My hands hurt, the palms red with what looked like first-degree burns. Edden’s voice in the stairway was loud. The FIB could take care of Piscary. I could go home….

Home to Ivy, I thought, closing my eyes briefly. How did my life get this ugly?

Tired beyond belief, I got to my feet as Edden and a string of FIB officers exploded out of the hole Quen had made.

“It’s me!” I croaked, putting my good hand in the air since there was a frightening clatter of safeties going off. “Don’t shoot me!”

“Morgan!” Edden peered through the sifting dust and lowered his weapon. Only half the FIB officers did the same. It was a better than average number. “You’re alive?”

He sounded surprised. Bent in pain, I looked down at myself, my broken arm clutched close. “Yeah. I think so.” I started shivering, cold.

Someone snickered, and the remaining weapons were lowered. Edden made a motion, and the officers fanned out. “Piscary is over there,” I said, looking that way. “He’s down until sunset. I think.”

Coming closer, Edden eyed Piscary, his robe fallen open to show a good portion of muscular thigh. “What was he trying to do, seduce you?”

“No,” I whispered, so my throat wouldn’t hurt so much. “He was trying to kill me.” I met his eyes and added, “There is a living vamp named Kisten around somewhere. He’s blond and angry. Please don’t shoot him. Other than him and Quen, I haven’t seen anyone but the eight living vamps upstairs. You can shoot them if you want.”

“Mr. Kalamack’s security officer?” Edden’s gaze roved over me, cataloging my hurts. “He came with you?” He put a hand on my shoulder to steady me. “It looks like your arm is broken.”

“It is,” I said, jerking back as he reached for it. Why do people do that? “And yeah, he came out here. Why didn’t you?” Suddenly angry, I poked him in the chest. “You ever refuse to take my call again, and I swear I’ll have Jenks pix you every night for a month.”

Arrogance crossed Edden’s face and he flicked a glance at the FIB officers warily circling Piscary. Someone called for an I.S. ambulance. “I didn’t refuse your call. I was asleep. Being woken up by a frantic pixy and a panicking boyfriend telling me you went out to stake one of Cincinnati’s master vampires is not my favorite way to wake up. And who gave you my unlisted number?”