Thea sighed, then stopped in her tracks. "Blaise, the car!"
Kevin's silver-gray Porsche looked as if it had been through a war. The front bumper was caved in, the passenger door was mangled, and the windshield was cracked.
"I had a little trouble," Blaise said coolly. "It's all right, though; I met a guy tonight named Luke Price, who's got a Maserati." She looked at Thea, then added, "You don't disapprove, do you? Of treating humans that way?"
"No-of course not. I just don't want to get expelled again."
"It's not illegal to have an accident. Here, you have to get in through the driver's side now."
She drove, not seeming to choose any particular direction. Thea sat quietly, acutely aware of the probing glances cast her way every so often.
"So," Blaise said at last in her silkiest voice, "did you get it?"
"What?"
"Don't be funny."
Thea held out her hand with the crumpled Kleenex on her palm. "I didn't fill the vial; that was ridiculous. But I used my ingenuity and got enough."
"Hmm." Blaise's tapering fingers, tipped with blood-red nails, dosed delicately on the tissue. Startled, Thea snatched it back and the Kleenex tore. She ended up with only a corner.
"Hey-"
"What's the problem? I just want it for safekeeping," Blaise said smoothly. "And so how did everything else go?"
"Fine," Thea said. Her palms were getting damp, but she managed to keep her voice airy. "I think he's hooked," she added, trying to imitate Blaise's most languid and arrogant tones.
"Oh, really?" They had ended up on the strip, which meant the car was now crawling through traffic. Neon highlighted the curious half-smile on Blaise's lips. "And what was that about Davis?"
"Nothing. It's where he's going to college, so of course he'd like me to be with him."
"He's already thinking about the future. Well, that was fast work. Congratulations."
Thea didn't like the way she said it. More than ever, she wanted to protect Eric from Blaise-but she wasn't sure how. It depended on how much Blaise suspected.
"You know, I think it's the pop that's the most fun," Blaise went on reminiscently. "Human boys are all different-but in the end, they're all the same. And when they give in completely, you can almost hear it. There's a 'pop.' Like a balloon breaking."
Thea swallowed, staring at the huge golden lion in front of the MGM Grand Hotel. Its green eyes reminded her of Eric. "Really? Sounds interesting."
"Oh, it is. And after the pop, they just kind of collapse, and everything they are, their whole self, just sort of pours out in this internal hemorrhage. And after that, of course, they're useless. Like a stag that's too old to mate. They're just-over."
"How nice."
"You know, I think Eric's ready for that pop. He's already in love with you; I could see that. I think it's time."
Thea just sat. A vampire girl, wearing a dress with a black rose design, threaded her way through stopped traffic. Finally, Thea said, "Blaise..."
"What, is that a problem with you? Are you having difficulty with that? Are you a little soft on him, maybe? Are you a little too fond of him?" "Blaise-"
"Are you in love with him?" Shock waves went through Thea, and the last question seemed to vibrate in the air. At last she whispered, "Don't be ridiculous." "And don't you try to fool me. Remember who you're talking to. I know that dopey look you get when you're mooning over some animal. I saw the way you were holding him."
Thea felt desperate. It wasn't just Blaise she was afraid of here. Night World law couldn't be clearer about the penalty for loving a human. Death. Not only for her, but for Eric, too.
There was only one thing Thea could do. She turned and looked at her cousin directly.
"All right, Blaise, you do know me. We've always been like sisters, and I know that however you act sometimes, you still love me-"
"Of course I do," Blaise said impatiently, and Thea realized that was part of the problem. In the changing light of the Bally hotel's neon pillars, she could see that Blaise's eyes were wet. She was frightened for Thea-and angry at being frightened.
Thea grabbed her cousin's hand. "Then you have to listen to me." It was a naked plea. "Blaise-when I first met Eric, something happened. I can't explain it-I can't even really describe it. But there was a connection. And I know this is going to sound insane, and I know you're not going to like it, but..." She had to stop to breathe. "Blaise, what if you found your soulmate, and they were something that everybody said you shouldn't love...."
She stopped again, this time because Blaise had frozen. For a moment they both just sat, and then, very slowly, Blaise withdrew her hand from Thea's.
"Found... your... soulmate?" she said.
Warmth pooled in Thea's eyes. She had never felt so alone. "I think so," she whispered.
Blaise turned to face the windshield. Purple light shone on her black hair. "This is more serious than I thought."
The tears overflowed. "But will you help me?"
Blaise tapped her slender fingers on the steering wheel a few times. Finally she said, "Of course I'll
help you. I have to. We're like sisters-I would never abandon you when you're in trouble."
Thea was so relieved she felt dizzy. Paradoxically, it made her cry more. "I've just been so scared.... Ever since it happened, I've been trying to figure things out." She hiccupped. Blaise was looking at her again, smiling, gray eyes glittering oddly. "Blaise?" "I'm going to help you," Blaise said, still smiling, "by getting him myself. And then I'm going to kill him for putting my sister in danger."
There was a moment when everything inside Thea seemed absolutely still-and the next instant it all exploded into chaos.
"Never," she said. "Do you hear me, sister? Never."
Blaise stayed calm, driving. "I know you don't think it's best-now. But one day you'll thank me."
"Blaise, listen to me. If you do anything to him-if
you hurt him-it's me you're hurting."
"You'll get over it." In the rainbow light of the Riviera, Blaise looked like some ancient goddess of fate. "It's better to hurt a little now than to be executed later."