you’re used to fighting.”
“I’ll be careful,” she said, but the reply was perfunctory.
Val picked up her phone. “Caleb,” she said a moment later. “I’ve just asked Olivia Lloyd to work the drug angle. She’s going to use her own people, but if you come across anything helpful, I want you to send it her way.”
She listened for a moment, then asked Olivia for her cell number and repeated it to Caleb. Suddenly, she stiffened.
“I have another call incoming. Headquarters. Call you back.” Her gaze held mine as she switched over. “Darrow.” When the barest hint of a smile curved her lips, I knew we’d finally heard some good news.
“We’ll be there. Half an hour, tops.” She hung up the phone, already in motion toward the hall. “Time to go.”
Olivia threw back her drink as Val opened the door for her. “Will I be able to contact you if I have questions or information?” she asked.
“Calls only. Don’t leave a message, and you’ll need to memorize the number I’m about to give you. It’s for my satellite phone.” She rattled off a string of digits. “Okay?”
“Great.” Olivia stepped across the threshold, looking between us. “Be careful.”
“Careful as we can be.” Val shut the door, then faced me. “Tian got a message through to Headquarters. She was in Vancouver and is on the move north and east. She’ll relay more information when she has a chance.”
“So, cold weather gear.” I slipped on my heavy boots and grabbed the larger of the duffels. “Canada. Interesting. I thought she would be somewhere in China.”
Val handed me my parka, tucked hers under her arm, and hefted the bag full of guns. “That’s probably why she wasn’t.”
The door swung shut behind us, and at the hollow click of the lock I wondered how long it would be before we could return. We both sorely needed some peace in our lives, but as long as we were together, I could easily forgo other kinds of stability.
valentine
Chapter Ten
The jet, with its leather seats, booths, full-service kitchen, and private conference room, was even more luxurious than my father’s. Heavy blackout curtains had been tacked down over each of the oval windows for the sake of Foster and Summers.
I spent the first hour of the flight corresponding with Bridget, whom I’d left in control of the bank. She would do a good job—better than me, probably. Depending on her performance, perhaps I could make her the permanent CEO when I returned. Despite having developed an appreciation for the banking profession over the past few months, there was so much I wanted to accomplish that had nothing to do with the world of high finance. In particular, I was fascinated by the Tear of Isis and its restorative properties. If I could study the flower in-depth, I might be able to isolate and synthesize the components that caused such miraculous effects. Becoming a vampire would no longer mean being sentenced to darkness for eternity.
I couldn’t think of the flower without being reminded of the Herculean effort Alexa had undertaken for me. For us. After getting caught up with Karma during the first half of the flight, she had fallen asleep with her head pillowed on my shoulder. Her slow, even breaths puffed against my neck, and as I let myself follow her example, I silently vowed to make the most of this second chance she’d given us.
When the pilot announced that we were just under an hour from touching down, Malcolm summoned us into the conference room, where he gave Foster the floor.
“Our latest update from Tian indicates that she initially made a feint toward Calgary but is in fact heading north to Prince George. If we fly directly there, we risk alerting Brenner to her plans. Instead, we will land at our original destination just outside of Vancouver and drive the remainder of the way.
“We’ll split into two groups. Both will begin by traveling northeast, reinforcing Tian’s deception. One group will then
“I’ll be careful,” she said, but the reply was perfunctory.
Val picked up her phone. “Caleb,” she said a moment later. “I’ve just asked Olivia Lloyd to work the drug angle. She’s going to use her own people, but if you come across anything helpful, I want you to send it her way.”
She listened for a moment, then asked Olivia for her cell number and repeated it to Caleb. Suddenly, she stiffened.
“I have another call incoming. Headquarters. Call you back.” Her gaze held mine as she switched over. “Darrow.” When the barest hint of a smile curved her lips, I knew we’d finally heard some good news.
“We’ll be there. Half an hour, tops.” She hung up the phone, already in motion toward the hall. “Time to go.”
Olivia threw back her drink as Val opened the door for her. “Will I be able to contact you if I have questions or information?” she asked.
“Calls only. Don’t leave a message, and you’ll need to memorize the number I’m about to give you. It’s for my satellite phone.” She rattled off a string of digits. “Okay?”
“Great.” Olivia stepped across the threshold, looking between us. “Be careful.”
“Careful as we can be.” Val shut the door, then faced me. “Tian got a message through to Headquarters. She was in Vancouver and is on the move north and east. She’ll relay more information when she has a chance.”
“So, cold weather gear.” I slipped on my heavy boots and grabbed the larger of the duffels. “Canada. Interesting. I thought she would be somewhere in China.”
Val handed me my parka, tucked hers under her arm, and hefted the bag full of guns. “That’s probably why she wasn’t.”
The door swung shut behind us, and at the hollow click of the lock I wondered how long it would be before we could return. We both sorely needed some peace in our lives, but as long as we were together, I could easily forgo other kinds of stability.
valentine
Chapter Ten
The jet, with its leather seats, booths, full-service kitchen, and private conference room, was even more luxurious than my father’s. Heavy blackout curtains had been tacked down over each of the oval windows for the sake of Foster and Summers.
I spent the first hour of the flight corresponding with Bridget, whom I’d left in control of the bank. She would do a good job—better than me, probably. Depending on her performance, perhaps I could make her the permanent CEO when I returned. Despite having developed an appreciation for the banking profession over the past few months, there was so much I wanted to accomplish that had nothing to do with the world of high finance. In particular, I was fascinated by the Tear of Isis and its restorative properties. If I could study the flower in-depth, I might be able to isolate and synthesize the components that caused such miraculous effects. Becoming a vampire would no longer mean being sentenced to darkness for eternity.
I couldn’t think of the flower without being reminded of the Herculean effort Alexa had undertaken for me. For us. After getting caught up with Karma during the first half of the flight, she had fallen asleep with her head pillowed on my shoulder. Her slow, even breaths puffed against my neck, and as I let myself follow her example, I silently vowed to make the most of this second chance she’d given us.
When the pilot announced that we were just under an hour from touching down, Malcolm summoned us into the conference room, where he gave Foster the floor.
“Our latest update from Tian indicates that she initially made a feint toward Calgary but is in fact heading north to Prince George. If we fly directly there, we risk alerting Brenner to her plans. Instead, we will land at our original destination just outside of Vancouver and drive the remainder of the way.
“We’ll split into two groups. Both will begin by traveling northeast, reinforcing Tian’s deception. One group will then
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