“Dee!”
She jerked at Tony’s snapped call. She eased away from Leo. He looked like he was down for the count, but she didn’t trust him.
Tony lifted a hand, reaching for her. Then he hesitated.
Dee’s chin lifted. I’m still the same.
Maybe. She hoped.
Tony’s hand shot out and he snagged her wrist.
A growl built in Simon’s throat.
Tony didn’t glance his way. “There’s been an attack.”
Yeah, well, sadly, in this city, someone was attacked every day.
“Less than half an hour ago, vampires took out two hunters at Night Watch and they killed one of the assistants, a woman named Grace.”
Her face iced. “What?” Not Night Watch. No one would dare to go into headquarters and attack the hunters there.
Not unless they wanted hell on their trail.
“I’ve got to go—”
His fingers clamped tighter around her flesh. “I can’t have you at the scene. Not…with the way you are.”
Fangs and claws. Bloodlust. Her jaw locked. “Who—who are the hunters?” Not Jude. Not Zane. No, not them, please.
“Spade and Gomez.”
Bile rose. The taste of blood—way too strong in her mouth. Monster. I’ve become just like them.
“Spade was DOA, his throat had been ripped open.”
“Fuck.” A snarl from Simon and suddenly he was there, wrapping his uninjured arm around her, holding her close.
“Gomez is en route to the hospital, but he’s bad. Real bad.” Tony inhaled. His fingers brushed over her wrist, over the pulse that raced too fast. “Looks like the vamps jumped them all right after they left Night Watch.”
There would have been too many hunters inside. The vamps wouldn’t have been stupid enough to risk a fight like that. So they’d hid in the shadows. Struck in a weak moment.
“This isn’t your fault,” Simon told her, voice roughening. But even before Tony’s lips parted, she knew he’d prove Simon’s words a lie.
“They left Gomez alive so that he could deliver a message.”
She kept her chin up. Kept her shoulders back.
Leo, crazy screwed-up bastard, started to laugh again. So much for her blood helping him. “What message?” she asked.
Tony’s lips thinned.
“Tell me!”
“That you’re next, baby. The blood will keep pouring in the streets, and they’re coming after you.”
She took the blow. Took it, even as her stare darted to Simon’s tense face. “They knew the first hit wasn’t successful.” Knew she’d still been living while the vamps hit the ground. “How?”
His fangs were out. “Because word travels fast in this town and his men—” He spared a hard glance at Tony. “Know more about this city than he thinks.”
A leak. No, a spy. One who reported to Grim’s vampires.
One who wanted that sweet promise of immortality?
Why did everyone want to live forever?
“I’m going to the scene,” Tony said, “and I’ll see if I can figure out just what we’re up against.”
Easy. A Born Master and his gang of bloodsuckers. Guys who liked to drink, drain, and torture for fun.
“Harper, Post,” he fired at the two charmers. “Watch this freak.”
“Run, little vampire,” Leo murmured. “Run fast. Grim’s coming for you, and he won’t stop until he has your head.”
She glanced back at the prick.
But found sadness in his eyes. Gray eyes now, not black. “Even being Born won’t save you,” he told her. “Run, while you can.”
Chapter 11
They needed sanctuary, and they needed it fast.
Simon and Dee ran down the deserted streets in the heart of the city. Pink strands of light crept across the sky. Dawn, bitch that she was, would be there soon.
He needed to crash. Needed the healing sleep that would come.
So did Dee. And with her fresh wound, she’d need blood. Mine.
The cop bastard had gone off to investigate the attack, ordering them to stay away.
Not much choice. For now.
“Here,” Dee said, and Simon stopped in front of an all-too familiar bar. No, no way were they going to seek shelter from—
The glass doors swung open. “Dee?” A woman with long, pale blond hair stood just inside. Her eyes glittered, and her hands, bare and small, fluttered in the air. “I was wondering when you’d come to me.”
The woman—the witch—lifted her eyes and met his stare. “And when I’d be seeing you again, Chase.”
Hell. He had such shitty luck.
“Don’t even want to know right now,” Dee muttered and shoved past Catalina. “Cat, I’m calling in my favor. I need a roof, a bed, and protection for the day.”
Catalina smiled at Simon and motioned for him to enter the bar. “I see you found your key, and you thought I was just bullshitting you.”
She’ll be all that you need.
But there’s a price for her. One you may not want to pay.
He’d agreed to pay everything. To trade everything, for the chance to have full control of his soul once more.
And for revenge. Sweet, sweet revenge.
Catalina closed the door behind them. She flipped the lock, then whispered a fast spell. “One day,” she said, turning back to face them. “I don’t want to get in the middle of your war.”
A broken laugh slipped past Dee’s lips. “A war? Is that what I’m in?”
“Honey, you’ve been in a war for years.” Sad. “You just didn’t know it.”
“And you did?” Snapped fast. “Thanks a hell of a lot for telling me, Cat.”
The witch’s lips tightened. “Some things you weren’t ready to know.” She swallowed, then pointed to the back of her empty bar, to the door with the gold EMPLOYEES ONLY sign. “Take the second room at the top of the stairs. Chase can have—”
“He’ll stay with me.” Flat.
Simon’s brows shot up.
“Ah, like that, hmm? Fair enough.” Catalina tossed him a smile, one brittle around the edges. “Told you what would happen, didn’t I?”
“But you didn’t tell me.” Not flat now, furious. Dee’s hands slapped down on the bar. “I trusted you, Catalina. Watched your back for years. I never came in your bar. I respected your surface rules, never tried to push your spell—”
The spell that made all the humans walk right past Delaney’s. The spell that only let supernaturals gain entrance to the bar.