“I’d drive a tractor to see you.” He grinned, turning around. “I missed your smile, your face, your round luscious—”
“Drive, mate,” Bones cut him off. “We’re in a hurry.”
Don looked taken aback at Bones’s brusqueness. Normally Bones and Juan were quite chummy, all hierarchy aside, since Bones had turned Juan into a vampire last year and thus Juan was under Bones’s line. Juan also seemed surprised at Bones’s curt comment, since he always flirted with me—and any female within a hundred yards—but Juan didn’t say anything. With a last, quick grin at me, he drove off.
“I asked you to have a safe car waiting for us in a low-profile manner.” Bones started in on my uncle. “Instead, you parked a limousine straight up to a plane. What were you thinking?”
Don tugged his eyebrow. “Wait two minutes, then see if you should criticize.”
“We’re both just tired,” I said, then thought to Bones, No one even knows we’re back in the States. Quit biting people’s heads off. But I squeezed his hand at the same time, promising him silently that we’d both feel better once we got where we were going.
“I’m rather testy, Don, forgive me for barking at you,” Bones said, curling his fingers around mine in acknowledgment. “You, too, Juan, but do me a favor. Keep your compliments to a minimum. I’m afraid it’s a sore subject at present.”
“Bueno, pero cuál es el problema?”
“English,” I reminded Juan.
“He wants to know what the problem is, luv.” Bones leaned back and tapped my hip. “Seat belt. All I need is for you to be injured in a car accident.”
I clipped the buckle into place. “Happy?”
A black limousine whizzed by us. Then another. And another. I looked out the back window in amazement, seeing a line of at least a dozen limousines all on the outbound road we traveled on.
“The cast of the new Miramax movie just got clearance to leave the airport.” Don gave a last, satisfied tweak of his brow. “Poor people, they were held up at Security. They’ve been waiting for hours.”
Bones started to smile. “Crafty old spider, aren’t you?”
“I’ve had practice hiding her, if you recall.”
A derisive snort came from Bones. “Yeah, I remember it well.”
“Play nice,” I said. A pissing contest between them was the last thing we needed.
Bones gave my fingers a squeeze. “Don’t fret, I’ve moved past my anger with him. In fact, he might be useful. So tell me, old chap, do any of your barmy scientists have a pill that prevents someone from dreaming?”
Don listened in morbid fascination as I described what was going on with Gregor, my potential past with him, and why he was called the Dreamsnatcher. When I was finished answering all his questions, two hours had gone by, and my uncle almost looked ill.
“Juan, pull off at the next exit, we have another transport waiting for us at the Shell station,” Bones directed him. “Kitten, you’ll only have a few minutes before we’re off again.”
“I’ll see what I can do about pills for Cat,” Don said once he’d recovered. “I should be able to have something made that could help.”
Juan exited off the interstate and pulled up to the first gas station on the right, which was a Shell.
“Ah, here we are. Juan, vaya con dios, and Don”—Bones held out his hand—“take care of yourself.”
Don shook Bones’s hand. “I’ll have those pills researched immediately.”
I gave my uncle a hug goodbye, even though we weren’t big on displays of affection for each other. Still, who knew when I’d see him again? Aside from my mother, Don was all the family I had.
“Thanks for coming along for the ride, Don. It must have played hell with your schedule.”
“My appointments could wait until later.” Don squeezed my shoulder. “Be careful, Cat.”
“I promise.”
Hopscotch and Band-Aid were the first out of the car. They did a quick perusal of the gas station’s perimeter, then indicated with a thumbs-up that it seemed clear. Bones went over to a maroon SUV, exchanging a greeting with the driver. Must be our new ride.
I got out and went around to the driver’s side of the limo. “No hug, buddy?”
Juan put the vehicle in park but kept the motor running, climbing out to give me a bear hug devoid of his usual ass-grab. “Hombre is in a foul mood,” he murmured.
“He just hasn’t slept. We’ll be fine.”
“Kitten.” Bones tapped his foot. “Very out in the open here. Let’s not linger.”