Cat Adams - Blood Song

count on them being down for the count, either. Since she was old enough to be an übervamp, she was

probably up and about by now. Of course, come nightfal , she’d be looking for me. She as much as said

so.

“I don’t plan on going hunting.” I was honest with him. “But she threatened me. We hurt her and kil ed

her partner, and she blames me for that.”

“So I heard.”

I’d bet he had. I could just imagine Bruno saying it. Loudly. And it wouldn’t have made a damned bit of

difference to Sal. Because, ultimately, Bruno is family. I’m not. Keeping him alive is more important to

them than I am. More important to me, too, come to think of it.

Sal kept talking. “So I made a cal ; told Archbishop Fuentes about this bat, how she could cal a priest

on holy ground. He didn’t like the sound of that. Decided that maybe they should send some

reinforcements in from Mexico and South America. A few dozen or so. You manage to lay low for a

day or two, this could al be taken care of. ”

Whoa. When he said it like that, I realized he was right. A vamp cal ing an ordained priest on holy

ground ? That probably raised a few eyebrows at the Vatican. “Thank you.” I meant it. I mean, not

everybody would’ve been able or wil ing to do something like that, particularly not for their nephew’s exgirlfriend.

“You’re welcome.” He quoted my own words back at me with just a hint of amusement. “It wasn’t a big

deal. Take care of yourself.”

“I’l try.”

He said good-bye and hung up and I fol owed suit. For a couple of minutes I just sat on the edge of

the bed, staring blankly at the opposite wal . Wow. Um … Wow. Okay, then.

I decided I was going to strain myself if I thought too hard about it, and I was too tired to think

coherently anyway. So without further ado I dropped the towel on the floor and climbed under the

blankets. I was asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pil ow.

21

Dawna said, “You are the only thing standing in her way now. She’l kil you if she can.”

I choked. “That’s the message?” I’d cal ed the office while waiting for Room Service to bring up my

double order of tomato soup.

“Not al of it, but yes. A little old lady came by and dropped it off, along with a pair of diamond earrings.

She said her name was Dottie and I needed to make sure you got the message right away, that it was

very important.”

No kidding. Ya think? “When did she give it to you?”

“About a half hour ago.”

Wel , it wasn’t as if the vamp hadn’t told me as much. But dammit anyway.

“She also said to tel you she was very sorry, she hoped you didn’t mind, but she showed those men

your vision. They were most insistent. And they took your earrings. She couldn’t stop them. So she

brought you these to replace them.” Dawna paused. “It looked like she had been crying.”

Aww. They made a sweet old lady like her cry ? It had to have been Dee and Dum. So that’s how they

got hold of my memories. Jerks. No, more than jerks. Assholes. “She didn’t have to replace the

earrings. They weren’t that valuable.”

“I said you’d feel that way, but she insisted. And you should see these things. They’re like a carat

each.”

That didn’t make me feel any better. Worse, actual y. “Jeez. Yeah, wel , she shouldn’t have. She’s on

a fixed income, for crying out loud.”

“Wel , judging from the wear and tear on the box they’re in, they may be ones she already had. But if

you don’t want them—”

“Not a chance. I’m giving them back.” Poor Dottie. It real y ticked me off to think of Dee and Dum

intimidating that sweet little old lady. I say again, Assholes. “Did she leave a number?”

“No. She said she’d decided to go away for a while. She didn’t want to be around if anyone else came

looking for her. But I was supposed to tel you it can stil work out al right, but you need to be very

observant and remember your schooling. Oh, and she said, ‘Thank you.’”

“For what?”

“She didn’t say.”

Since I hadn’t done anything nice yet, I had to assume it was typical clairvoyant stuff. Vicki had

always been commenting on or thanking me in advance of things I was going to do. It was confusing

and sometimes frustrating but part of the package. And while I would’ve liked to talk to Dottie again, if

only to reassure her about the earrings, I was kind of glad she’d decided to go into hiding. I’d have felt

worse than I already did if anything were to happen to her.

Dawna broke the silence that had grown while I was lost in thought. “So, spil . What’s with you and

Bruno? I could feel the tension between you. Hel , even Ron commented on it.”

I didn’t see how Ron could’ve noticed anything. I mean he’d only seen Bruno and me together for

maybe a minute and a half while the guys trooped upstairs.

“There’s nothing going on. He’s here for work.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Dawna.” My voice held a warning.

“Fine, fine. Whatever you say. He’s stil smokin’ hot. Feel free to bring him by anytime so I can drool

on him, if you’re not interested. Are you going to be in today?”

I shook my head, even though she wouldn’t see it. “Not today. It’s already after one. I’ve got to go

spread some ashes, and then I have a doctor’s appointment. And I’m going to my gran’s church right

after. I want to be in sanctuary before dark.” I didn’t tel Dawna that I wasn’t planning on going to the

office unless it was absolutely necessary until this mess cleared up. The office and the estate were the

first places the bad guys would look for me. Ergo, they were the last places I wanted to be. As long as I

wasn’t there, Dawna and the others should be safe. There were wards. And Bubba and the other bail

bondsmen in the building were real hard cases. Nobody’d want to bother them if they didn’t have to.

Staying away was the best I could do for them. Not nearly enough, considering the company I’d been

forced to keep over the past couple of days. I cringed at the thought of the severed hand of our

murdered pool boy.

“Celia … are you okay?”

Apparently I’d let the silence drag on too long again. I forced a smile that I hoped she’d hear in my

voice. “Just tired. It’s been a long couple of days.”

“Amen to that.”

“I’l cal in for messages.”

She sighed and I knew she realized I wasn’t coming in. “Okay. Let me know if you need anything. And

be sure to eat.”

“I am, I am.” I was, too. Maybe not every four hours, but as often as I could manage. Hence the

tomato soup.

We hung up on that note, and I dialed the next number on my list. Bruno answered his own phone this

time, on the first ring. His “Hel o” sounded irritable. Not the world’s best patient, eh? I fought down a

snicker, even though I actual y had some sympathy for the nurses. Dealing with the DeLuca clan was

so going beyond the normal cal of duty. Particularly Mama Rose. That woman is scary.

“I cal ed ’cause I’m going to need to borrow some of your clothes. My stuff got ruined in the vampire

hunt.”

“ Which clothes?”

“Wel , I need some trousers, a clean shirt, and a hat.”