“And I can erase memories and teleport.” Again Aidan swore. “Who else can?”
“Chaahk and Imhotep. Their thoughts bore nothing perfidious. You were the only one who hid something behind unusually strong barriers.”#p#分页标题#e#
“Thanks for the nosebleed, by the way,” Aidan commented with a wry smile.
Seth laughed. “Actually that was Zach.”
“The bastard who captured me?”
“Yes.”
“Who is he? He clearly is an elder. And older than I, judging by the ease with which he kicked my ass.”
“You might say he’s my cousin.”
Aidan whistled. “He’s as old as you are?”
“Yes. And thank you for that.” As if Seth didn’t feel ancient enough.
“Is he as powerful as you are, too?”
“No. But, in time, he’ll come close.”
“I sense you don’t want to talk about him.”
“I don’t. Maybe later. I have too much on my mind right now.”
“Do you trust him?”
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but yes.”
And once more, Seth and the others were back to square one. If the tracking device Cliff planted on that vamp didn’t lead them to the vampires’ lair . . .
“Let me help you,” Aidan said.
Seth shook his head. “You don’t have to earn a transfer, Aidan. It’s yours. Just don’t tell anyone how you went about securing it. And Bastien, I expect you, Melanie, and the vampires to keep our secret as well,” he said, knowing they eavesdropped.
They agreed.
Aidan held out a healed hand. “Thank you, Seth.”
Seth clasped Aidan’s arm and pulled him into a hug, clapping him on the back. “The North Carolina bunch is a lively one,” he warned.
“Sounds like just what I need.”
“And we have other secrets we will ask you to keep as well.”
“Whatever you need me to do, I’ll do it. I’m sincere in my desire to help you, Seth. And I won’t betray you again. I vow it.”
Seth nodded.
They sat quietly for several moments, Seth puzzling over . . . everything. Frowning, he looked at Aidan. “What do you know about being poor? You haven’t been poor since you were transformed and I took you under my wing. And you weren’t even poor before that.”
“You caught that, did you?” he said with a smile, then shrugged. “My best Seconds have always been those you rescued from poverty.”
“I didn’t rescue them. I just offered them a well-paying job I knew would suit them.”
“And they appreciated it and never took the perks for granted the way some do.”
“Am I the jackwad boss who likes to fuck with people’s lives in your analogy?”
Aidan laughed. “No. As far as bosses go, you kick ass.”
“When I’m not kicking your ass? Or sending my henchman to do it for me?”
“Don’t dwell on it, Seth. I don’t intend to. I’m too old and weary to hold a grudge. And you’ve lived thousands of years. You were bound to make a mistake sometime.”
“Three mistakes. You’re the third immortal I’ve wrongly accused.”
His eyebrows flew up. “Really? Damn. I’ve been missing all the fun. We have a true mystery on our hands if the evidence has pointed you in that many directions.”
“You make it sound exciting.”
“It is. Hell, just the idea of encountering vampires who aren’t the same old same old sounds exciting to me.”
“Even when they endanger younger immortals’ lives?”
“No. That just sounds infuriating.” Aidan smiled. “Aren’t you glad you’ll have me around now to help you take care of them?”
Smiling, Seth shook his head. “I believe I am.”
Chapter Seventeen
Lisette smiled when Zach took her hand and twined his fingers through hers.
He had just rocked her world, as Americans were fond of saying, more than once, yet this simple act—holding hands—made her heart leap with joy.
He closed the door to the quiet room David had invited them to use and headed for the stairs that led up to the ground floor.
Keeping pace with him, Lisette admired the broad shoulders and muscular chest left bare by his usual wardrobe of black leather pants and boots. Now that he no longer subbed for Seth or wore hunting garb, Zach refused to carry katanas or anything else that would require looping scabbards over his shoulders or back. He didn’t want anything to interfere with his wings when he released them. So, instead, he wore a beltlike bandolier around his hips with daggers and throwing stars tucked into sheaths and loops.
As he traveled the corridor in long, ground-eating strides, Zach looked like what he was: a bold, powerful warrior of old. Strong and regal and utterly edible.