“What?”
Adrien tensed up. Something wasn’t right here. Once more he pulled Lily up against him, but this time kept his right hand free to retrieve his Glock. “What are you talking about, Hardesty? How the hell is anyone giving you half a billion?”
Hardesty laughed. “Wishful thinking. I’d love half a billion. I’d retire to an island somewhere. The weather here has been dreadful this fall. So much rain in Paris.”
“So do you know anything about the extinction weapon or not? Rumy seemed to think you might know something.”
“What I know is pitifully small, about experiments done here, in at least one of the French cavern systems, in the north I think, a few decades ago. An accident left about half a dozen scientists dead so the Council shut down the whole operation, the papers burned, the equipment destroyed.”
“What kind of accident?” Lily asked.
Hardesty shrugged. “I’ve never gotten any details. But there is one thing I’ve wanted to say to you, Adrien, for a long time. My animosity toward you isn’t personal, but I have resented the policing work you and your brothers do.”
Adrien glanced around the room and made several swift calculations: no windows, one door at the back, possible shielding to prevent altered flight through the walls.
“What’s going on?”
“That half a billion I mentioned? Ownership in an Arizona casino, something new we’re doing in the States, but it will involve some specialists, human, if you catch my drift. My partners will be glad for this night’s work, and I’m going to have to send Rumy a thank-you card for accidentally sending you to me.”
He couldn’t quite read Lily’s emotional state, but she turned into him and half sobbed, half cried out as she slid her hand beneath his coat.
The door behind Adrien opened. He turned and saw the original bouncer enter with another big vampire. He watched as they reached for their weapons. Simultaneously, he slid his hand down his thigh and withdrew a dagger. If Lily hadn’t decided to get hysterical, he could have reached for his Glock.
He took her with him as he backed up against the wall. When he saw a knife and two guns, he spun Lily around so that his body would have a chance to protect her once the gunfire started.
Everything happened so fast.
He heard the shots, one after the other, at least thirteen rounds in quick succession. He expected to feel the bullets slam into his back. Instead, he felt Lily pushing at his chest. At least she’d stopped screaming.
Turning around, however, he couldn’t figure out what had happened. He saw that both the bouncers and Hardesty were down. Two of them still moaned. The newest vampire lay still with his eyes wide open, pupils dilated, blood coming out of his mouth.
He glanced down at Lily, who now saw what he realized was her handiwork. “Wait, you did this?”
“Yeah, I just had this feeling and went with it. But I think you’d better get us out of here. Now.”
Shock held him immobile for about two more seconds. He tested his ability to pass through the door, or any other wall, but he couldn’t. He reached down and pulled the dead vampire away from the door.
He shoved Lily through then followed after.
The club was small and he had to get outside and into the air quickly, before reinforcements arrived.
He turned toward the back hall and, pulling Lily against him, flew toward the back door. Once there, he kicked it wide and without looking back flew into the night sky, making a hard right, then spiraling high.
Lily hugged him hard. She shook, and his speed caused her pain, he could feel it.
Once they had passed above the Eiffel Tower and were nearly back to his apartment, he slowed down. He heard Lily moaning. Damn altered flight. Damn weak human.
He passed through his building, back into the hallway outside the bathroom.
As soon as he touched down, she dropped the Glock, ran to the toilet, and threw up.
He took off his coat and saw the bullet holes. She’d made Swiss cheese of some really fine, expensive leather. He had to admit, she’d been smart about the business because she’d caught all three vampires by complete surprise. He’d dropped his dagger the moment he’d turned to protect her with his body.
Without thinking, he started to head to his office to reload the Glock, but the chain snagged him and Lily cried out, “Hey. I can’t move yet.”
“Sorry,” he called back.
He returned to sit down on the carpet outside the hall, setting the gun beside him. He pulled his knees up and rested his elbows on top but ended up with his head in his hands.
His world, his goddamn disorganized world. Lily had saved them both tonight with her smart shooting and quick thinking. With that much firepower aimed at him, he’d probably be dead, she’d be dead, and that would have been the end of the story.
Lily appeared next to him, wiping her face.
He looked up at her. “How’s the head?”
She nodded. “More like a cantaloupe split into two parts instead of merely exploded. I guess that’s better.”
He stared at her wondering who the hell she was. “You saved our asses back there. I owe you one.”
She met his gaze. “I wish we’d gotten more information than what Hardesty delivered.”
“You still intend to go forward with this, even after almost getting killed?”
She met his gaze, her lips clamped together for a long moment, before responding. “Sure, why not?”
“You said something back there that doesn’t make a lot of sense. Hardesty asked how much you had and you said a lot.”
She didn’t look at him as she responded, “Kiernan has a lot, but he wouldn’t pay half a billion.”
Adrien took hold of her wrist. “You have money, don’t you?”
“I have some.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Then, why?”
“None of your goddamn business, vampire.”
Adrien frowned at her. He could tell she was lying about something, but what? Then again when it came to humans and greed, lying was part of the bargain.
“I need my clothes,” she said. “My soap, shampoo. I can tell this little journey of ours is going to get messier by the second. Any chance I can get some of my stuff brought here from India?”
He stood up and pulled his cell out of his pocket. He made a phone call then glanced at Lily. “From the campsite?”
She nodded. “Everything.” Then, “Please.”
After he gave his instructions, he said, “You’ll have your things in about half an hour. In the meantime—”
“Food,” she said. “I can see how this is going to unfold for us and I’m starved. How about you? Oh, wait, you already had your meal.” Her sarcasm dripped.
He returned her glare but he didn’t rise to the bait. He searched her gaze because he couldn’t believe she’d just been in a shoot-out but seemed so calm.
He touched the chain at his neck and frowned at her. What he sensed was something like a profound determination to see her mission through, no matter what. For this split second, despite his general dislike of humans, he almost respected her.
Maybe he didn’t understand her motivations, maybe she had some serious debts to pay, he didn’t know, but she’d shown cool under pressure, she’d gotten them both out of an impossible situation alive, and instead of falling apart, she pressed on, asking only for food.
He led the way to the kitchen. Some of his staff had been by while they’d taken their jaunt to La Nuit. He had cheese, fruit, and bread in the fridge, so he pulled them out and set them on the counter.
Lily took up a bar stool and started to eat.
She didn’t say anything, she didn’t look at him, she just scowled at something unseen and chomped on slices of apple.
Lily ate in silence. She felt no particular need to make small talk with a vampire. Anyway, she doubted Adrien would want to talk and she sure as hell didn’t feel like it.