"You're kidding."
"No, and the weirdest part is that I don't know how I got it. Remember when we were eating and it just appeared?"
Tabitha took Bride's hand into hers and studied the tattoo.
"He branded me or something, didn't he?" Bride asked. "He's placed his mark on me and now he's going to kill me. I knew it was too good to be true."
Tabitha shook her head. "Honestly, I can't answer that. There haven't been any murders like this in the state, I know that much."
And Tabitha would. She made it a habit through a friend of hers in the police department to stay on top of all murder investigations.
"So what do you think?"
Tabitha held her hand closer to her face. "It looks Greek in origin. Tell you what, let's make a break for my sister's house. We can ask her husband what he thinks."
"Which sister?"
"The twin one." Tabitha released her hand.
Bride balked at the thought of going to Amanda. "Amanda knows my psycho boyfriend-turned-serial-killer. She even set us up on our date!"
Tabitha made a disgusted sound. "Figures. Mandy has always been a rotten judge of character. Jeez! Never let her set you up with any guy."
"I thought that's what they say about you, Tabby?"
Tabitha ignored her. "You know, it might be a good idea for you to pack a bag and camp out at Amanda's at least for tonight, until we find out more about your serial-killer friend. If he does know Amanda, then he knows enough to leave her alone."
Bride didn't argue. In all honesty, she didn't want to be home alone even with her wolf to guard her. If Vane really was psychotic, he could kill her pet and then her.
"Okay, give me a sec."
Tabitha petted the wolf while Bride grabbed a change of clothes, her makeup, and something to sleep in.
Vane lowered his head as he watched Bride packing. He was relieved at her actions and Tabitha's suggestion. Kyrian lived in a house that not even Vane could break into. It was protected against not just human criminals, but otherworldly intruders as well.
There, the rest of his pack couldn't trespass unless Kyrian allowed it, and the former Dark-Hunter knew better than to let a pack of Were-Hunters in.
He nuzzled Tabitha's leg, grateful she wasn't a complete lunatic.
In no time, Bride was packed. She turned off the lights and opened the door. They tried to leave him behind, but Vane refused.
"Let him come," Tabitha said as Bride tried to drag him away from Bride's SUV. "Yeah, but doesn't your sister have Terminator now?"
"She does, but he's friendly enough with other dogs. It's vampires he hates."
Bride didn't comment on that. Instead, she let the wolf into the back seat of her Jeep Cherokee. She put her bag in beside him, then got in and waited for Tabitha to jump in. They pulled out of the drive and Bride's heart stopped as she caught sight of Vane's motorcycle outside her shop.
"What is it?" Tabitha asked.
She pointed toward the motorcycle. "He's still here."
"Gun it," Tabitha said as she pulled out her Glock and checked its magazine.
"Oh, good grief, Tabitha. You can't shoot him."
"Trust me, I can." Tabitha touched the scar on her face. "Now go before he finds us."
Bride did as she said.
It didn't take long to reach Amanda and Kyrian's antebellum mansion in the Garden District. The Greek-revival house was one of the best preserved in the state. It was also one of the largest.
Bride pulled into the driveway and paused in front of the massive iron gates that had to be opened from inside.
Tabitha used her cell phone to call Amanda.
"Why not just buzz the house?" Bride asked.
"Because Kyrian can be a dickhead about letting me in sometimes."
Bride frowned. "Why?"
"I tried to kill him once and he hasn't gotten over it. I swear, that man can hold a grudge like nobody's business." She paused. "Hey Mandy, it's me.
We're out here in the driveway. Could you buzz us in?" She winked at Bride. "It's me and Bride McTierney yeah, okay."
The gates opened. "Thanks, sis. See you in a minute."
They drove up the driveway and Bride whistled low. She'd never been inside the gates before, but everyone in town knew about this house.
It was even more beautiful up close than it had been from the street.
They drove up the semicircular driveway to the front door, which swung open the instant they stopped. Amanda Hunter stepped out, holding her infant daughter on her hip.
The baby girl started bouncing the second she saw Tabitha. "Mama, mama, mama!"
the baby cried in her infant gibberish, reaching for Tabitha, who scooped her up and hugged her.
Before Tabitha's face had been scarred, the only way to tell the two women apart had been their wardrobes. While Tabitha preferred a goth chic look, Amanda was mainstream to the extreme. She wore a pair of black slacks and a thin, dark green cashmere sweater.
"What brings you two here?" Amanda asked.
"She has a psycho chasing her," Tabitha said while Bride let her wolf out of the car and grabbed her bag.
Amanda looked at her with concern. "Are you okay, Bride?"
Bride held on to her wolf. "I think so. I'm really sorry to impose."
"No, not at all," Amanda said as she neared Bride. "I know how much my sisters love you. I'd hate to see anything happen to you." Amanda froze as she caught sight of the wolf with her and frowned.
"Do you mind that I brought him?" Bride asked. "Tabitha said it would be okay."
Still frowning, Amanda looked at Tabitha. "Okay"
Amanda held her hand out to the wolf who went immediately over to her.
"You probably want to go inside, don't you, boy?"
The wolf moved back to Bride's side.
"Or not," Amanda said. "Well now, why don't we all go inside and find out some more about this lunatic who's after Bride?"
They followed Amanda into the house. Bride pulled up short, a bit intimidated by the size of the place and the pristine collection of antiques that looked like they belonged in a museum. She'd never seen anything like it.
But the oddest part was that the antiques were balanced out by contemporary furniture such as the plush black couches and an expensive entertainment system.
Not to mention strange vampire bric-a-brac. They even had a coffin-shaped coffee table.
How very odd A gorgeous blond man entered the room from the hallway to the right and cursed the instant he saw Tabitha in the foyer.
"Love you, too, Kyr," Tabitha said with an open, friendly smile.
He took a deep breath that said he would need patience to deal with Tabitha.
"Kill any vampires lately?" he asked.
"Apparently not, you're still breathing, huh?" Tabitha clucked her tongue at Amanda. "When's Geritol here gonna drop dead from old age, anyway?"