It was a little more than an hour away from sunset when Syndelle made her way into the mostly gay bar where Rafael was hunting. She'd thought to return to Brann's compound earlier, but sleep had held her in its grip-or the magic had-not releasing her until the turmoil in Big Daddy's house had finally penetrated, waking her to a flurry of activity and the sight of Wren's empty bed.
"Where is she?" Syndelle asked as she rolled off the cot, glad that she'd left her clothes on now that the room held several of Big Daddy's men.
"You didn't see her leave?" one of them asked, his face full of suspicion.
"No."
"She say anything to you?"
"She never woke up."
In the hallway a girl said, "I swear I saw her! She even turned around when I yelled her name. She looked like she always looked, like nothing had happened to her. It was Wren! Who else would have been running along the railroad tracks?"
"Go on to bed," Mama Jo said. "You're imagining things, now you've got these other girls all stirred up. You got Angel and Tia upset."
"But-" There was a sound of flesh hitting flesh. A slap.
"Go on now. Do what I said. If you saw someone running along the tracks, it wasn't that girl."
But it had been.
Syndelle followed the girl's trail down to the railroad tracks, the wolf enjoying the hunt until Big Daddy's black limousine pulled up alongside her, forcing her to stop. "Get in," he said, opening the door from the inside. When she took a seat, he said, "Don't worry about the girl. She doesn't owe Big Daddy anything. She's free to go her own way. Plenty more around to take her place. Always plenty more." He leaned back in his seat, his aura brushing against Syndelle's as he studied her. "Big Daddy heard a rumor that Skye was your sister. Any truth to that rumor?"
"Yes."
"Thought you told Big Daddy that you only had a brother here. Thought you told Big Daddy that you didn't know his friend Skye."
"I didn't know she was my sister when I told you that. I hadn't met her yet."
His cobra eyes stared at her for a long moment, and then he nodded slightly. "Blood always tells. Blood never forgets. Big Daddy don't want no trouble-not with Skye or the Lady Syndelle." He pressed a key on the console next to his hand, telling the driver to go to The Hole, before telling Syndelle, "Rafe is there along with your sister. I figure that's where you want to be, too."
Syndelle nodded, and a few minutes later she found Skye sitting at a table, watching as several men hit on Rafael. "Anything?" she asked, the wolf's low growl telling Syndelle that it didn't enjoy the sight of other men propositioning its mate any more than it had liked seeing him surrounded by Roman's flock of human sheep.
"Nothing." Skye grinned. "But it's good to see you."
"I shouldn't have involved you. I'm sorry."
Skye surprised Syndelle by reaching across the table and taking her hand, making the blood in their veins hum with comfort and solidarity. "Don't be. Involve me anytime." She gave a wry smile. Just show me that ward for blocking out Brann and Gian first. The inside of my head still feels a little scorched.
Syndelle laughed. I'll teach you some wards. Or our mother will. She's a powerful sorceress, as was her mother before her. It's a rare talent among the Angelini.
Skye's heart jumped at the mention of their mother, at the prospect of being reunited with a family she would never have imagined as belonging to her. "When will they be here?"
"I don't know." It is not often that the Angelini gather as they are doing now. A small knot of dread formed in Syndelle's stomach. Had some of the oldest among them felt the rise in the old magic, somehow sensing that the ancient power had found a way to return? She shivered, knowing that her parents had always feared the day might come when she would be hunted. When they might have to kill hunters they'd fought side by side with in order to protect her.
The wolf turned its attention away from Rafe and brushed against Syndelle's soul in a gesture of comfort. You worry needlessly. Perhaps if you were unmated, there would be those foolish enough to turn against the Coronado line, even knowing that Riesen's old pack would join with the Coronados in a fight to the death. But soon all will know of your existence, and when they do, they will know you have claimed Brann for your mate. None of the governing councils would dare to wage war against the wolves, the Coronados, those of Brann's line and all of their allies. It would be like one of the humans' civil wars, where even the victors are losers.
Syndelle closed her eyes, in her mind gently brushing her cheek against the soft fur of the wolf. Where would I be without you?
The wolf snapped its teeth together, its eyes sparkling with amusement. Perhaps you'd be almost as pathetic as one of these humans-one of which is getting ready to lose a hand if he continues to try and grope our mate.
Syndelle laughed, as the wolf had intended she would. Remind me not to ask that question again, she told it as she opened her eyes and saw that one of the men who'd been talking to Rafael had moved closer-too close in both the wolf and Syndelle's opinion.
Rafe switched his beer from one hand to the other and Skye said, "That's the signal that this guy is giving Rafael the creeps. You want to do the honors of checking him out, or should I?"
"I'll do it," Syndelle said, rising immediately.
Skye grabbed Syndelle's wrist before she could stalk over to the bar. Don't blow his cover! You can hit on him, or just buy yourself a drink while you check out the guy giving him the creeps, but try not to let on that you and Rafe are a couple.
Syndelle stood for a long moment, at war with herself, at war with the wolf, until finally the wolf grumbled, wanting to rip into the man standing too close to Rafe, but reluctantly settling with the knowledge that Syndelle would order him away from Rafe if he wasn't the one they sought.
Brann hadn't lied. As soon as Syndelle had arrived, Rafe's cock had hardened into an unbearable rod of pain-unfortunately sending the wrong message to the men who'd been hitting on him. Fuck. Had he ever really thought that this scene was fun? Challenging? Amusing?
Yeah. He had, once, a long time ago, though in the end it had become a lifestyle, a survival method, something he did out of habit because he didn't know anything else or have anywhere else to go.
But now he had Syndelle and he hated for her to see him like this, even though he knew she accepted that it had to be done if they were going to find Justin's killer. Rafe tensed as she rose from her seat, the wolf so obvious in her body posture that he wasn't sure whether she'd hypnotize the creep who wouldn't take no for an answer, or tear him to shreds.
When Skye grabbed Syndelle's arm, Rafe relaxed, allowing his heart to experience the warmth of Syndelle's caring. And then Syndelle was there, her voice seductive as she called the man's attention to her with a question. "Do you two want a third for your little party?"
There was no resistance in the man. He fell into Syndelle's eyes and filled her mind with his fantasies of locking Rafe's wrists and ankles to an odd piece of furniture, then taking a whip to her mate's back and buttocks before fucking him. The wolf snarled in reaction, flashing its teeth before Syndelle could prevent it and the man's fantasies faded, replaced by the terror of a prey animal that has been cornered by a predator. Syndelle could hear his heart racing and the wolf wallowed in the smell his fear.
The wolf held him at bay as Syndelle pushed deeper into his thoughts, shuffling through his memories like a deck of cards, following any thread that might prove he was the one they were looking for. But as much as the wolf would have liked him to be, he wasn't.
With a final command to give up his pursuit of Rafael, Syndelle blinked and freed the man from her gaze. He turned away almost immediately and stumbled toward the men's room.
"Guess he wants a different kind of action," Rafe joked, and when Syndelle's eyebrows drew together he flashed a picture of the bathroom in this particular bar, the stall doors fitted with holes large enough for even the most well-endowed man to stick his cock through. For guys who like a little danger with their blowjobs, Rafe added, enjoying her surprise. I take it that none of your brothers ever shared this knowledge with you? he teased, enjoying her laughter along their bond before she purchased a drink and retreated to Skye's table.
Despite the flirting, the catcalls and purchases of lap dances, there was a frantic desperation among the people in The Hole. "Is it always like this?" Syndelle asked, watching as new admirers flocked to Rafael.
"He's got something. Even when Brann's around, they still hit on him."
Syndelle wrinkled her nose and laughed. "Not my mate." She waved her hand to encompass the entire scene. "This."
"Yeah. Underneath it's always like this." She checked her watch. "We'll hang here for about thirty minutes more, then hit the next spot right around sunset." Rico will take over and Augustino will jump to the third club on the list, just in case our killer is smart enough to worry about a trap.
There was a commotion at the entrance and both women turned to look. Syndelle could feel Skye's dismay at the rough, leather-and-chain-clad men who'd entered. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Detective Augustino move from a darkened area of the club to lean against the bar, positioning himself in case there was trouble. And from the aura of menace radiating off the men, Syndelle thought there would be.
Her gaze shifted to Rafe. If a fight starts, you and Skye get out of here, he said. Have her take you home. It's almost sunset.
"Get ready," Skye said. "As much as I'd like to stay and participate, Gian's burning up the airways with some heavy-duty compulsion. If something happens, we'll head for the door." Skye grimaced. "Like a bunch of other people who don't want to be part of this show. This is not exactly a fighting crowd."
Syndelle frowned, looking around at the predominantly gay and bisexual crowd. Patrons who definitely favored spandex and flashy dress over grunge or Goth, or the heavy leather and chains of the men who'd just entered. If we could get in front of them, we could- But before the sentence was complete, one of the men grabbed a waiter and tossed him into a table of club patrons, knocking drinks and chairs and people to the floor.
Screams and shouts followed, along with a rush to the door-or the fight. Skye grabbed Syndelle's wrist. "Let's go."
Syndelle looked for Rafe, but already he was lost amid the shoving and swearing and flailing. His voice and Brann's pushed at her mind, demanding that she get out of the club. She didn't resist Skye's urging and they joined the crush of bodies trying to escape the violence.
When they cleared the door they saw three additional men dressed in leather and chains waiting outside. I don't like the looks of this, Skye said, wariness flooding the link between them. It feels like the guys inside are trying to flush someone out. Rafe and I came in Augustino's car and I don't have a key. Let's head to the right. We can duck into the card room at the corner.
As soon as they broke away from the other fleeing patrons, the three men closed in on them and two others joined, stepping out of the shadows of the card room, effectively trapping Skye and Syndelle. I guess we know who they were trying to flush out, Skye said.
Bile rose in Syndelle's stomach as she felt the ancient magic swelling. As her fingertips itched, ready for the poison-filled talons to emerge. In the distance Brann's power surged, willing her to retreat to the abyss, to submerge herself in the deep silence and darkness, so that he could take her place, could fill her body like a hand fills a glove so thin that it's almost nonexistent.
But the wolf kept him out and the magic did not yield to him. Destiny whispered through her mind, it was time for her to take her place, for her to prove that she was a worthy vessel, a true Angelini-though one who was unlike any of the others.
A switchblade appeared in Skye's hand. Do you have a weapon on you?
Only myself. And I am untested.
There was no chance to escape the attack. No chance to retreat or run. Skye's blade flashed in the dim streetlights, sending one man reeling backward, cursing and grasping at a blood-drenched arm as another lunged forward. The other three had all gone for Syndelle, not hitting her as she'd anticipated but grabbing at her and trying to drag her away.
Her fear spiked and with it came the tearing pain of clear fingernails elongated into catlike claws. She fought, slashing wildly and finally connecting first with one of her attackers and then a second. They cursed, calling her a bitch and promising they were going to make her sorry, but within seconds they were screaming in agony, writhing and rolling on the ground, their arms and legs flailing as though they were on fire.
The three remaining men were momentarily distracted by their fallen friends and Skye took advantage, sending her blade home, through leather and flesh, straight into the heart of the attacker she slashed earlier. He crumpled in a heap and the other two panicked. "Fuck, forget about taking her, just kill her!" one yelled, pulling out a gun and aiming at Syndelle.
The bullet slammed into her chest. A painful burst of heat and power that sent her backward.
Her heart beat wildly, pouring blood through the opening as Brann and Rafe's screams filled her mind, sounding far away, as though a thick layer of ice stood between her and them. The wolf howled and spun in panic, clawing to remain in sunlight and noise as the infinite blackness and endless silence rushed up to claim Syndelle.
Stop!
From somewhere, nowhere, everywhere, the timeless voice that had always existed within Syndelle commanded, just as icy fingers closed around her heart and it ceased to beat.