jackets exchanged glances. One mouthed what does that mean and the other shrugged.
Not the sharpest scalpels on the tray.
Also not very alert. Luke’s hands flickered near his belt—and dime-size throwing stars appeared in their chests with twin thuds.
One looked down at himself and snorted. “You’re trying to kill us with dimes?”
The other laughed outright. He flicked at the thing. “We’re vampires, ass. This isn’t even silver. This little thing can’t hurt—”
Boom-boom. Two charges went off, one for each vampire, turning their chests into hollowed-out smoking ruins. With expressions of surprise, they keeled over.
“What the hell?” The sail-nosed leader gaped at Luke.
Luke grinned, teeth glinting in the streetlight. “That’s what happens when an electronics geek and a weapons geek get together. Baby’s got fangs.” He pulled out three more stars, brandishing them like he was fanning out a deck of cards.
“Shit. Retreat.” The leader faded back into the darkness. The remaining two jackets each grabbed a fallen goon and scrambled away.
Luke calmly slid the stars into his belt.
“That was impressive.” My words sounded muffled to me, heart still thudding in my ears.
He grinned at me. “It helps to have a techie brother and sister-in-law. C’mon, let’s get you home.”
Since I was going that way anyway, I didn’t fight him when he put a hand on my shoulder and steered me along the sidewalk. All right, I admit it. After that little incident, his companionship was nice.
And since I did appreciate it, I admitted grudgingly, “You were right. About Meiers Corners having changed since I lived here.”
“Much as I’d love to say I told you so, that was no random mugging. I recognized those particular assholes.” His mouth tightened into a line. “They were part of a gang that attacked Emerson’s. That’s why I was so crabby with you earlier. The v-guys who attacked weren’t part of the usual gang of incompetents. I don’t like unknowns.”
“Apology accepted.”
“That wasn’t an apology—oh hell, I guess it was.” His lips quirked into something that was almost a smile.
My insides lurched. His model’s face, warmed by that curve of lip, made me want to plaster my mouth to his and see how much more curve I could lick, nibble and deep throat, right on Fifth Street.
His eyes on me widened and he dropped his hand from my back.
My insides chilled. Because I missed his warm hand, not because I recognized the distancing tactic.
Trying to keep my tone light, I said, “Well, I get why they attacked you, lurking around outside the café, spying on their boss. But it seems odd Marrone’s men showed up at Julian’s.”
“Damn.” Luke stopped and stared down at me, gaze so narrow it put the brakes on my feet too. “Those goons were Marrone’s? How do you know that?”
“I don’t know .” I shook my head. “But the café was empty, yet somehow they picked every table next to his? All big guys, sitting alert and puffed up like bodyguards? It’s not like Marrone gave them direct orders or anything, but he did nod that sail-nosed guy outside.”
Luke scowled. “I don’t like that. I don’t like it at all.”
“Me either.” The June night seemed suddenly cold. “Look, I only want to get home.”
He caught my shiver and put his warm hand on the small of my back again. The big palm both urged me into motion and made the shakes go away. “I can do that.”
Luke saw Alexis to her doorstep—she’d admitted she lived right next door to Emerson, but he knew that already. Even if his brother hadn’t been an information-gathering wizard, he’d have known. The whole damn town knew, thanks to their gossip maven Dolly Barton. He waited for Alexis to get inside—it was only proper, after all—then forced himself to turn and walk the few steps to Emerson’s neighboring property.
On the way, his ear buzzed, brrrrrt, brt brt, a vibrational “Who are you?” (he tried
Not the sharpest scalpels on the tray.
Also not very alert. Luke’s hands flickered near his belt—and dime-size throwing stars appeared in their chests with twin thuds.
One looked down at himself and snorted. “You’re trying to kill us with dimes?”
The other laughed outright. He flicked at the thing. “We’re vampires, ass. This isn’t even silver. This little thing can’t hurt—”
Boom-boom. Two charges went off, one for each vampire, turning their chests into hollowed-out smoking ruins. With expressions of surprise, they keeled over.
“What the hell?” The sail-nosed leader gaped at Luke.
Luke grinned, teeth glinting in the streetlight. “That’s what happens when an electronics geek and a weapons geek get together. Baby’s got fangs.” He pulled out three more stars, brandishing them like he was fanning out a deck of cards.
“Shit. Retreat.” The leader faded back into the darkness. The remaining two jackets each grabbed a fallen goon and scrambled away.
Luke calmly slid the stars into his belt.
“That was impressive.” My words sounded muffled to me, heart still thudding in my ears.
He grinned at me. “It helps to have a techie brother and sister-in-law. C’mon, let’s get you home.”
Since I was going that way anyway, I didn’t fight him when he put a hand on my shoulder and steered me along the sidewalk. All right, I admit it. After that little incident, his companionship was nice.
And since I did appreciate it, I admitted grudgingly, “You were right. About Meiers Corners having changed since I lived here.”
“Much as I’d love to say I told you so, that was no random mugging. I recognized those particular assholes.” His mouth tightened into a line. “They were part of a gang that attacked Emerson’s. That’s why I was so crabby with you earlier. The v-guys who attacked weren’t part of the usual gang of incompetents. I don’t like unknowns.”
“Apology accepted.”
“That wasn’t an apology—oh hell, I guess it was.” His lips quirked into something that was almost a smile.
My insides lurched. His model’s face, warmed by that curve of lip, made me want to plaster my mouth to his and see how much more curve I could lick, nibble and deep throat, right on Fifth Street.
His eyes on me widened and he dropped his hand from my back.
My insides chilled. Because I missed his warm hand, not because I recognized the distancing tactic.
Trying to keep my tone light, I said, “Well, I get why they attacked you, lurking around outside the café, spying on their boss. But it seems odd Marrone’s men showed up at Julian’s.”
“Damn.” Luke stopped and stared down at me, gaze so narrow it put the brakes on my feet too. “Those goons were Marrone’s? How do you know that?”
“I don’t know .” I shook my head. “But the café was empty, yet somehow they picked every table next to his? All big guys, sitting alert and puffed up like bodyguards? It’s not like Marrone gave them direct orders or anything, but he did nod that sail-nosed guy outside.”
Luke scowled. “I don’t like that. I don’t like it at all.”
“Me either.” The June night seemed suddenly cold. “Look, I only want to get home.”
He caught my shiver and put his warm hand on the small of my back again. The big palm both urged me into motion and made the shakes go away. “I can do that.”
Luke saw Alexis to her doorstep—she’d admitted she lived right next door to Emerson, but he knew that already. Even if his brother hadn’t been an information-gathering wizard, he’d have known. The whole damn town knew, thanks to their gossip maven Dolly Barton. He waited for Alexis to get inside—it was only proper, after all—then forced himself to turn and walk the few steps to Emerson’s neighboring property.
On the way, his ear buzzed, brrrrrt, brt brt, a vibrational “Who are you?” (he tried
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