Read Online Damned if I Don't (The Harker Trilogy Book 2) by Erin Hayes - Free Book Online Page B

together a long time ago when Dean told me that a vampire named Jude popped out of nowhere. You’re very secretive, you know.”
    “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
    “Better than these two here,” she says, gesturing to Edie and Carl, who burns with embarrassment. She sighs. “Well.” Her entire demeanor changes as she straightens up and all semblance of familiarity between us disappears. “I’m sure Dean brought you here for a good reason.”
    “Yes ma’am,” he says sheepishly. Hannah gives him a cool look and he shrinks back into the shadows.
    “We need answers,” Edie says, her voice strained. She’s keeping her eyes trained on a spot in front of her, not looking my way.
    Hannah nods. “I’m sure you do.”
    “And you know what happened last night?”
    Hannah lets out a shuddering breath. “Esther died,” she says, “and with her, all our hopes for a new Progenitor.”
    “Dean said something like that,” Carl says, his voice rough. “That Anthony is the Progenitor’s last surviving child.”
    Hannah’s eyes flick to me, as if seeking a reaction. “Yes,” she says. “Let’s sit down. I know that there are probably many questions, and the Harker looks like she’s about to pass out.”
    Edie does look like she’s on the very edge of consciousness. She’s trying to stand on her own two feet. She’s using me for support even though she’s fighting it.
    “Gowan,” Hannah says, glancing back at the big man, “can you take that beast from Jude? I think the poor thing needs to go to the bathroom.”
    Such an innocuous reason I have to keep myself from laughing.
    “But Purl…” Edie starts.
    “We’ll take care of her,” Gowan says gruffly.
    The cat howls unhappily when he takes the carrier from my hand and Edie grimaces. “She’s important to me.”
    “Gowan will take care of her,” Hannah says. “You have my word. We can’t have her running around though; you know how felines are around vampires.”
    Edie’s jaw clenches. “That’s exactly why I have her.”
    Hannah bursts into laughter at that, the last of her intensity leaving her.
    Gowan frowns as he walks away with Purl, and while I’m sure that he’s not meant to do cat duty, I get the feeling that Purl is in good hands. Knowing that her cat is safe will put Edie in a better frame of mind for what happens next.
    Which will put me in a better state too.
    We’re connected like that.
    “Well,” Hannah says. “Amy, can you take Dean’s bundle? I suspect she’ll want to stretch her legs before the night is out. I imagine the Harker will want to talk to her later.”
    A vampire comes from out of the shadows to take Reiko from Dean’s shoulder. Amy doesn’t look any older than fifteen, but she hefts the other vampire like she’s a bundle of sticks. Dean sighs, looking relieved. I’m sure he was imagining what Reiko would do to him if she ever got free.
    “Dean, follow her,” Hannah commands. “We are going to discuss things. Things you don’t need to be a part of.”
    The other vampire’s eyes go wild. “But…”
    “ Dean .” she sighs. “I know you. We’re going to discuss things that I can’t trust you with. If you hear about them, you’re going tell your buddies, and…”
    “I won’t,” he promises.
    “They wouldn’t be here if you could keep your big mouth shut,” she says pointedly.
    She kind of has a point there. Dean was never known to keep his mouth shut. This is also the first time that I realize he wasn’t meant to tell me about the Progenitor’s role in Anthony’s search.
    Dean nods, turns away, and follows Amy.
    “Loyal vampire,” Hannah tells us after he leaves, clucking her tongue, “but he’s afraid of his own shadow. He’d never do what’s right if his life was on the line, and that’s why I can’t trust him. Now, let’s go to my office where we can be alone.”
    She hooks her arm through Edie’s, surprising both of us, and she leads the vampire hunter across the