At grave's end a night huntress novel

I came to him, brushing my fingers across his cheekbones. "If you're right," I continued, "then the traitor is locked up and can do no more harm. I'l be grieved that my friend did such a terrible thing, and I'll kill him. But if you're wrong...then you have a person here who's desperate not to get caught. Reeling that you're alive. Frantic over what you'll do if you find out who they are. If you're wrong, we're all in a heap of shit. So what are you willing to bet that you're right?"

There was something in Bones's voice that made me belatedly aware there was one person missing in this room. Even my mother lingered by the doorway, pretending not to care about the story as it unfolded. "Where's Tate? And why didn't Don call him when he knew you were better? My uncle knew he was with me." Bones met my eyes. There was pity in his gaze-and resolve. "Don didn't ring Tate because I told him not to. After all, I didn't want the person who tried to kill me discovering I was still alive."

"Please don't wake me up," I begged, terrified someone would shake me out of my dream. I clutched the figure that seemed so real, squeezing my eyes shut. "Just a little longer." "You're not dreaming, Kitten." Oh God, his mouth covered mine in , kiss that made my heart break "Im bere "

There were the unmistakable bawls of Annette in loud, unintelligible bursts. Nearby, I heard something crash to the floor. My hazy mind thought it might have been Tate. He'd been balanced on the back of his chair legs when I passed out. Maybe he'd nodded off as well and lost his equilibrium. Still, that didn't explain his mumbled sentence. "You have got to be fucking kidding me... There was now an unrestrained chorus of voices, numerous doors bashing, and so much uproar I opened one eye with difficulty. Above every other word a name finally penetrated, causing me to stumble from the couch in a heap. "Crispin!" .need to see my wife," was all I heard before I started to scream, staggering over the coffee table in a blind frenzy to run toward that voice. My eyes were open but unfocused, everything in a hazy double outline

"By his order while he was yet alive, Bones bequeathed everything to you. You are now Master of his line and co-Master of mine. I swore by my blood to honor the union forged with him, so by my blood, I will swear to honor it with you, as was his wish."

He gave me a contemptuous look. "Why not? Standing on that ledge is Catherine Crawfield, not Cat, the Red Reaper. Catherine has no obligations, no responsibilities, and she's decided to follow her husband to the grave. In the end, it appears you' ve chosen your human side. How interesting."

"Cat," Tate sighed when he hung up, putting his arm around me, "Don said He stopped and stared almost stupidly at his chest. The knife I'd pulled from my coat and jammed into him was less than an inch from his heart. I smiled, feeling my face crack like pottery that dried too quickly. "That was a warning. The next one won't be. Did you think you could just slide into Bones's place and I wouldn't miss a beat? You lay your hands on me again and I'll finish you, Tate."

Tate unzipped his jeans, and he wasn't wearing any underwear. It was all I could do not to jerk back and give the charade away. Yeah, this was way further than I'd ever anticipated things would go.

"Sometimes I hate Don," Tate spat. I was baffled. "What does my uncle have to do with any of this?" "Don knew what you were from the moment you were born, and I'd known him for three years before I met you. Three years, Cat. That fucking torments me. All Don would've had to do was look you up six months sooner than he did. Then you wouldn't have met Bones first, you would have met me. We like each other, you're attracted to me, and as a fellow vampire hunter, I would have been your perfect man. You would have fallen in love with me instead of ever loving Bones." I was amazed by how much thought he'd put into this

"Look, Tate, you have got to get over this...thing you have for me. It's affecting our friendship, our work, and you take your life in your hands every time you bring it up in front of Bones." Tate came closer, lowering his voice, not that it mattered with all this background noise. Another vampire would have to be within spiting distance to focus in on our conversation. "Do you know why I won't shut up about how I feel about you? Because I didn't say anything for years. We were friends, but I kept hoping with time, more would develop between us. I'm not making that mistake again, hesitating when I should have moved forward. I don't care if it pisses Crypt Keeper off or makes you uncomfortable, I'm done pretending that I only want to be your friend."

"Why the hell would he?" I wondered irritably. "Seems to me she wants him dead, too, or she wouldn't have just barbecued his home hoping he'd be in it along with you. In fact, oh powerful one, why haven't you taken her out yourself? Can't you handle her on your own?" Mencheres closed his eyes. It was Bones who answered my question. There's more about Patra you don't know. She chose her vampire name in honor of her mother, one of Egypt's most famous rulers, and merely shortened it when she changed over. Patra is the daughter of Cleopatra, and Mencheres refuses to kill her...because she's his wife."

"Let's get you off me, then, your elbow is jabbing me in the kidney-" Something on his face made me stop in midsentence. "What?" I asked. "Did you just call me a pig?" I froze. Had I said that out loud? "Bloody hell, no you didn't!" he answered for me, springing to his feet in a lithe motion. Good God, he could read minds now? There was something neither of us had thought would happen.

"I won't welsh on our agreement, so name the man you want me to change into a vampire." "Me." The single word came from Tate. My gaze swung to him. "You hate vampires!" I burst out. "Why would you want to turn into one?"