Page 61 of Bonded By Blood

Chapter Sixteen

“I should rip off her head and mount it on a wall!” Trista spat, lifting a partially-curled fist and glaring past Brianna. Undoubtedly straight at Kendall, whose heartbeat faltered for a moment in response.

“Mother, please,” Brianna pleaded, stepping physically in front of her mother and placing both hands on her shoulders. “I understand you’re upset, but Kendall’s heart was in the right place—”

“Was it?” Trista asked, snapping her glare back to Brianna. She finished curling her fist but lowered her arm. “Or has your pet switched sides?”

“Hey!” Kendall exclaimed, apparently still offended at the unoriginal insult. Or the accusation attached.

“You’re letting your anger speak for you, Mother,” Brianna said firmly. Now wasn’t the time to get defensive. “I’m not saying I agree with Kendall’s actions, but it’s too late to stop what’s been put in motion.”

Trista jerked out of Brianna’s grip and moved backward. “That may be so,” she said, taking a moment to glare at everyone in the room, “but I can still send someone to rip that Slayer’s head off as soon as he steps off that plane.”

“Technically,” Kendall interrupted, “I did promise him safe travel into and out of California…” Her voice trailed at about the time Brianna heard Joe move closer to her.

But Brianna didn’t dare look away from her mother.

Trista all but snarled in response. “I am not bound by your word!”

“But he is coming to help us,” Brianna said, calling her mother’s attention again. “And, more importantly, now wouldn’t be a very good time for a public execution.” She was sure she didn’t have to point out that, with a serial killer running around town, the federal government was undoubtedly pushing to involve themselves in the hunt. The last thing they needed was the intrusion of an organization largely outside their influence. If Brianna knew that, then Trista knew that.

“Most Slayers have criminal records of some kind,” Trista said. “I could have him apprehended on legitimate charges and executed behind closed doors if I had to.”

“He didn’t want to come,” Kendall said, her tone angrier now. “I practically had to beg. And you have no idea how much I had to agree to pay, on top of the promise that he wouldn’t be murdered the second he got here. But I don’t even care about that. I’ll work a second job if I have to, give up my apartment, whatever—as long as it helps.” She took two stomping steps closer, until she was just out of Brianna’s peripheral vision. “But you don’t care about any of that. You’ll never trust me, because I’m not family. Not to you. I’m just some passing indulgence, some toy your daughter brought home one day and you’re waiting for her to get bored of so you can throw me away.”

Brianna’s eyes widened as the scent of salt stung the air. She turned her head, just a little, enough to see Kendall’s furious profile without losing sight of her mother.

Kendall kept going. “Well guess what, Grandma? You’re family to me. And I know what it feels like to lose family, so I’m not willing to suffer that twice. I’ll do whatever it takes. Even if that means swallowing my pride. But I’m not just gonna stand here and listen to you bellow about how dumb I am and how terrible my idea was, when the truth is, it’s not that my idea was stupid. It’s that you don’t like it. I didn’t really like it, either. Sometimes that’s just life. I’d have expected a vampire as ancient as you to know that already. Now excuse me. I have a Slayer to pick up from the airport.” She turned as she finished her speech, tears rolling down her cheeks and heart pounding wildly, and stomped away.

Brianna wanted to call after her, but she still had a Queen to deal with.

Trista sucked in a breath and started forward. “How dare you—”

Brianna clamped a hand on her shoulder once more, this time gripping tight. “Mother,” she said, “That’s enough. You had your temper tantrum. Instead of insisting on murdering everyone who disagrees with your narrow viewpoint, why not take advantage of the fact that there’s a new player on the field?”

Trista stared at her, her eyes slightly widened, and said nothing for a long minute.

Long enough for the doors to open again and Jasen to stride into the room. The tension in the air shifted before he finally asked, “Does this have anything to do with the crying girl I passed in the hallway?”

Brianna’s heart clenched. She swallowed heavily and, trusting that her mother wouldn’t continue pursuing Kendall at this point, released Trista’s shoulder. “Unfortunately, yes.”

Trista smoothed out the sleeve of the jacket she wore as a fashion statement before finally speaking. “Jasen. What do you think about the idea of bringing in an outsider, a Slayer let’s say, to hunt down the Wilsons and their mysterious master?”

Jasen took a breath and crossed his arms over his chest. “They wouldn’t see it coming,” he replied. “From that perspective, there might be something to it. Problem is, most Slayers are only out for the kill. They’d agree to whatever was presented to get the chance to kill just one Sacramento vamp.”

Trista waved a hand in Jasen’s direction as she looked over at Brianna again. “Do you see?”

Brianna held her breath until she was sure she wouldn’t huff.

Joe said what she was trying to articulate. “Didn’t Kendall say this guy initially refused?”

Jasen turned a narrow-eyed stare on Joe. “What guy?”

“Kendall has invited a Slayer into our backyard,” Trista supplied. “She thinks she’s helping. Someone by the name of ‘Colt.’ Have you heard of him?”

Brianna frowned at the tone of smug superiority in her mother’s voice, but held her tongue at the question that followed. Tone and implicit insult aside, it was a smart question. Jasen had contacts all over, formed from his travels. Even if Jasen himself didn’t know this Slayer, it was possible he knew the person who would.

Jasen’s expression smoothed into neutral. “Adrian Colt. He’s skilled. He’s who I’d call if I actually needed a Slayer in my corner.”

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