She smiled, cocking her head abruptly to one side. “Now you must trust me.”

His hands found her hips while his mind forgot the dead shifter on his floor. “I do.” It seemed he always had.

“Good,” she whispered, leaning into him. “I will tell you what we are going to do next.”

And with each word she spoke, his fears drifted away, replaced with little pieces of her will, until Creek no longer understood where she began and he ended.

Chapter Eleven

Lola looked at her watch. Three hours until sundown. All day she’d waited, frustrated by Preacher’s refusal to turn her into a vampire. She didn’t expect him to understand how becoming a vampire would show the human citizens of Paradise City that there was nothing to fear from their othernatural neighbors. Or how being turned would help her demonstrate to the othernatural citizens that she understood their position. Or how both sides would see she was willing to sacrifice for the sake of the city.

But of all people, he should understand how difficult it was going to be for her to fight the creatures who’d kidnapped her grandchild if she didn’t have at least some degree of the ancients’ power. Instead he’d insisted she let him handle things. How could he not understand that if he’d turned her, they could handle things together? She was siding with him, after all, and there was strength in numbers.

A quick knock on the half-open door and Valerie stuck her head into the office. “Madam Mayor?”

Lola set her paperwork aside. “Yes?”

Valerie came in and handed her a slim manila envelope. “Here’s the report you’ve been waiting for. If you don’t need anything else, I’m headed home for the day.”

Lola took the report, eager to read it. “No, that’s all. Have a good night.”

“Thank you, you too.” Valerie hesitated. John’s large form hovered in the open doorway. “Would you mind if John drove me home? I know he’s supposed to be here with you, but—”

“No, it’s fine.” Valerie usually rode a scooter. “Everything all right?”

She shrugged one shoulder. “Guy in the apartment next to mine has been acting a little hinky since Halloween night. He looks at me like he wants to eat me. Just thought if John walked me up, made a little show of being there…”

Lola nodded. “Sure, no problem.” She looked past Valerie to where John stood behind her. “Stay as long as you think necessary.”

He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

Lola bent her head slightly until the door shut, smiling to herself. Valerie’s neighbor might be acting odd, but there was something going on between Valerie and John that was more than just friendship. She’d seen the way they’d been sneaking looks at one another, the way Valerie touched her hair when John was near, the way John’s gruffness seemed to melt away in Valerie’s presence. Lola sighed and turned her chair to gaze out the office windows, hugging the envelope to her chest. It was nice that someone could find happiness amid all this chaos.

She wasn’t sure it was an emotion she’d ever truly feel again. Not with her daughter dead and her grandchild missing. Which brought her back to the report. She slit open the envelope, pulled out the single sheet of paper, and skimmed the information for the address she needed.

She read it twice before setting it aside. What a strange place to live. But strange probably didn’t matter as much as safe did. How safe it would be for her, she wasn’t sure. She’d find out as soon as the sun went down.

Her gaze shifted to the windows again. She walked over to them. The setting sun burnished away the ugly bits of the city and gilded the landscape until she could squint and see glimpses of the beauty it had once been. Beyond the buildings, the sea sparkled, throwing back the sun’s light in diamond shards.

She planted her hands on the glass, attempting to remember every color and nuance of this moment. The heat of the day seeped into her skin. She tried to imbed the experience into her memory.

She’d always loved the moments before twilight, the way the setting sun brought a last brilliant burst of color to the world before night shrouded everything in shades of gray. She crossed herself and said a quick prayer that God would forgive her for reaching so far beyond her place in life and to protect her in the path she was about to travel.

The sun slipped out of sight. Part of her wanted to weep for what she was about to lose. “Balance,” she whispered. “Balance and sacrifice.” What did it matter if she never saw another sunset again? She’d have her city, but more important, she’d have her granddaughter. Mariela would be enough.

“I can’t believe it.” Chrysabelle leaned her head onto her hand, her elbow propped on the kitchen table.

It’s true, Velimai signed. I saw the blood on you myself when Mal brought you in. He told me everything. He watched a shifter at Bar Nine slice your neck open after you stabbed him, then he carried you up to Doc’s office where you came back to life and then passed out right after.

“Why can’t I remember any of this? I remember going to the club, but that’s it.” She jerked her head up and pounded her fist on the table. “It’s the Aurelian all over again.”

Velimai got up to start the dinner dishes.

“You shouldn’t have let me sleep all day. I need to be out there, looking for Damian and this runaway vampire.”

Velimai shot her a look that said the decision to let Chrysabelle sleep had been in her best interests.