My Love Lies Bleeding by Alyxandra Harvey

time, I could really see the worry etched around his eyes and
     the way his mouth tightened. He wasn’t just pale, he was faintly gray. We must have really scared him. I tried to imagine
     what he’d felt seeing his baby sister and her best friend in the woods at night with a Helios-Ra hunter. I sighed. “As much
     fun as it is to stand around here yelling at each other, do you think maybe we could do something else for now?”
    He jerked his hand through his hair. “It’s pretty late. You could go to bed.”
    “Are you kidding?” I stared at him. “Like I could sleep.”
    “It’ll be hours before we hear anything.”
    I bit my lower lip. “Is Veronique really that scary?”
    He looked up, nodded once. “There’s just something about her.”
    “She wouldn’t hurt Solange, would she?”
    “No, she’s really big on family and tradition and all that. It’s the royal courts I’m worried about.”
    “Did you reach your parents yet?”
    “No.”
    “Crap.”
    “Yup.”
    “Well, we can’t sit around here worrying all night. I have to do something . ”
    “Why don’t you call up another vampire hunter for tea?” he suggested drily. He looked calmer though, less like he was clenching
     his jaw so hard he’d snap off a fang. “How did you manage that, anyway?”
    “I called the operator. His number was listed.”
    “Seriously?”
    “And I picked his pocket.” I preened like a peacock.
    Nicholas shook his head, grinning that rare crooked grin that made my stomach flutter. “You didn’t.”
    “I totally did. And I found this Helios-Ra handbook guide to vampires. I guess all the recruits get a copy. I was even in
     it; I’m a Person of Interest. Go me.”
    I thought he’d get a chuckle out of it, but his face went so cold I had to stop myself from shivering.
    “What?” he asked with deadly calm. “Helios-Ra has targeted you?”
    I shook my head enthusiastically. “No, nothing like that, don’t worry. It’s just a profile page. Solange had one too.” His
     jaw clenched again. Oops. Shouldn’t have mentioned that. God, maybe he was right. I do have a big mouth. I tried a soothing
     smile. “Really, it’s okay. Anyway, we made photocopies of everything on Sol’s printer. And we had Connor doing his computer
     geek thing before London dropped in to be her usual sunny self.” I tilted my head. “Your computer’s faster than Solange’s
     laptop. Think we could find something on the bounty or Helios-Ra? Anything?”
    He looked thoughtful. “It beats sitting around here waiting. Connor’s the one with the Internet mojo though, not me.”
    I shrugged. “Worth a try.” Anything to fill the time, because otherwise I was going to bounce between worrying about my best
     friend and wondering when her brother got so freaking hot. Neither of those appealed to me as a sane pastime.
    We went up to the attic floor, which had been converted into seven bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a sitting room—all without
     a single window anywhere. Nicholas’s room was the smallest; there was space only for a bed, a dresser, and his desk. I had
     to sit on the edge of the bed since there was no other chair. It was only half-made, with a navy blue blanket. The last time
     I’d been up here there had been pirate sheets and wooden swords.
    I looked around curiously. There was an iPod dock and stacks of music magazines and clothes in a pile in the corner. There
     was also a small photograph on his nightstand. It was of the two of us on my fifteenth birthday. I was laughing, the light
     glinting off my glasses and the sequins on my scarf, and Nicholas was turned toward me, with serious eyes and a half grin.
     I touched the frame.
    “I’ve never seen this picture,” I said quietly. I kind of wanted to ask him if I could get a copy, but I didn’t want to sound
     sappy. He looked over his shoulder from where he was booting up his computer.
    “It’s . . .” He grabbed it, stuffed it into the top drawer of his desk.