Page 48 of Bony Bony
“I’llbe back in flying condition in no time.”True.Shifterhealing should help both of us recover within days.Hegestured at our vampire friend. “Hey,Diego, want to help me out with a lick?” he teased.
Diego’sface puckered like he’d sucked on a lemon. “Noway, fire breath.You’reon your own.”Hestuck out his tongue. “Ihave the horrible taste of wolf stuck on my tongue, and swearIhave a damn furball in my throat.”Hebent over and gagged.
Lucasbent forward and cackled. “Andyou call me dramatic.”Returningupright, he pointed with the elbow of his uninjured arm along the side of the building where a costumedPandora,Nova, andZoewere dragging the trio we’d fought.
Austin, who was now back in human form, covered himself up with his trench coat.Hecarried broken pieces of the skeleton thatI’dtorn to pieces.
“I’llgo and help them,”Lucasdeclared with a gleam in his eyes. “Thisis the fun part when we get to haul their asses into theNetworkfor questioning.”
“Wait,”Istopped him. “Howdid you know where to find us?”
“Whoa, that was wild.”Lucasran a hand through his blonde hair, which was almost as crazed as theBeetlejuicewig after the fight.
Icocked my head. “Whatwas wild?”
“Valentexted all of us after he got your message.”Lucastapped his temple, indicating the telepathic communication. “NovaandPandorawere already looking forGiannaas they were worried about her after the whole thing with the necklace, andValen’smessage sent them into a frenzy to find her.Weall ran to the back door to come help but bumbled over each other in the narrow hallway.”Helaughed. “I’msurprised we didn’t all bonk heads and pass the hell out.”
“Fortunately, that didn’t happen,”Diegogrumbled.
“Indeed.”Iturned toGianna, who stared at me with tears in her beautiful eyes.AllIwanted was to be alone with my mate.Shewas okay and that was all that mattered.
“Goon, man.Ihave everythingIneed here,”IassuredLucas.
Diegoturned to whereZane’smangled corpse lay spread across the asphalt. “Wantto help drag this this blood-bag out of here?” he askedLucas.
“Hell, yeah.”Lucas’seyes gleamed with excitement. “Wegonna finish taking care of it first?Becausethe last thing we need is for an animated corpse to spring up for revenge like some demented, bloodsuckingJack-in-the-box.”
“Stakethat fucker and ensure he doesn’t regenerate,”Ispat.Idoubted it was even possible with the wayI’dmangled his insides.Good, he didn’t deserve another chance after what he’d done toGianna.He’dtried to steal my mate from me.Shewasmine.
“I’llrun it by the boss,”Lucassaid with a wink and nodded towardPandora, who was dealing with the goons from the van. “ButI’msure she’ll be happy forZoeandIto spend a romantic night out here until sunrise, assuring that this monster is nothing but dust.”
“Whata romantic date,”Diegogrumbled with a half-grin.
Lucasnodded. “Whathappens behind theDangerZonestays behind theDangerZone,” all but assuring me the vamp would not be handled.
Diegoglanced atLucaswith narrowed eyes. “Youlooked like a madman fighting in that costume.”
“Andyou look totally normal,”Lucasretorted.Hislaughter echoed behind them as they dragged the vamp away from the back of the club.Nobodyshould be coming out through the back door except staff, and fortunately they hadn’t had a need to during the fight.
Giannapulled her blonde wig off and tossed it to the ground as she crumbled beside me.
“I’mso sorry,Sebastian.”Herhands trembled before her. “Noneof whatIsaid was true.Thatwasn’t me.The-the necklace,” she stammered. “Novasaid it was enchanted.Itdid something to me.Somethingbad.”
“Novatold me.”Thatexplained the sudden personality change. “Iunderstand.”
“Still, howIbehaved is inexcusable.”Sheclosed her eyes. “You’rethe best thing that ever happened to me, and you don’t deserve to be treated that way.Ever.”
“Hey.”Ireached up and nudged her chin up, and she opened her eyes. “Idon’t know all the details yet, butIknowyou.Youweren’t yourself lately.Andtonight you were imprisoned by a damn animated skeleton and had some vamp trying to mark you as his.”Angerpulsed through my veins once more, and a part of me wished the vamp would regenerate soIcould rip it apart once more.
“Never.”Hervoice lowered just above a whisper. “Onlyyou.”Atear rolled down her cheek. “Andthat stupid breakImentioned?”Hervoice caught and she placed her hand over her heart. “Idon’t want that.Ineverwant that.”Shewinced. “AllIwant is you.I’lldo whatever it takes to make it up to you, and maybe one day, you’ll be able to forgive me.”
Icaught the tear with my thumb and rolled it in between my fingers. “Don’tyou worry about that.We’veall seen what happens when dark magic confounds thoughts.Hell,Diegodidn’t even recognizeNova.”
Hisex-fiancée, a vampire who’d turned him and then broke his heart, had come toSalemto try to get him back.Onlyshe’d done so by tricking him with a love potion that made them think they were still together and in love and a memory charm that had made him forgetNova.Thathad been a rough time for all of us.
“True.”Giannaswallowed.
“Everything’sgoing to be okay.”WhenIcupped her face, she leaned into my palm.
