Kristen Painter - Bad Blood (House of Comarré)

I n these untried days, the power of belief and the lack thereof shall give rise to new evils, new challenges, new gifts. None will be immune.

S CYLLIS, FAE PHILOSOPHER, CYPHER CLAN

Paradise City, New Florida 2067

A s the car pulled alongside the gates to Chrysabelles estate, Mal stared through the metal bars at the stucco-and-glass fortress she lived in. Eight days shed refused to see him. With good reason. His patience with the situation was worn paper-thin. Not just because of the waiting to find out if the Aurelian had given her a way to remove his curseand knowing what a monster he was, why would the Aurelian do that? No, that wasnt it, although that question was a constant presence in his head, alongside the voices that constantly mocked and tormented him. His lack of patience came from not knowing how Chrysabelle was recovering from the physical damage that had been done to her. That was the worst of it. That part gnawed at him with gut-deep pain.

Doc, the leopard varcolai whod become the closest thing he had to a friend, threw the old sedan into park, tossed his arm over the bench seat, and twisted to look at Mal in the back. You sure you dont want me and Fi to talk to her? Im sure shed let us in. Fi, the first of Mals voices to manifest as a ghost, turned to look at Mal, too.

No. If I have to knock on her door all night, shes going to see me this time. Thats it. Force your way in. Drain her dry like you know you want to. Mal ignored the voices and held tightly to the little calm he had left. Since Chrysabelle had regained consciousness, shed refused to see him or Creek. Mal could understand her not wanting to see the Kubai Mata, but Mals blood had healed her. Ruined her. Hed gotten her out of Corvinestri and back to her own home. That had to count for something, even if Creek had helped.

Doc shrugged. Suit yourself, bro. Fi and I will swing by after the movie to see if you need a ride home.

No need.

Its going to rain.

Dont care. If things went right, hed be inside anyway. They wont go right. Not for you.

Stubborn as always. Fi smiled. Dont forget the cookies I made. Shes gotta let you in with those. Double chocolate chip!

Mal nodded. It was a little scary how domestic Fi had become since she and Doc had coupled up in a serious way. Or maybe she was just happy not to be stuck in the nightmare loop of reliving her death night after night. He grabbed the plate Fi offered and got out of the car. He waited until they pulled away, then jumped the wall surrounding Chrysabelles estate and walked to the front door.

Velimai, Chrysabelles inherited assistant and deadly wysper fae, opened it before he could knock. At the sight of her, the voices ramped up into an irritating whine. Chrysabelles ever-present scent didnt help matters either. Velimai shook her head no, anticipating his question.

At least tell me how she is.

Velimai started to sign something Mal wouldnt understand, when a soft voice broke the silence. Let him in. Chrysabelle. At last. Just the sound of her voice relaxed him and helped him fight the chaos in his head.

Velimai looked to one side, then signed a few words and nodded. She held a finger up, making Mal wait. Footsteps receded. At last the wysper fae opened the door and moved out of the way.

She led him down a hall and into a librarya part of the house hed never been in before. He gave her the plate of cookies and went in. The room was the first hed seen that had any color besides white or ivory. The pale blue was subdued, but in a house so serene, it might as well have been red. He inhaled. Fresh paint. Interesting. Maybe Chrysabelle was finally coming to terms with living here.

Chrysabelle stood at the far end, facing the wall of windows that seemed to dominate the back of the first floor. Her beautiful sunlight-colored hair was unbraided, another rare sight. The ever-present glow around her, something all comarr had but visible only to vampires, seemed darker somehow. More alluring. More biteable.

The window coverings were pulled back, and beyond the grounds and pool, the bay shimmered in an endless black mass that reflected the stormy night sky. Only a reading lamp illuminated the space, but shed still angled herself in such a way that the small portion of her face visible in the glass was distorted and hard to see, even with vampire eyes.

Rain again. Great. Start with the weather. That was safe. And boring. Like you. What he wanted to do was crush her in his arms and tell her how damn glad he was that she was still alive. Or just crush her. Then ask her what the Aurelian had said. Good for the new sod you had put in. Sod meant to cover the pressure sensors installed as part of a new beefed-up security system. He knew only because hed watched the workers leaving after dusk, not because shed told him. Had Creek been behind that? If so, good for him. The upgrade was long past due.

Mmm-hmm. She shifted slightly, revealing a slim white cane held against her side. Her knuckles were pale from gripping it.

He wanted to reach for her. Help her. But he refrained, sensing it wouldnt be welcome. Nor are you. You should sit.

You should stop telling me what to do.

The voices cheered. He dropped his head, studying the pattern of the wool rug covering the dark wood floors. Anger he could deal with. Hed been the target of her ire more than once. For good reason. Not much chance of that.

She shook her head. Youve seen me. Are you satisfied? Is there anything else you require from me?

Yes, but shed yet to look at him directly, and something told him asking her about the Aurelian now wasnt going to get him an answer anyway. He took a seat in one of the ivory silk club chairs. It was the exact opposite of what he felt like doing, which was charging to her side and holding her against him. Maybe it would confuse her as much as she was confusing him. How about you explain whats going on?

I dont need to explain myself to you or anyone else.

This approach wasnt working. He got up and walked to her, stopping a couple yards away. Like her glow, her scent had changed as well. It was deeper and sharper, but just as seductive. The perfume wrapped around him, teasing him with the promise of blood. Blood he could taste by memory. Blood the voices howled for. I know youre angry. What I dont get is why.

She barked out a short laugh and, at last, faced him. Are you kidding? Velimai told me what you and Creek did to me. She grabbed the back of the nearest chair as she approached. Using the chair for support, she stabbed her cane into his chest. You put your blood into me.

I saved your life. This attitude from her, this sharp tongue and verbal biting, wasnt something he was entirely used to, but he understood she had a right to be angry after what Rennata did to her. He just hadnt expected it to be aimed at him.