Hollowed by Kelley York Page B

back to come after me again. It ' s just a feeling, but I think Oliver could tak e him in a heartbeat. Daniel... well, he doesn ' t look like much of a fighter, but who knows? He could surprise me.
    Halfway back to the hotel, Oliver finally cracks and asks, " So...what did she say? "
    Where do I even begin? That she used to date my boyfriend? Maybe I should leave that part out. " That Maverick guy is the one who turned her. She doesn ' t know where he is, though. " Wow, I really didn ' t bring back any useful info, did I? Oliver sighs and I try to offer, " I know he only has those four vampires working for him. Fred and Alex were the two from the park. "
    " Unfortunate odds, " Daniel murmurs, gaze flicking to Oliver.
    " I can handle it, " Oliver says. " But if I run around killing his people, I ' m going to be the one in trouble. We technically don ' t have any proof they ' re the ones behind the murders, so until we do... "
    Wait a second! " But you do . I saw him, Oliver. Joel was the one who attacked me and Artie killed Sherry. Isn ' t that enough? "
    " Not enough to kill someone over. " He looks back at me.
    Daniel offers a small smile. " The laws of the vampires are not so much different than the laws of humans. " He slides an arm around my shoulders, drawing me to his side and coaxing me into walking again. " If ma bien-aimée were to kill on the hearsay of someone else, Maverick could return to the council of elders and get Oliver into a good deal of trouble for not performing a proper investigation first . "
    How stupid. What are we supposed to do, present a group of witnesses? " Then what ' s the plan? "
    " Honestly? " Oliver is so casual that the words out of his mouth make me uneasy: " I get them to attack first so I can say I killed in self-defense. They'll know I'm telling the truth. "
    A shiver rushes down my spine. " How can you say that so calmly? "
    He rolls his broad shoulders into a shrug. " Because that is what it ' ll come down to: kill, or be killed. "
    Just like Ruby said about Maverick ' s brother. I consider those words for a moment. This obviously isn ' t the first time Oliver ' s had a job like this, which makes me wonder just how old he is. How long has he traveled with Cole, policing other vampires? Any of those questions would probably be okay to ask, and yet I blurt out: " Have you killed a lot of people? "
    Just like that, any warmth flees Oliver ' s face and his gaze hardens. He stops dead in his tracks. Daniel ' s arm tightens around me, a silent sign that I ' ve said something very wrong. I ' m not sure if I should back-pedal and apologize, or just shut my mouth. " I ' m— "
    " We are going to take a detour, " Daniel announces brightly. " You have things to attend to, non ? "
    Oliver seems to relax a little. There isn ' t time to really tell because Daniel is already steering me away, taking a turn and leaving Oliver behind. I keep my head down, frowning at my feet. " I didn ' t mean to upset him. "
    " I know this. He knows this, too, I ' m sure. " Daniel draws his arm away and takes my hand instead. All this touching should make me uncomfortable, but I find it kind of nice. It ' s really no different than having Algonquin-the-cat curled up on my pillow, or Algonquin-the-duck in the bath—
    Y eah, okay. More awkward.
    " Oliver ' s human life is not one he is proud of, " Daniel explains. " He spends much time trying to be at peace with himself, but it does not come easy. "
    I nod. There are a hundred questions those statements bring to mind, but if Daniel thought I should know, he would tell me. Or maybe it ' s something I should hear from Oliver himself. Instead I try thinking of a happier topic. " When I first brought you to the hotel, he knew who you were. Do you travel with them? "
    " Now and again. " His expression softens. " During my first visit to America, I met Oliver outside a little café. He had… such lovely , sad eyes, and I knew immediately I wanted to go wherever he