Page 30 of Bite of the Gargoyle

I nod. The truth is, I’m not picky—I’ve slept on floors, in barns, on rocks, in the cold, in the rain, and in the snow.

“Before you go to sleep—” he starts.

“We should talk about the plan,” I finish for him.

“That, we should,” he answers with a nod and runs a hand through his midnight hair as he levels me with those amber eyes. I can’t help but notice how beautiful the color is, a realization that bothers me so I look away. Even though he didn’t murder my family, he’s still a monster and monsters don’t have beautiful eyes.

“I imagine the old witch made you aware that only the reincarnation of Suisse, the woman who took her own life after Balor took mine, can draw blood from me.”

“Yes, she did,” I answer. “Any other new developments?”

“Balor has been trying to kill me for years without success. And it’s only a matter of time before he realizes he could have a new arrow in his quiver.”

I frown at him. “What are you talking about?”

“You.”

“Me?”

“As soon as he learns that you’ve spilled my blood, he’ll want to get to you, to use you to kill me, and then once he kills me, no doubt he’ll kill you too.” He gives me a smile. “Just in case you got any ideas about doing away with me.”

“I’m not interested in killing you.”

“Ah, the night is looking up,” he chuckles.

“And regarding your brother… I’m not worried,” I continue. “I’ll get Balor before he can get me. Problem solved.”

Derith doesn’t say anything but expels a long and dramatic sigh and I can tell there’s more on his mind.

“What?” I insist, staring at him with a stony look on my face.

“I haven’t had a real shot at taking my brother down in…” He shakes his head. “In so long, memory fails me.”

“I understand.” The gravity of the situation descends on me again. “I haven’t seen your brother since that day ten years ago… when he murdered my family.”

Derith shakes his head and his eyes are suddenly full of what appears to be regret, though I doubt such is the case. Nonexistent is the vampire who feels regret. “I apologize for the pain my brother has caused you,” he says in a near whisper. “If I hadn’t turned him into what he is now… well, it’s my biggest regret.”

I hadn’t really thought about it in such a way but it’s true; if Derith hadn’t bitten Balor, then my family would still be alive. But sometimes our actions have consequences we can’t possibly know. And regret isn’t a look I have any interest in wearing.

“Well, it looks like we both have a chance to course correct, don’t we?” I surprise myself by giving him an encouraging smile. I wish I was doing this on my own, but, at the end of the day, we still have the same goal: find Balor and kill Balor. And, truly, Derith isn’t so bad… for a vampire, anyway.

“You’re right about that, as well,” Derith says. Then he takes a deep breath and nods, as if the conversation is over. “We can talk more when you wake up. The sun’s almost risen, and you’ll need to sleep through the day.”

“Don’t you need to sleep?”

He shakes his head. “I don’t sleep,” he says simply. “I only rest, on occasion, but never to dream.”

“Master!” Kellen approaches from the lower staircase, his bold voice so loud, he nearly scares the wits out of me. He looks even paler than usual and when his eyes settle on me, he frowns.

“You’re back.”

“So it would seem,” I answer with a smile. “And I’m happy to see you too.”

He glares at me before looking back at Derith. That’s when I notice that Kellen’s carrying a chalice on a golden plate. I can guess what the red sloshing liquid inside the cup is. Derith has the good grace to look a little ashamed about it.

“We were worried when you didn’t return right away, Master,” Kellen says, facing Derith fully now.

“Thank you, Kellen,” Derith says. “Get Cynthia and Lisette for me. Tell them to draw Joanna a bath and make her bed…” Then he looks at me. “And they will need to tend to her wound.” I’d almost forgotten the attack from the water ghoul. “If you need anything,” Derith continues as he smiles down at me, “Cynthia and Lisette are at your disposal.” Then he quiets for a moment as something else occurs to him. “Do you want to decide which bedroom suits you?”

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