had frozen to death, and it was now snowing in all of New Orleans. By then, Jacques had rounded up Marie’s lieutenants and brought them to her house, where she directed them to immediately do damage control on the deaths and the supernatural aspect of the new snow. Before they left, she also informed them that ghouls were temporarily allying with vampires against the new gods who’d dared to strike in her city. No one dared to object, at least not to Marie’s face.
Marie then dismissed them and turned to me. “I will dispatch all my ghosts to look for Morana. Wherever she is, the others won’t be far.”
I nodded. “We also have ghosts looking for them, so with luck, they won’t be able to hide for long.”
A smile hovered over her lips. “No one can hide from the dead for long, which is why you only have twelve hours to bring the vampire council on board with this new alliance.”
I acted as if I wasn’t startled that she knew I’d come here without the council’s approval. “Of course.”
Her look became pointed. “They also must make their confirmation of this alliance public and official, as I have.”
They still hadn’t even rescinded their death sentence on me, but what was another impossible task on my to-do list?
“I understand.” I wanted to offer to help with the people who’d lost their lives, but Marie would probably take offense to that. She considered them hers to avenge, so she’d consider them hers to bury and provide for their dependents, too.
No, all I could do was try to ensure that no others lost their lives, which was Impossible Task Number One on my list.
“Ashael, we’ll need you to take us to the council,” I said.
Ian took my hand and placed his other one on Ashael’s shoulder. “Start with Hekima. She’s the most intelligent.”
Very true. I also placed my free hand on my brother, who inclined his head at Marie.
“Until next time, ma belle.”
Whatever she replied was lost as Ashael teleported us away.
The next thing I saw was row after row of cherry trees. We were on a balcony overlooking a street that was famous enough for me to recognize it even without the tall, white obelisk of the Washington Monument spearing the sky.
“You brought the vampire council’s most senior member to the humans’ seat of power in America?”
Ashael grinned. “Twisted, right?”
Ian high-fived him. “Love it.”
I shook my head. At least this swanky hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue would be one of the last places that Morana, Ruaumoko, or Phanes would look for Hekima.
“You have to knock,” Ashael said. “I spelled her hotel room so that only Hekima could open the windows and doors.”
Smart. I knocked on the sliding glass doors to the balcony, though Hekima had probably heard us already. After a moment, the drapes were pushed aside to reveal her familiar salt-and-pepper hair. She frowned at us, but she opened the doors.
“Your clothes are wet,” she said to me in lieu of a customary greeting.
I glanced down. Yes, they were. I hadn’t noticed before now because it hardly mattered, but some of the ice left over from Morana’s attack had clung to me and then melted.
“It’s nothing,” I said.
She walked away, gesturing for us to follow her out of the bedroom. The four-poster bed was still made and Hekima was in elegant leisurewear instead of sleep wear, so we hadn’t woken her up. For vampires, three in the morning wasn’t that late.
“Your business must be urgent to show up unannounced, but you can discuss it in dry clothing,” she said to me, and opened a closet in the hallway. “Since I was dropped here without my belongings and I’ve been forbidden from leaving, I purchased several items from the hotel’s stores. I will of course reimburse you,” she added to Ashael. “In the meantime, Veritas, choose one.”
“Don’t bother reimbursing me,” Ashael said with a grin. “So many politicians have demon deals in this city that our entire race practically has an open tab here.”
It would be rude to refuse her gift, so I thanked Hekima, selected something that I thought would fit since I was taller and curvier than she, and changed in the bathroom.
When I came out, Ian and Ashael were helping themselves to bourbon from the tall, well-stocked bar in the living room, and Hekima was sitting on one of several couches. Ashael had certainly set her up well. The bedroom had been sumptuous, the bathroom had been wall-to-wall marble, and beyond