Night Huntress 02.5 - Happily Never After
Jeaniene Frost
Prologue
The old woman glanced at her watch. Quarter to eleven. It wouldn't be long now.
Across the dark alley, two young men sauntered over with the sly, exaggerated swagger of teenagers up to no good. She barely spared them a glance as she tapped her foot and hummed. Once, very long ago, she'd have sauntered over to them, swinging her hips and murmuring promises of pleasure—for a price. But that had been another lifetime ago.
The youths came nearer, greed and opportunism glittering in their eyes. The woman knew she looked like an easy target: a senior citizen standing in a dimly lit alley wearing an expensive trench coat, a gold watch, with a bulky purse dangling from her age-skinny arm. She may as well have added a sign that said "come and get me!"
"Whatcha doin' out here, grandma?" one of them singsonged. The other hung back a foot or two, eyes flickering around to see if anyone was watching. No one was. People minded their own business on this side of South Philly.
At a nod from his lookout, the other punk pulled out a switchblade.
"Give me your money, your jewelry, and your purse. Or I'll cut you."
The old woman smiled. "Do you know what you two are?" she asked in an amused voice.
They looked at each other in surprise, clearly not expecting her lack of fear. Then their scowls returned.
"Yeah, we're the guys robbing you!" the one with the knife snapped.
"No," said a voice from the other end of the alley, an English accent decorating his words. "You're dinner."
Before the two could blink, they were dangling by their throats from pale, rock-steady hands. One was yanked close to the black-clad figure. The stranger's eyes changed from brown to glowing green as he dipped his head to the exposed throat. The youth's partner in crime, still hoisted aloft, could only make terrified grunts as he watched fangs pierce his friend's neck.
Then the stranger dropped the now-limp form and latched his mouth onto the other available neck. A minute later the second youth dropped flaccidly to the street. The stranger wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and then pulled the old woman to him.
Instead of struggling, she hugged him as hard as her feeble body could manage. He squeezed back gently, smiling when he let her go.
"Greta, whatever were you thinking by telling me to meet you here? This is no place for you."
She laughed with a hint of her former bawdy cackle.
"I was thinking you'd be hungry, Bones. I knew I'd have something for you to eat by the time you got here."
He chuckled as well, brushing a strand of white hair from her face. "Same old Greta. Always finding ways to please her blokes."
She felt the warmth of many pleasant memories shimmer through her. Bones' beautiful face hadn't changed with time, and that was a comfort. Time was merciless on so many things, including herself, but it had no power over the blond vampire standing in front of her.
She glanced at the still forms near their feet. "Are they dead?" she asked, more curious than concerned.
Absently Bones kicked one of them. "No, just unconscious. I'll drop these sods in the nearest dumpster before we leave. Serves them right for threatening you."
Which brought her to why she'd called him here. "I need a favor," Greta said.
He took her hand. Once his skin would have felt noticeably cooler, but no longer. With the meal he just ate and my poor circulation, Greta thought wryly, we're almost the same temperature.
If he thought that as well, it didn't show on his face. Very softly, he kissed her fingers.
"Whatever you need, you know you have but to ask."
Tears pricked her eyes. A long time ago, she'd left the home Bones gave her to marry a man she'd fallen madly in love with. Fifty years later, she didn't regret her decision, but sometimes she wondered how things would have turned out if she'd stayed with Bones instead.
Greta shook off the memories. "It's my grandchildren," she began. "They're in trouble."
Twenty minutes later, Greta was finished detailing their predicament. Bones nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"I can't handle this myself, luv, because I'm focusing all my energy on finding someone, but I'll send a bloke who'll take care of things. I trust him, so you'll all be in good hands. My word on it."
Greta smiled. "That's more than enough for me."
Chapter 1