Friday Night Bites (Chicagoland Vampires 2)

'together' where Merit and I are concerned."

Not that he hadn't considered it, I thought, remembering our dance.

"Oh?" Nick asked, as if feigning surprise. "Then you didn't share a moment in the library Friday night?" He turned his gaze to me. "I was told that you passed along the story of our meeting in the garden. That you informed your Master that I was 'com ing for you.' "

This time, my cheeks paled. While his implication was wrong - our "moment" in the library had been completely platonic - the gossip part was true enough. Someone had been in the library. Had overheard our conversation. Someone was playing us.

And more importantly, someone was betraying Ethan. Again.

I didn't want to, but I made myself turn and check Ethan's expression. He stood frozen there beside me, jaw clenched, unmitigated fury on his face.

"We did not," he bit out, "nor have we ever issued a threat against Jamie or any other member of your family. That's not the way my House operates. If such a message was sent to you, it was not sent from a Cadogan vampire, and certainly not with my approval. If someone in my House has informed you otherwise, they are... sorely...mistaken."

Despite the gravity in Ethan's tone, Nick's responding shrug was careless. "I'm sorry, Sullivan. But that's not good enough."

Ethan's brows lifted. "Not good enough?"

"We're only asking you not to jump to conclusions," I told Nicholas. "That's all."

"Not jump to conclusions?" Nick took steps, closing the distance between us. I had to steel myself not to step back.

"How na?ve are you, Merit? Or is that some kind of vampire denial talking?"

"Nicholas," Papa Breck said, but Nick shook his head.

"No," he spat out. "I told you that if you tried to harm him, I would come after you with everything I had. I will not stand by while vampires destroy my family, Merit."

"Nick, son," Papa Breck repeated, but Nicholas stayed where he was, inches away from me, staring down at me with eyes of furious electric blue.

"We did not issue a threat against Jamie, Nick."

"Do not lie to me, Merit." Nick leaned closer and whispered in a voice that I assumed was only for me, "They may give you a dress, and they may give you a sword, but I know who you are."

Oh, but I'd enjoy wiping that smirk from his face. I dropped my head, closed my eyes, and let the anger rise enough - just enough - to silver my eyes. I had to clench my fists to hold back the rest of it - to keep my fangs from descending, to keep the vampire asleep - and the fight of it kept me quiet for a moment. I was silent long enough to hear shuffling, the rest of the room growing increasingly nervous the longer I kept my head down.

I opened my eyes again and slowly lifted my head, gazing at Nick beneath half-hooded lashes. Predictably, his smile faded, his own eyes widening at the silver in mine. He swallowed, likely at the reminder that I wasn't just a girl he'd known in high school, and I wasn't to be bullied to satiate the anger that flowed from whatever prejudices darkened his soul.

"Nicholas," I began, my voice soft and low and lush, "I stand Sentinel for a House of three hundred and twenty vampires. I will not strike first, but he allows me to carry a weapon because I know how to use it. Because I will use it. I know my position, my obligation, and I will do what's necessary to protect them. Because you and I were friends once, I will warn you once. Step back."

Nick stood toe to toe with me, his body statue-still, until Papa Breck put a hand on his arm and whispered something in his ear. When Nick turned away, strode to the bar my father kept on a concrete table in one corner of the room, I'd have sworn I felt something in his wake. Something tingly, but I was distracted by the sudden sound of Ethan's voice in my head.

There is a traitor in my house, he silently said. Again.

My heart ached for him, for the betrayal he must have felt for the second time in only a few months, even if it was currently blanketed by a thick, righteous fury. I know, I said back, then promised, I'll find him.

Finally Nick stepped away from his father, a decision apparently made. "My father has decided to give you the benefit of the doubt. Assuming that you did not make a threat against Jamie, you have twenty-four hours to find out who did. If you don't contact us within twenty-four hours with a name and your assurances that the threat has been resolved, I will contact the mayor and inform him that Cadogan House made a threat against humans, against my family. That phone call will be followed by calls to the Trib, the Sun-Times, and every television station in the metro area. I may also have to tell them some other things I know. And then they'll be raving mad," he said, putting the emphasis on the word so we couldn't mistake his meaning.

"Your so-called celebrity," Nick continued, apparently not yet done with his tirade, "is delicate, at best. There are plenty of people who think the congressional investigations were a joke, who think you constitute a legitimate threat to humans. There are plenty of people out there who think we'd all be better off if the vampire problem went away." Nick snapped his fingers ominously. "Poof."

I glanced at Ethan, watched his eyes turn glassy green, and guessed he was struggling to maintain his own control. Still, he managed to keep from silvering his eyes, from descending his fangs.

"I can't guarantee Jamie's safety from other parties," Ethan finally answered. "And I can't guarantee resolution of this issue in twenty-four hours, particularly when we will be unconscious for more than half of that time."

Nick's expression flattened. "Then I suggest you and your soldier here get your asses in gear."

Ethan looked down at the floor, then glanced up, but not at Nicholas. Instead, he focused his gaze on Papa Breck. "You should consider the possibility that if threats were made against Jamie, they were made for a reason. That he has stepped on one too many toes, or has involved himself in things that do not concern him. If we investigate this matter further, that information might come to light. Are you prepared for that? For answers you'd prefer to keep in-house?"

I'm not sure what information Ethan was referring to, or if he was merely bluffing. But I had to give him props - it was a good rebuttal.

Nick opened his mouth to counter Ethan, but his father held out a hand. "Nicholas," he warned, then turned to my father. "He's my son. I will protect him at all costs. Do we understand each other?"

"Clearly," my father answered.

"Twenty-four hours," Nick repeated, and began his stride toward the door.