Page 48 of Caretaker

Chapter Sixteen

On my way home, Crawford called. I glanced at his name, hesitated, then ignored it. I did not have an update to give him—not yet. Maybe he was calling to apologize, and if so, he could apologize to my voicemail. The captain was all sorts of weird lately, and I wasn’t in the mood to deal with it.

I had to get the blood off me. It was sticky, stinky, and cold. I felt bad for the rooster. If Nadine and Himself had needed some sort of blood sacrifice, they should have used their own.

I also felt bad for Rhys’s car. Rhys had tossed me a blanket to sit on, but still. I was a disgusting mess and some of that mess was getting on his nice car.

Clayton sat in the back, staring out his window, and none of us said a word until Rhys stopped in front of Angus’s house. As I climbed out, Clayton leaned forward to peer up at me. “We’ll see you tonight.”

I nodded but didn’t even try to hide my uncertainty. “I hope so.”

“Do you want something for your anxiety?” Rhys tried to appear calm and confident, but I could see his worry, just as I could see Clayton’s. And it was made worse because they couldn’t go to the island with me. I was on my own. And I had no idea what I was doing.

I couldn’t even take Silverlight.

I shook my head. “No. I just…” Then I took a deep breath and shut the car door. There was nothing to say. I had to go after Angus—the strange, powerful old man had said I should. There wasn’t much time left to chase after the elusive Madalyn with the hope that Judge Bennett would make good on his promise. My nose had failed me.

I stood in the shower ten minutes later, washing blood from my skin, hope in my heart despite the fear. Himself had said I should go after Angus tonight. The man knew things I didn’t. If he thought there was a chance I could free Angus, then there was. Even if I didn’t have a lot of faith in myself, I couldn’t really doubt the old man.

I might not succeed, but there was a chance.

The blood and the incantations—maybe those had been for protection. Maybe they would make me stronger. Invincible.

Sure.

I smiled and climbed from the shower, taking time to caress Silverlight as she lay small and silent on the sink. She hadn’t had a lot of action lately, with the vampires dwindling away to nothing.

Amias had told me once that the more I used her, the stronger she’d get.

I called Rhys.

“Trinity?”

“Your friend Alejandro.”

“What about him?”

“Can I trust him with Silverlight?”

He was silent for a second, then, “You absolutely can.”

“Then can you call him and ask him if he’ll go with me to the island tonight?”

“I called him after I dropped you off. But you can’t take weapons on the island, Trinity. You know that.”

“There’s a checkpoint just after the dock. If Al stays on the dock, no one will check him for weapons. If things go sideways, Silverlight will be near. I just don’t feel right leaving her behind, Rhys. Not tonight. I’m going to need her.”

“Sweetheart, you’re going to need Alejandro. And he will not stay on the docks holding your blade while you traipse off to face the night alone.”

I sighed, then hung up.

He called right back.

“Yes?” I asked.

“Wear the pin tonight, Trinity. Will you do that for me?”

“Of course.” But when I strode from the bathroom and looked on the nightstand, the pin was nowhere to be seen. I yanked open the nightstand drawer and rummaged through the items inside, but the pin was not there. “Shit!”