Page 93 of Fallen Court

Another grunt cut me off. “There will be parties all over the Quartier Enchanté. We have to go. No one throws parties like vampires.”

“No one?” I asked faintly, recalling dizzying memories of the Midnight Feast.

“No one.” She picked up the catalog and thrust it in my direction. “And their costumes…” She feigned a swoon. “Everyone will be there.”

I took the catalog and began flipping through it. Ciara might have been exaggerating, but I’d bet money that the murderer was not only a member of one of the city’s covens, but that they also wouldn’t be able to resist a large gathering of New Orleans’s magical creatures. It was another reason to stay away…but an even better reason to go.

I returned to the Avalon with two garment bags, each holding half of the perfect couple’s costume—if Lach cooperated. I only hoped he was in a decent mood when I sprang my idea on him. I finally found him in his living room, drink in hand, locked in a staring contest with his brother—and mine.

“You’re out!” I squealed, half relieved and half elated. I dropped my bags onto the sofa next to Lach and rushed across the room as Channing rose from his chair. Despite the vampire blood they had used to heal him, his skin was wan and dark circles rimmed his eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I bleated, throwing myself into his arms.

I suspected I already knew the answer. The lack of communication from my brother was the direct result of his guilt over what had happened with Oberon. But if we were going to avoid making dumbass mistakes like that again, we had to learn to talk to each other.

“Just found out this morning.” He grinned down at me, squeezing me tightly. Lach cleared his throat, and Channing released me, backing up a step.

“Ignore him,” I ordered loudly, lunging for another hug. “I usually do.”

Even with my back turned to him, I could feel Lach’s annoyance.

“We’re going out to celebrate if you want to join,” Shaw said.

“We?” I looked between the two of them. “The two of you?”

“And Dante,” Channing added.

My smile faltered. “Is that a good idea?”

Channing blinked like the question confused him. “He saved my life.”

“But…” Anxiety jammed the words in my throat. I forced myself to swallow. “He’s a vampire.”

Channing only shrugged. “So?”

I stole a glance at Lach, who nodded once as if to say he’d already been down this road with them. No wonder he was annoyed.

“I’m just not sure…” I trailed off. Channing never took my advice. He was practically allergic to it. That was how we’d wound up in this exact place. “Where are you staying?”

“I’ve got some couches I can crash on,” he said. “Don’t worry about me.”

But worrying about Channing was one of my primary skills. “Channing, I—”

Lach stood, putting down a large rocks glass. “Shaw, Cate. Can I have a word with you both?”

“Sure,” Shaw said slowly, rising to follow as Lach opened the door that led to the floor’s lobby area.

“We’ll be right back,” I said to Channing, but he only nodded and went to pour himself another drink.

I bit back a reminder that he was nineteen. Underage. Something told me I was going to have to start picking my battles where my brother was concerned. And if I had to choose between putting my foot down over a whiskey or over a vampire, I already knew where I would land.

As soon as the door closed behind me, Lach dropped an arm around Shaw’s shoulder in a way that was anything but friendly. “He’s going to stay right here where we can keep an eye on him.”

“Here?” Shaw repeated with a blink. “What do you mean by here?”

“Do you think that’s a good idea?” I asked, but Lach continued to glare at his brother.

“Your wing has plenty of rooms.” Lach delivered a meaningful look.

Shaw shook his head. “I don’t know—”