Make Me (30 page)

IS THAT WHAT YOU REALLY WANT? Fang asked.

“It’s tempting.” Very, very tempting.

AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TO GET IT IS AGREE TO KILL THE WOMAN.

I sighed. Yeah, that was the problem. “After hundreds of years of being half-sane, wouldn’t you want to end your life?”

I DO JUST FINE.

I stared at him. “You couldn’t be hundreds of years old. Though the half-sane part I’ll grant you.”

GEE, THANKS.

I noticed he hadn’t answered my unspoken question. “You’re not that old, are you?” How long did hellhounds live, anyway? The encyclopedia didn’t say.

NOPE, he said lazily. JUST TRYING TO DISTRACT YOU.

It worked, too. I checked the clock. About three hours until sundown. Maybe I could make good use of it. I rolled over and got out of bed.

Fang raised his head to look at me. WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

“To take a shower. After that, I’m not sure,” I hedged.

He laid his head back down. LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED BACKUP TO RESCUE SHADE.

“I wasn’t thinking that,” I protested.

WELL, YOU WERE GOING TO, REAL SOON. AND EVEN THOUGH WE BOTH KNOW IT WOULD BE A STUPID MISTAKE, YOU’RE PROBABLY GOING TO TRY IT ANYWAY.

Okay, maybe I
was
thinking about sneaking out and rescuing Shade before I had to meet everyone back here. But how could that be a mistake? Just because I rescued him didn’t mean Dina would know we were on to her. And maybe Shade would even be grateful.

Fang snorted. SELF-DELUSION IS THE WORST KIND.

“Oh, shut up,” I said. I didn’t need a puny hellhound acting as my conscience.

PUNY? Fang said. PUNY? ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO GO THERE?

I ignored him and took a long, hot shower in the adjoining bath, enjoying the hell out of it. When I was done, I dressed and returned to the darkened bedroom.

HAVE YOU COME TO YOUR SENSES YET? Fang asked. When I didn’t answer, he said, GUESS NOT. WELL, IN THAT CASE, I’M COMING WITH YOU.

“You don’t have to,” I protested. I didn’t want to hear his complaining all the way there and back.

SOMEONE HAS TO SAVE YOU FROM YOURSELF, he said and jumped down off the bed.

Well, he was great backup. Not that I’d need a whole lot against a lightweight like Dina. I opened the bedroom door, intending to tiptoe out of the suite. I didn’t want to wake Austin and answer more pointed questions.

Too late. A light came on, blinding me, and Austin’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “Where do you think you’re going?” he drawled.

I held a hand up to block out the glare of the lamp. “Just going to… you know, get something to eat.” Noticing the bedclothes and Austin’s bare chest, I asked, “What are
you
doing sleeping on the couch?”

“Keepin’ an eye on you.” He stretched lazily. “I thought you might try to sneak out and play hero to Shade’s damsel in distress.”

Annoyed by his attempt to make Shade appear a wuss, I snapped, “It’s none of your business.”

“Actually, it is.” He stood up, and I was glad to see he was still wearing his jeans. “It’s just as much my business as yours. And I promised Micah I’d call him if you tried anything stupid.”

Fang chuckled in my mind. EVERYONE HAS YOUR NUMBER.

Crap. I hated being that transparent. “Okay, fine,” I spat out. “I won’t go to Dina’s. But I can’t just sit around here and wait for something to happen. I need to do something.” I flopped down in a side chair, feeling sulky.

Austin sighed and sat down again. “Darlin’, I know you’re chafing at the bit, but the plan we came up with is a good one. You need to have patience, let it play out.”

“Do Lisette’s vampires know Dina’s a succubus?”

“They do,” he confirmed. “And Lisette is bringing only women to confront her.”

“They know not to hurt Shade, don’t they?”

“Of course,” he said soothingly. “Don’t worry so much. Everything will be fine.”

I shook my head then rose to pace. “I don’t know. There’s something wrong. Something else that’s bugging me, about how her men act. If I go there, confront her, maybe I’ll be able to figure it out.” I turned to Fang. “You said it yourself at the club, there’s something odd with Dina.”

I SAID SHE WAS HIDING SOMETHING. NOW WE KNOW WHAT THAT WAS.

“Not necessarily. There’s something else. How can she keep so many men on a string?” I guess I could if I wanted, but it seemed like a heck of a lot of work.

Austin grinned. “Well, obviously, she keeps them all very happy. I reckon I understand why.”

“Wait. That’s it.”

IT IS? Fang said. WHAT’D HE SAY?

I pointed at Austin. “You just said she keeps them all very happy. But, what about when she sleeps? When they’re not in her vicinity? How is she keeping the men all silent about this? Surely some of them object to her control and would complain or get the hell out of there when she sleeps. Wouldn’t you?” Wouldn’t Shade?

He nodded slowly. “I would. What do you think is happening? Do you think she’s threatening them?”

“I don’t know. But she shouldn’t be able to do what she’s doing. The question is,
how
is she doing it?” I continued pacing, hoping it would help me think. “I need more information.”

“If this is an excuse to show up on Dina’s doorstep—”

“It’s not. I think I need to talk to someone else. Someone who knows Dina but has no reason to love her.”

“A female demon?” Austin ventured.

“Got it in one. Remember, Beth didn’t like Dina at all. Maybe I can probe a little, ask more questions, see if she can tell me what’s different.” I glanced at the clock. “I still have time to get there and back before we head out to the ritual.”

“Are you sure that’s the only place you’re going?” Austin asked.

Damn it, why was he bugging me about this? “That’s what I said,” I snapped, more harshly than I intended.

WHOA, BABE, DIAL IT BACK A BIT.

I stopped and ran a hand over my face. “Sorry, I’m just antsy. I need to do something, not sit and wait for something else horrible to happen to my friends. Look, if you don’t believe me, you can come with me.”

Fang chuckled in my mind. NOW THERE’S A SAFE OFFER.

Austin raised an eyebrow. “A little matter of some sunshine.”

“Okay, then I’ll take Micah along.”

“Good enough. And good luck.” Austin tossed me the keys to one of the cars.

“Thanks. I’ll be back in time. Don’t worry.”

He crossed to open the door for me. He leaned one arm up against the jamb and grinned down at me. “I never worry about you, darlin’. Whenever you fall in manure, you always manage to come out smelling fresh as a daisy.”

I didn’t know how to take that, but Lola kind of wanted to get a little closer, question him some more, fall into that seductive cowboy charm.

Nope. Didn’t want to fall into
that
manure pile. I backed off hastily and, feeling foolish, made some kind of lame wave and got the heck out of there.

Fang poked me in the calf. HE’S FLIRTING WITH YOU.

So? That didn’t mean I planned to flirt back. Talk about an age difference. Couple hundred years, at least. Shade was the guy for me… if he still wanted me.

“Some people spend time with family and friends this time of year,” he said drily. “Besides, it’s polite.”

I just shook my head as Micah made the call. When he finished, he said, “She’s there, but she’s having a tea at her house in about half an hour. When I explained the importance of it, she agreed to see us.”

Good, ’cause I was going to see her whether she liked it or not.

We arrived at the same time as a guest did. Beth welcomed us and showed us into the living room where two ladies were already seated. This time, the seventies-decorated room was crowded with chairs, and a coffee table sat in the center loaded with lace, fussy ribbons and bows, as well as a pink floral-patterned china tea set. All four tea ladies looked so elegant and feminine, they made me feel kinda grungy in my T-shirt, jeans and vest.

“Can we speak to you privately?” I asked as Beth gestured Micah and me to join them.

“No need. We’re all members of the Underground,” she said with a tight smile.

The other three ladies nodded. But they all looked as stressed out as Beth sounded. What was going on here?

RELAX, Fang said. THEY’LL EXPLAIN WHEN THE REST ARRIVE.

Well, if Fang said it was okay, I’d wait for an explanation.

Beth introduced us, and the women were coolly polite to Micah and me, but friendly with Fang. At least he kept the silence from being too awkward while Beth welcomed two other women.

“You wanted to talk to me about something important?” Beth prompted after everyone was seated and all six women sat staring at us.

“Yes,” Micah said, taking charge. “We’re sorry to interrupt your celebration, but we have some questions we’d like to ask you.”

They said nothing. Weird. Some even had hostility and distrust in their expressions as they stared at Micah. Was it his battered face? He did kind of look like a hoodlum.

IT’S OKAY, Fang broadcast to everyone. HE’S AN INCUBUS. A SUCCUBUS CAN’T CONTROL HIM.

Oh, they were worried about him being under Dina’s control. A sigh of relief went through the group, though a couple of them looked startled at Fang’s voice in their heads.

Beth gave a wry smile. “This isn’t really a celebration. It’s the only way we can get together without the men of the Underground wanting to come. The few who are left, anyway.” She cut her eyes toward the explosion of femininity on the table. “The tea party theme wards them off.”