As soon as she exited the bathroom, Ed began loading her up with weapons.
The room emptied as everyone else finished gearing up and wandered out.
Ed cleared his throat. “Listen, if something goes down…”
She eyed the gruff Second curiously. Ethan had said the man was in his fifties, but damned if he didn’t look thirty.
“I want you to stick close to me,” he told her.
Her eyebrows rose.
He cast her a faint smile. “Ethan said you’re good with weapons and fierce in battle. But he also said you have a propensity for trying to sacrifice yourself for him.”
She grimaced. “I can’t help it. When things get crazy, I forget he’s hard to kill and just… act.”
“Which is why I want you to stick close to me. Ethan has waited a long time to find you, Heather. You make him happy in a way I’ve never seen him before.” He adjusted her shoulder holster. “I don’t want him to lose you.”
She started to protest, to insist she wouldn’t do anything stupid.
But he raised a hand. “I’ve been his Second for going on three decades. I’ve backed him up and fought by his side countless times. I’m very good at it, and I know how to do it without distracting him and getting either of us killed. So… please. Let me do my job and keep both him and you safe.”
After a moment, she nodded. “Okay.”
He made one last adjustment to her shoulder holster. “How does that feel?”
She rolled her shoulders and shifted around a bit. “Okay.”
“What about the extra ammo? Does it restrict your movement?”
It was heavy as hell, weighing down her pockets, but didn’t hinder motion. “No.”
“Good. Let’s go protect our boy.”
3
This scene takes place in chapter 20 at network headquarters when Melanie tells Bastien she’s “starting to get that feeling” and they take baby Adira into Cliff’s apartment to hunker down. This is a snippet I removed from it for word-count purposes and because I thought it best that the other vampires not learn that Cliff has a girlfriend.
Melanie returned, carrying a bankers box full of tranq guns and darts. The hilts of two short swords poked out above the rest. “Just in case.”
Bastien nodded his approval. “Put them in the bedroom. Unless the vampires tunnel through fifty feet of soil and use explosives, the only way into that room is through the door. Put the baby on the floor between the wall and the bed. If you can put her under the bed, all the better. Then plant yourself in the doorway.”
Melanie nodded and set the box just inside the door.
Bastien followed. “Lift the bed.”
With her preternatural strength, Melanie had no difficulty lifting the foot of the bed. Cliff hurried forward, yanked a cover off the bed, and spread it on the floor. Then Bastien laid the baby atop it.
Adira rolled onto her side and sighed.
Bastien stood. “Does she need a blanket?”
“No.” Melanie slowly lowered the bed as Bastien watched to ensure there was ample space between the wooden slats and the toddler.
He nodded. “She’s good.” Straightening, he slipped his arms around Melanie.
Cliff headed into the living room.
“Still have that feeling?” Bastien asked.
“Yes. And it’s getting stronger.”
He pressed a kiss to her lips. “You have Aidan’s number?”
“Yes.”
“If vampires attack us, I’ll do everything I can to keep them on the ground floor. But should any get past me and manage to force their way into this apartment in numbers you and Cliff can’t handle, call Aidan.”
“I will.”
“And if you have even the slightest suspicion that Gershom is here, call Aidan immediately. Gershom can teleport, so even the thickest doors and most complex locks won’t keep him out if he comes looking for the baby.”
“Okay.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too. Be careful.”
The sound of a telephone number being dialed met her ears.
“Hello?” a woman answered.
“Hey,” Cliff said softly. “It’s me.”
“Hi,” the woman responded, her tone full of warmth and affection.
Melanie looked up at Bastien.
Emma, he mouthed.
“Listen,” Cliff said, voice low, “I don’t want you to come in to work today.”
“Why?” Emma asked, voice somber. “Has something happened? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. It’s just… it may not be safe. We’re worried that the network may come under attack—”
“Oh no!”
“—and I don’t want you here if it does. Okay?”
“Is Mr. Reordon ordering employees to stay home?”
“No.”
“Cliff—”
He cut her off. “If something does go down, I need to be clearheaded so I can help. And if anyone injured you, if anyone hurt you even the slightest bit…” He shook his head, his hand tightening around the cell phone. “I think I’d lose it. Even worse than I did when Whetsman shot Linda. I think I would lose it so badly that I might not find my way back. So… please. For me. Stay home.”
A long pause followed. “Okay.”
“Thank you. I’ll call you later.”
“Okay. Please be careful, Cliff.”
“I will.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He ended the call.
Bastien gave Melanie one last kiss, then joined Cliff in the living room.
Pocketing his cell phone, Cliff met Bastien’s gaze. “I’ll guard them both with my life,” he vowed.
“I know you will. Thank you.” Bastien clasped his friend’s arm and pulled him into a hug. He never knew, from day to day, when Cliff might reach the point of no return.
1
This takes place in chapter 14 after Aidan asks Dana to go hunting with him. In the final version, they take a shower and meet Ethan, Heather, Brodie, and Ed in the living room. But in the original manuscript, Aidan finished his shower first and the following took place:
Aidan zipped through his shower and left Dana to finish her own, knowing he would end up making love to her again if he remained in the steamy enclosure with her.
“Spoilsport,” she called after him.
He grinned. One of the perks of being an immortal was not needing time to recharge after orgasming, something that had delighted Dana.
Aidan swiftly donned hunting clothes and opened the bedroom door.
Ethan and Heather waited in the hallway, their expressions somber.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Ethan asked.
Aidan nodded.
Heather dashed down the hallway at preternatural speed, then returned a second later with a pile of neatly folded black clothing in her hands. “I think Dana and I are about the same size,” she said with a smile. “So these should fit.”
“Thank you.”
Heather flapped one hand in a shooing motion. “You guys go arm up or something. We’ll be along in a minute.”