Darkling. Part 4

A few more minutes and I could creep out, free and clear and with the information we needed. I took a long, slow breath as I held myself steady, clinging to the precarious handholds that kept me aloft in the higher reaches of the cave. At this distance, the Elwing Blood Clan couldn't sense the heat my body gave off, but my ultrasensitive hearing would catch what they were saying. Another perk of my mixed blood. I could hear the soft fall of a footstep in the next room.

Satisfied, I merely had to wait them out a little longer. As of five minutes ago, I'd collected enough information to take them down. Dredge was brilliant, but he didn't seem to comprehend that someone, somewhere, might be plotting against him. n.o.body else but the OIA would be daring-or foolhardy-enough to spy on the Elwing Blood Clan. That's where I came in.

Now all I had to do was wait until they left the cave. They always dispersed for feeding after they'd had their meeting. I'd been here three times before, and each time, I had easily slipped away. This was my last a.s.signment on the mission. I had what we needed. I'd found out for sure what the OIA had suspected: Dredge and his cronies were plotting to start up their own Court with Dredge as their king. Vampire courts were outlawed in Otherworld by an agreement among all of the Fae governments. They were allowed to form nests with a maximum of thirteen members before hiving off a new enclave.

Dredge had already broken that rule-I'd counted twenty-three members of the Elwing Clan. And he was out to rule far more than his turf here. He wanted to set himself up to be a vampiric lord-and we suspected he planned on trying to muscle in on the money flowing through the thieves' and a.s.sa.s.sins' guilds. And if he had his way, he'd be in a position to slake his s.a.d.i.s.tic thirsts without worrying about reprisals. People would be too afraid to fight back if he ruled a Court instead of a nest.

With the knowledge I'd discovered, by tomorrow morning the OIA would be able to send a team in to stake every last bloodsucker in the rogue clan of vamps. Threatening to exile them to the Sub Realms hadn't proved all that effective when they escaped capture every time.

Just hang on, keep quiet as they filed out, and I'd be home free. I might even get a promotion for my work-a first for the D'Artigo girls. In fact, the way things were looking with our track records, it would take a promotion to prevent the OIA from a.s.signing us to some lowlife town down south to watch over the riffraff. We weren't lazy... just a little unlucky at times.

I shivered as a cold draft blew by, even though I was in a spider-silk body suit. My hair was pulled tightly into a bun, to keep it out of my face. I'd made sure to stretch out before coming on duty, but now every muscle in my body hurt and all I could think about was going home and taking a long hot bath. Camille and I had plans to head out for a party at midnight. There was an opium bash at the Collequia, and Camille wanted me to meet someone there, some guy she'd hooked up with a few weeks back. His name was Trillian or something like that. The fact that she wouldn't tell us anything about him made me know right off that there had to be something wrong with him. Camille had a taste for bad boys.

A ripple of pain washed down my left arm. d.a.m.n it, what was taking the vamps so long to clear out? I squinted, trying to make out what was going on below. From where I was sequestered, I couldn't see them very well. On the plus side, they couldn't see me, either.

Ten more minutes, I thought. Just ten minutes. I forced myself to ignore my burning muscles and tried to focus on something else. Father had promised we'd take a vacation before the next full moon to go visit relatives in the Windwillow Valley, or maybe spend a few days in Aladril, the City of Seers. Either way, we all needed a holiday. All four of us had been working hard lately. I was so tired I fell asleep the minute my head hit the pillow each night.

d.a.m.n it. An itch on the back of my neck was driving me nuts. As I shifted, trying to shake it off, the rock on which my right hand rested crumbled without warning, shearing off at surface level.

Holy s.h.i.t! I scrambled for the nearest outcropping, frantically hoping to snag hold of some niche, crack, or crevice to keep myself from falling, but there was nothing under my fingers but smooth rock. My feet slipped as my fingers slid along the granite. I lost my grip and went tumbling to the floor below.

They say your life flashes before your eyes when you're ready to die, but the only thing that ran through my mind was a prayer that I'd be lucky enough to break my neck in the fall, considering just who I knew was prowling around in the caverns. And then I hit the floor with a bone-shaking thud.

h.e.l.l. I was still alive, and my landing had made a lot of noise. That meant one thing: to have any chance of escaping unscathed, I'd better run like h.e.l.l. As I scrambled to my feet and headed toward the nearest entrance, I heard a commotion behind me. They'd heard me and were coming to investigate. f.u.c.k. Was this the end?

As I raced through the corridor, I had no delusions about what would happen if they caught me. The Elwing Blood Clan vamps were rogues, arrogant predators led by a vampire who bathed in the blood of his victims. The clan ignored the Vampire code of ethics, which was why I'd been spying on them in the first place.

I skidded around a bend in the corridor, a searing cramp running through my calf as the sudden burst of movement stirred up lactic acid. The faint glow of starlight ahead told me I was almost out. Maybe I could lose them in the forest-I was good at camouflage. Sucking in my breath, I pushed my protesting body faster, my gaze fastened on the opening to the cave.

Ten yards away, and I could taste freedom. Nine yards and I fumbled at my belt for an emergency stake. I managed to yank it free and pumped my arms, covering the distance that would give me a fighting chance for survival. Just a few more steps-a few more yards.

And then, the silhouette of a man stepped in front of the cave opening. Tall and swarthy, with long curling hair, he was wearing black leather and a smile that would shatter stone. I knew who he was. Dredge. Leader of the Elwing Blood Clan. He glorified torture, reveled in pain.

I put on the brakes, forcing a hard right toward the pa.s.sage out of which he'd just emerged. Dredge didn't move to follow me, but I could hear his voice from behind as he said, "When you tire of the chase, bring her to me. Don't mark her. This one's in for a special special treat." treat."

A chill of dread washed over me as I realized that the pa.s.sage was taking me back into the central cavern. Shortly before the corridor ended, I noticed a beam of moonlight shining down through a crack in the ceiling. A quick look up showed me that I was just small enough to fit through the fracture in the rock. As I pulled myself up the wall, I scrambled for handholds. By now every joint in my body was on fire and I'd torn at least five different muscles. Repressing the pain, I forced myself to focus on the ceiling. Just get to the fissure. Get out of the cave.

Two feet from the exit, a hand grasped my ankle. I tried to kick off my a.s.sailant, but his grip was iron-strong and with a single jerk he yanked me away from the wall. As he let go, I fell to the floor, landing on my back.

The sound of my ribs snapping echoed through the air seconds before the pain hit. Moaning, I blinked away the tears only to find myself looking up into the face of an elf. Or what had at one time been an elf. Ageless, pale, and wan, he bent over to pick me up and I remembered the stake. Where was it? I'd stuck it back in my belt when I started to climb. As I fumbled for it, the vampire gazed into my eyes.

"Relax... just relax." His voice was soothing, gentle as a spring breeze, and I felt an overwhelming desire to close my eyes, to surrender to those three little words. But he smiled, and in that moment, I saw the extended fangs, glistening needles that would end my life.

"No," I whispered, trying to keep control of my senses. I forced my hand down to my belt where the wooden stake lay pressed against my body.

"It will be so much easier if you let me help you," the vamp said. "My name's Velan. What's your name?"

I licked my lips, blinking. He wasn't my friend and he wasn't going to help me. His voice promised a gentle embrace but I forced myself to remember what he was and where I was. Shaking my head, I managed to get my fingers around the stake, my chest burning with the pain of the fractured bones.

Velan hadn't noticed what I was doing, he was so intent on capturing me with his gaze.

"Come closer," I whispered. "Help me..."

As I waited, he leaned in. Timing my movement because one shot was all I'd have, I flipped the stake point-side up and shoved toward his chest as hard as I could, biting my lips as pain shot through my ribs, my chest, my lungs.

Contact! I hit him square on and the shocked look on his face was the most beautiful sight I'd ever seen. He opened his mouth but before he could say a word, he shattered into a cloud of ash and bone, showering me with all that remained.

Coughing, I pushed myself up, biting my lip to keep from screaming. Every fiber of my being hurt-every muscle, every bone... like my nerves were raw, sc.r.a.ped with a knife. I managed to stagger to my feet. The pa.s.sage was empty but it wouldn't stay that way for long. The only direction in which I could head would lead me back into the inner chamber. Unless... I glanced up at the break in the cavern roof again. Maybe I could still manage to climb the shaft? I was hurt, but I had motivation-the pain would be a lot worse if I waited around for Dredge's cronies to catch up to me.

Slowly, fumbling for a handhold here, a toehold there, I started climbing the rock again. I tried to control my breathing as each lungful of air brought with it a dizzying muscle spasm.

As I inched up the wall, a million thoughts ran through my mind, most of them centering on how I was going to tender my resignation the minute I got back to Y'Elestrial. If If I made it back to Y'Elestrial. Why the h.e.l.l had the OIA a.s.signed me to this task? There were other scouts, other acrobats in the agency who were better than me. Had this been a punishment? Or had the powers that be decided that the case really wasn't I made it back to Y'Elestrial. Why the h.e.l.l had the OIA a.s.signed me to this task? There were other scouts, other acrobats in the agency who were better than me. Had this been a punishment? Or had the powers that be decided that the case really wasn't that that serious? The idiots had their heads up their b.u.t.ts and now I was about to become another statistic because of their stupidity. I glanced around, surprised to see that I was nearing the top. Maybe anger was the ticket-it kept my mind off of the pain. I visualized our supervisor and mentally took aim with a crossbow as I forced myself toward the creva.s.se. Just a few more feet... a few more inches and I'd be out. serious? The idiots had their heads up their b.u.t.ts and now I was about to become another statistic because of their stupidity. I glanced around, surprised to see that I was nearing the top. Maybe anger was the ticket-it kept my mind off of the pain. I visualized our supervisor and mentally took aim with a crossbow as I forced myself toward the creva.s.se. Just a few more feet... a few more inches and I'd be out.

And there it was-blessed starlight splashing on my face. I clawed at the edges of the chasm, slowly pulling my aching body up and out to roll over on the fragrant gra.s.s that carpeted the top of the hill. I'd made it. I actually escaped. Now I just had to get to the forest where I could hide out until morning. Relief pouring through me like sweet cool water, I struggled to stand up.

"Need some help?"

A hand fell on my shoulder and I froze. His voice was dark and low and the sound of his words made me dizzy. Shivering, suddenly all too aware of the sound of the crickets and frogs, of the gentle caress of wind on my skin, I turned slowly, praying that I was wrong. Please, please let me be wrong Please, please let me be wrong.

But there he stood, the tall swarthy man in leather with the dazzling smile. Dredge leaned down to gaze at me and I let out a faint whimper. His eyes were as black as the night sky etched with glittering h.o.a.rfrost, and when he smiled, the tips of his fangs glistened in the starlight. I tried to move, tried to run but I couldn't look away. He trailed one hand down my cheek, gently caressing me with fingers as cold as the grave.

"Have you lost your way, little girl? The OIA is out of its mind if they think you're any match for the Elwing Blood Clan. I'll take you home with me and we'll have a nice long talk," he said, gathering me up in his arms.

"By the way, in case you don't know, my name's Dredge. And you, my sweet, are going to tell me everything everything. Then we're going to play a few games."

I let out a little moan as my fractured ribs shifted, sending another wave of pain to lance through me.

"Poor baby. You're hurting?" His face took on a twisted grin and he leaned his head down to whisper in my ear. "Don't worry, you won't be thinking about your broken ribs much longer. First, I'm going to bleed you, cut by cut by cut until the pain drives you mad. And then I'm going to f.u.c.k you so long and so hard that every nerve in your body screams for release and you beg me to kill you. Oh, yes, my pet, you're going to find out just how much pain a body can take and still live."

He paused, then a light flickered in those dead eyes. "You know, I just thought of a little gift for your precious OIA. I'm in a whimsical mood. I don't think I'll kill you-well, not for good. No, I think I'll make you one of us and then send you home to feed on your friends and family. How does that sound? Eternal life? Eternal beauty? An eternity of knowing you killed those you loved the best? I shall grant it to you, and you don't even have to ask for it."

Terrified, I tried to beat my hands against him, but my arms were as still as dark water. I managed to force my words to the surface, to breathe out hard enough so I could speak. "No, I won't let you-I won't become one of you!"

"Hush," he said, and my voice disappeared again. "There's nothing you can do to stop me. Come girl, you're in for the longest night you've ever had."

Mutely, I thought of home. We'd just taken in two more stray animals-Trevor and Harlis, stray rabbits. Would Delilah remember to tend to them? She was always bringing home stray animals, and sometimes she forgot to feed them. Camille was busy with running the house, so I took over when Kitten fell down on the job.

And the Harvest Home celebration was approaching. I'd been planning on wearing my new dress and going with our neighbor, Keris. We'd been dating for several months now. His lips were sweet and tender on mine, and when I lay in his arms it was as if I'd discovered a safe haven in which to nestle. Now, like a match to paper, all my plans for the future crumbled into ashes.

How would my family handle my death? Camille seemed so strong but under that veneer of self-a.s.suredness there was a tear-filled well so deep that it would never end. She'd pushed her grief aside when Mother died in order to pick up the pieces for the rest of us. Would she do the same when they found out what happened to me? And Delilah...

Kitten relied on me a lot. She needed me. And Father... he hated vampires. Would he hate me, too? Would he blame me?

When they found out what happened, would they search me out and stake me? Would they mourn for a long time? Or would I be forgotten, a painful memory they'd want to bury with the remains of my soul statue? If I could only give in and let go now now, lose consciousness, die, and be done with it... but my mind was too strong and I couldn't will myself to faint. One look at Dredge told me he wasn't about to let me miss a moment of his delight.

Wishing I'd never been born, I gazed up at the stars as he lightly jumped into the shaft and floated back down into the caverns, holding me in his arms. It was my last view of true beauty through clear, untainted eyes.

"Menolly. Menolly? It's time to wake up."

The delicate voice filtered through my dream, yanking me out of the abyss just in time. All memories of the dream shattering, I shot up in bed, a gnawing ache in my stomach urging me to leap up, to grab whoever had disturbed me and make a meal out of them.

I glanced around, taking in my surroundings. I was safe in my bedroom, and the lovely green toile of the bedspread was gently illuminated in the soft glow of the knockoff Tiffany lamp that sat on the desk. Iris was in the rocking chair, far enough away to avoid my grasp during those first seconds of waking when I had the most chance of reacting without thinking. Camille had learned the lesson the hard way-and so had I.

"It's sunset. Time for you to wake." She stood up and smoothed her ap.r.o.n, giving me a gentle smile. No matter how many times Iris had seen me with fangs extended and eyes bloodred, she seemed perfectly at ease. "Anna-Linda's been up since late morning. I've had a long talk with her. She knows what you are, by the way. Apparently you're not the first vampire she's met."

"You're kidding. When did she meet another vampire?" I opened my closet, trying to decide what to wear. Almost all of my clothes had long sleeves and covered my arms and legs. The scars had long faded, but they latticed my body and it was easier to hide them than to explain their presence. I rummaged through the hangers and finally pulled out a pair of low-rise jeans, a hunter green turtleneck, and a brown suede vest. Add in my spiked heel boots and I'd clean up pretty good.

Iris grinned. "When was the last time you wore panties or a bra?"

"Try never," I said, shimmying into my jeans and fastening the b.u.t.tons. They were tight, but since I didn't have to breathe, I just had to make sure that I could sit down without splitting them. "At least, not Earthside. When I was alive, I wore undergarments, but why bother now? My b.r.e.a.s.t.s will never sag."

Repressing a smile, she shook her head. "Whatever you say. Anyway, Anna-Linda told me during breakfast this morning that there's a vampire clan down in Portland, Oregon, where she comes from. Her brother was a wannabe and hung around a group of messed up kids who kept daring the local vamps to take them on. He finally got his wish, except the vampires didn't change them, they just sucked the kids dry. It made the news as a series of ritual killings, but Anna-Linda was hiding in the woods, spying on her brother when it happened. Shortly after that, her mother brought home a boyfriend who started molesting the girl. That's when Anna-Linda hit the streets."

I dropped on the bed to pull on my boots and zip them up. As I gently caressed the suede, I thought over what Iris had told me. The girl was clearly messed up, and if she was telling the truth, we obviously couldn't send her home again. On the other hand, we weren't equipped to take in a human child.

"You think she's playing straight on this?" I stared at Iris. She was an excellent judge of character. She'd know if the girl was lying.

Iris raised her eyebrows. "Interesting you should ask. Yes, I do. However, I did ask Chase to double check her story. He called the Oregon cops and sure enough, there was a ma.s.s-murder down there that matches the description of her brother's death. Ritual killings, according to the cops, five victims, drained dry of blood. But the vamps slit all of their victims' wrists and let enough blood flow out to make it look like a murder rather than a suckfest. One of the victims was named Bobby Thomas-Anna-Linda's brother."

I stood up and made my bed as Iris fluffed the pillows for me. She was an expert housekeeper, that was for sure. Until she moved in, we'd never had crisp sheets or pillows that whispered when we nestled our heads on them. In fact, we hadn't bothered with an iron or ironing board, but now one was set up in the laundry room and it got its weekly workout. That was one ch.o.r.e Iris chose to handle the old fashioned way rather than via magic. I tugged at the corner of the fitted sheet, pulling it taut to smooth out the wrinkles, then slid the elastic under the mattress.

"Stupid... just so stupid. I don't know whether I feel sorry for those poor kids or just wish somebody would have slapped some sense into them. I guess it's too late for either," I said, pulling the comforter into place.

Iris added the pillows. "Most of them don't know any better. They're all angsty and full of hormones. Some of them come from broken homes. You vampires, you're predators. Maybe you aren't really immortal, but you're invulnerable to a majority of woes. You wield power, something so many of these kids crave-power and control over their lives. You can't blame them, really. I think we're done here," she added, glancing around my room. "Everything seems in order. I'll come down tomorrow while you sleep and dust."

"Thanks," I said, following her up the stairs. "You're probably right. A lot of them get so hung up on the glamour, they don't see the reality. And a lot of my kind start out with the best intentions. Drink only enough to keep alive. Don't take an innocent life. But the truth is, those resolutions get harder to keep the longer you go on unless you have some tangible reminder of why they're important."

"Whatever the case with her brother, Anna-Linda knows you're a vampire and she didn't seem fazed. In fact, oddly enough, I think she was pleased," Iris said as we entered the kitchen.

Voices were coming from the living room. I a.s.sumed one was Anna-Linda-it sounded like a young woman, but the other, I didn't recognize. "Who's here?" I asked.

"Chase is here. So is Zachary Lyonnesse and one of the women from his Pride," Iris said, an odd tone filtering into her words. "I like her. Her name's Nerissa and she specializes in helping troubled youngsters. She works with DSHS, though they have no idea she's a Were."

"DSHS?" I asked.

"Yes. The Department of Social and Health Services. Nerissa suggested we find a foster home with a Supe family for Anna-Linda because that way, anything the girl says to the foster parents won't be suspect. Delilah thought of Siobhan and called her. She said she'd be happy to keep the girl for a while."

Siobhan Morgan was a friend of ours. A selkie originally from Ireland, she was a wereseal who pa.s.sed in society for a full-blood human. She was gentle, kind, and loved children in a way that I didn't fully understand. She was also diplomatic, smart, and able to keep control of a situation.

"Really? I know we can't keep Anna-Linda but... it just seems wrong to farm her out again. Although letting her stay with Siobhan would be far more satisfactory than p.a.w.ning the girl off on strangers."

Iris shook her head. "This morning, Anna refused to go to a shelter. The girl was threatening to run away the first chance she got if she had to leave here. Chase doesn't like the situation, but he won't interfere. I think it helps that Nerissa has a background working with troubled youth-she convinced him a Supe home would be perfect." Iris motioned me on while she stopped in the kitchen. "Now you go on while I make some tea."

As I entered the living room, I could sense that tensions were running high. Delilah was sitting between Chase and Zach, a tight look on her face. Ever since Chase found out Delilah had slept with the werepuma, the two men had kept a careful distance from one another. Chase and Delilah had been through a couple of rows about it, but they seemed fairly stable at this point.

I had a feeling the only reason Chase wasn't rocking the boat was because he feared an ultimatum that would result in her choosing Zach. Though I wasn't fond of Chase, I did feel sorry for him. I had serious doubts that Delilah could weather a relationship with an FBH, but it was her business.

The last bit of light slipped away and dusk proper hit as I nodded to our guests. I walked over to the window, peering out at the blanket of white that covered the yard. The temperature was still hovering around the thirty-degree mark and hadn't budged in days.

Anna-Linda flashed me a tentative smile. "Thanks," she said. "I forgot to say it last night because I was so tired, but thank you, for saving me." She scooted over on the sofa and patted the cushion next to her. "Here, you can sit here next to me."

As I debated the wisdom of sitting next to the young girl, I saw a glimmer in her eyes and suddenly understood. I was her heroine, her savior. Vampire or not, she wanted to make a connection with me.

I glanced over at Nerissa, who was curled in the recliner. Definitely one of the Rainier Pumas, all right. She had the same feral topaz eyes and golden hair the rest of the clan did, but she was dressed in a skirt suit and pumps, and her hair was caught back in a neat chignon. She looked like she'd come directly from work.

"You must be Nerissa. I'm Menolly D'Artigo. Iris and I found Anna-Linda last night in an alley." I held out my hand and Nerissa stood and smoothly took it, giving no indication that she noticed my skin was far cooler than her own.

"You mean you rescued me," Anna-Linda broke in.

Nerissa gave her a smile. "Anna-Linda, maybe you should let Menolly and me have a little chat. I think Ms. Kuusi said she's going to be making some tea. She could probably use some help."

Nerissa had a nice voice. Smooth skin... she looked sweet and firm. And I wasn't just talking her demeanor. The appealing glow of her tanned neck entranced me for a moment and I felt my fangs begin to extend. Startled by the direction my thoughts were taking me, I nodded abruptly. "She's right, Iris could use some help. Why don't you go see how she's doing?"

Anna-Linda looked disappointed but she unfolded herself and headed toward the kitchen. As she disappeared into the hallway, I motioned for Nerissa to join me in the parlor. "We'll be back in a moment," I told Delilah. Glancing darkly at the two men, I added, "Meanwhile, you all keep your claws in. Promise?"

Delilah blushed and Zach ducked his head. Chase just rolled his eyes, but they all nodded. I led Nerissa into the parlor and closed the door, just in case Anna-Linda returned before we were done with our conversation.

"I gather Iris told you what we found out, and Chase filled in the blanks?" I asked.

She sat on the arm of the Morris chair, balancing herself lightly with one hand. It was all I could do to tear myself away from the sight of her legs as she crossed them, left over right. Unnerved by the intensity of my attention, I forced my gaze up to her face.

"Yes, they did. Poor girl's been through a lot, but I really, don't recommend you keep her here. Trust me, a lot of street kids come through my office. While they may idolize you if you rescue them, they're not always trustworthy. Anna-Linda's a victim, and she would have been far worse off if you hadn't gotten her away from those pimps, but she's still in survival mode. And people in survival mode..."

"Are capable of a lot of things they normally wouldn't do," I finished for her. "She's still running scared and who knows what she might think of."

Nerissa let out a long sigh. "Exactly. I hate to say it, but you can't let your sympathy blind you. She's been traumatized to the point of where she's acting on impulse. Right now she's enamored because you saved her from the pimps, but give her a day or two to calm down and she might start thinking about her brother and how he was killed by vampires. Staying with Ms. Morgan would be best for her at the moment."

Nerissa was right. Anna-Linda was a walking time bomb. We had too much riding on our shoulders to take care of an FBH child. And if her mother found out we had her, there could be h.e.l.l to pay. But Nerissa pa.s.sed in society and she worked within the system, so she knew how to play it for all it was worth. She'd be able to hide the fact that Siobhan was a Supe, because Siobhan kept it under wraps so well.

"Makes a lot of sense, but how are we going to convince her to stay with Siobhan? She's already threatened to run away, I gather." My nose twitched.

Nerissa smelled of rose soap and a wisp of talc. As I watched her, the glow in her cheeks brightened as her b.r.e.a.s.t.s rose and fell, lifting with each breath. I found myself wanting to reach out, to run my fingers over the smooth skin I imagined was hiding beneath her silk blouse. Quickly I beat a hasty retreat to the other side of the room where I ostensibly stared out the window.

The air in the room felt close, thickening as the silence between us grew. About to jump out of my skin, wondering why she hadn't answered, I turned too quickly, only to b.u.mp into her. Nerissa had silently crossed to stand at my back.

"Maybe you can help us," she said, her voice soft.

Startled, my fangs came out and I grabbed her wrist. I was so thirsty, all I could think about was kissing the delicate skin of her neck and sinking my teeth deep with luxurious abandon.

Nerissa's eyes widened but she stood her ground. "Menolly. You're hurting my wrist," she said, her voice firm. I could sense fear there, but it was well controlled.

Forcing myself to let go, I rose to the ceiling until I could gather my composure. As my fangs retracted, I tried to figure out what the h.e.l.l had just happened. I usually kept better control of myself than that, although I'd warned Delilah over and over not to startle me. She walked so softly that I couldn't detect her, and Nerissa had done the same.

"Are you okay?" Nerissa asked.