Page 24 of Bullets and Blood
Nix closed his eyes, half expecting Lance to tell the person on the other end he had Nix.If he did, Nix would have to run again.Lance was right; he could go into the bush and disappear, but to him, that wasn’t living.He’d be alive and surviving on possum blood.He’d rather cut his wrists and go for one last surf.
He couldn’t hear what the person on the other end was saying, only that it sounded like a man.Lance sat up and turned away.“He’s in the area.”
Nix held his breath, but the betrayal didn’t come.
“I don’t know where yet.”
More talking.“Yeah, the Reids probably do know where he is, but they wouldn’t say.This isn’t their problem, and I can’t go making a scene, or I become their problem.No killing was their request of Nix, and I was given the same order.”
Lance raked his fingers through his hair.“I was checking a few things.I need to be able to predict him better, not just follow.”Lance shot him a glance that almost broke Nix.Whatever the man had said confirmed that Lance’s every keystroke and call was monitored.“That was his first kill so of course I went back to the record of the peace talk.Yeah.I’ll let you know when I get something definitive.”He hung up and so carefully placed the phone down, Nix was sure he really wanted to throw it across the room.“You were right.They knew exactly where I’d been on the database.”He glanced over his shoulder.“You honestly weren’t at the peace talks, were you?”
“Unblooded vampires in my family don’t have anything to do with the business.Not even as runners or drivers.We’re allowed to pretend we have a life.”He got up, went into the bathroom, and turned on the shower.The illusion of a life and freedom was a cruel joke.
Lance followed and leaned in the doorway, tan lines on his forearms, but his stomach was the pale color he’d be after being turned and the tan faded.“If you weren’t there to fire the first shot, who did?”
Nix stepped under the water and tipped his face to the stream.Lance waited.Just because he was no longer certain about what his family said didn’t mean that he believed Nix.Plus, as the messenger, there was a chance he be shot for telling the truth.“You read my family’s report.It says the same as what Zinnia told me.”
Lance’s eyebrows drew together.“Scott Orlan.My uncle.The man who was on the phone.The one who’s been assigned to keep tabs on me.”
Nix pumped soap onto his hand and washed.Nothing he said would make any of this better.If Scott was keeping tabs, he wouldn’t let Lance fail.Nix was going to wind up back in Melbourne wishing he was dead.“I’m fucked.”
It didn’t matter what happened between Lance and him.The truce didn’t matter.None of it mattered.
“So am I if this gets out.”
“I’m sorry.”Nix held out his hand, inviting Lance to join him.Lance stepped into the shower, the water washing away the smear of blood on his neck but not the bite mark.In thinking of his own survival, he hadn’t stopped to think about what it would mean for Lance.Hadn’t cared.
Shouldn’t care.
When had he started to care?
ChapterFourteen
“Doyou really think this will work?”Lance kept his eyes on the road as they headed out of Whispering River and inland toward Milltown.
No.It wouldn’t work, but it would buy him a few more days to think of something.His options were extremely limited, and he didn’t want to surrender.That was not the easy or painless option.He couldn’t run forever, either.He was stuck.He’d left Lance’s apartment just before dawn, ridden home, and packed his bag.Then he called work and told them he had a gastro and gotten himself a few days off—no one wanted him near the winery for three days.
Finally, he called his contact at the Reids.He warned them Scott Orlan might be in the area.Then he’d asked for help.He was living quietly; he didn’t want to be dragged back, and couldn’t they protect him?It had been a long shot, one that had failed because they didn’t want to get their hands bloodied, and he had nothing to offer them but the trouble his name would bring.He didn’t blame the Reids, but the noose was tightening.
Nix closed his eyes and leaned his head back.“It’s a short-term solution.”
Several minutes passed.“You want a long-term one.”
“Of course I do.I want you all to fuck off and let me live.”
“Selling wine to humans?”
“Yes.”He cracked open his eyes.“Is that so hard to believe?”
From the expression on Lance’s face, it was.
“I told you I never wanted part of this.I don’t believe in this stupid feud.I was almost out.”Now he never would be.“The kindest thing you can do is make sure I’m truly dead before you drag me back.Don’t take me back alive.”Was that really his best option?
Was he down to choosing the best way to die?At least this time, he’d be dying on his terms, and as grim as that was, it would make a pleasant change.
“I’m not going to kill you.”
“Then you’re a coward and an asshole.”Nix stared out the window at the trees flicking past.He could walk into the national forest, hitchhike to somewhere else, and try again.And again, and again.Always looking over his shoulder.Never able to sleep.
