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The movie was the kind of gory where too many extras die, and you don’t feel a thing for a single one of them. It was my favorite kind of bloodbath. Danny fell asleep on the couch, his head tipped back as he snored softly beside me.
“Do you want to know a secret?” Von asked quietly with a coy smile.
“You’re kind of adorable when you look at me like that. Is your secret that you like to dress up in my underwear and dance around in the moonlight? Because I’ve got to tell you, I already knew that one.”
“Oh, you. My secret is that while I’ve been entertaining myself prancing around in your knickers, I’ve been completely blood-free for three days.”
I froze next to him, trying to keep the alarm off my face. “Um, is that okay? Isn’t blood kind of one of those vampire non-negotiables?”
Von shrugged. “Your kiss breaking the curse of me craving it so often opened up my mind. I started wondering if I’m only drinking out of desire rather than actual need. People ditch meat and go vegetarian all the time. What if this is no different?”
I chewed on his words. “Well, how are you feeling?”
“Strong. Clear-headed. Sexy. Missing you.”
“Well, I’m right here.”
“Yes, and so’s my brother.” He looked into my eyes in that earnest way that let me know he was busy cherishing me in his mind. “I adore you. I hope you know that.”
“I do, but only when you tell me, Mr. Brady. So never stop.”
Von opened his mouth, as if he wanted to confess something, but then closed it again with a gentle smile. “I adore you,” he repeated, with a brush of his lips to mine before he pulled back. “That was decent of you, helping Danny learn to dance.”
“Decent of you to teach him. Von?”
“Yes, love?”
“Promise me you’ll be careful with this whole blood thing. I mean, I think it’s great you’re experimenting with this. I just want you to be safe.”
“Ah, but that’s not the man you love.” He tucked me closer into his side to end the conversation.
The movie was a great distraction.
After half an hour, Von wasn’t really watching the movie anymore, but studied the label on his beer with too much concentration. My eyes drifted shut as I leaned against him, the movie drawing to a close without me witnessing the unmasking of the villain. Bruce Campbell wasn’t the star of this particular slasher, so I didn’t much care who won. Bruce always wins, because he’s the man.
I felt Von lean me back against the couch so he could stand. I kept my eyes closed and my breathing steady, but peeked when I heard him shoving on his boots. He checked a text on his phone and then picked up a pen and paper, scribbling a note that he left on the coffee table before sneaking out the front door.
The silence roared in my ears, and I wished beyond anything that I could chase Von down and make him stay in one place. I’d overlooked a lot, but sneaking out on me now in the middle of the night felt like a new low. When he exited out the front door, I fingered the hastily written note that said, “Be back in a day or so. Not to worry.”
Fury flooded my veins as I crumpled the note in my fist. I stood and stormed to the front door, flinging it open and shouting into the night, “Von Vandershot, get back here right now!”
Von’s fist was on the handle of my car door, and he froze like the guilty son-of-a he was. “I thought you were sleeping.”
“That’s all you’ve got to say to me? You thought I was sleeping, so you snuck off in the middle of the night? In the middle of the night! After everything we’ve been through, this is what you’re still pulling?”
“It’s not what you think.” His shoulders slumped as he turned to face me. “I’ve got an errand to run. I’ll be back tomorrow night. Danny’s with you. You’ll be safe.”
“You’ll be single if you keep this up!”
Von’s eyes widened. “Calm down, love. I didn’t tell you where I was going because I knew you’d want to come along, and this is dangerous stuff.”
I glared at him, arms akimbo. “I’m tired of you and Ezra and everyone treating me like I can’t handle a little danger. You all throw me headfirst into the pile of broken glass, but then act like I’ll fall to pieces if I break a nail. You haven’t earned the amount of trust it would take for you to sneak out of the house in the dead of night.”
Von scratched his scalp and sighed. “Fine. I’m going to Sombi to bring Mason home. He’s the Boy Scout, so if Ezra’s been calling him home and he’s not come back yet, something’s off. You can understand why I don’t want to take you to a land where something is for certain wrong, especially if the whole country’s filled with zombies.”
I blinked at him, not having expected a non-toolish response. “Oh. Well, then let’s go. If you think something’s wrong, then I’m coming with you.”
“See? That’s exactly what I didn’t want to happen. Sombi’s actually dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing there. It matters to the kingdom if you live or not.”
“Hello, an Omen’s nothing without her Reapers. You really think I’m going to just sit back and lose both of you to Terraway? Fat chance. And I know more about killing zombies than you think. I’ve killed a few dozen. How many zombie bodies exactly do you have under your belt?”
Von frowned in confusion, and then threw his head back. “I forgot about the time you snuck off with Finn, no less, and fought in a war you had no business being in.”
“Oy! Get in here and wait until I pack a bag,” Danny called from the front porch. “If you’re going to find Mason, I’m coming with you.”
Von threw out his hands in frustration. “I could’ve been gone already by now.”
Both of us grumbled on our way back into the house, saving the arguing for when Danny was finished leaving a cryptic message for Mariang. He slapped his palms together, looking excited for the fight. “Okay, how are we doing this? Who’s taking us down to Terraway?”
“Prince Langgam was going to meet me and port only me down. The two of us were going to find Mason and bring him back.”
I gaped at Von. “Seriously? How could you have this whole plan without me? I know Mason. I can find him.”
Von shot me a dubious glance. “Truly? How do you expect you can help us find him in a place you’ve never been before?”
“Well, smartass, I know how Mason disguises and lays his traps, so I can help you avoid those. I’ve killed zombies before, so I’m not exactly dead weight. And I know of a few spots he might be, the ones he likes to escape to when he’s lying low.”
“How do you know where he might be?”
“You know all those nights you spent at Katrina’s, sneaking around while I was knocked up? Well, Mason and I spent them talking. Mason confides in me. He pretty much told September everything about his world when he’d talk to her every night before we went to sleep.”
Von was livid. “Are you never going to stop throwing that in my face?”
I shrugged, unperturbed that I’d swung low just to smack some sense into him.
Danny pulled his backpack over his shoulder and grabbed a few bottles of water from the fridge, while Von shook his head with a definitive air. “You’re not going. Danny, I can’t shake October without her thinking I’m stepping out on us, but you’ve got responsibilities here.”
“Responsibilities Graham and Alton can keep tabs on. Mariang can’t reap anymore until the baby comes anyway. I left her a message, and if we hurry, we’ll be back tomorrow night, just like you said. Does Ollie have a winter jacket I can borrow?”
“In the hall closet. You need one, too, Von.”
“Langgam’s bringing one for me.” Von glowered at Danny while I shoved on my winter boots and fished out a pair of Ollie’s for Danny. “I don’t like the idea of putting my kid brother and my fiancée in danger.”
I moved past him to the bedroom and packed my backpack with a change of clothes, my balisong blade from Finn, and a little food and water for the journey. I jangled my keys to let the guys know that we were leaving, and I was driving.