All Just Glass - Amelia Atwater-Rhodes [70]
“Kristopher—” she said at the same moment that Kristopher said, “I’m sorry, Sarah.”
“I should have …” His voice trailed off as he thought that he should have been the one to show her how to hunt, but he still hadn’t reconnected with all his contacts after his fifty years away. He wouldn’t have been confident enough to bring Sarah somewhere like Phaethon at a time like this. He had left to try to get his thoughts straight, at a time when he knew perfectly well that she needed him. She was new to this world, former Vida or not.
“Kristopher,” Sarah said firmly. She waited until he had pulled himself from his thoughts and was really looking at her before she continued. “We both made mistakes, which caused us to end up here, but that doesn’t mean you’re responsible for me from here to eternity. Going to one school dance together for a date that didn’t even work out doesn’t mean we’re destined to be together forever. I know that.”
Kristopher said softly, “I was thinking earlier about what would have happened if Romeo and Juliet had woken up.”
“Me too,” Sarah admitted. Maybe she had picked the thought up from him. “I don’t need a boyfriend, Kristopher.” She started off strong, but her voice faded as she added, “But I could really use some family tonight.”
This time, when Kristopher pulled her into his arms, there were no anxious doubts about responsibility and romance and failures. Kristopher knew what it meant to be family and how it felt to lose family.
I’m not losing anyone else, they both thought.
“We’ll get through this,” Sarah said. “I don’t know how yet, but we will.”
CHAPTER 23
SATURDAY, 8:01 P.M.
ADIA KNEW IT was impossible to get to New York City before the show began. Dominique had access to a private jet, but trying to scramble it, get a flight plan approved and fly into New York would take even longer than driving.
After days of anxiety riding her so tightly she thought she might explode, Adia felt strangely calm. Even with the sporadic traffic she hit, she was pretty sure she made it to New York City in record time.
Like most hunters, she tended to avoid Broadway and the general theater area of Manhattan. It was too bright, too shiny, with too many people and rarely a worthwhile hit. Being there made her nervous.
She knew what she had to do—the only thing she could do if she wanted her line to survive. They were flawed; she had accepted that. But she could salvage what was left of her line, if only she could find the nerve to fulfill her vow and end this hunt.
Michael had called shortly before she reached the city, to give her the address of a Mexican restaurant not far from the theater. He had found them. Michael used a little money and a little magic to reserve the restaurant’s back room for their meeting. When Adia arrived, he was eating chips and freshly made guacamole.
Zachary arrived behind Adia by less than ten minutes. He was avoiding looking at her, which was fine, since she still wasn’t sure what he would see in her face. Once Jay joined them, even Michael noticed that something was up. Adia saw Jay meet the Arun’s gaze and shake his head. She had never been so grateful for the telepath’s interference. Now was not the time.
Adia began. “Michael, fill everyone in so we can decide what to do next.”
“I was scoping spots where I thought I might hear news about Nikolas, and was lucky enough to see Sarah herself,” Michael explained. “For the record, she fed, but didn’t kill. Does anyone in this room really think that she would?”
Jay was the first to say no. Zachary sighed and leaned back against the counter.
Michael said, “Jay and I agree that Sarah came to the house the other day