costume.

”What, this?” he asked. ”This is my best down-at-the-heels vampire look,” he said. ”Maybe I should have worn black jeans and a black s.h.i.+rt, but I hate overdoing it.”

”I thought you were picking us up.” I looked around pointedly. ”Where's your car?”

”I came the fast way.” He didn't explain what that was, but continued, ”I see you have your van. There should be plenty of room for the four of us.”

”Zee's staying here,” I said.

Stefan smiled. ”To bring in the troops.”

”Do you know where the people who attacked Adam are?” I asked, rather than commenting on Stefan's observation.

He shook his head regretfully. ”The Mistress didn't see fit to tell me any more than I conveyed to you.” His face grew still for a moment. ”I'm not even certain what she told me was truth. She may know nothing. You might want to find an excuse for not going, Mercy.”

”These visitors have already killed one man and made a mess of Adam's house,” I told him. ”If your Mistress knows where they are, we need to go ask.”

He gave me an oddly formal bow and turned to look at Samuel, giving him a wide smile that managed to keep from displaying his fangs. ”I don't know you. You must be the new wolf in town.”

I made introductions, but it was obvious that Samuel and Stefan were not going to be instant friends-and it wasn't Stefan's fault.

I was a little surprised. Both men shared the easygoing charm that usually had other people smiling. But Samuel's manner was unusually grim. Obviously, he didn't like vampires.

I hopped in my van and waited while Stefan and Samuel had a very polite argument about where they would sit. Both of them wanted the backseat. I was willing to believe that Stefan was trying to be considerate, but Samuel didn't want the vampire sitting behind him.

Before he dropped his politeness and told Stefan so, I broke in. ”I need Stefan in front so he can tell me where we're going.”

Zee knocked on my window and, when I turned on the power to roll it down, he gave me the dagger he'd pulled when Stefan first emerged from the shadows, along with a handful of leather that looked to be a sheath and belt.