Page 95 of Dance With Death

But I have plans. Necessities. “I don’t?—”

“And while we look into Holly’s issue, we can unearth what’s trapped in Dashiell’s mind too.”

I straighten, all protests drifting away. “You’re taking Dashiell to Scotland? Or is he there already? Dorian told me he wasn’t!”

“Yes. Dorian placed him somewhere on the estate.”

Holly’s face beams, the girl I know shining through again. “Oh, that’s fantastic!”

“Good grief, Holly. You’re not joining him for a vacation.”

Holly pulls a face at me. “Fantastic because Dash is safe in Scotland. Nobody can get onto your estate, so nobody can hurt him.”

“Mmm.” Well, this narrows down his whereabouts greatly, and saves me the headache of convincing Dorian to tell me where Dashiell is.

“Eventually, you’ll all discover he isn’t a bad person.”

I close my eyes and take a despairing breath. Is this infatuated delusion part of the mind spell? Or is this a bizarre emotional imprinting response by Holly onto her perceived rescuer? Holly hasn’t mentioned Chase once since she returned, and she never stopped extolling the unpleasant individual’s virtues before the abduction. Either way, we must keep them apart before somebody manipulates Holly further.

Not that Dashiell will have much chance to interact with Holly once I receive the time and place for meeting—and ending—Viktor.

I can only hope that Dorian reveals Dashiell’s location on the estate tonight in order for me to remove him.

33

VIOLET

Travelling to Scotland using conventional methods takes hours. As we sit in Eloise’s car, Holly enthuses about the scenery, but I pay little attention. I’m utilizing the time to read through notes from the last few days and trying to slot pieces together in my head.

Kai’s mother. Kai’s uncle. Where were those photographs taken? Because witches also frequented the caves if runes are carved inside. Madison and Viktor may not appear in those photos, but others at the gathering could be supes. How much did Sarah know about her brother’s girlfriend and her unhinged, stalker ex? Enough that she refuses to talk about his death.

What did Sarah Sawyer take away in those suitcases?

I’m torn about what to do. The guys are relieved I’ve dropped my insistence that we explore the lodge tonight, but I don’t tell them the reason I’ve changed my mind. Finding and taking Dashiell is my priority. He needs to be under my watch until I hear from Viktor.

Order of priority: Holly’s safety and comfort, Dashiell’s removal, lodge investigations.

But where do I take Dashiell once I have him?

We arrive in the late afternoon, leaving the lonely road that pushes through this part of Scotland and onto the estate, where the building hides at the end of a driveaway obscured by pine trees. Holly’s tiredness overtook her delight at escaping the hospital, and she’s less enthusiastic about her new surroundings. Wary even—she walks extremely close to me as we approach the gray manor home that’s as foreboding and imposing as its owner. Ivy crawls towards windows of empty rooms, where darkness lies behind. I swear Holly is on the verge of holding my hand as she stares at the small stone gargoyles on either side of the entrance.

“They don’t come to life,” I inform her, and she smiles weakly. “Don’t you like the house? Our rare visitors find the building fascinating.”

She side-glances me. “How many people died here?”

“I don’t have a precise number.” When Holly loses all color from her face, I swallow down the elaboration that I would once use to scare a human. “The estate belonged to Dorian’s vampire-half parents, the Rezniks.”

“And they don’t live here anymore?”

“He killed them.”

“Oh. Right.”

“They deserved to die.” Holly looks nervously at the house again. “But perhaps don’t mention the Rezniks to Dorian and Eloise. Especially Eloise.”

“I don't want to know any more,” she says hoarsely. “I won’t ask them anything.”

The interior of the home doesn’t include any blood red accents to the decor, which I hope helps Holly’s mind focus away from the place’s macabre past. Eloise prefers pastel colors and soft furnishings in the rooms we use, such as the sofas that swallow the occupants in a sky blue velvet embrace.

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