Read Online Blood Wyne by Yasmine Galenorn - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Yasmine Galenorn
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for a moment, I gazed at her. My daughter. I’d birthed a monster, but she was also a caring, vibrant person. Trying to lighten the mood, I added, “Come on. You’re in for a treat.”
As I led her upstairs, I wondered how things were going to shake out with Sassy. But after Erin’s disclosure, I wasn’t going to worry myself over the socialite’s reaction. She had bigger problems than losing a houseguest.
Iris was in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on dinner. Morio was helping her. The smell of roast beef permeated the air, along with mashed potatoes and gravy and a Dutch apple pie. I glanced at Erin, who was eyeing the food wistfully.
“I have a treat for you,” I said, pulling two bottles of the magically enhanced blood out of the refrigerator and popping them in the microwave. “Wait till you taste our dinner.”
The doorbell rang and Camille called out, “It’s Tavah.”
“I’ll be right there,” I called, then turned to Morio. “When the blood’s ready, can you pour a goblet for Erin?”
He grinned. “My pleasure. Does she know about the spell?”
I nodded. “Yes, but I don’t think she’s fully realized how extensive a selection we have thanks to you.”
“Okay. For dessert, I prepared a few bottles that taste like cinnamon applesauce.”
“Thank you. You’re all right, you know that?” I grinned at my brother-in-law and then headed out to the porch, where Tavah was sitting on the swing. I slipped outside and closed the door behind me. As much as I liked her, I would never invite her in. Too much danger.
Myth and legend were right—to a point. Vampires needed an invitation to enter a private dwelling. Unless the building was like the frat house our enemy Harold Young had owned, which had technically been an arm of the university. Or a home-based business. Or a store or bar or other public venue. I wasn’t quite clear on how it all worked yet and somehow doubted I’d ever be fully savvy.
The temperature had settled somewhere in the low thirties and promised to plummet even colder. The sky glimmered with that silvery sheen, and it was snowing again. The hours I’d spent in sleep had provided for a soft coating lining the tree branches and a scattering barely covering the grass. Now, by the looks of things, by morning we’d have a blanket of white stretching across the lawn.
“I need you to promise me confidentiality on this. It concerns another vampire. No gossiping, no telling tales to friends, no talking about this outside my earshot.”
Tavah was officially employed by Queen Asteria now, too. She’d been paid as an Earthside vamp by the OIA, but after we got our butts kicked out last month, she’d offered to move over to the Elfin Queen’s camp with us. So we took her up on it. She nodded her head.
“Of course. What’s going on?”
I outlined the basic problem. “I need you to act as Erin’s new foster mother when I’m not around, at least for now, till I can get matters settled. I’ll take over her training, but I want to make sure she has someone to run to if she gets afraid or if something happens.”
Tavah let out a little hmm and cocked her head to the side. She was tall and lean like Delilah, with shoulder-length blond hair that tumbled down her back in a ponytail. She wore scant makeup and kept to herself a good deal. She was a bookworm, albeit dressed in jeans and cashmere. I’d learned enough about her to trust her, but I had the feeling she’d never let anybody in enough to be a good friend.
“I can do that,” she said after a moment. “It’s a lot of responsibility, but . . . yes, I’ll be happy to help. You said you wanted me to take her shopping?”
I nodded. “She hates the things Sassy forces her to wear. Get her a few comfortable, neat outfits and for the sake of the gods, let her choose them. Then take her back to the bar and show her what needs to be done in terms of cleaning up. Also, pick up a twenty-five-inch TV, or
As I led her upstairs, I wondered how things were going to shake out with Sassy. But after Erin’s disclosure, I wasn’t going to worry myself over the socialite’s reaction. She had bigger problems than losing a houseguest.
Iris was in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on dinner. Morio was helping her. The smell of roast beef permeated the air, along with mashed potatoes and gravy and a Dutch apple pie. I glanced at Erin, who was eyeing the food wistfully.
“I have a treat for you,” I said, pulling two bottles of the magically enhanced blood out of the refrigerator and popping them in the microwave. “Wait till you taste our dinner.”
The doorbell rang and Camille called out, “It’s Tavah.”
“I’ll be right there,” I called, then turned to Morio. “When the blood’s ready, can you pour a goblet for Erin?”
He grinned. “My pleasure. Does she know about the spell?”
I nodded. “Yes, but I don’t think she’s fully realized how extensive a selection we have thanks to you.”
“Okay. For dessert, I prepared a few bottles that taste like cinnamon applesauce.”
“Thank you. You’re all right, you know that?” I grinned at my brother-in-law and then headed out to the porch, where Tavah was sitting on the swing. I slipped outside and closed the door behind me. As much as I liked her, I would never invite her in. Too much danger.
Myth and legend were right—to a point. Vampires needed an invitation to enter a private dwelling. Unless the building was like the frat house our enemy Harold Young had owned, which had technically been an arm of the university. Or a home-based business. Or a store or bar or other public venue. I wasn’t quite clear on how it all worked yet and somehow doubted I’d ever be fully savvy.
The temperature had settled somewhere in the low thirties and promised to plummet even colder. The sky glimmered with that silvery sheen, and it was snowing again. The hours I’d spent in sleep had provided for a soft coating lining the tree branches and a scattering barely covering the grass. Now, by the looks of things, by morning we’d have a blanket of white stretching across the lawn.
“I need you to promise me confidentiality on this. It concerns another vampire. No gossiping, no telling tales to friends, no talking about this outside my earshot.”
Tavah was officially employed by Queen Asteria now, too. She’d been paid as an Earthside vamp by the OIA, but after we got our butts kicked out last month, she’d offered to move over to the Elfin Queen’s camp with us. So we took her up on it. She nodded her head.
“Of course. What’s going on?”
I outlined the basic problem. “I need you to act as Erin’s new foster mother when I’m not around, at least for now, till I can get matters settled. I’ll take over her training, but I want to make sure she has someone to run to if she gets afraid or if something happens.”
Tavah let out a little hmm and cocked her head to the side. She was tall and lean like Delilah, with shoulder-length blond hair that tumbled down her back in a ponytail. She wore scant makeup and kept to herself a good deal. She was a bookworm, albeit dressed in jeans and cashmere. I’d learned enough about her to trust her, but I had the feeling she’d never let anybody in enough to be a good friend.
“I can do that,” she said after a moment. “It’s a lot of responsibility, but . . . yes, I’ll be happy to help. You said you wanted me to take her shopping?”
I nodded. “She hates the things Sassy forces her to wear. Get her a few comfortable, neat outfits and for the sake of the gods, let her choose them. Then take her back to the bar and show her what needs to be done in terms of cleaning up. Also, pick up a twenty-five-inch TV, or
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