“Solange, honestly.”

“What?”

“You can’t wear any of this.”

“She can wear something of mine,” Lucy suggested. “I have better taste.” Lucy, notorious for overpacking, pulled a dress out of her bag. It was more like a silk slip with lace on the hem and loops of beaded fringe she’d sewn to the straps. It was the exact color of red wine.

“It’ll have to do,” London said grudgingly.

I changed quickly, nerves fluttering in my belly. Dressing up like I was going to a high school dance was making me even more anxious. I put on a pair of Chinese slippers and the silver bracelet Hyacinth had given me last year.

My brothers lined up in the foyer, each wearing his best clothes. Sebastian was even wearing a suit. Logan was the only one who hadn’t had to change. He was always stylish.

“You’re not all coming with us,” I said, pausing on the bottom step.

“Damn right we are,” Connor said.

“What about Lucy? You heard what Mom said.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said from behind me on the landing. “Don’t worry about me.” I glared at my brothers mutinously. “We are not leaving her here alone.” Nicholas pushed away from the wall. “I’m staying.”

“You don’t have to,” Lucy muttered.

“Good,” I said, ignoring her. My mouth was dry. “Let’s go.” CHAPTER 10

Lucy

The very second the door closed behind them, Nicholas started shouting. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised.

“I can’t believe you did that!” he railed. “After the field party, the vamps in the garden. Didn’t you hear a single word I said?”

“No, why don’t you yell a little louder?”

“This isn’t funny, Lucy.”

“I never said it was.” I crossed my arms and watched him stomping furiously around the foyer. “We did what we had to do. It was worth a try.”

“He could have killed her. And you.” He slammed his hand down on a side table, dislodging a vase of roses. It fell to the floor, cracking on the marble. Water and rose petals clung to his boots.

“But he didn’t.” The truth was I was still feeling the adrenaline. I curled my hands into fists so he wouldn’t see the way they were trembling. Maybe I wasn’t made for this spy stuff after all. “And anyway, you went out there and fought a bunch of pheromone-crazed vamps and we didn’t lecture you.”

“It’s not the same.”

“Right.”

“For one thing, I’m a lot harder to kill than you two.” It was hard to argue with that. “Well, what ever,” I mumbled lamely.

We glowered at each other for a while longer. For the first time, I could really see the worry etched around his eyes and the way his mouth tightened. He wasn’t just pale, he was faintly gray. We must have really scared him. I tried to imagine what he’d felt seeing his baby sister and her best friend in the woods at night with a Helios-Ra hunter. I sighed. “As much fun as it is to stand around here yelling at each other, do you think maybe we could do something else for now?” He jerked his hand through his hair. “It’s pretty late. You could go to bed.”

“Are you kidding?” I stared at him. “Like I could sleep.”

“It’ll be hours before we hear anything.”

I bit my lower lip. “Is Veronique really that scary?” He looked up, nodded once. “There’s just something about her.”

“She wouldn’t hurt Solange, would she?”

“No, she’s really big on family and tradition and all that. It’s the royal courts I’m worried about.”

“Did you reach your parents yet?”

“No.”

“Crap.”

“Yup.”

“Well, we can’t sit around here worrying all night. I have to do something. ”

“Why don’t you call up another vampire hunter for tea?” he suggested drily. He looked calmer though, less like he was clenching his jaw so hard he’d snap off a fang. “How did you manage that, anyway?”

“I called the operator. His number was listed.”

“Seriously?”

“And I picked his pocket.” I preened like a peacock.

Nicholas shook his head, grinning that rare crooked grin that made my stomach flutter. “You didn’t.”

“I totally did. And I found this Helios-Ra handbook guide to vampires. I guess all the recruits get a copy. I was even in it; I’m a Person of Interest. Go me.” I thought he’d get a chuckle out of it, but his face went so cold I had to stop myself from shivering.

“What?” he asked with deadly calm. “Helios-Ra has targeted you?” I shook my head enthusiastically. “No, nothing like that, don’t worry. It’s just a profile page. Solange had one too.” His jaw clenched again. Oops. Shouldn’t have mentioned that. God, maybe he was right. I do have a big mouth. I tried a soothing smile. “Really, it’s okay. Anyway, we made photocopies of everything on Sol’s printer.

And we had Connor doing his computer geek thing before London dropped in to be her usual sunny self.” I tilted my head. “Your computer’s faster than Solange’s laptop.

Think we could find something on the bounty or Helios-Ra? Anything?” He looked thoughtful. “It beats sitting around here waiting. Connor’s the one with the Internet mojo though, not me.”