Friday Night Bites - By Chloe Neill Page 0,32

experienced crew - to the problem.

And speaking of problems, although I knew I needed to report the latest Breckenridge developments - the fact that Nick was back in Chicago and that he'd camped out with the paparazzi at our gate - I'd spent enough time with Ethan and Luc discussing supernatural drama over the last couple of days. Besides, I had some questions for Nick, questions I couldn't ask in front of a bevy of reporters. Questions about Nick's newfound hostility. Ethan and I would be at the Breckenridge estate tomorrow night. If Nick was there, I'd have time to do a little investigating of my own.

It sounded like a good plan, a solid course of action for a newbie Sentinel. Either that or a pretty detailed way to continue avoiding Ethan.

"Win-win," I murmured with a smile.

To add a little more space between Darth Sullivan and me - and to repay Mallory for taking care of me during my own awkward supernatural transition - I got into my Volvo and drove back to Wicker Park to provide a little postshift BFF solace.

The brownstone was well lit as I drove up, even in the early hours of the morning. I didn't bother ringing the doorbell, but walked right in and headed for the kitchen. Which smelled delicious.

"Chicken and rice," Mallory announced from her spot in front of the stove, where she was spooning rice and sauce onto a plate. She heaped a piece of roasted chicken on top of the combo, then smiled at me. "I knew you'd want food."

"You're a goddess among women, Mallory Carmichael." I took the plate to a stool at the kitchen island and tucked into the food. The wicked fast vampire metabolism was great for the waistline but awful for the appetite. It was a rare hour that didn't involve my dreaming about grilled, roasted, or fried beast. Sure, I needed blood to survive - I was a vampire, after all - but like Mal had once said, blood was like another vitamin. It was fulfilling in a very important way. Comforting - like chicken soup for vampires. That it came from plastic bags and was delivered to our door by a company uncreatively named Blood4You didn't diminish the comfort, although it wasn't much in the way of chic.

The chicken and rice, on the other hand, was a hunger spot-hitter. It was a delicious recipe, and one of the first meals that Mallory had cooked for us when we'd become roommates three years ago. It was also better, or so I guessed, than anything I could get in the Cadogan House cafeteria.

Catcher padded into the kitchen, barefoot and jeaned and pulling on a T-shirt. The hem came down just in time to hide the circular tattoo that I knew marked his abdomen. It was a circle cut into quadrants, a graphical representation of the organization of magic into the four Keys.

"Merit," he said, heading for the refrigerator. "I see you managed to stay away for, what, all of twenty-four hours?"

I chewed a mouthful of chicken and rice, swallowed. "I'm investigating disorderly sorcerers."

He humphed and grabbed a carton of milk, then chugged directly from the cardboard spout. Mallory and I watched him, the same grimace on both our faces. Sure, I did the same thing with OJ, but he was a boy, and it was milk. That was just gross.

I glanced over at her, and she met my gaze, rolled her eyes. "At least he's putting the toilet paper on the roll now. That's a big step. Love you, Catch."

Catcher grunted, but he was smirking as he did it. After closing the refrigerator door, he joined us, standing next to Mallory on her side of the kitchen island. "I assume Sullivan filled you in about Celina?"

"That she's probably on her way back to Chicago to take care of me? Yeah, he mentioned that."

"Celina's been released?" Mallory asked, casting a worried glance in Catcher's direction. "Seriously?"

He bobbed his head. "We're not issuing a press release or anything, but yes." Then he turned his gaze on me and scoured me with a look. "One wonders if vampires enjoy drama, since they just keep making more of it."

"Celina keeps making more of it," I clarified, pointing at him with my fork. "I was more than happy to keep her locked away in a damp British dungeon." I took another bite of chicken, my hunger apparently undiminished by the possibility that a narcissistic vampire was crossing the Atlantic to get me.

readonlinefreenovel.com Copyright 2016 - 2024