Lucky Break (Chicagoland Vampires 10.5)

I heard the words, but I was already drifting to sleep, and they sounded so far away.

“She’s fine,” he said. “Just tired. The House?”

“Fine.” Luc closed and locked the door. “And I hear Maguire’s out of surgery, stable. We’ll plan to debrief about all of it at sunset.”

Ethan nodded, kept walking toward the stairs. When we reached the apartments, he unlocked the door, carried me into the room, kicked it closed once again.

“You can put me down,” I said groggily.

“Mmm-hmm.”

He waited until he reached the bed, stood me carefully beside it. “Get undressed. I’ll get some pajamas.”

“Pervert,” I said, but pulled off everything except the raven bracelet I still wore. I hit the bed naked and fell asleep immediately.

Chapter Twenty-two

THE PRESTIGE

We woke at dusk, both of us naked, to a knock on the door.

“That’s never a good sign.”

Ethan grunted, pulled on a robe, walked toward the sound. I heard mumbling, and then footsteps approaching again.

“Your father is in the foyer,” Ethan said, when he rounded the corner again. “Helen reports that he seems upset. He wants to talk to you.”

“I’ll bet he does. Tell him I’ve moved to Botswana.”

“Why Botswana?” was his only inquiry.

“First place that came to mind. Which is weird, because I bet I’ve never said ‘Botswana’ before.” But I was procrastinating, so I pushed off the covers and climbed out of bed. “I’ll get dressed.”

Ethan nodded. “As will I, and we’ll tackle this particular obstacle together.”

That was fine by me.

*   *   *

We didn’t dawdle, but we didn’t hurry, either. I wasn’t in any rush to listen to my father explain to me—especially after last night—how wrong I was about Reed. On the other hand, I was more than willing to give him a lecture of his own.

We walked downstairs wearing black clothing and grim expressions.

“Front parlor,” Lindsey said quietly when we reached the foyer.

We walked inside at the same time, two vampires in the threshold, a united front against all enemies. My father stood in the middle of the room in an immaculate suit, hands in his pockets. He glanced back, moved quickly toward the door when he saw me.

“Merit.”

“Joshua,” Ethan said, moving just enough to put his body between ours.

My father kept his gaze on me. “I need to talk to Merit.”

Once upon a time, I might have shied away from conflict with my father. I’d have avoided it by running to New York or California for college or my first round of graduate school, or I’d have simply locked myself in my room. I was no longer that girl.

I also had a champion.

My father took a step closer to me, but Ethan held out a hand.