Page 65 of Visions in Blood
ChapterTwenty-Four
The fine-linen businesscard Willa had given Devon the day before laid on his desk.The cream-colored card was a blank piece of canvas.He found it odd, as if the bearer had no identity and created one depending on the situation.Was this how she ended up marrying Underwood after Rasmussen left?Rather than take another chance at love, she simply remade herself into what was required in the best interest of her daughter.Who could blame her for not anticipating where it led?Or perhaps she had loved him at one time and, instead of leaving him, she’d honed various personas after years of living with the man.
It was easy to blame Rasmussen for everything—what the humans called a deadbeat dad.But there were two sides to each coin, and it was difficult to judge without seeing both.The more important mystery was why Willa hadn’t protected Cressa from Underwood’s indifference.
Perhaps something changed after April was born.Maybe it was the dreams, or that Cressa simply reminded her too much of Rasmussen.He would never know, and the relationship between mother and daughter was Cressa’s to own.
The bottom line was that the past didn’t matter.Not now.Willa’s story, whatever the truth was, belonged to her and Cressa.He understood enough.His focus moved past what the blank card represented and to the neatly printed name—Colantha Dupré.Written below it was the name of a city.New Orleans.It twisted his gut, yet it made sense.A piece of the puzzle locked into place.
If he only understood why the piece fit, he’d have a sunnier disposition.New Orleans.A city filled with voodoo, mysticism, and the undead.A city strife with rich and terrifying history.Interestingly enough, the American home to the House Renaud.Their true ancestral home was in the heart of Southern France, but a segment had moved to the Big Easy and entwined their House with the city.The question wasn’t only about what answers Colantha Dupré could provide about dreamwalking.The strings, as thin as they were, seemed to tie the necklace with the book in Renaud’s Library.
He never believed in coincidences, and too much was at stake to think any differently now.
The knock at the door pulled him out of his musings.“Come.”
Lucas strolled in, his eyes dancing with amusement, a smile on his lips.“Good morning.We missed you at breakfast.Can I make you an espresso?”He moved to the machine after catching Devon’s slight nod.
“How’s Ginger?”Devon had to ask, if only to tease his friend, and he smiled at the light blush that tinged Lucas’s cheeks.
“She’s comfortable but restless.”
He rubbed his forehead then accepted the espresso.“I forgot she had to quit her job when we moved her.Was that a hardship for her?”
“She seemed genuinely relieved to give her notice at her last job, but I’ve seen help wanted ads hidden under magazines.”
“What sort of jobs was she looking for?”
Lucas lifted a shoulder and moved back to the espresso machine to make himself one.“I didn’t want to pry.”
When Devon let the silence build, Lucas returned with his cup but still seemed to squirm in his seat.He couldn’t ever remember speaking to Lucas about a woman, and he shifted in his own seat.It wasn’t something vampires typically discussed.It was more of a shifter and human thing for men to share intimacies.
“We go for walks around the neighborhood.Usually while we’re out for lunch or a late breakfast.She has an eye for fashion and once mentioned working at a diner.But…” He paused and stared past Devon’s shoulder to the window beyond.At first his expression was pensive, but then he smiled.“She loves flowers.I buy her fresh ones every day, and she makes the most beautiful arrangements.”He brought his focus back to Devon, his shoulders giving a slight shudder as if shaking off the images.After sipping his espresso, he finished with, “She knows it’s too soon to return to a normal life.”
Devon had watched Cressa chafe over the last week.Her weapons and martial arts training combined with Anna’s history lessons kept her busy, but even with her limited free time, the walls of the mansion were confining.What would it be like for someone with limited boundaries and nothing to occupy her time?
“I’ve been neglectful.”There wasn’t any other way to say it.He’d been a poor protector.“While Ginger might not be involved with our mission, she has been put in harm’s way on more than one occasion.Starting tomorrow, I want her training for self-defense.”When Lucas’s brow lifted, he added, “Escape methods only, including options for hiding until help can arrive if it’s impossible to run.”
“I’ve gone over a few methods with her after the incident at her old apartment.”
Devon picked up his crystal, though he didn’t roll it around like normal, it was enough to just hold it.“That’s good.Have Bella participate in the training as well.I assume you’re already sharing information about the vampire world.Its rules and such.”
Lucas nodded.
“Then offer her the opportunity to take a class.”
“A class?”
“Like the ones they offer at the community center or college.Anything she wants.Let’s see where her talents and desires lay.”He gave the crystal a toss.“I’d like to prevent Cressa from storming in here demanding I do something about making Ginger happy.”
Lucas snickered as he placed his empty cup on the desk.He sat back and swung a leg over one knee, his hands clasping behind his head.“I almost hate to deprive you of the moment.”
“Trust me.She’ll find another reason.”
They were both smiling when a pounding sounded on the door.Sergi strode in, his face expressionless except for the tightening around his eyes.
“What happened?”Devon asked, and Lucas straightened.
Sergi had always maintained a stoic persona, but there were slight tells when he was angry, frustrated, or scared, which was, thankfully, a rare phenomenon.If Sergi was scared, it was time to call a full level-three alert.So, unless Lucas was watching for it as Devon was, he would have missed it.But Sergi’s shift in expression didn’t slip by Devon, and his heart pounded with concern for Cressa.
