Jeaniene Frost - At Grave’s End

“All right. Let’s go back in. I’m sure Ian misses us.”

Bones ignored my sarcasm and pulled me into his arms. “Do you know it’s nearly midnight?” he whispered. “Only two more days until Christmas Eve.”

So much had happened since last Christmas. What would the next year bring?

“Better things,” Bones answered low. “I promise.”

He kissed me, his lips cooler than usual, but who needed ninety-eight degrees when he made me feel this way? In fact, I began to feel warmer as his hands slid lower on my back.

A branch snapping nearby doused my mood and put me on instant alert. Bones straightened, breaking the kiss.

“Well, mate. I wondered how long you’d spy on us.”

His sardonic tone confirmed what my belated senses finally picked up on. God, Bones distracted me to a dangerous level when we kissed. Good thing he could still pay attention, even though I suppose that wasn’t an endorsement ofmy allure. Also good was that the vampire in the trees didn’t want to kill us.

Tate came through the trees with more cracking of branches. “Hi, Cat. God, you look beautiful.”

Uh oh. Why couldn’t he just say, Happy Holidays?

Dave broke the loaded hostile atmosphere by coming onto the porch. “Buddy, you made it!”

Another confrontation delayed.

“Dave.” Tate smiled as he received a bear hug from his friend. Juan came out next, followed by my uncle. Don’s normally stoic features changed into a smile as he came forward and embraced Tate. Bones made a cynical noise and led me back inside with a parting comment to Tate.

“I’m sure you’ll have no trouble finding your way to the cottage at the bottom of the hill. That’s where you’re staying.”

Ian, ever tactless, chose that moment to sidle up to me. “You and Crispin resolved your differences, I hope?”

“Yes. Now you’ll be able to sleep tonight.”

Ian laughed. My mother wandered past us, and Ian eyed her with more than casual appreciation. “I say, Cat, I can see what led Max to his eventual downfall.”

I gave him a black look. “Would you mind not bringing Max up in front of what’s left of my family?”

Ian smiled without a touch of remorse. “Why would they be cross with me? I am owed no small amount of gratitude. If I hadn’t changed Max, then there wouldn’t be you.”

That whipped my mother’s head around. How like Ian not to have lowered his voice. I could have rammed my fist straight through his stupid mouth.

“Good one,” I growled. “She didn’t know you were his sire.”

Bones appeared from behind him. “Mate, come with me for a moment.”

He didn’t wait for Ian’s reply, but propelled him onto the porch. I went in the opposite direction to intercept my mother’s furious beeline.

“Catherine!” she snapped as I blocked her path. “Get out of my way. I need to have a word with that thing.”

Since she usually called Bones “filthy animal,” I assumed “thing” meant Ian.

“Mom, I know you’re upset.”

She continued to shove her way past me. “Don’t worry, I won’t make a scene,” she said with a final push by me. For her, that was the height of consideration.

“You.” She marched straight up to Ian and jabbed a finger in his chest. He gave it an amused glance. “You created her father? Didn’t you know what kind of filth he was? Or are you brainless, oblivious, and uncaring about the monsters you make?”

Bones let out a grim snort. “Clean up your mess, mate, but no matter how rude she gets, don’t be insulting.”

Ian rolled his eyes. “No, Justina, I’m not brainless, oblivious, or uncaring about those I sire. But if I’m responsible for every action my offspring does, then the same goes for you. Your daughter murdered my friend the day I met her. What do you owe me for that?”

I was nearly as taken aback as my mother was by Ian’s cool turning of the tables.

“Another filthy vampire?” my mother purred when she regrouped. “One of many who tried to feast on her neck?”

“A ghoul doing his duty to defend me against a woman who tried to kill me in my own home,” Ian countered. “Ask Cat. She’ll tell you I never even attempted to bite her before she beheaded my friend.”

I shuffled uncomfortably. How did I know Don had ulterior motives in sending me after Ian? I’d thought I was on just another job taking out the bad guys, not being the unwitting murderer of someone who’d done nothing wrong.

“I’m sorry about your friend, but I thought he was a killer, and he was sneaking up behind me to knock me out,” I replied. “Besides, before that, you admitted you’d killed two people, Ian. Your employees.”

“Who stole from me,” was Ian’s response. “Really, Crispin, what would you do to a couple of blokes who raided your home and tried to hawk your valuables on eBay?”

Bones shrugged. “The same. If you can’t trust a chap with something as small as your possessions, how can you trust them not to betray you in a more serious manner?”

“Even so,” Ian agreed, before giving my mother another measured look. “Then with Max we’re more than even, poppet, so what else are you riled at me about?”

She appeared rattled, but then gestured at Bones. “Him. You made him, and he’s the reason my parents were murdered, so we’re hardly even, vampire.”

A shadow flickered across Bones’s face.You weren’t responsible for that, I told him.She’s wrong.

“Yet he also taught Cat how to fight, making her stronger, faster, and deadlier. Without that, do you think she’d still be alive? Furthermore, didn’t he just save her lifeand yours recently? Are you telling me that’s worth less than your parents?”

My mother stared at him in an odd way. Like she didn’t know what to make of him. Ian returned her gaze, unblinking and unapologetic. Finally, after a tense silence, she turned on her heel and walked away.

“Glad we had a chance to talk,” he called after her.

She didn’t reply.

Ian clapped a hand across Bones’s shoulders. “Shall we return inside? It’s chilly out, and your wife is clearly cold.” His eyes roamed over me and he laughed. “Clearly.”

“Sod off,” Bones snapped.

Ian walked away, whistling. I snorted. “Told you I should have worn a bra.” Then I changed the subject, not wanting anything else to dampen our evening. “If you ask nicely, I’ll let you open one of your presents, even though it’s early.”

Bones’s lips curled. “What must I say? Please? Ah, Kitten, please, I implore you, beseech you-”

“Shut up.” With a smirk, I pulled him into the library and retrieved a box from under the couch. A quick glance told me no one was watching, because I didn’t want an audience for this. I’d been kidding when I said it was one of his real presents. It was something else. “Here.”

Bones unwrapped it, and his smile grew to a dirty leer. “Aren’t these lovely? Not my size, but if you’d like me to wear them, I’ll be happy to oblige.”

“Aren’t you funny? But you know you’re supposed to pick which one you wantme to put on.”

His choice was instant. “The red.”

“I thought you’d like that one.” My voice was wispy from the sudden flare of heat in his eyes.

Bones leaned closer until his mouth grazed mine.

“Right you are.”

THE RED NIGHTGOWN FLOWED AROUND ME, as dark as blood on my skin. Bones held me by the hips and arched underneath me, sharp noises of pleasure coming from his throat.

“Yes, Kitten. More…don’t stop…”

I closed my eyes, caught up in the ecstasy. My fingers wound the sheet into handholds as I moved faster.

“Yes…”

The sensuality of the moment faded as a haze seemed to appear around us and the sheets began to develop a life of their own. They coiled around my wrists and ankles, as if the cotton had become an evil serpent. I tried to tell Bones to stop, but when I opened my mouth, blood poured out.