the name because it lacked originality, but, somehow, I knew that would be a bad idea. I could sense that the men wouldn’t appreciate an attempt at levity.
“And their goals?” Conner asked. His face was deadly serious.
Finn glanced at me before he continued. “They want vampires to reveal themselves and take control.”
Before I could think better of it, I asked, “Take control of what?”
All eyes were on me and I felt a flush creep up my neck and chest.
“Everything,” Finn replied.
Well, shit. I had a bad feeling that Donna’s wedding was just cancelled, and that was going to be the least of our problems.
Chapter Ten
N one of us slept the rest of that night. I couldn’t contribute to the discussion, but I was worried and frightened. I listened as Conner and Finn outlined the situation. Donna didn’t have a lot to say either, though she did ask a lot of questions. Most of them were the same questions I had.
After Finn outlined what The Faction had planned, Conner asked, “Do you know who the members are?”
“I have nine names. One of them belongs to their leader.”
Conner smiled, but it was cold and vicious and very, very scary. “Names?”
“Cornelius the Slayer is the leader.”
I couldn’t help it. I snorted a giggle. I tried to cover it with a cough, but, with the way the men were looking at me, I could tell I wasn’t fooling anyone. What the fuck? Cornelius was the dorkiest name. And I was almost one hundred percent certain he called himself ‘The Slayer’ to sound more menacing. Like a pimply-faced, high school geek who played Diablo, or whatever that damn online role-playing game was called.
At least Donna understood why I was struggling with mirth. I glanced at her and bugged out my eyes and she suddenly developed the same cough I had before. Finn shifted on the sofa next to me, bringing my eyes to him. He was staring at me as if I’d grown an extra head, though an underlying hint of amusement glimmered in his eyes.
Conner gave Donna an exasperated smile, as though he couldn’t decide if he wanted to kiss her, spank her, or both. Even though that smile wasn’t intended for me, I couldn’t stop the little flutter in my belly at the thought of any man looking at me like that. A sliver of jealousy pierced my heart. I wanted that for myself and I wanted it badly.
“I’m sorry,” I sucked in a deep breath. “It’s just, Cornelius the Slayer ?” I squeaked.
At my words, Donna dissolved into giggles, unable to hide them behind a cough any longer. It took me several seconds to get myself under control as well. When the two of us calmed down, both Conner and Finn were staring at us, their expressions stony.
“I don’t understand what in the hell is funny about a vampire who has earned the name Slayer because of the thousands of humans, vampires, and other supernatural beings he has slaughtered,” Conner stated softly.
Donna and I instantly stopped laughing. Conner was right. That wasn’t funny at all.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
I felt a hand on my knee and looked down to see Finn’s fingers squeeze my leg gently before he released me. I stared at my leg, wondering if his hand left marks because every place his hand had touched was tingling. God, I was turning into vamp tramp!
“It’s all right, Ivie.” Finn’s voice distracted me from my contemplation of my leg.
Still, I felt like a heel for giggling about this guy. It was obvious that, even if Donna and I thought his name was stupid, his intentions were serious and, likely, deadly.
Finn turned back to Conner. “I will give you a list of the other eight names, but there is something else.” He paused and I could tell he was searching for the right words. “There are more members, all secret, and The Faction is still recruiting. The Council and the investigators still don’t know how many vampires are truly involved.”
That didn’t sound promising, I thought.
Conner’s brows lowered and he tapped
“And their goals?” Conner asked. His face was deadly serious.
Finn glanced at me before he continued. “They want vampires to reveal themselves and take control.”
Before I could think better of it, I asked, “Take control of what?”
All eyes were on me and I felt a flush creep up my neck and chest.
“Everything,” Finn replied.
Well, shit. I had a bad feeling that Donna’s wedding was just cancelled, and that was going to be the least of our problems.
Chapter Ten
N one of us slept the rest of that night. I couldn’t contribute to the discussion, but I was worried and frightened. I listened as Conner and Finn outlined the situation. Donna didn’t have a lot to say either, though she did ask a lot of questions. Most of them were the same questions I had.
After Finn outlined what The Faction had planned, Conner asked, “Do you know who the members are?”
“I have nine names. One of them belongs to their leader.”
Conner smiled, but it was cold and vicious and very, very scary. “Names?”
“Cornelius the Slayer is the leader.”
I couldn’t help it. I snorted a giggle. I tried to cover it with a cough, but, with the way the men were looking at me, I could tell I wasn’t fooling anyone. What the fuck? Cornelius was the dorkiest name. And I was almost one hundred percent certain he called himself ‘The Slayer’ to sound more menacing. Like a pimply-faced, high school geek who played Diablo, or whatever that damn online role-playing game was called.
At least Donna understood why I was struggling with mirth. I glanced at her and bugged out my eyes and she suddenly developed the same cough I had before. Finn shifted on the sofa next to me, bringing my eyes to him. He was staring at me as if I’d grown an extra head, though an underlying hint of amusement glimmered in his eyes.
Conner gave Donna an exasperated smile, as though he couldn’t decide if he wanted to kiss her, spank her, or both. Even though that smile wasn’t intended for me, I couldn’t stop the little flutter in my belly at the thought of any man looking at me like that. A sliver of jealousy pierced my heart. I wanted that for myself and I wanted it badly.
“I’m sorry,” I sucked in a deep breath. “It’s just, Cornelius the Slayer ?” I squeaked.
At my words, Donna dissolved into giggles, unable to hide them behind a cough any longer. It took me several seconds to get myself under control as well. When the two of us calmed down, both Conner and Finn were staring at us, their expressions stony.
“I don’t understand what in the hell is funny about a vampire who has earned the name Slayer because of the thousands of humans, vampires, and other supernatural beings he has slaughtered,” Conner stated softly.
Donna and I instantly stopped laughing. Conner was right. That wasn’t funny at all.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
I felt a hand on my knee and looked down to see Finn’s fingers squeeze my leg gently before he released me. I stared at my leg, wondering if his hand left marks because every place his hand had touched was tingling. God, I was turning into vamp tramp!
“It’s all right, Ivie.” Finn’s voice distracted me from my contemplation of my leg.
Still, I felt like a heel for giggling about this guy. It was obvious that, even if Donna and I thought his name was stupid, his intentions were serious and, likely, deadly.
Finn turned back to Conner. “I will give you a list of the other eight names, but there is something else.” He paused and I could tell he was searching for the right words. “There are more members, all secret, and The Faction is still recruiting. The Council and the investigators still don’t know how many vampires are truly involved.”
That didn’t sound promising, I thought.
Conner’s brows lowered and he tapped
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