“Let’s hope we never have to find out,” I said as I pushed him down to avoid the gunfire now coming at us. It wouldn’t kill us, but it would hurt like Hell and slow us down. We kept running even though there was no way they would be able to follow us over the bridge, until we reached the other end of the tunnel some miles away from Neuschwanstein Castle, in the village of Hohenschwangau. We burst through the trap door into some poor peasant’s house that we had tied up for their own protection in case they were caught. With many thanks and compensation, we disappeared into the night, hoping that they wouldn’t get into any trouble for appearing to help us, and we headed for the Swiss border.
“Y ou lost the egg I gave you?” CK says, clearly miffed and taking only that piece of information away from my tale.
“I got it back,” I tell him in a huff.
“Humph.”
“Esther? As in Esther, helped you?” Cole says, aghast.
“Yes,” I say. “Why do you look so shocked?”
“I have to admit, I didn’t realize she was a Vampire,” he says, somewhat shyly. “I guess I don’t have the Vampy sense yet.”
“No, probably not,” I concur. Not to mention Esther is very unassuming, if you didn’t know she was there, it would almost be as if she wasn’t.
“But she’s so… you know,” he presses, and I have no idea what he is talking about.
“So, what?”
“Old!” he blurts out to Devon’s amusement and my annoyance.
“Older people can be turned as well, you know,” CK says huffily. “You could be ninety and still be a Vampire, albeit an old-looking one.”
“I’m sorry. I just find it odd. Who would turn her?” Cole asks, interested.
“Her son,” CK answers.
“Her son?” Cole repeats. “She is able to walk in the sun so her son would have to be either a…”
“Master Vampire,” I interrupt. “What of it?”
“Who was his sire?” he glowers at CK who glares at him down his nose.
“He has mommy issues and so therefore comes from the creepy pool. Who do you think?” I ask.
“Gregor,” he says.
“Got it in one.”
“Christ, her son turned her so they could be together for eternity? That just really is creepy.”
“Okay, now that we have established Esther’s lineage, shall we move on.” It’s not a question.
“What I want to know is, Constantine, your reasons for picking Sebastian as your first,” Devon says slyly.
CK glares at him but we are now at the door on the other side and he says with a smile, “Two reasons I won’t tell you. One, we are out of time and two, it’s none of your damn business.”
“Fine, as soon as you tell Lizzie, she will tell me. I can wait,” he goads, and I turn to him with a furious look.
“Enough!” I snap. He gave vets me a contrite look.
“Cade, you can let Jess go now. She should be calmer now that Devon has been around her for a bit.” He nods and places his hand under the orb and closes his hand over it. It dissipates and everyone relaxes a teeny bit now that Hunter magick is no longer hovering.
“Take her hand,” I mutter to Devon, who is still standing behind me.
He sighs but half complies, grabbing her elbow instead.
She looks up at him and then all of us and our surroundings. “Where are we?” she asks.