Afterlight - Elle Jasper [83]
“What’d you do, brainwash my dog?” I asked, scowling at Chaz.
“What? Come on, dogs love me,” Phin said, and moved toward me. He cocked his head and crossed his arms over his chest. “What’d you do to piss off Eli?” Before I could answer, realization crossed his features. “Ah—never mind.” He shook his head and mumbled something in French that sounded something like sack ray blue, rubbed his jaw, and regarded me even more closely. He shook his head again. “Damn.”
“Look,” I said, and turned directly to Eli’s brother. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but I have to have a game plan to get my brother back. If it’s changed from before, just tell me—”
“It hasn’t,” Phin said. “Not exactly.”
I slid my flip-flops on. “What does that mean?”
“My father and Preacher agreed to your training,” he said, “at Eli’s urging. Mainly for safety purposes.”
As I let that congeal in my brain, I realized that was what I’d wanted all along, and Eli had known it. “Great. Vampires training me to kill vampires. When do we start?”
He chuckled. “Today. Tonight we’ll run the streets a little, and tomorrow night we’ll hit the Panic Room along with a few others, if you’re up to it. This time, you’re hangin’ with Luc and me.”
“Sounds good to me,” I answered, although the void Eli had left suddenly seemed larger. I stood there, contemplating, then walked to the door. “Come on, Chaz—”
“I already walked him.”
I stopped and did not look back. “My control over my life has fizzled into nothingness,” I said. “I can’t even walk my freaking dog anymore.” I walked to the door and let myself out, Phin directly on my heels.
“Sorry,” he said as we made our way to Preacher’s.
“Not your fault,” I said, although I wanted it to be someone’s fault.
As we crossed the cobbles to Da Plat Eye, Phin leaned close. “So, Riley,” he began casually. “What’s the story on your friend Nyx?” He chuckled. “She’s pretty hot.”
I snapped a glare at him. “Don’t even think it, porcupine.”
Phin rubbed his close-cut hair and grinned. “I’m just sayin’.”
After breakfast—I had to sit through forty-five minutes of a wicked stink eye from Preacher man—we left. I needed some air, so I took Chaz for a walk down the riverfront and contemplated my next moves. Without Eli was what I thought, and was glad as hell he wasn’t around to listen in.
The day was overcast, with a residue of last night’s rain clinging to the air, as I walked by the river, Chaz at my side. The bricks were wet and dark from rain, and not even the slightest breeze shifted the thick, muggy air. The familiar cooked-sugar-praline scent from River Street Sweets wafted by, but I discovered that even that simple pleasure didn’t sit well with me. A few people were out and about, tourists taking pictures of the Savannah River Queen—an old-time riverboat—and the storefronts. Most businesses were closed on Sundays; the others opened up later in the day, so only a few people were out and about, which was fine with me. I was in a foul mood, and I didn’t feel like dealing with anyone—not even a total stranger.
My thoughts returned to earlier, at Preacher’s, where Phin had gone over very little of what I’d be learning while in training. I already knew how to fight; that was a plus. He said I’d learn the rest from his papa at the House of Dupré. Preacher had looked hard at me, then stated that two of his boys would remain at the house with me at all times. Seemed kind of silly; if a house of vampires decided to take me—one little ol’ mortal—down, I’m pretty sure they could do it, and no one would be able to stop them. It was about trust. Like I’d trusted Eli last night, I’d trust the Duprés now. Really—we had no choice. I had no choice. My life for Seth’s? Hell yes, in a second.
Returning home, I gave Nyx a quick call; then, changing into a pair of black Lycra yoga pants, a white ribbed tank, and a pair of black Adidas workout shoes, I tightened my ponytail,