Wicked All Night (Night Rebel #3) - Jeaniene Frost Page 0,1

way, or I’d make another way.

Ashael patted my back in a soothing way. As a demon, he probably wasn’t used to offering comfort, but despite his lack of practice, he was pretty good at it.

“I’m okay,” I said once I’d shoved my pain down enough to speak instead of sob. Then, I changed the subject because if I focused anymore on how this spell had failed, I’d lose it again. “Have you had any luck finding our father?”

It still felt strange to say “our” father. For thousands of years, I thought I had no siblings. Then, a month ago, I found out that Ashael was my half brother, though Ashael’s other half came from the demon race, while I was half vampire.

“No. He hasn’t responded to any of my summonings.”

“How can he ignore both of us?” I asked. “No, really, how? If you draw the right symbols in my blood and called me using my true name, I have to come, and I inherited that from dear old Dad. So, how can he ignore both of us repeatedly blood-ritual summoning him?”

Ashael shrugged. “He is the epitome of the river separating life and death. Who knows what he is capable of?”

“Exactly, which is why we need to find him. Our father might be the only person strong enough to heal Ian.”

Everything Ashael and I had tried might have failed, but our father was a netherworld god. He’d raised Ian from the dead before, so healing him should be well within his purview.

“I will find him,” Ashael said. Then his dark eyes grew more sympathetic. “But I have no idea how long it will take. If Ian does not survive until then—”

“He will,” I interrupted, fighting back a new surge of tears.

Crying didn’t help Ian. It only took away the energy I’d need to save him. Ian had never let impossible odds stop him from saving me. I wouldn’t fail him now.

Ashael didn’t argue. He only inclined his head. “As you say. However, Ian’s condition puts you at a disadvantage, since many enemies are after you. The vampire council wants you dead now that they know what you are, and you refused my offer to slaughter them—”

“I still do,” I said, though I patted his hand.

A human brother might bring me a bouquet of flowers to brighten my day. My demon brother wanted to bring me a bouquet of my enemies’ body parts. Gruesome, yes, but his motivation was sweet, even if his method of showing affection was . . . less so.

“Very well, no slaughtering the council,” Ashael said, sounding disappointed. “Their death sentence on you aside, you also have Dagon’s allies seeking revenge against you, and you have that other concern.”

Other concern. That was one way to describe an unwanted celestial fiancé. But that was also the topic I least wanted to talk about.

“I’ll deal with that after Ian is well.”

Ashael frowned. “Then you cannot attract Phanes’s notice by piercing a hole into the underworld again.”

Really? There went my after-dinner plans.

I didn’t say it out loud. Ashael didn’t deserve my sarcasm.

“Thank you,” I said. That, Ashael deserved.

A small smile curved his mouth. “Anything for my sister.”

It still felt odd hearing it. But also, it felt a little wonderful, and that was the emotion I’d try to dwell on.

“Are you off again?”

Ashael never stayed long. The salt water in the air from the nearby surf burned him. If Ashael wasn’t only half demon, he wouldn’t be able to stand it at all. That’s why we were still at Ian’s sire’s house in the Hamptons. Its beachside location made it demon-proof, and none of the Law Guardians looking for me would assume I’d choose a ritzy vacation home for my hideout.

Ashael nodded. “I’m meeting an acquaintance that might have information on our father. I should be back before dawn.”

I nodded. Ashael hesitated, and then touched my shoulder.

“I’m worried about you, Veritas. You’re so busy caring for him, you’re neglecting yourself, and Ian wouldn’t want you hovering over him until you wasted away. He’d tell you to sleep, to feed, to take a walk, take a drive, or do something other than stare at him every moment as he sleeps. You know I’m right.”

He probably was. But when I slept, I woke up screaming from nightmares where Ian degenerated into dust right before my eyes. Plus, every drop of blood I consumed was one less drop that might help Ian regain his strength to fight Dagon’s spell. I knew that, even unconscious, Ian