8
I’d found Eudoxia exactly where I thought she’d be—lounging in one of the suites, complaining that things weren’t quite up to snuff. As I walked in, she spun around. “Exactly how long do we have to stay here?” she asked, wrinkling her nose.
I shrugged, looking around. “This isn’t a house made for peasants. The accommodations are pretty cushy. But I didn’t come here to chat about the decor or time frame. I came to fulfill my end of the bargain.” I pulled back my sleeve to expose my wrist. Her teeth snapped down as she stalked toward me. It was a horrid sound. “I’m going to let you have a thirty-second draw, nothing more.”
She glared at me, but said nothing. She latched on, taking her full thirty seconds. When she was done, she dragged her sleeve over her mouth, smearing my blood as it trickled down her chin. Classy. The only thing she’d refrained from doing was smacking her lips.
I rolled my shirtsleeve down. “We’re heading out, hoping to find answers about Tally’s whereabouts. We’ll be back later this afternoon.”
“I will not be here,” she stated, turning around and walking back to a large window that overlooked the vineyards. “I have business to attend to. In fact, I will be spending as little time as possible here.”
“It’s not an issue,” I said. “I’m sure we will run into you at some point.”
She huffed, but didn’t answer. I was certain she would’ve loved to have said something along the lines of, Not if I can help it.
Her back was to me as I started for the door. Her monotone rang out, “There is danger here.”
My face showed my surprise. “Are you trying to keep me safe by telling me that?”
“No, insolent wolf,” she said, glaring over her shoulder. “I’m simply stating a fact.”
“Got it,” I said. “I’ll be sure to keep an eye out.” I left the room, shutting the door behind me. My wrist was already healed. I had no idea how I was going to work with that woman for an eternity.
I sighed.
The entire group was standing by an SUV parked in the drive when I walked out the front door.
I filled them in on the basics of what we learned while you were gone, Rourke said.
I joined them outside the vehicle. “Everybody ready?” I asked. “We’re on the hunt for statues. We didn’t get very clear details, but since Florence is the city of sculptures, it shouldn’t be that hard to find some. Accademia sounds like the right place to start.”
“So this supernatural has the ability to cloak you?” Nick asked. “That’s pretty powerful stuff. What kind of a supe can do that?”
I shook my head. “I have no idea, but I’m hoping Lucas’s nose can help us out. Between him and Tyler, we should be able to figure out if there’s a supernatural in that art gallery. If not, we go elsewhere until we find what we’re looking for.”
“When are we going to the bridge?” Kayla asked pointedly. I’d seen her holding on to Enid’s note earlier.
“As soon as we find this supe,” I told her. “Without his help, I won’t be able to rescue anyone. Jeb said that if I followed Enid’s directives, I would die. Kayla, I know you’re worried about Jax, and we are too. He is our priority, as well as our other friends who are missing. Enid isn’t going to kill him. If she did, she’d risk not getting what she wants—which is me. She doesn’t want your brother. I’m the one she’s after.”
“I get that,” she replied. “But the note said to go directly to the Ponte Vecchio. We’re not doing that, and if we don’t follow what she said, my brother could be harmed.” Kayla’s voice was carefully measured. She’d obviously been waiting to say this since we’d landed on Italian soil.
I walked over and settled my hands on her shoulders. She didn’t brush me off, which was good. “Kayla, you have to believe me, your brother’s going to be fine. He’s an ice troll and, by the looks of it, an incredibly strong one. He put up a huge fight when he was taken at your apartment. He’s braver than you think. I know waiting is hard, but if we can’t convince this supernatural to help us, our chances of succeeding in this mission go down dramatically. I need your head in the game. You can help us.” I dropped my hands. “We’re not the enemy. You have to believe that.”
She bowed her head. “I do,” she replied softly. “I see now that you’re the good guys. But you have to understand that I haven’t trusted anyone since my parents died. All I care about is getting my brother back alive.”
“I promise we’re going to do just that.” Rourke yanked open the door of the SUV as Lucas came rushing down the steps. “Help us track down this supe,” I said, “and we’re that much closer to finding your brother.”
She nodded. “I’m pretty good about sensing supernaturals. I will try my best.”
“That’s all we can ask for.” Lucas was almost to us. “Nick,” I murmured to my friend, “I want you to feel Lucas out to see if we can trust him. See how happy he is with his position here, how he’s been treated, and where his allegiances lie.”
“Will do,” Nick answered. “If he’s anything like me, he’s not that happy.” He grinned as he climbed into the front seat, making room for Lucas.
“I’ll take anything in our favor right now,” I said as I climbed into the backseat and shut the door, taking my place next to Rourke, who draped his hand around my waist. I nuzzled his shoulder.
He growled, “How’d it go with the Vampire Queen?”
“As good as it could, I suppose. She’s not going to be spending a lot of time here, so we’ve got that going for us.”