Maybe she should go down and let Velimai know she was here. Velimai was a good listener, and she might have some ideas about what to do with the whole Heaven/Doc situation. Beyond letting Doc do some groveling, because hell yeah, she’d earned some groveling.

Fi stood and peered over the edge of the railing, but from here she couldn’t see enough of the house to figure out what Velimai was up to. She inhaled, sniffing for the scent of something cooking, but apparently dinner was over. Too bad. Fi could eat. And unlike the freighter’s kitchen, Chrysabelle’s was always stocked and her fridge was always full. And not just with blood.

Fi shuddered at the thought as she made her way into the house and downstairs. If she lived to be a thousand, she’d never get how anyone, vampire or otherwise, could stand the taste of the stuff. She shuffled across the yard, wondering if she was setting off the pressure plate sensors installed beneath the sod. She’d arrived in her ghostly form and hadn’t touched anything until she was well inside the house.

As if in answer, the security lights flipped on, almost blinding her. She shielded her eyes with her hand and hustled to the front door. She pounded on it a few times with her fist. “Hey, Vel, it’s me, Fi.”

A few seconds later, the wysper opened the door. She took a quick look at Fi; then her eyes roamed the property behind her. You alone? she signed.

“Yep, just me.” She shrugged. “Did I trip the alarm?”

Yes. Velimai tipped her head. Doc’s looking for you.

“I know. He just wasn’t looking hard enough. I’ve been in your guesthouse.”

Velimai moved out of the way so Fi could come in. Ready to make up?

“Maybe. Mostly tired of hiding. And hungry.”

Velimai laughed, a soft wheezing sound. You always could eat.

Fi entered and headed toward the kitchen. “Hey, I like food. Is that such a bad thing?”

Not when it’s my cooking. I was just about to get some dinner. It’ll be good to have company. Velimai shut the door and walked with her. Besides that, I’m actually getting a little worried they haven’t returned yet.

“Why?”

About to reach for the fridge handle, Velimai paused to sign, Because of the curfew. She opened the door and began taking out leftovers.

Fi got plates down and began to set the table. “What curfew?”

Velimai closed the fridge. Haven’t you heard? The mayor held a press conference. No othernaturals out from sundown to sunup.

“What? That’s crazy. Othernaturals have rights, too.”

Not as many as we used to. Wait, I’ll put the TV on and you can see for yourself. Velimai walked into the living room and picked up the remote, tapping the touch screen. The holovision flared to life, projecting its image into the room, but no sound. Velimai tapped the screen a few more times, changing the channel until she hit the local news station.

A female reporter was standing in the town square. A crowd had gathered and other camera crews were milling about.

“What’s going on?” Fi tried to see past the reporter, but the camera lights didn’t extend enough into the darkness to show detail. “Turn it up.”

Velimai tapped the screen again until they could hear the reporter’s voice.

… the crowd behind me is only going to get larger as the night wears on, I’m sure. Especially with this new development.” The reporter fiddled with an earpiece. “Apparently, the varcolai who broke the curfew is being released due to a second othernatural taking his place. Can we zoom in on the action?”

“They caught someone already? Are they serious?” Fi shook her head. This was going to rile people up big-time.

The camera moved off the reporter to focus on the center of the square. Lights, electric lights, had been set up on tripods and aimed toward the area. The sudden brightness caused the camera image to flare; then the scene became clearer as the balance adjusted.

Between two posts set into the ground, a man was chained at his wrists and ankles. A very familiar man.

Fi fell to her knees, her hands at her mouth. “Oh no. Please no.” A sob caught in her throat. She swallowed it down. “That’s Doc.” She stared blindly for a few seconds more, no longer hearing what the reporter was saying. “I have to go to him.” She pushed to her feet, her stomach churning.

Wait, Velimai signed frantically. They’re releasing him.

“What?” Fi turned. Sure enough, a group of cops, dressed in heavy-duty SWAT gear, were unlocking the manacles on his wrists. Doc kept his head down, but Fi would have known him anywhere. “How did he let himself get caught? The pride is going to go crazy.”

Transfixed, Velimai just shook her head.

Fi went back to watching. They were leading Doc away now. Where to, she had no idea. “They better be releasing him and not just putting him in a cell somewhere.” Velimai nodded. Fi wished she wasn’t having the thoughts she was having, but the truth was, as much as she wanted Doc free, she didn’t want him going back to Heaven.

She rubbed her eyes. They had to get this worked out. She sat on the couch and leaned her head onto her hands. There had to be a solution. She couldn’t just walk away from him. Or could she? The ache in her heart and her soul at the very idea said there was no way. Not now, not after all they’d—

A slapping sound lifted her head. Fi looked up. Velimai was smacking the couch’s arm. She stopped and pointed at the TV.

Fi glanced at the screen. Doc was gone. The SWAT team was shackling his substitute into place. A new panic filled her as the camera zoomed in on the man’s face. “Oh no. That can’t be. Why would he do that?”