"My mother … have you seen her?" Serafine twirled a lock of her hair round her finger.
"Your mother was sick but she's okay now. She's been staying with friends, resting."
"Friends like him?" Serafine's eyes went to Quintus, who gave a small smile. "He kills people."
Kai's heart sank at her words. Quintus was lethal, but he'd lived a long life, had learned to protect himself from evil.
"Quintus. He's a vampire. But he won't hurt you. And he'd never hurt your mom either. He's my friend. He's been helping me."
"He's lonely. Mr. Vampire, you need a friend," Serafine told him, compassion on her face. "You need to be nice. Stop killing people."
Kai gave a sad smile. "Quintus will be fine, I promise. Yes, your mother is with a man like him. He's strong. He can protect her. She'll come back to you soon."
Kai's heart tightened at the white lie. From what Jake had told her, although Dominique was alive, she wasn't the same person she'd been. The demon had nearly destroyed her. Serafine looked to each of her sisters, and Kai suspected they communicated silently.
"Do you promise mother won't be angry?" the girl asked.
"I promise you. I will go see her myself." Kai wasn't sure how she'd make it happen, but she wouldn't go back on her word to a child. "It's okay. You can trust it with us."
"It's hidden where she sleeps," she whispered. "But you need to hurry. The wind. It carries demons. They can see you. They could try to steal it."
"Thank you," Kai said, exhaling an audible breath. She glanced to Jake, and reached for his hand as he extended it to her. "I promise you Kasdeya will never hurt you again. Or your mother. We need a few days but we can do this."
"Thank you," Jake said, backing away from the entities.
"Grazie, patatino." Quintus gave a small bow in thanks, waiting as Kai stepped onto the ladder.
"Goodbye," Kai said, but as she turned to the girls, they'd disappeared.
"Let's go, sweetheart. We've gotta get out of here." Jake glanced around the attic one more time before following Kai downward onto the landing. The whistle of wind whipped through the drafty home as Quintus made his way into the hallway.
"This way … try that bed," Kai said, her pulse racing. Her eyes went to the window, and she noted the ominous darkened sky.
"Wait up," Jake told her, following on her heels.
"Here." Kai pointed to the four poster bed. She ran her palm over the dark mahogany post but sensed nothing. "I don't get it. Do you think it's between the mattresses?"
"Maybe, but think about it. If you were hiding something special, where would you put it? My guess is," Jake ran a hand over the snowy Marseilles bedspread, tracing its intricate pattern, "you'd put it somewhere that it wouldn't be easily discovered."
"A hidden compartment," Quintus suggested, inspecting the lower frame.
"If I had a treasure," Kai mused, "Something important … "
"Something that could kill someone," Jake interjected.
"A weapon. Something that would protect me." Kai ran her fingers over the headboard. "I'd want it close to me."
"Somewhere well hidden." Quintus knelt down and peered under the bed.
"Somewhere I could reach it," she speculated. "But maybe if it's a secret, I'd want a key?"
"Maybe, but where are you going to keep a key? You're sleeping," Jake said.
"And if I were by myself, I'd probably sleep on the side with the night stand. So … " Kai rounded the bed to where Jake stood. "I'd be lying down."
"What are you … ?" Jake gave a small laugh as Kai launched herself up onto the high bed, nearly sliding back onto the floor. "Easy."
"I forgot how high these beds are."
"Back in the day, you'd be better off up high. Vermin," Quintus commented.
"So if I needed a weapon. Maybe I'd what? Look for it down here?" Kai fingered the side of the bed, but couldn't reach the edge of the frame.
"Maybe if you were on your stomach, it would be easier?" Jake suggested.
Kai flipped over, and sighed. "I'm not sure. Did you see anything on the frame?"
"No," Quintus said. "I hope those girls were telling the truth."
"They were. It's here somewhere. Just let me … "
"If it were me, I'd keep it under my pillow. But then again, it's a secret. She's keeping it close, but not too close." Jake brushed his hand over his forehead.