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"The cellar," was Bones's reply "It's reinforced, and we'll have Tick Tock, Dave, and Rattler take turns staying with him Within a week, he'll be himself"

Until then, Juan was a danger to anyone with a pulse

"We're not going to have enough room if everyone stays"

"Three of the couches have pull-outs and the rest will make do with blankets and the floor Each one of them has endured worse, believe me"

"We're the ones with the urgent proble at, we should take the floor," I noted "It's only polite"

Bones snorted "Right In my own home on Christmas? I think not"

Yes, it was after two am and therefore officially Christ I had planned, but oh well We were together

I leaned over and kissed his neck, letting my breath tickle his ear "Merry Christmas," I whispered

Bones put the car in park and stopped an to draw back His hand curled around my neck as he dipped my head back with a slow, deep kiss that made mereally ere alone

It was interrupted when Ian rapped on our side

"If we're supposed to wait outside in the cold while you two snog in the car, I'd just as soon have flown home"

My e when my mother trotted by and muttered, "Thank God somebody said it"

The hu with the vampire who'd sired Max? Now that was a Christmas miracle if I'd ever heard one

"I'et to ask your permission before I kissed my wife?" Bones countered "Wanker"

"Guttersnipe"

Ian said the insult with a trace of a s rasped Ian by the shoulders

"I'lad you're here, mate"

Ian had a self-deprecating smile "Do you knohy I am? Because for once, you asked for my assistance You've never done that in all the centuries I've known you That's why I threw in h you are"

Ever since I first met Ian, I hadn't understood why Bones tolerated hi the two of them like this explained a lot

"You could have walked away, Ian Just as you could have over two hundred and twenty years ago when I was imprisoned at the colony I didn't thank you then and I haven't since, yet it is long overdue Thank you, Ian, for changing me into a vampire I am forever in your debt"

Ian's eyes flashed with e

"About bleedin' time I expect it to take another two centuries before you'll apologize for threatening to kill me over Cat?"

Bones laughed "You'll shrivel waiting for that apology, mate"

"Let's hatch a dastardly plan, then," Ian said with arimness "Or Patra will ensure that we'llall shrivel"

Vlad showed up at our house, rehborhood I doubted that, but I wasn't about to call him a liar, especially since he'd proved to be a useful source of information Still, part of me wondered if he'd shown up just because it irritated Bones Vlad seemed to have a devilish sense of humor that way

"Whatever happened to Anthony?" he asked after hearing that Hykso and Kratas were being held hostage Unfortunately, according to Spade, so far they hadn't proved to knoealth of information

"I'll be shipping pieces of hi with pieces of the other blokes It'll give her people so to think about"

The sick part of me wondered if Bones would cover those boxes with Christ an unwanted present Here's hoping Patra didn't have so said "ho a present full of body parts

"That's it!" I shot straight out of ht bulb had gone off

Bones arched a brow at htstoo fast for him to catch

"It's Christmas Most people are with their loved ones today," I said "Rather than ship bits of Anthony and the other guys froh to pass them onto Patra, hoould you like to deliver them in person?"

Ian leaned forith interest Bones stared athis chin

"You know the answer Go on"

"We know that Patra's been on the lookout for anyone who'd give her infor So what if an inforh one of the nu to sell information on where she can find us? But this person wants cash up front, in person, and right away"

"Patra would assume it could be a trap," Mencheres pointed out "So she'd expect you and Bones to be waiting for her"

I s on that"

Bones finally caught the plan in my head "Kitten,no"

"It's an acceptable risk," I argued

Vlad must have picked the idea froh

"Oh, Bones, irl who didn't stray too far from the kitchen"

"Get stuffed, don't you have more publicity stunts to pull?" Bones shot back "How about chatting with another writer who can sreater popularity?"

"What, did Anne Rice not return your calls,ly trait"

A noise escaped me before I could choke it off Ian had no such discretion, and his laugh was clear and hearty

"Don't glare at her, Crispin It was funny, and that's not even counting the look on your face"

Which was far from amused, but after a beat, Bones relaxed and his lips twitched

"Indeed it was Right Let us sort out this plan of yours, Kitten It may be our best opportunity"

Bones selected thewith me When he directed Tate to be one of the five, I was speechless Then he confoundedVlad as another