Bo shifted to the right side of the hal , indicating with one hand that Cade should precede him. With a snort, Cade moved past Bo and made his way the short distance to the study. When he’d disappeared through the door, I moved to Bo’s side.
“I know you don’t like this,” I said softly, “and I’m sorry you have to watch.”
“I don’t have to watch. I just don’t trust him, that’s al .”
“But you trust me.”
The corner of Bo’s mouth twitched as he tried to grin.
“Yes, I trust you.”
“Good,” I said with a smile, hoping to lessen the tension.
“Because I’d break both his hands if he tried anything.”
Bo actual y smiled at that.
“Now that’s something I’d like to see.”
“Don’t doubt it, mister,” I said with teasing bluster.
“There’s a part of me that’s ninja vampire. You just haven’t seen it yet.”
With a chuckle, Bo slid his arm around my waist and drew me in close to his body.
“Then you must keep her wel -hidden, because I’ve seen most of your parts and I don’t remember that.”
I smacked Bo’s chest playful y, a blush stinging my cheeks. I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder to see if anyone else heard his softly-spoken suggestive comment.
Though al eyes were politely turned in another direction, I got the distinct impression that they’d heard him.
Turning back to Bo, I reached behind me and took his hand, tugging him down the hal .
“Let’s go before you get us into trouble.”
Bo grinned, the gleam in his eye making him look adorably mischievous. I loved every second of it. With doom knocking at my door, I wanted to grab hold of every pleasant moment I could find and hold on until the bitter end.
I led Bo into Sebastian’s study and closed the door behind us. Cade was seated in the plush executive chair behind the desk and he’d swiveled it toward the door.
Audaciously, he patted his lap.
“Come hop on.”
Shocked at his insensitivity, my eyes flew to Bo. I was surprised that there wasn’t steam coming out of his ears. He did look positively livid, though.
Cade chuckled, pushing his large body out of the chair and coming to his feet.
“I’m kidding. Come here,” he said, opening his arms much as he’d done earlier.
I glanced back at Bo and he nodded once, sharply. I imagined that, at that moment, he couldn’t have squeezed a single sound between his teeth, they were gritted so tightly.
He looked as if he was about to explode.
I turned and walked quickly to Cade, determined to get the necessary feeding over with, for Bo’s sake if for no other reason.
As I stepped into the circle of Cade’s arms, however, it became less of a drudgery to feed from him. His delicious smel enveloped me, as did his body when he hugged me to him. Reaching up, I grabbed the back of his neck and pul ed myself up on tiptoe to sink my very-ready fangs into his throat. Right before I did, I couldn’t stop the pang of guilt I felt at the four angry-looking marks on his neck.
But then everything faded into the background, overcome by that first heady mouthful of sweet, human blood. As with previous times, I was lost to the sensation of it for a time before my head cleared enough to take in any information.
Absently, I wondered if Cade felt the same way—swept away for a few minutes on a tide of glorious feeling.
Final y, the visions came, this one alarming in a way far different than the others. This one was of Lil y.
My heart lurched when I saw her playing with her dol s in the center of a dirt floor. Now that I knew who she was, it was impossible not to see the incredible similarities between her and her mother, my dead sister.
After what felt like an eternity of taking in her beauty, I managed to look past the Izzy in her and real y look at Lil y herself. She was wearing royal blue leggings and a print top. The top had ruffles along the hem and it was filthy.
Anger rose up in me when that registered, but then, on closer inspection, I realized that her hair looked clean and she looked happy. It was mostly her clothes that were soiled, no doubt from playing in the dirt.
A smal wave of relief washed over me when it became apparent that they were stil taking care of her, but I had to wonder how long that would last. If she was the focus of my vision then I could only assume that she was in danger.
I looked around where she sat, taking in as much detail as I could. There was something about the structure that looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on where I’d seen it. The wal s seemed to be made of poorly-spaced wooden planks and the ceiling wasn’t even visible in my field of view.
It wasn’t until I saw the vicious teeth on the front of the tractor that sat in the background to Lil y’s right that I put two and two together. Sebastian was keeping her in the barn where Trinity had died.
I tore my teeth from Cade’s neck in a gasp.
“Why?” I asked, searching his eyes for answers. “Why there? Why would he keep her there?”
Cade shrugged.
“I don’t have the answer to that.”
I turned to Bo.
“I saw Lil y. Sebastian’s holding her in the barn, you know the one where Trinity and Aisha, uh, fought.”
Bo frowned.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive,” I said emphatical y. I’d never forget that building. Never. “But why? Why would he keep her there, Bo?”
Bo made a noise, one that fel somewhere between sigh and growl.
“It sounds like a trap.”
As soon as he verbalized it, I felt the truth of his words resonate somewhere deep in my soul.
“It is. It’s a trap, but what do we do? How can we help Lil y then?”
“Was she alone?”
“I didn’t see anyone else, but that doesn’t mean that no one else was there.”
“True. If they’re not feeding, we’d never be able to see them in the dark.”
I paused, my next thought both encouraging and dreadful.
“No, but we know someone who could.”
Bo and I said the name simultaneously.
“Savannah.”
The instant her name left my lips, I was fil ed with misgivings.
“Bo, we could never ask Savannah to be a part of this. It’s too dangerous and she’s too breakable.”
Bo stepped toward me, looking pointedly at Cade.
“Could you give us a minute?”
Cade, stil dazed from my bite, nodded absently and made his way to the door. His steps were slow and lethargic. For a second, I almost laughed. I could remember with perfect clarity what that felt like.