She raised an eyebrow. “You're not coming with me?"
His smile was grim. “I have a vampire to question."
Surprise and relief flitted through her eyes. “Then he's not dead?"
"No.” And he was no longer screaming. Either he was unconscious or the flames had stopped eating his flesh—though this second option suggested that Nikki had retained some control over her fire. It had not been so when the flames had first appeared in the sewers of San Francisco. Then, they'd cindered all that they'd touched. “Did you mean to kill him?">Lenny didn't attack, and the temperature rose yet another notch.
"Another three degrees and I'm stopping it,” Camille commented. “We'll be risking everyone's safety otherwise."
Maybe it's not so much Lenny as the wedding, Seline commented. Maybe she's decided she doesn't want to marry such an old man after all.
This old man will track you down and box your ears, if you're not very careful Seline's sigh was a cool breeze through his mind. You're annoyed because I won't tell you where I am. No. I'm annoyed because you won't tell me why you won't tell me where you are. He crossed his arms, watching Nikki duck around a box. Though Lenny had circled around behind her earlier, he now stood near the window, so she still had some breathing space before he attacked. Remember that vision I had when you and Nikki were in San Francisco?
The one about someone coming after me in revenge for what I did to his brother?
Nikki took another step. Two boxes and shadows were all that stood between her and Lenny now. Yes. It appears the vision was slightly off. He had a go at me first. What?
He almost shouted the word out loud, and Seline's wince slithered down the lines between them. I'm fine, as evidenced by the fact I'm still here talking to you. Why didn't you tell anyone?
Because I fear the Circle has been infiltrated by our foe.
Nikki had passed the first box. One box, lengthening shadows, and Lenny were all that stood between her, the window, and the end of the test. But she'd stopped again. Her fear swamped him, so strong it left a bitter taste at the back of his mouth. It was definitely Lenny she feared, though why was still unclear. It wouldn't be the first time the Circle has been infiltrated. No. But this time it was cleverly done, and it almost caught me. Remember Nadia?
He frowned. She is a young vamp we recruited about five years ago, isn't she?
Yes. I promoted her to my personal staff last year. Last week she tried to kill me in my sleep. Then she didn't know you as well as she thought. Or she'd have known Seline never slept without at least two protection spells being active.
Few people know that. Most think I set only one spell, and I prefer to keep it that way. It was the second spell that caught her. She'd gotten past the first.
How? Nadine wasn't a witch, and few on your staff know much about magic. Only Camille, and as acidic and annoying as the colorful crone could sometimes be, Michael trusted her—not only with Seline's safety, but Nikki's. Which is why Camille was here supervising Nikki's training rather than the usual trainers.
Someone obviously taught her enough to pass common protection spells. So did she say why she wanted to kill you?
No. And interrogation proved useless. Whoever sent her made sure they'd erased that section of her memories.
Then you still have no idea who is behind the attack?
No. Seline hesitated. But I've had more visions, and I'm more than certain my suspicions are correct.
And those suspicions are? In the room below, Nikki took another step. Michael found himself clenching his fists again, and he flexed them, trying to relax. Which was hard to do when her fear was all but smothering.
He was tempted, so very tempted, to stop the test, run down there, and ask what the hell was wrong. Only the knowledge that she'd be furious, that she'd think he was still trying to prevent her from joining him on his missions, stopped him.
Remember Hartwood? Seline asked.
Of course. We watched it burn together, remember.
Then you remember Emmett Dunleavy?
He smiled grimly. How could he forget him? The bastard had killed Christine, one of the few people Michael had cared about in those dark years, a woman he'd spent ten years loving. Worse still, Emmett had turned her into one of the living dead.
He'd spent twenty years hunting Emmett down and a week making him pay. I killed him, then I burned him, and then I consigned his soul back to the hell it came from . All of which Seline knew, because she'd been by his side during the hunt in Hartwood. What neither of us knew at the time was that Emmett had a twin—Weylin. Emmett died just over a hundred years ago. Surely if Weylin Dunleavy intended revenge over his brother's death, he would have done something before now.
I fear revenge is not his only intention.
"Temperature has jumped again,” Jake said, voice edged with concern. “If Nikki's doing this, something is wrong down there."
Camille glanced at Michael. “One more degree to go, and then I'm stopping it, whether you like it or not."