Page 15 of Lucas
“Apparently, they brought one to the party. I’m guessing they were hoping to take our heads back to whoever sent them.”
“Now what?”
“We need to get rid of the bodies.”
“And the blood?”
“Security will scratch their heads over it, but without bodies, there isn’t much they can do.”
“The cops will get the names of every guest on this floor.”
“Our aliases can’t be traced.”
I stared at the head near my feet. “Then how did they find us?”
“I don’t know. Open the door to our room. We need to hide them there until we can get them in the car.”
I ran down the hall to grab my clutch and searched for the card key while not thinking about the dead vamps. Lucas already had one vamp over his shoulder, waiting for me to open the door.
Once the bodies and heads were in the bathroom, we stripped out of our blood-spattered clothing, my heart breaking over the waste of a brand-new dress. We stuffed the blood-stained clothing and towels into two laundry bags, dropped a head in each, then changed into traveling clothes.
It was close to three a.m., and the hotel was quiet. We took the elevator down to the parking garage, and I waited, keeping an eye out for hotel security as Lucas pulled the rental around. I packed our bags into the back seats while he went upstairs to getthe first vamp. He brought them down one by one via the stairs and piled them into the trunk.
Lucas was familiar with New York and found a quiet pier where he dumped the vamps and the laundry bags into the deep, dark waters. Then he drove us to the train station.
“Now what?” I asked. My nerves were shot, and a bone-chilling cold came over me, creating an unstoppable shiver.
Lucas turned the heat up high and put an arm around me. We cuddled the best we could with a console between us. “We’ll catch a train to D.C. One of Philipe’s contacts is in Maryland.”
“Do you think they followed us from Renaud’s library?”
“Maybe. But I didn’t sense them, and I’ve been watching.”
“Did you contact Sergi?”
“Not until we can get new burners. I don’t want to take a chance.”
I leaned my head against his shoulder and gripped his hand tighter as we waited for the morning commuters to arrive so we could vanish from New York within a sea of humans.
I had so looked forward to that king-sized bed.
Chapter Seven
Tall trees surroundedthe stately manor that resided on ten acres of a landscaper’s dream just outside Frederick, Maryland. The front gates had been left open, and from what Lucas could observe, security was light. He’d heard of House Beall, but it had fallen to a shell of its former self over a century ago. He strode to the front door then paused when he realized Ginger wasn’t next to him.
She had stopped to smell the roses that lined the front walk. When she noticed him watching, she scurried to catch up. “Sorry. I couldn’t help myself. They’re so beautiful.”
“I don’t mind. I didn’t want to knock until you were with me.”
She stepped next to him and smiled at something behind him. He turned to find the door opened and a petite woman dressed in a pastel-pink pantsuit staring at Ginger before looking beyond her.
“Those are prize-winning roses. They were our father’s favorite.” She stared at them for a moment longer then glanced up at Lucas. “Can I help you?”
“I’m sorry to disturb you. My name is Lucas Maynard with House Trelane. I was wondering if Carmen was at home.”
“What does House Trelane want with my daughter?”
“Mother. Don’t be rude.” A woman, who appeared close to Lyra’s age, pulled her mother away. “Please come in.”
