Page 30 of Because the Night

His brows draw together. “It’s my bedroom.”

“We need more beds. What’s even in the other rooms down here? That hall goes halfway into the Hollywood Hills, but all the doors are locked.”

“Things I’ve collected over the years.”

“You’re a hoarder,” I say. “You know that, right?”

“Speaking of which…there’s something for you on the bedside table.”

I roll over—and holy shit. There are three familiar, slim, hardcover books waiting, bound in red with gold lettering. “Is that the first edition ofPride and Prejudicethat was upstairs?”

“Henry noticed you admiring it,” he says. “He said you were sad that you lost all of your belongings in the fire.”

I don’t know what to say.

Lucas suddenly looks up, tosses the notepad onto the bed, and blurs out of the room. Without a word. Like he’s an animal that’s caught a scent.

The speed at which I follow him is about half of his, at a guess. But my reactions work well, I don’t crash into anything. I’m taking it as a win. Then Lucas, Henry, and I are on thefront porch, staring at a stranger waiting patiently in the arched gateway of the stone fence. He’s handsome, with dark skin and short hair.

“Woodsman.”

“Father’s nickname from way back,” whispers Henry. “Not really a compliment. Long story.”

Lucas gives me a cranky look. “You should have stayed downstairs.”

I shrug.

“Captain,” says Henry, with a smile. “Are you finally ready to take me up on my offer of a proper catch-up? We haven’t hung out together in an age!”

“Not since 1863 after the Siege of Vicksburg.” The stranger nods at Henry. “I learned my lesson about spending time with you when the humans tried to burn down the church I was sleeping in.”

“How was I to know they’d be so touchy about us being undead and all?” Henry smiles. “It wasn’t like we weren’t helping them win. A bit of gratitude wouldn’t have gone astray. But you wouldn’t believe how good I made that uniform look, Skye. The blue really brought out my eyes.”

The stranger shakes his head. “I never did understand why you turned him, Woodsman.”

“It was largely due to my entertainment value,” says Henry. “Someone had to be the court jester.”

“We both know that’s not the role you play in your family.” The stranger raises a brow in question. “Are you going to invite me in?”

“Does Rose know you’re here?” asks Lucas.

“She does.”

Lucas frowns, pauses, and then nods. “Come in, Samuel.”

“Let’s give them a moment, shall we?” Henry slips an arm around my waist and ushers me back through the house.Pausing at the fridge to grab a couple of blood bags for me, of course. Then we head for the lounge room belowground.

“A long time ago, Father was a spy and enforcer for one of the oldies. The one who turned him, actually. Father liked to rely on word of mouth to do his job for him. He’s always been a big believer in work smarter instead of harder. Every morning, when vampire children were tucked into bed, they were warned if they didn’t behave, the Woodsman would get them.”

“There are vampire children?”

“Fuck no. Who wants an immortal toddler or tween? Can you imagine anything worse?” Henry pushes his blond hair out of his face. “During that period, Father carried around this terrifying, big bloody axe. He’s still got it around here somewhere. Basically, his job was to punish the naughty. He lopped off more than a few undead heads and limbs, let me tell you.”

“That’s why they’re still so afraid of him?”

“Sweetie, in the forty-eight hours you’ve been a vampire, you’ve already seen him rip out hearts and tear off heads. I’d say their fear is warranted, wouldn’t you?”

“Are you allowed to tell me this?” I ask. “Yesterday you wouldn’t even say how old he was.”

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