And they hadnt. Excuse me? Claires father asked, and began to rise out of his chair. Are you threatening these kids?
Bishop turned those cold eyes toward them, and Claire desperately thought about whether a hot iron skillet with a panful of frying eggs might be a useful weapon against a vampire. Her dad froze, halfway up.
She felt a wave of something go through the room, and her parents eyes went blank and vague. Her dad sank down again heavily in his chair.
No more questions, Bishop said to them. I tire of your chatter.
Claire felt a surge of utter black fury. She wanted to leap on that evil old man and claw his eyes out. The only thing holding her back, in those two long seconds, was the fact that if she tried, theyd all end up dead.
Even Michael.
Coffee? Eve broke the silence with a desperate, brittle brightness in her tone. She grabbed the coffeepot from Michael and bore down on Claires mom and dad like the avenging dark angel of caffeine. Claire wondered what her parents made of Eve, with her rice-powder makeup and black lipstick and raccoon eyeliner, and her dyed-black hair teased into fierce spikes.
Then again, she had coffee, and she was smiling.
Sure, Claires mom said, and tried a tentative smile in return. Thank you, dear. Sodid you say that man is a relative of yours? She cast a look toward Bishop, who was exiting the kitchen and heading for the dining table in the living area. The handsome younger male vamp caught Claires look and winked, and she hastily focused back on Eve and her parents.
Nope, Eve said, with fear-fueled cheer. Distant relative of Michaels. From Europe, you know. Cream?
Eggs are done, Claire said, and turned down the burner. Eve
I hope we have enough plates, Eve interrupted, more than a little frantic. Jeez, I never thought Id say this, but wheres the good china? Is there good china?
Meaning plates without chips in the edges? Yeah. Over there. Shane pointed to a cabinet about four feet higher than Eves head. She gave him a stare. Dont look at meIm not reaching for it. Still wounded, you know. He was. Claire had forgotten that, too, in the press of all the other stuffhe was doing better, but hed been out of the hospital only a short while. Hardly enough time to really heal up from the stab wound that had nearly killed him.
That was another good reason not to make waves unless they absolutely had towithout Shane, their ability to fight back was seriously compromised.
Eve climbed up on the counter, found the plates, and handed them down to Claire. Once that was done, Claire took Shanes place at the stove, stirring the lumpy stuff that was supposed to be gravy. It looked like something an alien would barf.