she stood. The zombie flinched back, and she was glad. Too quick for humans to track, at least, even if the vampire doesn’t seem to mind. Arrogant condescending prick. “I’m leaving. Don’t bother seeing me out.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t go yet. He’s a huge pain in the ass, it’s true, but he sort of grows on you after a while. Like athlete’s foot.” The queen’s voice, from the doorway. “Look, I found you some shoes. Won’t you at least try them on before you do the storm-out?”
Shoes? What? Why the hell should she . . . ? Who were these people? She looked around the parlor, realizing that the carpet and wallpaper were also peach.
“I know,” the queen said, following her gaze, “isn’t it awful? Half of this place needs major updating, but somehow we never get around to it. But hang out a minute, okay? Sink Lair will dial back the jerkiness, I promise.”
“Yes, Her Majesty promises,” Sink Lair replied helpfully.
“Ah-ha! Thought so!” The queen had crossed the room and held one of the shoes—a pair of navy blue flats in a sort of lacy pattern . . . What did they call that? Peau de soie? Anyway, they were blue flats. And the queen was holding one of them beside Rachael’s left foot. “See? Perfect match.”
“How did you know they would fit?”
The queen looked guilty. “I, uh, measured your feet while you were out cold.”
This . . . is the most surreal thing that has ever happened to me. And I once worked in my uncle’s antique shop for a month. During tourist season.
Bemused, she let the queen slip the shoes on her feet, like an undead Macy’s saleswoman. “There!”
“Thank you.”
“I apologize for mocking you earlier,” the king said in clear response to the queen’s sizzling glare. “It was not . . . kind. Will you tell us why you came in the first place? Marc said something about murders.”
“Yeah, but if I’d known Tina was gonna clip her with the handle of one of the butcher knives, I might have held back.”
Clearly ruffled, Tina shot back, “Well, I couldn’t just let her walk out.”
“Yes!” The queen threw her arms in the air. “You could have! This is why we never have people over anymore, Tina!”
“Softly, my love,” the king said, looking at the queen with poorly restrained affection. It was as tender a moment as she could have hoped to see among the undead, and it gave her the strength to tell them what was on her mind.
“Somebody’s murdering humans. And the timing is odd. Michael Wyndham sent me out here to keep an eye on all of you—”
“All of us?” Tina asked sharply.
“The king and queen. And no sooner am I here than the body count starts. People who were supposed to be my new clients. I’m wondering if someone is doing it to cause trouble for the vampires and the Pack. Or maybe...”
“To cause trouble between the vampires and your Pack,” Sinclair mused. “Yes. I see it. Hmmm.”
“That’s why I came to warn you. It’s not me doing it. And if you’re not doing it . . . well. As I said. Odd timing.”
“It’s not us,” the zombie said. He glanced around the room. “Right? Guys?”
“Of course not.” But Tina said it with such flat affect, Rachael couldn’t tell if the woman was lying, or teasing, or neither.
The king had taken a seat beside his queen and was leaning forward, his hands on his knees. It was startling, the way he could go so still. When he moved, it was like seeing a statue move . . . unsettling and odd. Even a little frightening. “Can you get us information on the victims? Police reports, autopsies, anything?”
“Probably.” She’d have to find out. Did Cain have any Pack contacts with local law enforcement? Could Michael make a phone call? “I’ll have to make a few calls.”
“Do that, if you please. And then come back.”
“Of course.” Yes, I’ll rush right back into this rat’s nest, to be sure. And you might find it’ll be much harder to take me from behind next time. She was furious with herself for that. She might not be able to smell them, but she could hear them. She should have been three steps ahead, instead of getting sapped like a cub. Her concern for Edward had completely screwed up her—
Edward !
“I have to go.” She stood. The flats fit perfectly. For some reason, that pleased her, though the idea of a