He was out of bed before she'd finished speaking, moving to the window to peer outside. I looked helplessly at Prudence. "Alarms? I'm not hearing anything."
Pointing a thumb over her shoulder, Prudence pointed out the flashing hallway light. "It's silent, doll. It tells us there's trouble without the intruders knowing we've been warned. Kinda slick, huh? Those ward witches know their stuff." She stared at her son, first with concern, then amusement. "Oh, baby. Are you really wearing those worn-out flannel PJ pants on your first date with Mr. Hottie? That's it. I plumb give up."
"Storm, I think the vamps got your trail. Come take a gander." Darcy pointedly ignored his mother's wardrobe commentary. “Whether they are here for you or not, I’m going to have to deal with them.“
Given his mother's presence, I was grateful I had also slept in pajama pants. Although mine were silk and less worn, they weren’t very fresh after being on the road, not to mention getting shoved in a backpack with a handful of other basics when I’d fled home with Muriel.
Moving over to the window, I peered down over Darcy’s shoulder. “Shit. Yes, it’s them. I don’t recognize the human, though.”
“It’s one of the witches from the coven I hired to do the wards.” Darcy started to turn away, then gasped when the vamp broke her neck and threw her body through the wards, onto his front lawn. “Ohmigod! He killed her for no reason! What the hell is wrong with people? You don’t murder pointlessly. He didn’t even try to feed and make use of her body—he ended her life to make a statement. I’m… I just… ugh! What the hell?”
Rushing over to a speaker by his door, Darcy jabbed one of the buttons. He sucked in a deep breath before speaking in an authoritative tone, in no way matching the stress in his posture or the worry in his eyes. “Who are you, and why are you littering my lawn with dead witches?”
The twatwaffle in charge swaggered as close to the wards as he could before yelling toward the house. Darcy pressed another button, enabling us to hear what he was saying.
“We mean you no harm. Send out the runaway traitor, and we’ll leave in peace. Or we can stay and keep piling up bodies on your lawn. That bitch wouldn’t let us in. Otherwise, she’d still be alive. Do you think the other members of her coven will be as quick to protect you?”
Sighing, Darcy looked my way. “Idiot. Doesn’t he know she literally couldn’t? Their wards are guaranteed. The contract was signed in blood. Even if she or any of her coven mates wanted to take down our protection, it’s an unbreakable agreement.”
Interesting. I shrugged helplessly. “They might not because I wasn’t aware either. We don’t know anything more about other supes than anyone else does. Unless it’s a publicly stated fact, nobody would. And witches of all people aren’t going to go around publishing their secrets, I’d think.”
Darcy shook his head. “It is publicly known. It’s right there on the website where I bought the ward coverage listed as a purchase insurance clause. Although he doesn’t appear bright enough to use Google, so I can see where he might not realize.”
Smothering a smile, I lifted a brow. “And me? Do I not look bright enough?”
“Pssh. I think we both know the answer. You’d at least have tried some basic research.” Darcy waved me off, then pushed the speaker button. “She didn’t help you because she couldn’t, nor can any other member of the coven. You might as well give up because they won’t be broken. I’m not inviting you in, and I’m not sending anyone out. There are no traitors here, only good people who sought and received sanctuary. Now go away. We don’t want you.”
Snorting, Prudence backed into the hall, checking left and right while cradling her gun. “Keep talking nice to them, baby. I’m sure a man willing to kill an innocent witch will go ahead and leave if you ask politely. In the meantime, I’m getting our posse together and heading to the roof.”
Darcy bit his lip, chewing it while we listened to the response from outside. “You have ten minutes, and we’ll start grabbing your neighbors and anyone else we find nearby. If the bodies pile up, you’ll give us our traitor. The clock’s ticking, asshole.”
After angrily stabbing a button on the speaker, Darcy rushed past me. He grabbed a couple flannel shirts from his closet, tossing one over. “Here, get dressed. We’re going hunting.”
Even as I pulled on the shirt, I was shaking my head. “I can’t let you and your family risk yourselves for me. I’ll leave peacefully before I see any member of this castle come to harm.”
Darcy stepped into a pair of boots and ran toward me, pausing long enough to steal a quick kiss. “Put some shoes on and head to the turret where we had our date. I have enough weapons up there for both of us. I need to grab some extra ammo first. I’ll meet you there in…” He paused and lifted my arm, stealing a glance at my wristwatch before dropping it again. “Four minutes, if possible, but no more than six. I want to take them out before they kill any more innocents.”
“Instead of meeting you, how about I help? Vampirism means I’m speedy and stronger than you’d guess. In fact, if time’s of the essence, I could carry you and run through the castle faster than you’d walk from here to the stairs.”
“Don’t you dare try to pick me up! I’m too heavy.”
Clucking my tongue, I followed him into the hall. “Nonsense. You’re the perfect size for my tastes, and lifting you would be no trouble.”
Before Darcy could respond, Muriel wheeled out of a room a few doors down with a shotgun across her lap. “Don’t argue, Darcy. I’m sorry I called you Pudgy the Vampire Slayer. It won’t happen again. I was being rude on purpose yesterday because you were being species-ist. Stormy can lift you without straining. Trust me. I’ve seen my brother lift cars, man. Cars! Now be smart and let Storm help you because if those fuckbuckets don’t die, they’ll keep coming for us until they kill my brother, and he can’t die on me. I refuse to allow it.”
Darcy’s chin hit his chest. “Whatever. But you need to get… shoes?” He looked at my feet in shock. While he spoke, I’d run to my room, put on my shoes, and returned before he’d finished. His eyes moved to mine in shock. “When? How? I mean… huh?”
Smirking, I flashed him a wink. “Thought I’d give you a speed demonstration. Shall we get on with things before the clock runs out? I’d prefer not to give them time to call in reinforcements.” I was mentally crossing my fingers they hadn’t already. Chances were good they hadn’t, wanting to hog the glory for themselves when they caught me. But striking fast and taking them out was still a good idea.
He gulped, nodding as he seemed to brace himself. “Let’s do it.”
Muriel wheeled in the opposite direction of the stairs, turning her back on us as she went on her way. “Good job, fanboy. I’m proud of you for making the right choice. Now if you’ll excuse me, I told Prudence I’d take the elevator and meet her on the roof. She said it’s marked and safe, so we’ll see.”
As I lifted Darcy into a fireman’s carry, he squeaked but managed to respond to my sister without sounding too freaked out. “It’s safe. Just hit the button marked ‘roof’. It lets you out behind the battlement wall. The other tenants will be meeting up there already, I’m sure.”