Page 115 of Hoofin’ It

“I’d rather wait to discuss that until you’ve heard his story. It’ll influence your decision, and I don’t want you to make a decision in ignorance. But, I will say this. Someone has tried to murder him twice for the sin of helping another.”

“It has been long since we have been amused by a human—especially one who is almost not. Very well. A bargain made and struck. Our soothing for your story.” Abil Ili paused. “And I shall invite you to partake of our gardens, only because it will chafe your sire’s nerves he cannot taste the flavors of his youth.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Thirty chameleon-like Babylonians emerged from their crystalline hiding places and overwhelmed my ability to handle the new and strange. Burrowing into Quinton’s jacket was rude, but hiding in a soggy vampire’s clothing seemed a lot safer than facing a group of predators as dangerous as werewolves.

“I think we have distressed our new friend,” Abil Ili murmured.

“He’s had a long day. Someone essentially murdered him earlier today. That’s hard on a man.”

“You would know this well, vampire.”

“Maybe a more private audience with one or two of your soothers might be wise. While Shane isadaptable, I think he’s at his limit. His beloved was injured while he was courting her, and we had to leave her with a capable guard.”

I bit Quinton on basic principle. Why was he telling people Marian was my beloved when I hadn’t said three most important words to her yet?

I hadn’t had a chance to get to know her, but I recognized the truth of his words, which was why I bit him a second time and ripped his shirt in the process. The vampire laughed, subtly mocking my impotence and acknowledging he had bested me with his words.

“Who is this capable guard?”

Quinton switched to a fluid language, and his voice chimed from the golden crystals and rang in the air. The conversation didn’t last long, but when they finished speaking, everything had quieted, even the whispering of the wind.

“It seems this story will be more intriguing than I believed. Humans—even ones who are almost not—are so curious.”

“That’s part of why I brought him. That, and I thought you might enjoy a hunt worthy of you.”

“A hunt,” Abil Ili echoed, and in his melodic voice, I could hear his longing.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve hunted together, old friend.”

“So it has. At least two millennia, when the world was a much different place. This story. It will lead to the reason for this hunt?”

“Indeed.”

“Very well. We will deal with this in the sapphire garden. That should be private enough, and I think it will suit our friend better than the others. Tell me what has befallen him, so we might best soothe him.”

“Based on the tests done in the hospital, we believe an explosion collapsed the balcony he shared with his beloved, and he fell onto his back into the canal, went under, and hit the grate. The attacker blew out the grate with more explosives, sending him onto the spillway. What we don’t know when he shifted; he may have shifted after he hit the water and went under. He’s an otter, and they’re aquatic by nature, so it’s possible he shifted and slipped through the grate before it was damaged. Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing—and he may not remember. I’ve been informed most people don’t remember their first shift, and there was evidence of a concussion.”

“His chances of survival had the grate held?”

“Not quite zero but not good. The balcony was twenty feet above the canal surface—maybe a bit higher. I didn’t check the water level. Between the spinal damage and the organ damage, Dr. Valentine didn’t think he would’ve made it to a hospital even if someone had pulled him out right away.”

“It intrigues me that it so often takes humans facing death to realize their full potential. I find it curious you have called our friend a child of your father’s heart when he is so fragile.” Abil Ili paused and sighed. “What other wisdom did San Valentina Gula impart?”

“She was worried and didn’t want him to shift again until he was in her care. The human healers dislike him, for he took their evils and made them known.”

“Coming from you, darkener of doorways, that is impressive.”

Quinton laughed. “You’re never going to let that go, are you?”

“Perhaps in a few decades. Come, then. You will be useful for this. I need you to hold him in thrall while we work.”

“Papa will hang me from the highest tower if I bite him.”

“I would not call it a bite, but rather a delicate nibbling—just enough to keep him from struggling, yes? If San Valentina Gula worries, then we worry, and so it goes.”

“So it goes,” the vampire agreed with a sigh. “Sorry, Gibby. If Abil Ili thinks it’s necessary, then it’s necessary.”