Page 75 of Betrayed in Blood
He laid down the tablet and leaned back to stare at the ceiling. A grin touched his lips as he thought about Cressa and the surprise on her face with his request that she attempt a meeting with Willa or, if necessary, her friends. The dinner invitation for Harlow and Trudy had put a spark in her eyes, and she met his unspoken challenge. There was no doubt she was somewhere in the manor working through various scenarios as to why he wanted Harlow to come to a meeting.
He could have given her, and the rest of the cadre, a hint about Venizi’s party, but that would have made it too easy. Was he giving her what she wanted before she knew she wanted it? His smile widened. Yes, he was. And if that made her want to stay with him after giving her her freedom, well, as they say—all is fair in love and war.
He chuckled when he realized he was currently playing at both.
He glanced at the clock on his desk, closed his tablet, and pulled on his jacket.
He jogged down the stairs and strode to the solarium, whistling a tune. It was a haunting melody, though he didn’t know the words. He grabbed a doorjamb, almost stumbling when he realized where he remembered it from.
It had been in one of Cressa’s earliest dreamwalks. They were by the lake at Oasis, and there had been a party under a large tent on the other side of the lake. The music had traveled across the water, where they watched and danced. Other than the melody coming easily to him, he’d never heard it before. It must have been a song that meant something to Cressa. He shook it off but continued to whistle it as he strode through the solarium and out the French doors.
Colantha was already seated at the table, staring at the garden or perhaps the ocean beyond. Her fingers began to tap the table as he drew near, still whistling the song. She startled when he pulled out a chair and sat.
“Vampire.” She gave him an odd look. “Was that you whistling?”
He grinned sheepishly. “I’m not very good at it. I didn’t mean to surprise you.” He scanned the table, ensuring everything was in place. Condensation was forming on the pitcher of black peppermint tea, Colantha’s favorite, and he filled their glasses.
“I haven’t heard that song in a long time.”
“You know of it?”
“Yes, most dreamwalkers do. It’s an old song, what humans might call a lullaby, though there’s more meaning behind it than a simple song to sing a child to sleep. How do you know it?”
He shrugged as he lifted the lids from the platters revealing a light lunch of finger sandwiches, potato salad, and fruit. “I heard it in one of Cressa’s dreamwalks, either the first or second one. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve heard it since.” He chuckled as he pushed the plate of sandwiches toward her. “I’m not sure why it came to me now.”
Her only response was a light grunt, but she gave him a look of interest. There was more to the song, but he set it aside for now.
They spoke of generalities until they poked at their fruit.
“You’ve either been locked away in your room or with Lyra these last couple of days,” Devon started. “Is the codex giving you a problem?”
“No. The codex was completed a day ago, and Lucas sent an encrypted version to Philipe Renaud. Didn’t he tell you?”
“I admit to being behind on some of my reports, but it pleases me that you’ve made such excellent progress.”
She didn’t appear convinced. “That will depend on whether they can find more than the one text with dreamwalker language. Without that, it will be difficult to sway the Council.”
“From what I know of the Renauds and Lucas’s reports on his visit with Philipe, he’s a stubborn vampire where ancient texts are involved. I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t send someone to the home library to search.”
“The one in France?”
Devon nodded as he chewed a chunk of pineapple. “I’m sure they already have someone combing the one in New Orleans. I’ll ask Lucas to provide an update on the search.”
He refilled their glasses and let silence take over, hoping Colantha would share what else she was up to without him asking. They sipped the tea for several minutes as they appreciated the view. Colantha was the first to speak.
“I’ve been dreamwalking with others around the country and overseas. At least those I can reach. I’ve had to contact many by conventional means. I never realized how many were out there and how little of their powers they understood, let alone controlled.” She tapped her fingers on the table again, then gave him a side glance. “Do I have your permission to take us to a construct?”
The request surprised him, and he couldn’t help the smile that accompanied the nod. “I’m honored you asked this time.”
Before he could take another breath, he found himself in an old pub with comfortable leather chairs. A glass of dark beer was in front of him, and Colantha sat across from him, gripping a martini glass.
“I recognize this place. You brought me here when I met you in New Orleans.” He glanced around, turning in his chair to check behind him. “Dublin, right?”
She nodded as she sipped her martini, a light sigh escaping after her first swallow. “I thought for the next part of our conversation, we could use something a bit stronger.”
“I could have asked Letty to bring us something.”
Her predatory smile was similar to Simone’s. “It doesn’t carry the same flair.”
