Ready Or Not

Burns Like Hell

**Theo**

I knew I wasn't out of breath, but it sure felt like it as we approached the front of the precinct where my Lydia was being held. They hadn't wanted to give Daniel the information, of course, since he wasn't representing her and it seemed that the entire NYPD was staffed by utter dickheads... and this was me, talking. So he'd texted this Sam guy.

I don't know why my hackles were up about the man, maybe because it wasn't one of us. . . I don't mean nest of course. But vampire. Then again, it was probably for the best that it was a human there with her. Lending credibility or whatever. Still.

Daniel was holding onto my bicep with his strong left hand and Anna was gripping my left hand in both of hers. I couldn't be vexed with them, I knew they were doing what they'd always done, what we had always done... Lydia and I were the pillars. We'd weathered all the storms and didn't break down. Not ever. My stomach sank a little, because I wasn't sure I could be their pillar this time. Not without mine. I leaned on Lydia just as much as the kids leaned on me. I'm not a whole man... vampire... without her.

Daniel was still gripping me when he spoke to the desk sergeant. I hadn't even noticed we'd gone inside; I could smell my best friend. The jasmine in the shampoo I'd bought her. The wax base of her eyeliner as it melted. ... the salt of her tears and the muted metallic tang in the air from bottled blood as it clung to her breath. I was sick with it.

"Montgomery," Daniel was saying. "We just want to see she's alright. I promise we're not here to cause trouble..."

The woman behind the desk eyed him suspiciously. She knew what we all were, how could she not. But at least fear was a reaction I knew what to do with.

I snapped out of my daze and locked eyes with her, my fangs sliding out of my gums and pricking at the flesh of my lower lip, just barely visible.

"Now, listen," I started, fully prepared to put the whammy on her and every other cop that came down this way. Human ones at least. We didn't come to cause trouble but I wasn't opposed to leaving a little in my wake. I was so close to her.

"Baby," Daniel whispered, so low that only Anna and I could hear.

"Brother, don't. Not yet," Anna pleaded just as lowly.

They'd forgive me when we were all safely across the sea somewhere with new names and all together. They would.

I turned my attention back to the police officer and had opened my mouth to speak again when I was annoyingly interrupted, again. This time by a Southern drawl speaking in clipped words.

"C'mon, bossman. It's no use." Hannah had appeared from the stairwell, her face still lined with the salt-tracks from tears. She'd taken Anna's hand and lead us a few steps away when I caught my bearings and rounded on her, disengaging from my sister and betrothed. Not her again. If we hadn't been surrounded by the motherfucking law, I'd be face-first in her neck.

She let go of my sister before I'd separated her hand from the rest of her body, and was facing me, toe to toe.

"Now stop it, Theo," she said hotly, but in a whisper. "If you're going to kill me, kill me, but I'm trying to do you a solid here. They won't let me see her, and they won't let anyone in to see her."

"Was gonna make them," I said, knowing it was a bad idea. But it was all I had.

"If you think for a second that all the cops in here aren't already on that serum... they can't be compelled! You were going to land yourself in a cell right next to her."