Page 64 of Soulbound Shadows: Part 1

“Down time may have to wait. I think I know how we can get more information about whoever’s been making vampires disappear.”

21

EVANGELINE

It was a restless night. I had to be up to check on Lissa every hour or so, so I puttered around, using the vampires’ spotless kitchen to brew more potions. Gabriel, who seemed equally twitchy, volunteered to go on a supply run and brought back two large grocery bags of ingredients, and a box of tiny vials, each individually wrapped in charmed paper. Around two in the morning, I’d done everything I could for Lissa and collapsed into bed. I was asleep before Pothos had even finished curling up on me.

The stress of the past day—hell, the past few weeks—had clearly caught up with me. I slept late and woke up well after noon. Somebody had left two trays outside my room. One was an elaborate brass monstrosity, with a covered dish and a large polka-dot Thermos on it, and the other was a smaller wooden tray with a cloche barely the size of my palm over it.

I lifted the dish on the bigger tray to find a fragrant bundle wrapped in greasy paper. It couldn’t possibly be, could it? But, yes, when I peeled back the paper I found a bacon, egg, and cheese from Big Sal’s. The Thermos was full of coffee, very strong, and already sweetened. I didn’t know what it said about me that a breakfast sandwich nearly brought me to tears, and I didn’t want to think about it too much. The metal dome over the smaller tray was covering an elegant cut-glass dish with a gilded rim. It was full of kibble.

I scarfed down the perfect, greasy bliss, and pretty much chugged the coffee. Pothos purred loudly as he devoured his kibble, and I could relate.

“Oh no,” I told Pothos. “Oh, I really, really like him.”

“Aaaaa,” said Pothos sagely, before rolling onto his back and licking his mossy tummy.

“Thanks for the pep talk, bud,” I said.

Fortified with the breakfast of champions, I went to check on my patient. Lissa was sitting up in bed, clear-eyed and cheerful. Vic was curled up next to her, sound asleep, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. When I came in, Lissa was petting his hair lightly and reading a thick, leather-bound book. She brightened when she saw me.

“Evangeline!” she said, raising her arm as though she was presenting a game show prize. I glanced down at Vic, but he didn’t even stir. “Oh, don’t worry about him. He can sleep through anything.”

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

“Practically good as new.” She flicked her hair back from her face, and it settled sleekly back into its perfect bob. I’d once tried to cut my hair to that length and ended up with a clumsy, triangular mass of curls. Was flawless hair a vampire thing? “You’re a miracle worker, truly. I cannot thank you enough.”

“Don’t mention it, seriously,” I said, waving it off. “I’m just happy I could help. Being in the right place at the right time isn’t exactly a specialty of mine. Glad it worked out this time.”

“I can see why Gabriel likes you so much,” Lissa said cheerfully.

I could feel myself going pink. “Really?”

“Oh, absolutely. Stunning, extremely competent, level-headed in an emergency? And, I do hope you don’t mind me saying this, a fantastic figure.”

“Gabriel talked about my figure?”

Lissa waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, no, he would never. He’s far too much of a gentleman. And, frankly, too stupid around women. He says things more like…” She shifted into a low, brooding tone. “She’s more talented at her craft than I expected her to be, and she has many assets in the community.”

I snorted out a laugh. “One time, he told me I was less incompetent than he expected.”

Lissa groaned, putting a hand over her mouth. “Oh, the poor, stupid boy. You’ve the patience of a saint, clearly.”

“He’s not that bad,” I protested. “He’s patient and kind. Sure, he can be stubborn and kind of aloof, but he cares so deeply, and at first I thought he was intense in kind of a drama queen way, but when he puts his full attention on you, it feels like you’re the most important person in his world, and…” I trailed off.

Lissa grinned impishly at me, her cheeks dimpling. “Interesting. Very interesting indeed.”

“Please don’t tell him I said that,” I pleaded, mortification prickling at my cheeks.

“Of course not,” Lissa promised. “I wouldn’t dream of it. It’s much too fun to watch him twist himself into knots over you.”

Apparently, I wasn’t going to stop blushing any time soon.

“Now, we have very important business,” Lissa said. “I understand you’ll be accompanying Gabriel to a masquerade tonight.”

“Yeah, he figured it would be a good way to get some intel on whoever’s behind all of this.”

“Yes, yes, intrigue, spycraft, all that,” she said dismissively. “What are you going to wear?”

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