Or don't you trust me to even do that?' He was getting angry again. 'Alright, but I can take the werewolf next door and let him shower. Jean-Claude stood by the love seat looking lovely and unhelpful. 'I thought we'd all sleep in this room tonight,' I said. If we want everybody tucked in before that, it makes sense to use both bathrooms.' 'Use my shower.' He held up a hand before I could say anything. Some smells are too unique to ever really go away. I had some of the rotted stuff on me, but I could still smell Jason. Most of the time if you stink, you can't smell someone else. We'd driven back with all the windows rolled down. 'I'm taking a shower.' It was pushy, but he did smell like a decayed corpse. Jason walked past me into the hotel room. Because I'd been impressive tonight, but I couldn't keep it up. I would never go back into that house voluntarily. Being allowed to leave was not the same thing as winning. She could be impressed all she wanted, but she had allowed us to go. I hadn't fought my way out, or bluffed my way out. Just like that.īut for the first time I knew that I'd been let go. The doors slammed behind us, and we walked out. I caught a glimpse of his eyes, too wide, scared, and knew what the gesture had cost him. Jason reached the door a little ahead of us, but he waited and turned and motioned us through like a doorman, or a butler. Larry stood next to me, and I could see the pulse in his throat jumping with the effort not to bolt. We walked coolly, calmly towards the door. The back door was open, but Jean-Claude walked to the doorway that led out the front. There weren't as many individual shapes as before, as if the phantoms had lost some of their solidity. Her ghosts flowed down to meet her in a swirling white mist. Perhaps it was my imagination, but she seemed tired.

She stood with her back to us, one hand on the chair arm. Now go, all of you.' She turned and walked back to her throne. The fresh blood stood out in scarlet relief against her white dress and gloves. She stood against me and won.' She tossed her suddenly away, sending her sprawling across the floor. 'Remember this, young master vampire: This mortal did what you could not. She grabbed Ivy by one bloody arm and pulled her into her lap to bleed on the white dress. 'Because since I attained my full powers, no one has ever slipped my illusions twice in one night.

Bloody Bones by Laurell K. Hamilton