by T. A. White
Argus' arms relaxed, and for the first time since we interrupted his night, his expression lightened. "I need you to get the harpies to lay off me. My secret ingredient will help, but if I keep having to deal with their pranks, I'm not going to be able to keep up with demand."
I nodded. It wasn't an atypical request since Hermes couriers often served as an intermediary between the different species. We walked in that weird no man's land where we had no firm allegiances to any of the sects. It enabled us to be impartial when acting as a mediator—or as impartial as any of the spooks ever got. All the species had prejudices against the others, so it wasn't something we did all that often.
"Point me in the right direction, and I'll see what I can do," I said. "You know I can't promise."
Argus nodded, his expression saying he didn't really care. "I'll send the fee to the usual place."
"See that you do."
"They've been hanging out around the stage. No doubt to steal food from the unwary." Argus clicked his teeth.
Sounded like them. I'd never known a harpy who didn't get a kick out of stealing from a human, especially when it involved food.
I tucked my hands in my pockets and strolled off, Nathan an unhappy shadow at my back.
Argus shouted after me, "Tell them I don't want them within ten feet of my truck."
I waved a hand in the air to acknowledge his statement before the crowd swallowed me as I pushed through it, making my way back to the stage. It seemed to have doubled in the time I spent talking to Argus, and it was an effort to make any forward progress.
For all that I'd given Nathan a hard time about his dislike of the festival, I wasn't much better off. Crowds set my back to itching and triggered a mild case of claustrophobia. I could feel any good humor draining away bit by bit as I forced my way through, leaving me cranky and out of sorts by the time we found our way back to the stage.
"Where are these harpies?" Nathan asked close to my ear. "I'd like to get this over with, so we can get out of here. All these people are getting on my nerves."
I watched the crowd for a minute, trying to spot my quarry. "We may need to spread out. Argus was right. They tend to congregate around large crowds so they can snatch food from humans. They turn it into a game to see who can be the most daring."
Nathan eyed me for a long moment.
"What? You're the one who wants out of here faster. Otherwise, we could be here for an hour or more while we search." He didn't look convinced. "You don't have to go far and can keep me in sight. It's not like you can't run me down with your superior speed anyway."
He looked around the crowd, noting how tightly crammed they were into the space. Not a speck of green existed between one folding chair and the next. It would indeed take hours to search this place.
"Fine, but you don't leave my sight, and you stay in this area." He pointed his finger at me for emphasis.
I held up my hands up in agreement.
"I mean it. You won’t like the consequences if you test me, and I know Liam would agree with me."
"You got it. Don't leave the area; stay within eyesight."
He gave me a long look, making it clear he didn't entirely trust me, before turning and moving through the crowd as he scanned for the harpies.
I waited a beat, watching him as he observed the crowd with a heavy frown before I circled in the opposite direction. I hadn't lied. It really would have taken us hours to piece through this crowd, so it was a good thing I already had an idea of where they were hiding.
Harpies were women, who for all intents and purposes, were half birds. That meant they favored high spots. I'd done several jobs for the flock in the past and had acted as an intermediary between them and Argus during the last food festival. I made my way to the left side of the stage, careful to stay where Nathan could see me.
When I was on the edge of the crowd, I looked up into the dark shadows by the stage and jerked my head, nodding toward a spot to the side of the crowd that was relatively private. There was a rustle of feathers and the shadows swirled, letting me know my request had been received.
I turned and walked, scanning the crowd to make it seem like I was still searching. When I reached the spot, I waited. It wasn’t long before a lean woman with sharp features clad in a thin t-shirt and jeans with holes in them strode up. She had motorcycle boots on her feet and looked like the type who would be perfectly happy to stomp someone to death with those boots. At the moment, she looked human as long as one didn't peer too closely, her wings and more birdlike features hidden so the normals around us didn't freak out at the spook in their midst.
Her eyes were fierce as they met mine, and her thin mouth stretched into a smile showing her pointed teeth. Her head cocked in a very birdlike manner as she said with a thick accent, "Little vampire, I see the satyr went whining to you again."
I leveled an amused look on her. "Did you expect any different, Natalia? I heard you were sabotaging his generator again."
She waved a hand and scoffed. "He has no proof. The old goat is paranoid and likes to blame others for his own neglect."
It was possible she was telling the truth—Argus did have a tendency to be cheap when it came to anything but food—but the sly look in her eyes told me she or one of her sisters had a hand in his generator’s unreliability over the past few hours.
"How 'bout you leave him alone and focus on a more challenging quarry?" I said.
Her eyes sharpened, and she tilted her head in interest. "What did you have in mind?"
I nodded toward where Nathan was moving through the crowd. "I know you and your sisters love a good hunt. The vampire should prove challenging enough for you."
Her eyes slid to Nathan, who chose that moment to look up, spotting us talking on the edge of the crowd. His brow furrowed, but he didn't look overly suspicious. Not yet.
"Ah, I had heard the bloodsuckers were trying to lock you down, little vampire."
"They're having a bit of trouble closing the deal. I'd like to take payment for their meddling by making their lives as difficult as possible."
Her red lips tilted up in a smirk. "Sneaky, I like it. You would have made a fine harpy."
I inclined my head, taking the statement as the complement she meant it as.
She watched Nathan with an avaricious look. "We have never toyed with a vampire before. They are not our normal prey."
"Your flock would have bragging rights."
She slid me a sidelong glance. "If he did not tear us apart first."
There was that. "I doubt he’d take such actions with all of the humans around. Bloodshed would only draw attention, and he wouldn't welcome that."
"This is true." Her face took on a set cast, a bit of the bird peeking through. Her hands shifted toward claws and the brief outline of wings could be seen before she twitched her back and the mirage disappeared. "Very well, little vampire. We will leave Argus to cater to his humans, so we can play with your friend."
Suspicion dawned on Nathan's face, and he opened his mouth as he started for us. "Aileen!"
Natalia whistled, a sharp sound that pierced the air. Several women descended on Nathan at once. To humans, it would appear as if the women came from all directions to mob an unsuspecting male, but to those of us used to seeing the unexpected, the harpies came from the sky, swirling around him and obscuring me from his view.
He cursed even as their hands darted all over him, tugging on his clothes while not letting him catch a hold of them. The high-pitched screeches and giggles could be heard even from this distance, making it clear the harpies were having fun with their new prey.
"You should leave before he gets loose," Natalia said, her eyes focused on where her flock harried Nathan. "You have my appreciation for the entertainment."
I shot her a grin and took off with a small wave, letting the crowd swallow me. A few steps and it would be impossible for him to know which way I went. Now, I could get back to the business of tracking down Caroline without Lia
m or his flunkies getting in the way.
CHAPTER NINE
AN ONLOOKER IN the crowd caught my attention as I passed. He failed to notice me, as his focus was on the spectacle the harpies were creating with Nathan. A wolf. Was he here for the festival? I doubted it, given the way he now scanned the crowd as if looking for someone. I ducked behind a tall man and his gaggle of kids.
Nope, I was willing to bet the wolf was here for me. Brax had probably set him to tailing me in the event Caroline made contact, or I slipped my leash and went after her. For someone who had only met me a handful of times, he had a pretty accurate assessment of me.
I used an app on my phone to flag down one of those personal lift services that people looking to make extra money joined. They could use their personal cars to give people a ride to their next destination. Basically, a taxi but less formal. It was less expensive than a traditional taxi but still more money than I should be spending. Desperate times called for desperate measures. Without a ride, it would take me half the night to walk to my destination from here.
My luck seemed to have turned, because there was one circling the block. I clicked on the app and watched as it headed toward me. I kept walking in its direction, not wanting to stop and give either Nathan or the wolf an opportunity to catch me.
A minivan pulled up in the distance, and I checked the app. Looked like that was my ride. I exchanged pleasantries with the human and took a seat in the back, my stomach a bundle of nerves until we pulled away.
"Did you enjoy the festival?" the driver, a middle-aged man wearing glasses, asked while looking in the rear-view mirror.
I gave him a tight smile. "It was a little crowded for my tastes."
He nodded. "I hear that. As I get older, I find myself enjoying busy places less and less. Was the food good at least?"
"Very tasty." It had smelled tasty at least, and the number of people massed in front of those trucks would seem to suggest the same.
"You there alone?" he asked.
Evidently, this ride was going to be full of conversation.
"No, I was with friends but decided to come home early." I looked out the window, trying to show my desire for quiet.
He took the hint and went back to driving, the city passing by in a blur of lights.
My phone rang, the face lighting up with Liam's name. I sighed and clicked the button to silence it. That hadn't taken them long. It rang again almost immediately. I switched the ringer off, knowing from experience he was liable to blow up my phone until I gave in and answered.
The driver's eyes met mine in the mirror. "Your boyfriend seems determined to get in touch with you."
"What makes you think it's my boyfriend?"
His smile flashed. "Only a boyfriend would be that persistent."
I made a noncommittal sound, grateful when he fell silent, keeping his own counsel for the rest of the drive.
We pulled up in front of my apartment, and I hopped out of the back. "Thanks for the ride."
I didn't wait for an answer, ducking my head and making my way to my apartment. The stairs rattled under me as I took them two at a time. I figured I didn't have a lot of time before Liam or one of his guys got the idea to swing by here and check.
Normally, I would have avoided it for that reason, but there were a few supplies I needed before I started my hunt.
The door stuck as I unlocked it and tried to swing it open. I growled, setting my shoulder against it and shoving it open, stumbling inside and slamming it shut after me.
"Inara, Lowen. Out here, now." I headed for the bedroom, grabbing a backpack, a change of clothes, and my back-up weapon. It didn't have the silver ammo, but it was better than just relying on my fists.
"I see you managed to give your keepers the slip," Inara said, fluttering to take a seat on top of the lamp on my nightstand.
"Did you really think I couldn't?"
She shrugged her delicate shoulders. "I had my doubts about your abilities. You have not proven yourself especially adept up to now."
I shot her a glare, grabbing a disposable cell phone from the back of my dresser. I took the one I'd been carrying and removed the battery before slipping it into the bag. It might be a sign of paranoia to think Liam had the capability to track me through it, but the resources he had at his disposal had surprised me before. I didn't want to chance him interrupting at an unfortunate time. Best to be cautious rather than regretful.
"Ah, you're back," Lowen said as he flew into the room.
"Did neither of you think I'd be able to give them the slip?" I asked, straightening and glaring at the two pint-sized pests. Two blank stares met mine, neither expressing a confidence in my abilities. "Unbelievable." Again, I questioned what had inspired me to allow them to stay here.
"What did you want?" Inara asked, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "I have better things to do than watch you pull things out of your dresser."
"I need to know anything you know about Caroline and where she might have gone." I put the last item in the bag. That should be enough to tide me over for the next few days. I didn't really intend to evade Liam and Brax long-term—to do that, I'd have to leave the city—but I wanted to be prepared in case I was gone longer than I planned.
"What makes you think we know anything?" she asked.
I leveled a knowing gaze on her. I wasn't going to be sidetracked with her questions. "She left a note. I know you were awake when she left, and you're a nosy little pest who likes to keep an eye on things."
Inara gazed at me with narrowed eyes, the jeweled colors in her wings flickering slightly.
"Don't be mean, Inara," Lowen said reproachfully before she could say anything.
Inara met his eyes with a mutinous gaze. He wore a stubborn look of his own. Whatever she saw there must have convinced her because she sighed. "Fine, I won't play any games. Amusing though they might be."
My shoulders relaxed. Good. I didn't think I had time to go round and round with Inara, not before Liam or Brax showed up to tow me back.
"Did she say anything before she left?" I asked.
Inara shrugged. "She left her note and said something about calling in a favor."
I frowned. Who did she know that might owe her a favor that would get the wolves off her back?
"She also said to tell you things aren't as simple as you thought; that something you were involved in before made staying with the wolves impossible. Something about research you'd asked her to do for you," Lowen said, his big eyes concerned.
Of the two pixies, he was a little less hostile and more willing to live in harmony. Inara's mood changed as quickly as the phases of the moon. Sometimes she was cordial and others she rejoiced in making my life as difficult as possible. Her information might not be entirely trustworthy, if not for Lowen's endorsement.
A favor and research. It wasn't much, but it was more than I had a few minutes ago.
"Okay, thanks for the help. You might want to make yourself scarce over the next few hours. Both the vampires and the wolves will come back here, and I don't want either of you caught in the crossfire."
They shared a look and Lowen took off. Inara rose in the air, her wings a blur behind her. "We'll be fine. We have a place we can disappear to for a little bit."
I nodded, throwing my bag over my shoulder and heading for the front door and the bike that waited next to it. Several black Escalades pulled into the parking lot just as I opened the door.
"Shit." I slammed the door and backed away from it. Their reaction time was a lot faster than I’d given them credit for. Who knew that one little yearling could inspire this sort of response?
Inara hovered at my shoulder. "You won't be able to go out that way."
"I see that." My voice sarcastic.
This was bad. If they caught me, they would put me on lockdown, and the chances of escaping a second time were damn near zero.
There was no back way out of my place either. The window in my bedroom was easily seen from the
parking lot, and the window in the bathroom was too small for me to fit through, let alone my bike.
"I can get you out of here," Inara offered.
I looked at her with suspicion and more than a little disbelief.
She gave me a dry smile. "Your witches aren't the only ones capable of magic."
Fair enough. I'd seen crazier things in the course of the last two years.
"It'll cost you," she said with a cheeky grin.
"What sort of cost?" I asked. The last time I negotiated with her, I ended up with two unwanted roommates, and this seemed like a much bigger deal.
"A favor."
"What kind of favor?" I asked. That was a pretty broad term and could mean anything.
A heavy hand pounded on my door. "Aileen! I know you're in there."
"Do you have a choice?" Inara asked.
I stared at the door. Not really. Not if I wanted to find Caroline.
"Break it down," I heard Liam order.
"It cannot hurt any around me, and cannot involve my death or someone else’s, or any body part being severed from my body." It said something about the kind of life I was leading that those were my conditions.
"Done."
"Can I bring the bike?" I asked.
She rolled her eyes and fluttered away, her wings a blur of color.
"Does that mean yes?" I whispered. There was movement beyond the door, the kind that said they were preparing to breach it.
I wheeled the bike after Inara, following her down the hall.
"In here," she said from my bathroom.
It took some doing, but in moments, the two pixies, my bike, and I were all crowded in my postage stamp bathroom with its peeling paint and cracked linoleum.
There was an explosion at the front door, then heavy boots, as the intruders moved into my apartment.
Inara said a long word—one that was lyrical and resounded through the air with a thunderclap. There was a moment where nothing happened, and then it was like the world spun and kept spinning. It halted with a sickening jolt, my stomach lurching painfully.
I blinked up at a white ceiling, my bike half on top of me, and the two pixies hovering above me with slightly disgusted looks on their faces. Better them, than the irate vampire who had been moments from breaching my bathroom.