Demon Moon (35 page)

“We also didn't anticipate having a vampire community leaderless for so long, nor so many willing to act as a demon's assassins.” Castleford slid his hands into his pockets, regarded him evenly. “What do you suggest we do?”

Bloody hell. There was no mistaking the censure in Castleford's tone. Was he trying to lecture Colin into the role? “I suggest you find Dalkiel, and do what you do best: play the executioner.”

Lilith's fingers clenched at her sides. “Until another comes to take his place? Brilliant, Colin. Absolutely fucking brilliant.”

He returned her stare, affected a bored tone. “I'm a second son, Agent Milton. I drink. I fuck. I remain useless. It is not just my birthright, it is my preference.”

Lilith tilted her head and studied him with shadowed eyes. “You're a vampire, Colin. What gave you the impression that your free will is of any concern to us when human lives are at stake?
Savi's
life.”

“And your brother is dead. As is his heir, and his heir. As is your sister, and all of her children.” Hugh didn't flinch as he delivered the statement; the executioner at his most merciless, words his weapons. “It has been many years since I've concerned myself with the laws of primogeniture, but I believe that leaves you in a position to acquire a bit of responsibility.”

Manipulative bastards, the both of them; this wasn't what they believed, but digging at what he did. And they would corner him into it, but Savi was his only concern—the only responsibility that mattered to him.

“Yes, but how can I protect her and assume a position of leadership? You ask the impossible.” But if he could make the role assist him in defending her against the demon…

Bloody fucking hell. Hadn't he made the decision when he'd taken responsibility for the boys' punishments? When he'd spoken with Detective Taylor? When he'd slain the woman in the alley?

“I want Fia, and her partner, Paul. And any other vampires you can spare.”

Triumph flared in Lilith's eyes. Good God, little wonder it had annoyed Savi so badly when he'd shown his. “They'll continue their training, I hope.”

“Yes.” Colin glanced between them. “But I—and they—won't answer to you.”

Castleford shrugged and began walking again. “Then don't do anything for which you'll be made answerable.”

Colin waited until his irritation faded before heading out into the rain after them. Christ. He wasn't above irritating them in turn. “You do realize, my dear agents, that I'm the least suitable vampire for the role? Indeed, the only reason you've coerced me into this is because I'm much like Dalkiel: I have physical power, and don't follow tradition overmuch.”

“Like him, yes, but with better ends.” Castleford glanced over his shoulder. “Also because you don't like to serve, and you understand that's what leadership of this type would be. When they are ready, and you have a suitable replacement, you can leave them. The demon would never voluntarily relinquish his power. I think you'll suit.”

“Most vampire communities require partnerships and bloodsharing for its members, including the head,” Colin pointed out. “San Francisco is no exception.”

Lilith rolled her eyes. “You're a freak. Just do your great and terrible beauty thing and convince them to love you.”

Castleford raised a brow. “What thing?”

“I don't know. Except for Belial, I've never seen anything like it. Have you?”

Belial—the rebel demon who'd refused to give up his angelic form. Colin grinned, pleased by the comparison. Lilith had once told him Belial's beauty hurt to look upon, so brightly did it shine.

“No,” Castleford said slowly. “Can you do it now?”

Shaking his head, Colin admitted, “I know it happens—rarely—but I don't control it. And I confess I'm glad of its infrequence; I'd rather admiration when women look at me than terror.”

“It was psychic in nature. My shields were already in place, but I had to reinforce them and actively hold the blocks to stop its effect.” Lilith considered him for a moment. “And the other?”

Chaos
. Colin quickly signed the word with his hand.
The emotional experience of it
.

She drew in a sharp breath. “You punished them with it?”

Colin's mouth pulled into a thin line. “You pity them for something they'll hardly remember, yet you would have allowed Sir Pup to kill them and not given a second thought. And you send me into the fucking Room, knowing I'll experience the same thing.”

“It's not pity, it's surprise,” Castleford said. “Have you done it before?”

He could choose not to answer, but that would be as damning as a lie. “This was the second time,” he admitted, and watched as comprehension frosted the other man's gaze.

Lilith frowned. “When was the first?”
Could it have been the cause of the tear between the realms last month?
she finished by signing.

“No,” Castleford said flatly. “It was Savi. When they were in Caelum.”

Her eyes flickered with unease before she grinned. “Is a testosterone-laden fight to the death about to ensue?”

Colin smoothed his hand over his chest and soft woven silk. “I don't want to ruin this.” Bad enough the rain had dampened it.

But better than her tears of grief, had Auntie's injury been worse.

“And as Savi told me she plans to spend the next month with you, I imagine your punishment has not yet concluded.” Castleford turned away. “I'm satisfied.”

Lilith sighed. “Then can you two kiss? Please?”

“Do you truly want me to? Think about the consequences, Lilith. Your two thousand years can't compare to what I have to give him,” Colin said.

She sighed again as Castleford's deep laughter rumbled through the moist night air. “But you're both so pretty.”

“Perhaps he is marginally attractive, but I've someone more suitable in mind to kiss.”

“Your ‘consort'? You may as well have declared her your wife.” Lilith arched her brows. “Does Auntie know?”

He grinned unrepentantly. He'd only used the term to frighten the boy, to intimate a closer relationship between Savi and himself, but he found himself growing attached to the idea.

And if he openly acknowledged Savi as his consort, it would offer its own protection. Vampires who followed Dalkiel out of a desire for leadership and adherence to tradition might balk at killing a companion; protecting partnerships was as intrinsic a value in a community as bloodsharing within a partnership.

“Agent Milton, my dear, even Savi doesn't yet know.”

“No false hope that way?”

He sobered quickly. “Yes.”

But for his.

For once, Savi didn't feel the need to question the hows and whys of a Guardian's power; she gratefully accepted the new sari Dru created for Nani, and carried it into the restaurant's office.

The police swarmed outside and in the main dining room; the office was a sorely needed retreat, even if it would only be of short duration.

Nani was readjusting her skirt to hide the ragged bullet hole in the material above her hip; Dru had removed the blood from her skin and clothes, but the hole was clear evidence she'd been hit. To Savi's surprise, Detective Taylor had been the one to suggest covering it—remarking that the other officers would notice such a detail, even if they couldn't explain its existence.

“Dru sent this for you.”

“This conceals it.” Nani's bangles jingled as she tucked in the edge at her waist. She glanced up at Savi's face, clicked her tongue. “I've no intention of stripping naked with half of the city in the next room, and Guardians who might teleport in at any moment.”

All in Hindi, but for “Guardians” and “teleport.” The incongruity of it pulled a smile from her, and Savi dipped her head and nodded. She'd never heard her grandmother directly acknowledge them before, in any language. Caelum had always been “that place”; Guardians, demons, and nosferatu, “such as them.”

Did she even know vampires existed? Know what manner of being had shot her? And why?

Sudden guilt rose, and her vision blurred. “Oh, Nani,” she whispered, “I'm so sorry.” She hardly recognized her own voice, it was so thick with tears. But her grandmother would not want her to give in to them.

And she'd cried enough in the past twenty-four hours. Surely it was time to stop. Swallowing hard, Savi turned and set the sari on the desk, fought down the shame. The demon had put this in motion, not she.

But it
had
been set into motion—with her grandmother placed in the middle. Savi would get her out, one way or another.

Nani sighed. “
Naatin
, you look just as your mother did when she told me she was going to marry an American.”

“This may be worse.” Crossing her arms over her chest, Savi clasped her upper arms and rubbed slowly. Warming herself, gathering her thoughts. “I met with Manu Suraj.”

“That is worse?”

“He rejected me. I told him I believed in the DemonSlayer stuff.”

Nani pursed her lips and shrugged. “This is what comes of searching for a groom through advertisements. The next one will be more reasonable.”

Savi's heartbeat raced beneath her crossed arms. “I don't think I can keep my promise to you, Nani.”

Dark eyes met hers, filled with sudden worry; Nani sank into the desk chair. “Savitri, you are not always consistent, but I have never known you not to keep your word. What has happened?”

What hadn't happened? But it was best to start when she'd made her promise; everything before then didn't apply in the same way. “On the plane, when I attacked that nosferatu—you remember how I had blood on me when I came back?” At her grandmother's nod, she continued. The fever, the changes in her strength. The wyrmwolves. The demon and his plan for revenge. “That's why the vampires shot at the restaurant tonight. I don't think it would be fair to marry someone when I bring so many problems into it, endanger them just by living.”

Nani had listened quietly, her face paling and her mouth slightly parted as if in shock. But now she leaned forward, her gaze fierce as she gripped Savi's hands in her own.

“What protection have you?”

“Hugh is teaching me to protect myself.”

Nani's eyes closed, as if in gratitude. “He's a good boy. A strong one. It is good that you live near him; he can care for you.”

“Yes,” Savi agreed thickly. “But I'm going to be staying with Mr. Ames-Beaumont for a while.”

Nani withdrew her hands and sat back, studying her silently.

A flush heated Savi's cheeks. “He's the only one who can sense the wyrmwolves' approach. He's almost as strong as a Guardian. He can protect me better than any other.”

Her eyebrows lifting in disbelief, Nani said, “Savitri. Now you look exactly as your mother did when she tried to convince me that she was marrying your father because he had a good family.”

Savi snorted with laughter before she caught herself; her dad's family had only been
good
in the most superficial of ways. When her amusement faded, she said earnestly, “He'll take care of me. I'm most concerned about you. I want you to go back to Mumbai for a little while.”

“No—”

“Yes,” Savi said firmly. “Look at what happened tonight; the demon is trying to hurt me by hurting you. I need to know you're safe, and away from here until this is resolved. Not more than a couple of weeks. And I'll take care of the restaurant's repairs while you're gone. Maybe do some updates in the kitchen.”

Her grandmother's mouth tightened, and Savi could see she was getting ready to protest again, when a knock sounded at the door.

She turned as Colin opened it, stepped through. His golden hair had been flattened by the rain and his clothes wrinkled, yet he managed to exude a careless elegance. It had to be some obscure vampire ability—but she knew the sudden happiness and relief that swept through her upon seeing him had little to do with superpowers. It was just him.

Colin looked between them with a boyish grin that he didn't attempt to conceal. He casually brought his thumb to his mouth and pressed it to one of his fangs, then used the blood to activate the symbols scratched into the door frame.

Savi hid her shock; it was as clear a declaration of his nature to Nani as her long-winded description had been of the changes in hers.

His gaze settled on her grandmother, and he asked in Hindi, “You are well?”

“Yes,
beta
.” Her grandmother did not seem similarly surprised; instead, she scrutinized him as carefully as she would the front counter at closing time, the food preparation surfaces in the kitchens.

“You must forgive me for eavesdropping—” His grin widened as he darted a glance at Savi. “—but I would offer an alternative. Particularly as, if they know the language, any demon or vampire listening would have heard your granddaughter's suggestion that you flee to India.”