One Foot in the Grave (Night Huntress, Book 2)

The knife Bones had given me trembled in my hand with the ache to bury it in his heart. Finally, after another long stare, I chuckled again. Bittersweetly. My need for revenge had almost cost me Bones once tonight. At least I wouldn't let myself make that same mistake twice. You worthless piece of shit, you're about to do the first, last, and only thing you've ever done for me as a father, because there's someone in my life who means more to me than even killing you. Congratulations, scum. You just gave away the bride." Instead of twisting that knife through my father's heart, I slashed it across my palm and slapped it over the pale hand still outstretched to me. "Bound together forever, huh? Sounds good to me. By my blood, Bones, you are my husband. Is that what I'm supposed to say? Is that right?" Bones bent me backward with the force of his kiss, and I assumed that was my answer.

“Don't you think it's time you met your father?" lan baited me next. That got my attention. I swung back in his direction, and my hand clenched over the knife I'd just accepted from Bones. lan pressed his advantage. "Il make you a bargain, Cat. A vastly different one from what I'd first intended. You can leave here tonight with my assurances that I won't press my claim over you, or trouble your men again. Furthermore, II give you Max, to do with what you will. All I require in return is that you refuse this offer and part company with Crispin permanently. Your word on it."

"I beg to differ, lan," Bones replied, straightening. "You're right, lineage does have a higher claim than property. But you have no claim over her if she's my wife." lan looked as confused as I felt. "But she isn't," he stated the obvious. Bones pulled a knife out from his pocket. I tensed, assuming this meant we were starting the free-for-all. But Bones just drew it once across his palm and then clapped his bleeding hand over my own. "By my blood, you are my wife," he said in a clear voice. Then he said more softly to me, I rather envisioned something more romantic for this, Kitten, but CumS ances dont allow for that."

You should have talked to me about this, Kitten," he gritted. "You would have told me to wait," I hissed back, which only made lan laugh harder. "Oh, indeed he would have, Cat. You see, you just acknowledged that you consider yourself a vampire. You know what that means, Crispin, as does everyone else here. As a vampire, Cat, you are therefore mine, and I'll thank you, Crispin, to get away from one of my people. "But I challenged Max," I said angrily. "So he has to accept. And if I kill him, then I'mn my own damn vampire, and no one has claim over me!"

"I know vampires have the right to challenge their sires to a duel. Well, lan, I challenge my father, Max. If you're here, then he's here somewhere. Bring hím out. I'm claiming my vampire right to duel him." Bones groaned something that sounded like “Bloody hell, Kitten," and to my surprise, lan began to laugh. Heartily. ILike l'd just told him the funniest joke ever. He actually had pink tears appear at the corners of his eyes, and he wiped them while still overcome with laughter. "What's so fucking funny?" I demanded.

"Bones."I came over and grasped his hand. “None of this has to happen at all. lan only wants me because being a half-breed makes me rare, but if I'm a full- blown vampire, then I'm nothing special. So do it. Change me over. Make me a vampire."

my sweet, I can't count all of the times there were at least two of us with him. Crispin's so bloody insatiable. He always was, even as a human. And you're not that sacred to him, darling. Did he tell you about the two of us just a couple months ago? You're nothing more to him than a mere bump in a long, winding road. Best you realize that now."

"Let's get this over with," he said shortly, and walkedor rather limped-up to her. My gaze widened. "Tate I began. "Save it," he cut me off. "We failed you, Cat. You think her biting me is gonna hurt more than that?"

"Kitten, are you still hunting vampires without your knickers on?" he asked with that same strange countenance. "If I'm playing the bait, yes, but if it's a search-and-destroy, no. Why?" His lips twitched. We'll talk about it later," he demurred. I pounced. For him to look so peculiar, there had to be something to it. "Tell me now." Five sets of eyes regarded him expectantly. Only Don didn't look intrigued at this exchange. His eyes were glued to the IV bag filling with red liquid. Bones's lips twitched more. "It's just that you can expand your wardrobe, luv. Not that I'm advocating it, of course, but then I'm biased. That thing I told you about no knickers making a difference when it came to luring vampires...well. I might have stretched the truth a bit."

"I need to do this, " Bones stared at me for a long moment, then turned to Don. The only way you're keeping her is if I'm with her. Consider it a two-for-one deal. I won't stop her from doing what she considers her job, but I will not see her die for it. None of those men are strong enough to back her up, but I am. You want her? Then you'll get me also."

The man standing with a grin had red hair, high cheekbones, a straight nose, a jaw that was masculine but eerily similar, and I couldn't tell, but I'd bet those were gray eyes. Even faded, the likeness was unbelievable. Finally I had a face to put to my hate, and it was a mirror of my own. No wonder my mother had such issues. As absorbed as I was in devouring the image of my father, it took me a minute to look at the other person in the photo. The one with an arm around my father's shoulders. “Family Celebrates Commendation of Federal Officer;" the title read. The years hadn't been kind, but I recognized him at once. A furious chuckle escaped me, and I flung the page at Don. "Well, isn't life just one big joke? One huge cosmic one-liner! I now know just how Luke Skywalker felt when Darth Vader told him who he was, only you're not my father. But you're his brother:"

Yeah, and you knew you had lots of it, didn't you? Who else knows?"I paced, keeping an eye on him as he sat calmly amid the ruins of his office. "Tate, and the head pathologist here, Dr. Lang. His assistant, Brad Parker, probably."

"How old am I?" You just had a birthday; you know how old you are. You're twenty-seven His desk crashed to the far side of the room, splintering in shards of mahogany. Papers flew, and his computer thumped to the carpet. It happened in less time than his shocked blink. "How old am I?" Don glanced at his demolished furniture before straightening and regarding me across the now-empty space between us. “Nineteen or twenty, if you judge from your bone density and pathology reports. Your teeth match up to that as well."

"Mine. Didn't have a chance to tell you this before, because you left two later. Probably doesn't make a difference in the big picture, but here it is. TE night we rescued your mum, you drank my blood. Not just a few drops for healing, but a good two pints. That alone would add fifty years to a normal human's lifespan. To yours, who knows? Double, easily."

when I did, it took a second for recognition to register in my suddenly paralyzed mind. His hair was different. Honey-brown instead of the platinum blond from my memory.

"Quit stalling. I don't need to see one of your chew toys to believe you're all badasses. Really, I'm quaking. Where's Bones?" "Bones?" Lazarus said, his eyes darting around. “Where?" Two things occurred to me at nearly the same instant. One, from Lazarus's expression, he had no idea where Bones was. Two, the tear-streaked face turning up at me belonged to the lying litle shit who'd seduced and dumped me when I was sixteen.