Flesh And Blood: House of Comarre: Book Two (House of Comarre 2) by Painter, Kristen (best books for 20 year olds .txt) 📕

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‘Slow down,’ Dominic directed Maddoc. Having the varcolai drive the airboat was probably not the best idea, but he was the only one who knew how. Not that it seemed so difficult now. ‘Any unnecessary noise and I’ll feed you to Chewie.’ Dominic didn’t want to alert Aliza to their presence until the last possible moment. Fortunately, the boat slipped silently across the water’s surface.

Maddoc grunted in response. Ronan adjusted the shotgun across his lap. The bullets might not slow a vampire, but they’d do a good job of stopping a witch.

The stilt houses loomed ahead. A few lights twinkled through the windows, but for the most part they seemed quiet. Still, he expected Aliza would be up. She’d kept odd hours since he’d known her, which was far too long for his liking.

Her dock came into view, her horrid guard alligator, Chewie, sprawled near the base of the stairs leading to the living quarters. That creature would be better off as shoes. Dominic reached into his pocket, feeling the tops of the stashed vials to be sure he had the right one. Satisfied with his selection, he pulled two out, keeping his pinky and ring finger curled around one while he tossed the other toward the creature. It fell with enough force to shatter against the boards. Thin wisps of green vapor seeped out of the vial’s remains.

The gator lifted its head, but before it could hiss in warning, it went limp. The sleeping gas had done its job.

The boat bumped the dock and Dominic glared at Maddoc. The varcolai shrugged like it had been an accident, but Dominic doubted it. He motioned for Ronan to tie the boat up, then he went to work shackling Maddoc’s hands behind his back and muffling him with a gag. The varcolai reeked of blood, but there’d been no point in letting him change after Ronan had recaptured him. He was going to die. He didn’t need clean clothes for that.

Ronan stepped onto the dock, keeping a safe distance from Chewie. He kept his shotgun aimed in the creature’s direction while Dominic got Maddoc out of the boat. The gator never moved as Dominic marched Maddoc over Chewie and up the stairs. Ronan stayed behind to watch Dominic’s back as they’d discussed. Ronan wouldn’t be able to enter Aliza’s anyway without an invitation, something that Dominic didn’t have to worry about.

Anyone who used his products automatically provided him with entrance into their homes. Granted, none of them knew his products carried this implied consent, but he’d never felt the need to label his goods that way. Building in fail-safes was the sign of a smart alchemist. Dominic hadn’t gotten to where he was by being a fool.

He kept Maddoc in front of him as they approached the front door. ‘Try anything and I’ll toss you over the side,’ he whispered as he leaned past to rap on the door.

More lights came on and a slightly built older man answered the door. He took one look at Maddoc, then his gaze skipped to Dominic. ‘Aliza, I think you better come here.’

Dominic shoved Maddoc forward, crossing the threshold with ease. ‘Yes, she’d better. She’s got something that belongs to me, and if it isn’t returned, I am going to lose my temper.’

Aliza came rushing into the room. She skidded to a stop when she saw Dominic. ‘How did you get in? You don’t have an invitation.’

He glanced at the stone figure of Evie. ‘Your daughter gave me one years ago.’

Aliza’s breath hitched. ‘Get out of my house, vampire. You’re not welcome here.’

Still holding tight to Maddoc’s shackles, he advanced. ‘But my blood is, isn’t it? I’m not leaving until you return the blood this creature’ – he shoved Maddoc to the floor – ‘stole from me.’

The man who’d opened the door charged. Dominic tossed the second vial he’d secured in his hand. It smashed to the floor and the man couldn’t stop in time to avoid the cloud of chemicals rising up from it. He tripped through them, coughing as he emerged. He dropped to his knees and passed out.

Aliza’s gray eyes darkened in anger. ‘You’re not the only one with power, leech.’ She raised her hands. They glowed with the luminescence of witch magic.

Dominic laughed. ‘But I am the only one who can bring your daughter back.’

Chapter Thirty-three

Mal had half expected Creek to try something, like veering the boat sharply to one side in an attempt to pitch him off, but Creek did nothing of the kind. Too bad. Most likely because such a move would have affected Chrysabelle as well. The spell she’d cast – because what she’d done back there was nothing short of magic – hadn’t only affected the old man. Creek had clearly been swayed by it, going quiet and moony-eyed like a lovesick schoolboy. Like you.

Mal stared at the boat’s wake, losing himself in the curl of white against the black water. If Dominic killed Doc, everything would change. Mal would not let the shifter’s death go unavenged. Yes, kill, kill, kill. Doc had saved Mal’s hide more than once. He was the closest thing to a friend Mal had. But more than that, Mal understood why he’d stolen Dominic’s blood, and Dominic should, too. If saving Maris had meant taking Doc’s blood, Dominic wouldn’t have thought twice about it. Mal would do it for Chrysabelle, too. She wouldn’t do it for you.

Dominic had always been a cruel, concise man. Things with him were black and white, with few shades of gray. Although Mal had no idea how Dominic justified giving Katsumi navitas after all she’d done. He straightened a little as the plan for Doc’s defense began to solidify in his head.

If Dominic refused to see reason and let Doc go, Mal would claim the right to take Katsumi’s life as equal justice for her stealing Chrysabelle’s blood. It was the same thing,