Read Online A Secret to Die For (Secret McQueen) by Sierra Dean - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sierra Dean
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wasn’t specific as to why, but I didn’t ask questions.”
Good little warden, toeing the line. “What’s your name?”
“Reggie.”
“And you?” I asked the girl.
When she spoke, I remembered her immediately. So did Nolan, apparently, because he was keeping his distance from her. Her voice had a sweet, charming Southern accent to it that made me imagine sipping sweet tea on a plantation porch. “I’m Clementine.”
Of course.
Clementine’s voice also had power to it, more power than her age let on. She was only a hundred and fifty or so, but she felt much older. She was the kind of vampire who had special abilities, much like Sig, and the older she got the stronger she would become. Considering her power crawled over my skin like a swarm of wasps, I was afraid of what she might become in a few more centuries.
I’d only met Clementine once before, and Nolan had been with me that evening. She was the gatekeeper of a vampire club called Havana, and her gift had struck me as special even then.
She’d come with Holden because she wanted to, not because she’d felt compelled.
“The two of you ever dealt with a necromancer before?” I asked.
Reggie shook his head, but Clementine smiled, her wide green eyes gleaming in the dark. “Oh, yes.”
“I take it that means you’ve killed one before.”
“They tickle you from the inside while you drain them. The blood stirs something fierce, like whiskey. They’re delightful fun.”
I was glad I’d explained to the cops about necromancers back at the station. It kept the unwelcome questions to a minimum. Clementine’s answer gave me the heebie-jeebies, but I welcomed her presence. She might make me uneasy, but she could obviously handle herself. Reggie I wasn’t sure about, but he seemed strong enough, and he could use his undead senses to guide us to the necros. So now we had help.
“We have to get my dad. I don’t trust him to stay in the apartment when there’s no power, and he needs to be monitored.”
“Are you worried he might…?” Desmond’s voice drifted off, unable to finish his thought, but we all managed to finish it for him. Was I worried he might kill someone.
Sutherland Halliston was insane. Not in the fun supervillain kind of way, either. He was crazy like people who had been lobotomized were crazy, all thanks to his sire, Theo, who had done everything wrong when changing him over. Sutherland had been kept under the watchful eye of the West Coast Tribunal until I realized one of their ranks—the aforementioned Arturo—had it in for me. Since my father was no longer safe, I’d brought him back to New York to be under my protection.
Except now he didn’t have other vampires watching him constantly and was living on his own for the first time. He hadn’t attacked a human yet, but I didn’t know what he would do without television and guests to distract him. Thankfully if he did take to the streets, there weren’t a lot of humans running around for him to assault, but it didn’t mean I wanted to take the risk. If he killed someone, his life could pay the forfeit, and I’d never forgive myself.
“I don’t think he’ll hurt anyone,” I said, almost convincingly. “I’m more worried he’ll endanger himself.”
If anyone was going to argue against my plan, it would be Keaty, which was why I’d hoped I could get to Sutherland before I met up with their group again. But to my great relief he said nothing. I don’t know if he agreed with what I was doing, but if he wasn’t going to try to persuade me otherwise, we would all get along fine.
Now numbering eleven, we moved through the streets with more confidence. Clementine seemed to be having the time of her life. She skipped ahead of us, opening abandoned cars and rummaging through people’s things.
“Ooooh, look at this. This MAC lip gloss has been discontinued for ages.” She swiped the bright pink hue across her lips and made a satisfied smacking
Good little warden, toeing the line. “What’s your name?”
“Reggie.”
“And you?” I asked the girl.
When she spoke, I remembered her immediately. So did Nolan, apparently, because he was keeping his distance from her. Her voice had a sweet, charming Southern accent to it that made me imagine sipping sweet tea on a plantation porch. “I’m Clementine.”
Of course.
Clementine’s voice also had power to it, more power than her age let on. She was only a hundred and fifty or so, but she felt much older. She was the kind of vampire who had special abilities, much like Sig, and the older she got the stronger she would become. Considering her power crawled over my skin like a swarm of wasps, I was afraid of what she might become in a few more centuries.
I’d only met Clementine once before, and Nolan had been with me that evening. She was the gatekeeper of a vampire club called Havana, and her gift had struck me as special even then.
She’d come with Holden because she wanted to, not because she’d felt compelled.
“The two of you ever dealt with a necromancer before?” I asked.
Reggie shook his head, but Clementine smiled, her wide green eyes gleaming in the dark. “Oh, yes.”
“I take it that means you’ve killed one before.”
“They tickle you from the inside while you drain them. The blood stirs something fierce, like whiskey. They’re delightful fun.”
I was glad I’d explained to the cops about necromancers back at the station. It kept the unwelcome questions to a minimum. Clementine’s answer gave me the heebie-jeebies, but I welcomed her presence. She might make me uneasy, but she could obviously handle herself. Reggie I wasn’t sure about, but he seemed strong enough, and he could use his undead senses to guide us to the necros. So now we had help.
“We have to get my dad. I don’t trust him to stay in the apartment when there’s no power, and he needs to be monitored.”
“Are you worried he might…?” Desmond’s voice drifted off, unable to finish his thought, but we all managed to finish it for him. Was I worried he might kill someone.
Sutherland Halliston was insane. Not in the fun supervillain kind of way, either. He was crazy like people who had been lobotomized were crazy, all thanks to his sire, Theo, who had done everything wrong when changing him over. Sutherland had been kept under the watchful eye of the West Coast Tribunal until I realized one of their ranks—the aforementioned Arturo—had it in for me. Since my father was no longer safe, I’d brought him back to New York to be under my protection.
Except now he didn’t have other vampires watching him constantly and was living on his own for the first time. He hadn’t attacked a human yet, but I didn’t know what he would do without television and guests to distract him. Thankfully if he did take to the streets, there weren’t a lot of humans running around for him to assault, but it didn’t mean I wanted to take the risk. If he killed someone, his life could pay the forfeit, and I’d never forgive myself.
“I don’t think he’ll hurt anyone,” I said, almost convincingly. “I’m more worried he’ll endanger himself.”
If anyone was going to argue against my plan, it would be Keaty, which was why I’d hoped I could get to Sutherland before I met up with their group again. But to my great relief he said nothing. I don’t know if he agreed with what I was doing, but if he wasn’t going to try to persuade me otherwise, we would all get along fine.
Now numbering eleven, we moved through the streets with more confidence. Clementine seemed to be having the time of her life. She skipped ahead of us, opening abandoned cars and rummaging through people’s things.
“Ooooh, look at this. This MAC lip gloss has been discontinued for ages.” She swiped the bright pink hue across her lips and made a satisfied smacking
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