Page 123 of Bent Out of Shade
“Yeah.”
“Zev is upstairs in one of the viewing rooms,” Yoshi said.
That’s where Sadie and I found the oddest tableau.
Chairs were grouped along either side of a row leading to a gurney where Sabrina lay like Sleeping Beauty with Juliette working on her. Zev sat on one side while Vincenzo sat in the front on the other side, leaning forward and twitching at Juliette’s every motion.
Vincenzo didn’t spare us a glance, but Zev made his way over.
Sadie sucked in a breath and tucked up against my side.
“Thank you for coming.” Zev extended his hand for Sadie to shake like this was a real funeral.
Confused, she did.
This was a travesty. “I killed the estrie,” I said.
“Yes, I felt the moment Kian died.” He said it without any emotion, but he’d cared for her. I’d seen it and my stupid heart felt bad for him.
I sighed, wrung out from this day. “Is this going to be a problem because of the…” I glanced at Vincenzo then mouthed “contagion?”
“I took precautions for that situation.”
The Undertaker and those vials. My face fell. “Rodrigo—”
“I know,” Zev said softly. He cleared his throat. “Tell the golem I’m in his debt for trying to save my friend.”
Emmett hadn’t mentioned that at all. No boast? He was definitely growing up. “I will. Feel free to reinstate BatKian as your surname after Kian’s decision to strip you of it.”
“I’m going back to my human surname. Toledano.”
“Much like in a divorce,” I said, and he chuckled. Okay, this congeniality was disconcerting. “What about the rest of her line?”
“They can decide what they want to do.” Zev turned to Sadie. “Have a seat. I’d like to see the outcome of Juliette’s efforts.”
Sadie sat down, her leg jittering once again.
“I’ll be back in a sec.” I met her eyes, waiting until she nodded to make my way to Vincenzo. “Are you sure you want to wake Sabrina?”
He hissed at me, flashing red eyes that matched the diamond pattern on his linen shirt.
“Obviously you do.” I held up my hands. “I mean no disrespect, but you haven’t been human in quite some time, and Sabrina has lost everything she’s ever worked for, not to mention her friends and family, who she’ll now have to hide from. I want to make sure you’ve got resources in place to help her through that.”
“Why do you care?” Vincenzo stared at me like I was an alien doing some space dance.
I frowned. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“She’s a vampire now,” he said defensively.
“Ms. Feldman can be surprisingly compassionate to our kind,” Zev said, having overheard us from the other side of the room.
I remembered my manners enough to keep my mouth from falling open at yet another compliment.
“Then I thank you for your concern,” Vincenzo said. “I will do everything to assist her through this transition and ensure her life is as happy as it can be.”
“There’s going to be a memorial for Sabrina. It might be good for her to secretly attend. Get closure.”
“Yes, her friend contacted me and I thought the same thing.”
