Page 64 of Mongrel
“Not Adony, Bela, or Vincse either?”
Growling, I knock into him so he stumbles.
Bowie catches himself gracefully, and we head up the stairs.
“Joking, joking, I swear!” He crosses his heart.
I bark-yip my displeasure.
“I made them all up. Well, except Adony. He’s got a huge—”
I nip his ankles, forcing him to skip up the stairs two at a time.
“Sorry, sorry. It’s just you’re so sexy when you’re being possessive.”
Huffing, I trot in front of him down the aisle and soon come to an annoying pull-door I can’t open because I don’t have thumbs.
“Need a hand?” Bowie quirks. “How about two?” He takes my face between his cool palms and kisses my forehead.
I grumble.
“There’s no one but you, my love,” he whispers and pulls open the door.
I’m left all tingly as we step into the night to continue our mission.
Chapter 21
Csejthe Castle looms high on a hill overlooking the surrounding lands and villages. Stone towers bathed in moonlight reach for the stars. Encircled by tall defensive walls, the fortress will be difficult to access without the knowledge or permission of its wicked mistress. Men pace the battlements. More are stationed at the gates. If the early morning guard presence is anything to go by, a veritable army protects these grounds.
Bowie and I observe from below, both in quiet consideration. With no obvious point of entry and the gates under heavy guard, I’m unsure of the best approach, but the scent trail indicates Cecily is definitely here. We’ve yet to run into Janos. Perhaps he’ll have some idea of how to sneak in, or maybe he’s already inside.
Our time tonight is dwindling. We need to decide whether to risk making entry before dawn or to find a resting place nearby and plan our attempt for tomorrow night.
I stretch my back and huff.
Eager to shift now that we’ve reached our destination, I coax the wolf into letting go. Bones elongate. Flesh pulls taut as fur recedes. Rising from the ground, I roll my shoulders and catch Bowie’s eyes.
We’re alone at the tree line, having left the road toward the castle behind us to veer into the surrounding forest for cover. I’ve been the wolf long enough to feel awkward as a man again, even though this is Bowie, and I trust him.
His uncanny ability to comfort surfaces right away. “Welcome back, my darling.” He cups my cheek and gives me a kiss in greeting. At once, I feel at home with him. “Would you like to dress?”
I nod.
He opens our satchel, hands me my things, and goes back to studying the castle. I’m unsure how he knows I need a moment to myself, but I appreciate it all the same. Pulling Bowie’s borrowed black shirt over my shoulders, I take a breath and think on what we should do.
Since it will be impossible to scout the interior of the castle without being spotted, perhaps we should find someone with that knowledge who’d be willing to share. A vendor of some sort. Or a stable master perhaps. Bowie could convince them to speak with us using his vampire persuasion.
I sit to fasten my leather shoes, still pondering options when Bowie settles next to me.
“As much as I want to go storming through the gates, tear through the castle, and find Cecily this very second, I think we should wait,” says Bowie.
That’s a relief. I lean into his shoulder. “I agree. Csejthe is a fortress. And larger than I imagined.” Large enough to easily get lost inside.
“I’m not sure what I imagined, but yes. This is much more complicated. Báthory could be keeping the girls anywhere. We need to find someone who has details about the gynaeceum, her so-called finishing school and likely where the girls are housed.”
Nerves stir, unsettling my gut. “Bowie, what if you’re caught? Can a vampire be killed?” I realize I still don’t know much about the species, despite having spent so much time at Bowie’s side. Drinks blood, runs impossibly fast, and hides from the sun are the extent of my knowledge.
“Don’t worry about me,” he says. “It’s you who must be cautious. I should be able to escape any would-be assassins by speed alone, but you don’t have that luxury.”
