Page 19 of A Vampire in a Pear Tree
“Know this, Berengaria—”
“Berry, please,” I interrupted.“Only my mom calls me by my full name.”
“I assure you, Berry, if the Morrigna gets me alone, I don’t know if I could hold out against them.Singularly, I can cope, but together, bound as the Morrigna ...”He shook his head.“Even my mother’s boon wouldn’t be enough to protect me.”
I was about to protest when an enraged screech sounded behind us.We spun around to see Jerry stumbling down the block, long black lines of mascara dripping down her face, making her resemble something out of a horror movie.“You’ll die for this outrage!”she swore, one hand beginning to draw the symbols of a spell.
“I’ve changed my mind,” I said, and leaped into the taxi, pulling Owain in after me before instructing the driver, “Go!”
“Where?”he asked.
“Anywhere,” Owain answered, watching through the window as the taxi headed into traffic.“Make it quick.”
I thought hard for a minute, sent a text, and leaned forward to give the driver an address.
“If that’s your flat—” Owain started to say.
“Not mine.”I held my phone and sent a prayer that my plea would not reach a closed mind.“It’s my cousin’s house.We should be safe from your mom there.My cousin’s wife is a dragon.”
Owain said nothing as I sat back, but I swore I could feeling him thinking a good many things.
SIX
AISLING
“This is not the sortof place I expected Becket and Yrian to pick.”I glanced around to make sure Ysolde and I weren’t being overheard, and I snuggled a little deeper into my plush coat against the bitter cold.“For some reason, I pictured them in a modern house, all windows and glass and chrome.But this?Yes, it’s very manor house, which also kinda fits Yrian’s personality, although I didn’t realize Wales had historic manor houses.I guess it makes sense they did, because they had nobles and peasants like the rest of Britain.”
“It’s the llama sanctuary,” Ysolde said as she adjusted the white cashmere scarf that was wrapped around her head, neck, and lower face.“It almost makes me wish we hadn’t left Anduin at your place.”
“While I, on the other hand, am perfectly happy to take a break from all children,” I answered, pulling the frosty air deep into my lungs.It was so cold, it felt like tiny icy daggers.“My ears are still buzzing after two days of constant shrieks, shouts, assorted yells, incredibly off-tune Christmas carols bellowed at an uncomfortably loud volume, and the nonstop chatter from fourteen excited children.Time spent with adults is a blessed relief.”
Ysolde laughed.“You’re the one who offered to have a two-day sleepover Christmas party for all the kids.”
“It seemed like a good idea at the time,” I said with a wry twist of my lips, turning when Jim left the men and headed our way.“And it let me check off reciprocal visits with you and Allie.”
“Meh,” Ysolde said, moving with me over to the side of the three-story, white stone, almost two-hundred-year-old manor house that Becket and Yrian had purchased.They decorated it with enough lights to make Clark Griswold happy, including lights on the roof in the shape of a cat dressed as Santa.“You know you’re welcome to visit us whenever without any sense of obligation.And I didn’t mean I was angsting for Anduin’s presence....Like you, the last two days were exhausting, so a break is most welcome.Anduin was nigh on delirious with joy he got to stay for another day with what he’s now calling his cousins, so I appreciate you letting him remain.”
