had already turned and was several paces away. Looking to Alex, he shrugged. He would get the report from Zac later, no doubt. Clinking glasses with everyone, he promptly put them out of his mind.
When Sam got home he found Zac in the parlor, as usual, lying on the couch with an empty bottle of whiskey. If he were human, he'd be considered an alcoholic, or at least in hospital with alcohol poisoning.
"Let it rip, brother," Sam said as he sat down in his usual chair. It was very doctor patient, the way they sat.
As if sensing this, Zac sat up and scowled, "I tried a different tactic, since talking wasn't getting anywhere. If she were human, then she could be compelled."
Sam stifled a laugh, "You tried to compel her? And?"
"And it didn't work," he snapped.
"So, you automatically think she's not human," Sam shook his head.
"She makes Gabby uneasy. Hell, even I can tell something is off. Don't tell me you can sense anything, I wouldn't believe it," Zac stared his brother down.
"Fine, yes. Something is off," he conceded. "I'm assuming that you've had enough time to think of another plan while you've been here licking your wounds?"
Zac rolled his eyes, "Yes."
"Spit it out."
"What are the three things that we can use on her to verify if she's a vampire?"
Sam sighed, but played along, "Silver, sunlight and concentrated garlic."
"Sunlight won't work, we already know that. So we need a house that a human lives in," he raised his eyebrows, willing Sam to catch on.
"Alex," his brother said. "You want her to go to Alex's and see if she needs to be invited in?"
"Not only that," he smiled. "Invite her over to dinner and spike her food."
"That's a little childish, isn't it?" Sam snorted.
"Maybe, but it's simple enough and foolproof," he shrugged.
Sam reluctantly had to agree. They didn't have the time to sit back and wait, they had to take the offensive. He knew that Zac would need him to suggest the plan to Alex without him catching on, making it seem like it was his idea to invite Aya.
"Right," he said, running his hands down his face. "Leave it with me. I'll get Alex to invite her and make sure she turns up."
Zac smiled, "That's my boy." He thumped him on the shoulder and disappeared.
CHAPTER NINE
B y Monday it was hot and muggy, the lingering moisture in the air annoyingly heavy. It made work in the gardens difficult for Alex. Sam, not so much, but he complained to keep his friend happy. They were working on repainting the bandstand for the upcoming Spring Festival organized by the local Historical Society. A whole weekend of pre-Civil War era activities that was an awkward blast from the past for Sam, who'd been there the first time round.
"Hey, we haven't had dinner in ages," Sam said, suddenly. "We should do it this weekend."
Alex jumped down off the ladder, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, "Oh, yeah. Sounds cool. I think it was my turn, right?"
"I don't really remember. But if you want to do it, I'll convince everyone to bring something or at least help out." He didn't explain his and Zac's ulterior motive at getting Aya in a situation where they could test her. Sam felt bad about manipulating his friend like this, but too much was at stake. The Witch Hunter hadn't shown up yet and she was their only lead. Who knew when Katrin would rear her ugly head?
"Okay, deal," Alex threw his paint stained gloves into the barrow at his feet. "Speaking of food, it's lunchtime and I'm starving. Wanna go over to the cafe?"
Sam heartily agreed and they walked together towards Mrs. Greene's cafe, but as they crossed the street Alex nudged him motioning towards the window of the bookstore. Inside, on a couch, reading a book about the architecture of bridges, was Aya. She seemed rather enthralled in the workings of modern engineering, so much so that when Alex tapped on the glass, she jumped.
As Alex ducked into the store, he cast his hearing out after
When Sam got home he found Zac in the parlor, as usual, lying on the couch with an empty bottle of whiskey. If he were human, he'd be considered an alcoholic, or at least in hospital with alcohol poisoning.
"Let it rip, brother," Sam said as he sat down in his usual chair. It was very doctor patient, the way they sat.
As if sensing this, Zac sat up and scowled, "I tried a different tactic, since talking wasn't getting anywhere. If she were human, then she could be compelled."
Sam stifled a laugh, "You tried to compel her? And?"
"And it didn't work," he snapped.
"So, you automatically think she's not human," Sam shook his head.
"She makes Gabby uneasy. Hell, even I can tell something is off. Don't tell me you can sense anything, I wouldn't believe it," Zac stared his brother down.
"Fine, yes. Something is off," he conceded. "I'm assuming that you've had enough time to think of another plan while you've been here licking your wounds?"
Zac rolled his eyes, "Yes."
"Spit it out."
"What are the three things that we can use on her to verify if she's a vampire?"
Sam sighed, but played along, "Silver, sunlight and concentrated garlic."
"Sunlight won't work, we already know that. So we need a house that a human lives in," he raised his eyebrows, willing Sam to catch on.
"Alex," his brother said. "You want her to go to Alex's and see if she needs to be invited in?"
"Not only that," he smiled. "Invite her over to dinner and spike her food."
"That's a little childish, isn't it?" Sam snorted.
"Maybe, but it's simple enough and foolproof," he shrugged.
Sam reluctantly had to agree. They didn't have the time to sit back and wait, they had to take the offensive. He knew that Zac would need him to suggest the plan to Alex without him catching on, making it seem like it was his idea to invite Aya.
"Right," he said, running his hands down his face. "Leave it with me. I'll get Alex to invite her and make sure she turns up."
Zac smiled, "That's my boy." He thumped him on the shoulder and disappeared.
CHAPTER NINE
B y Monday it was hot and muggy, the lingering moisture in the air annoyingly heavy. It made work in the gardens difficult for Alex. Sam, not so much, but he complained to keep his friend happy. They were working on repainting the bandstand for the upcoming Spring Festival organized by the local Historical Society. A whole weekend of pre-Civil War era activities that was an awkward blast from the past for Sam, who'd been there the first time round.
"Hey, we haven't had dinner in ages," Sam said, suddenly. "We should do it this weekend."
Alex jumped down off the ladder, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, "Oh, yeah. Sounds cool. I think it was my turn, right?"
"I don't really remember. But if you want to do it, I'll convince everyone to bring something or at least help out." He didn't explain his and Zac's ulterior motive at getting Aya in a situation where they could test her. Sam felt bad about manipulating his friend like this, but too much was at stake. The Witch Hunter hadn't shown up yet and she was their only lead. Who knew when Katrin would rear her ugly head?
"Okay, deal," Alex threw his paint stained gloves into the barrow at his feet. "Speaking of food, it's lunchtime and I'm starving. Wanna go over to the cafe?"
Sam heartily agreed and they walked together towards Mrs. Greene's cafe, but as they crossed the street Alex nudged him motioning towards the window of the bookstore. Inside, on a couch, reading a book about the architecture of bridges, was Aya. She seemed rather enthralled in the workings of modern engineering, so much so that when Alex tapped on the glass, she jumped.
As Alex ducked into the store, he cast his hearing out after
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