would share all they knew about Damon’s home and security, seeing as how the new king had killed them.
It was how Winter had gathered mountains of information on his enemies over the years. Not every ghost noticed him, and not all wanted to speak to him, but they saw everything. And the ones looking for a little attention, or just a little vengeance, were happy to spill their secrets.
Damon had killed scores of vampires and humans over the years in Virginia. Plenty wanted to tell all of what they’d seen inside the place.
Their reports on the security were hard to judge since ghosts didn’t really have a sense of time, and Winter was confident Damon had beefed up his safeguards over the past few months as he dismantled the Ministry and seized power.
Glancing at his watch, Winter checked the time yet again. Two hours until sunrise. He was cutting this shit close, but it was the best plan he could cook up. If he took out the witch and made his escape close to sunrise, it would be impossible for any of Damon’s vampire minions to track him down or follow him. Damon wasn’t the type to have any humans he trusted to look for him. Winter just needed to get enough space between himself and Damon’s goons.
He closed his eyes and called on his powers. The veil parted, and it felt like the world gave a happy sigh as it welcomed him back into its embrace. The opening closed around Winter, and he was in the world of the dead. Sadly, ghosts filled the grounds of Damon’s home. Both humans and vampires found their end here, thanks to Damon and his clan.
This was merely a preview of what would happen to vampires and humans across the continent if Damon was permitted to ascend to power among the vampires.
Jogging across the vast expanse of neatly trimmed lawn, he skirted the front door and circled around the building, counting the guards and security cameras as he moved. While he was quite adept at picking locks and had hacked more than his share of security systems, it was too dangerous to do it here. It would require him to leave the dead world, and he wasn’t willing to do that unless absolutely necessary. He needed them to open the door for him.
At the rear of the house, he found a door that looked as if it might lead into the kitchen. Definitely not the type of place he’d find Damon or any of his upper-level disciples. No, here would be the underlings and the servants. Maybe some guards trying to keep a low profile or take a break. He could make this work.
Turning where he stood, he took a quick inventory of his surroundings. Off the door was a small stone patio with a couple of cheap folding chairs and a bucket. He glanced inside the bucket to find old cigarette butts and ashes. Human servants with a bad habit? Or just some stressed-out vampires? The nicotine wouldn’t affect the vampire any longer, but there could be some placebo effect going on. The old habit helped to settled nerves more than the chemicals. Bel would love to study these poor creatures.
A slow grin spread across Winter’s lips. This was just perfect. Checking once again for the placement of the video cameras, he reached inside the bucket while also creating a small opening between the worlds. He snatched up a cigarette butt that had a good length of tobacco before the pale brown filter.
Winter walked over to one of the bushes that would have been just at the edge of the security camera view but still a short distance from the patio, and he pulled off the small sling backpack he wore whenever he was on missions like this. The bag held essentials such as rope, knives, matches, cash, bandages, and even a small squeeze bottle of lighter fluid. With the bottle and matches in one hand, he reshouldered the bag and took a deep breath. He needed to work fast. An opening couldn’t be moved, and neither could the bush, which meant his hands would have to be in the realm of the living to light the fire.
Once his nerves were settled, Winter pushed the veil aside just enough to carefully place the cigarette among the branches and leaves at the top of the bush, as if someone had simply flicked it in that direction rather than putting it out in the