Jekyll & Hyde Inc.

“Please don’t tell me you came all the way down here in the hope of rekindling an old passion,” said Edward. He smiled slowly, his eyes sparkling with simple malice. “I don’t do nostalgia. And even if I did, I don’t think there’s enough fire in your scrawny little body to survive it.”

“You always have to be so cruel,” said Miss Montague. “I think that’s one of the things I liked most about you.”

Edward’s smile widened. “I remember.”

Miss Montague didn’t smile back at him.

Edward shrugged, and his smile disappeared as though he’d lost interest.

“Why are you here, Esme, taking up my valuable time?”

Miss Montague turned her head suddenly, to look at Daniel and Tina. Caught off guard, Daniel felt like he should at least pretend to avert his gaze, but he didn’t. Something important was happening here, he could feel it. Miss Montague turned her head back to Edward.

“I heard about your protégé, Tina. How you trained her personally to kill monsters. I thought at first she was just another of your dalliances, because after all, there’s been so many of them . . . but instead you kept her as a resource, waiting for just the right moment. And now the monster Clans are finally falling, because of her and this new Hyde: Daniel.”

“Get to the point, Esme.”

“When they finally came to see me in my armory, I got a chance to see them in action. And now I know what you saw in them. They’re not quite like you and me, but they do remind me of what I hoped we’d become: partners in the dance, us against the world; doing great things, just because we could.”

“But you wouldn’t take the Elixir,” said Edward.

“I want Daniel and Tina to stand a fair chance against the werewolves,” said Miss Montague.

“They’re Hydes,” said Edward. “They can take care of themselves.”

“They’ll stand a better chance with what I’ve brought them.”

Edward’s eyes narrowed. “I do hope you haven’t exceeded your authority, Esme. I’d hate to have to discipline you.”

She smiled briefly. “As I recall, you used to enjoy it. And, of course, so did I. Our relationship was so deliciously uncomplicated. But I have followed your conditions to the letter. Everything you asked for, no more, and no less. I just want to make sure that Daniel and Tina understand what they’re getting into.”

“Getting bored now,” said Edward. “Don’t interfere, Esme. This is none of your business.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Edward,” Miss Montague said brightly. “But I won’t let you throw these nice young people to the wolves.”

Edward looked at her. “I could throw you out.”

“Of course you could,” said Miss Montague. “But then you’d have to explain why to Daniel and Tina. Make them suspicious enough, and they might decide not to follow your orders this time.”

Edward laughed suddenly, a surprisingly good-natured sound. “You always wanted to be my conscience. I knew there was a good reason why I let you walk away.”

Miss Montague studied him carefully, with her bird-bright eyes. “All these years, and you’ve barely changed at all. Except that now it’s easier to see the monster in you.”

“I never kept anything from you,” said Edward.

“Perhaps I didn’t want to see it, then.”

“I never lied to you.”

“No,” said Miss Montague. “I lied to myself—about who and what you really were. So I could have what I wanted from you.”

Edward nodded slowly, considering the matter. “Was it worth it?”

“I never felt the same about anyone else,” Miss Montague said steadily. “You were my one great passion, and my greatest mistake. But I got what I wanted, for a while. And that’s all that matters.”

She turned away from him, to smile brightly at Daniel and Tina. “You can come back now, dears, and see the lovely toys I’ve brought for you.”

They moved quickly out from behind the glass tubing, and hurried over to see what Miss Montague had in her leather case. She worked the combination lock carefully with her arthritic fingers, and raised the lid. Daniel and Tina stared respectfully at the contents.

“Those are Peacemakers,” said Daniel, sounding almost reverent. “Long-barreled revolvers from the Old West. Wyatt Earp used them in Tombstone. He said if you ran out of bullets, you could always hit people over the head with the barrel.”

“The length of the barrel also helps with range and accuracy,” said Miss Montague.

“Are those really silver bullets?” said Tina. “I thought they’d be shinier. Where did you get them from—the Lone Ranger Museum?”

“I never did understand why silver bullets were so important to him,” said Daniel.

“Maybe the Old West was secretly overrun with outlaw werewolves,” said Tina. And then she stopped and looked at Miss Montague. “Why are there only six bullets for each gun?”

“Because they’re really expensive,” said Edward.

“And not at all easy to manufacture,” said Miss Montague. “The calculations on the ballistics alone are enough to drive anyone crazy. Still, not to worry, dears. After you’ve used up all your silver bullets, you still have your silver knives.”