Gaslight (Crossbreed #4)(108)

Christian and I fell back a step while Viktor rapped his knuckles on the door.

An older man in long underwear answered, shotgun in hand. “Nobody comes knocking this late unless it’s trouble.”

Though we were all the way up in Canada, Joe definitely originated from the Deep South. He looked about Viktor’s age, only his hair had more dark grey mixed with black than silver. Joe had two days’ worth of whiskers on his face, and hair that hadn’t been combed properly in weeks, given the amount of grease holding it up.

“Forgive our intrusion,” Viktor began. “Do you know a man named Bartholomew?”

“I do.”

“He advised us to stay with you for the night. You are Joe Folger?”

“People call me Crazy Joe, and I’d have to be crazy to take in a bunch of strangers. What’s the reason?”

“I cannot give a reason since it is under investigation, but the detective said you would be generously compensated for your hospitality.”

Joe arched his fuzzy grey eyebrows. “Did he now? Well, that’s a horse of a different color.”

Blue’s hawk swooped in and landed on Viktor’s shoulder.

Joe gave her a scrutinizing gaze. “How many of you are there?”

“Only four.”

Joe set his shotgun against the wall inside and swung the door wide. “Leave your shoes and weapons on the porch. And no animals in the house. Tell your bird he can sleep outside.”

“Do you have something my friend can wear?”

“Fine, fine,” Joe said, turning away and disappearing.

Christian and I shared a quick glance before taking off our shoes. I didn’t feel like removing all my weapons, so I threw the two coats I was wearing over the shoe pile and went inside.

“Cozy place,” I said, looking at the fire crackling to my left.

The small table next to the door had an empty plate on it, so I guessed we must have interrupted him just after his dinner. To the right was a bed, and in the back a small kitchenette.

I circled around a loveseat in front of the fireplace and sat down on the hearth, the heat warming my back.

Pure bliss.

Christian stayed by the table and kept an eye on Joe, who disappeared from my line of sight to go through his things. He tossed clothes at Christian, who handed them to Blue through the open door.

“I suppose you people want food,” Joe grumbled, scratching his wiry beard. His round belly proved he wasn’t doing too shabby living in the middle of nowhere.

“A hot drink will be more than enough,” Viktor said.

Blue walked in, one hand gripping the faded trousers. Joe’s oversized shirt swallowed her up, and her long hair was still tucked in the back.

“Well, well,” Joe said with measured interest. “What do we have here?”

“My name is Viktor Kazan. This is Blue, Christian, and Raven,” he said, gesturing in our direction.

Joe was probably three times Blue’s age, but that didn’t stop him from painting on a boyish smile and moving in closer to get a better look. “Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Blue nodded.

“I’ll get right on that coffee,” he said with a renewed pep in his step.

I glanced around at the cabin. “Where’s the bathroom?”

Joe laughed and put the kettle on the woodburning stove. “The outhouse is behind the cabin a ways. If you gotta go, be sure to use the stick in there. Spiders aren’t a problem in winter, but you never know what creepy crawly will climb in there at night to get warm.”

Christian gave me a sardonic smile.

Joe was likable, albeit eccentric, as evidenced by the mounted bat head over his bed. When I peeled off my socks to look at my feet, I was surprised to find they hadn’t turned black as I had imagined. My skin prickled and burned with the sudden introduction of heat, but maybe drinking some of Temple’s blood had protected me during my second jump in the water.

Not that I’d ever want to drink Vampire blood again.

Christian said Vampire blood was unlike any other. His certainly was, but Temple’s was foul. Maybe Temple’s blood was too thick and heady with emotions, but knowing that not all Vamps would taste as delicious as Christian came as a relief.

The kettle whistle startled me out of my stupor. Viktor and Blue took a seat at the table while Joe passed out speckled blue cups and filled them with coffee from his pot. Christian wanted no part of it. He leaned his back against the door and shook his head when Joe offered him some.

Joe pivoted around and came over to fill my cup. “I only buy instant. I don’t have electricity to run one of them fancy coffee machines.”

“Thanks.” After a few quick slurps, I set it down beside me on the hearth. It was bitter and tasted like he’d made it yesterday and just reheated it.

“We don’t get many falcons out here,” Joe said, one arm crossed over his middle, with the cup in the other hand.

Blue wearily drank her coffee, eyes drooping and a yawn hovering on her lips.

“If you don’t mind, my friend will need rest soon,” Viktor said.

“She can sleep in my bed.”

Blue’s eyes flashed up to Viktor in protest.

“Nyet. That won’t be necessary. We would prefer to sleep by the fire where it’s warm.”