Depth (Apalala Clan Book 2)

by Dzintra Sullivan

  Pettigrove’s face was turning whiter with every word that Cinders said—a reality of her job she hadn’t thought of. It was her FBI training which had taught her to take the target’s name, locate, and hand them over to the judicial system. It dawned on Pettigrove painfully, in that moment, that she hadn’t been handing them over to a fair and just system of being innocent until proven guilty. She had been handing people back to complete strangers to do with them as they wish. The bottom of her stomach dropped with the weight of what she’d actually been doing. The bile rose in her throat as she realized the huge mistake she’d made.

  “I… just…” she whispered painfully.

  “You might not be driving the dagger into my heart physically, but you handed him the weapon,” Cinders said defeated.

  Pettigrove rubbed her eyes with frustration and anger at herself for having been blind for so long. How did she not see this is what was happening? Money had become her root of all evil, and she felt more powerful with every dollar that added to her account. Yet, right now? The roots of that money tree felt like it was strangling the very life from her body. She looked at Cinders. “I’m going to fix this…” she said.

  “Fix what?” Looking over her shoulder at her father’s back, which was not more than nine feet away. “It’s a bit late for fixing anything.”

  “I can fix it,” Pettigrove said with a surety that impressed Cinders, both in its conviction, but also the ludicrous thought that this tiny owl shifter could stop her father. Cinders shrugged with a nod. Sure, she said to herself. Let’s see what you got. Cinders knew she was going to die, so why not have some entertainment before the main headline event.

  “Wake up, dragon.” Cinders head turned to her father’s bellow.

  “I’m awake you son of a feathered bitch,” came a husky reply, as the large male struggled to sit up.

  “Help him, and his little girlfriend,” Q barked at the surrounding men. They looped an arm through and lifted them both to a sitting position. Leaning them side by side against the living room wall.

  Q’s smile never reached his dead black eyes as he stood in front of his two guests. When the dragon looked up at him, he said, “Attor,” and he took a deep breath as if to savor the scent of dragon in the air. “It’s delightful to meet you, finally. I was hoping to meet your older brother first, but…” he flashed a menacing grin, “… you will do.” Turning his head to the smaller female, Q’s eyes widened with excitement “Who’s your friend? Seeing you with a…” He looked back at Attor. “You did know she’s a phoenix, right?”

  Attor nodded, causing a giddy clap from Q, he was behaving more unbalanced by the second. “Oh good, didn’t want to spoil any surprises she might have had planned for you. Surely you must understand my surprise, right?” He waited for another nod from the dragon before continuing, “A dragon and a phoenix… together?” His body shivered with revulsion. “It’s just… repugnant.” Q squatted in front of the small female who was staying silent. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

  “Fuck you,” Taryn shot back.

  With barely time to blink, Q’s hand lifted and slapped her hard across her face. The sound like a gunshot ricocheting around the room.

  “Don’t sass me, bitch. I asked your name.” Q’s voice went low and dangerous. He could hear the dragon straining violently against the tight chest-covering restraint he was wearing. Attor’s arms were wound tightly around himself and fully enclosed in a black heavy fabric jacket of some sort. A slow turn of his head, as his dead black eyes locked with Attor’s. “Did you think I wouldn’t be prepared? Those jackets are specially designed for your kind.” Glancing quickly at her daughter, who was sitting there wide-eyed at him hitting another female. “Apparently good for other winged varieties, too. It’s handy having friends of the wiccan kind in my corner.”

  Looking back to Taryn, her cheek bright red from the impact of his hand. “Name? Don’t make me ask three times.”

  Taryn fought the tears from falling. Even though her face was on fire, she gritted her teeth and said, “Taryn.” When Q didn’t move, she sighed heavily and added, “Taryn Spigoletti.”

  “Spigoletti?” Pettigrove said as she stood up.

  “Taryn?” Cinders said, only having just realized who was sitting there. “Let her go. She had nothing to do with this,” Cinders calmed her voice. “Please father, let her go.”

  Q laughed as he stood up. “So now… I’m your father? Please, Daddy,” he mocked his daughter, putting his hands on his cheeks to hold his own face and fluttering his eyelashes. “Daddy. No. Daddy… please stop…” Dropping his hands, he locked eyes with his daughter. “Just like the old days.”

  “Fuck you! You sick, son of a bitch.” Cinders fought ferociously against the bindings that held her tight.

  “Later, baby girl, later.” Q winked.

  “I’m sorry, Taryn.” The tears rolled down Cinders’ cheeks. “I’m sooo sorry. I tried.”

  Q looked at Pettigrove. “You know her?” he asked. “I thought I knew all the phoenix in the area.”

  Pettigrove swallowed hard, yet again, like a beacon of failure she could see what she’d been doing was wrong. “Yes, I know her. She’s on my books. I knew she was in Tokyo and was going to look for her tomorrow after delivering your…” She couldn’t bring herself to say the word, daughter. Right now, she couldn’t think of anything worse than being related to this monster who stood in front of her.

  “I asked who she is?” Q stated firmly. He didn’t have the time nor the inclination to dance around the subject with anyone, including the owl shifter.

  “Her name is Taryn Spigoletti. She’s been operating here under the name Taryn Miles. She works at Disneyland…” She slightly paused, as her mind put a few puzzle pieces in place between the Taryn and Cinders. Choosing to keep that information to herself she continued, “Taryn’s case is very rare. She comes from a very powerful family. Human family.”

  “But she obviously isn’t… human?” Q inquired.

  “Correct. It seems generations back, a tryst with a phoenix under the cover of darkness produced a child. With no further signs of mutation, it was hidden and ultimately forgotten about… until…” Pettigrove said.

  “Until?” Q barked.

  “Until one night in a Vegas hotel room, she and her boyfriend at the time were in their suite being robbed. In the commotion, she unknowingly turned into a phoenix. The following moments of panic caused the criminals to shoot both her and her then-boyfriend, dead, or so they thought. But as they stood taking a look at the huge bird creature which stood in the hotel room, they dropped the gun and vanished into the black of the night. A few moments later, Taryn had turned back into her human shape. She picked up the weapon, and ran to her boyfriend just as he took his last breath.”

  “I feel like I should get some popcorn,” Q quipped as he glanced at Taryn. “Quite a story. How did she end up here?”

  Pettigrove knew this was where she didn’t want to go.

  “How did she end up in Tokyo?” Q repeated his question as the aggression in his energy amped up.

  “I brought her here,” Cinders said.

  Q’s head flicked around. “You?”

  Nodding, Cinders said, “I have a friend in the Spigoletti family. They asked if I could help hide her, seeing I have the same ‘condition’ she does. I agreed, despite putting myself in danger of being seen. She was a young woman who was scared, alone, and no one to run to. I know what that’s like, so I helped her hide.” Cinders’ eyes looked to Taryn. “I just wish I’d done a better job. I’m sorry.”

  Taryn shook her head, the wetness on her cheeks glimmering like a waterfall of grief under the living room spotlights. “Bound to happen. Can’t run forever, right?” Taryn looked at Attor, who’d been silently listening to her story being told. “Just seems a shame to not have had time to fully explore life’s little pleasures.” Smiling at Attor, she said, “I guess fate was wrong.”

  “Fate’s never wr
ong,” Attor said, a fresh new conviction coated his words. He would find a way out of this. He didn’t know how, or where, but somewhere this feathered fucker would slip up, and he’d be standing there ready to pluck the living shit out of him.

  Jo came bursting through the door, followed quickly by his brothers. “They are next door. They’re fucking next door. Saddle up, V, it’s going to get messy.”

  V stood at the sound of them running in. “What? Who’s where?”

  Jo stopped and looked at Kylee and Payton who were both sitting on the sofa, with surprise on their faces. V nodded. “It’s cool. Kylee knows and has sworn to keep the secrets of the clan.”

  Ladon grinned and winked. “Always knew you were a dragon lover.”

  Kylee looked him up and down, with lust filled eyes. “You have no idea how much.”

  Payton smacked her shoulder. “Unless you smell something sweet in the air, panties are up, okay?” She laughed as Kylee leaned back joining her in the laughter.

  Jo’s head flicked from the girls to V. “Okay, well, so… yeah… Attor and Taryn were taken, right?”

  V nodded as he braced himself for the inevitable panic from his mate.

  Payton jumped up, all humor vanished from her face. “Taryn is what? Attor? Taken where? What’s going on?” Her eyes grew with panic as she looked at her mate for some reassurance.

  V held out his hands, asking for calmness. His mind running a million miles per hour to try and work out how to get traction on a search party. “Payton, Kylee… I need you two to stay quiet.” Continuing quickly before his gorgeous loud-mouthed mate started up with her statements of equality on the battlefield, “No arguments, this is not meant to be in any way derogatory, but I need you both to let us handle it.” He looked at his mate with eyes that pleaded with her to understand. “Please?”

  Payton sat down, she wasn’t happy about it but knew her mate spoke the truth. These were dragons and phoenix. Even Taryn was a phoenix and had more defenses than her or Kylee. The human body held less than zero ability to defend itself against the barrage of a paranormal war.

  V took a breath and exhaled thankfully at his mate’s understanding. He looked back at Jo and asked, “Now, what do we know?”

  “Dragon ears have proved most beneficial,” Wyvern said as he sat and opened his laptop. Tapping madly away. “I’m just hacking into the hotel’s guest list.”

  “Why?” V asked.

  “Downstairs as we were making our way in, Jo heard one of the staff members on the phone and was taking a call about a disturbance in the Presidential Suite. Something about a sighting from another balcony, reporting large winged beasts landing on the balcony,” Ladon said with an eager smile, his body was getting ready for a battle.

  “Are you fucking with me?” V exclaimed. “Our brother and his mate have been kidnapped by Q and his feathered band of egg fuckers, and you’re going to sit there and tell me they’re simply fucking next door?” V looked at the wall. Walking over to the wall that most likely adjoined the Presidential Suite “You going to sit there and tell me, they’re there?” He pointed to the wall.

  Wyvern turned his laptop around and pointed to the screen. Plainly displayed was the signing details of one, Ms. Pettigrove. “Recognize the name? As insane as it may appear to be, I would put money on the fact that Pettigrove booked the suite that’s currently being occupied by herself, Q, and of course Attor and Taryn.”

  “It can’t be that simple. Surely?” V’s head shook with confusion.

  Jo said, “Think about it, V. Pettigrove doesn’t know we’re here. We ran into her the other day in the hallway. She’s an owl shifter, a flighty little bundle of energy, but she doesn’t know us. When she chose the suite, I assumed she just went for one high enough that Q could fly in and out easily,” Jo said with a shrug. “It’s just pure dumb ass luck that you chose this same hotel for your ‘let’s help hide Taryn until Attor gets his shit together’ operation.”

  V took a few seconds to think before he said, “Let me just get this straight. You’re saying that on the other side of this wall…” he placed his flat palm on the wall and looked back to his brothers, “… is an unknown number of phoenix, including Q. Also, our brother and his mate, and an owl shifter who has a link to the phoenix?”

  Vern nodded. “That would be correct, from what I can see.”

  “Fuck! That’s too easy, too simple.” V creased his forehead.

  “Simple my ass,” Jo said. “It’s a hotel suite, with a myriad of rooms to hide in. A fifty-three-story fall for anyone who can’t fly, or perhaps have been compromised and unable to fly. We have an unknown number of enemies, and the chances of any of us, including the two we are trying to rescue getting caught in the crossfire, is fucking high. This is anything but simple. Give me a battle in the open ocean anytime over this shit,” Jo scowled. “That’s not even bringing the need to remain invisible to humans into the equation. We are in the middle of a city filled to the brink with humans holding electronic devices. All eager and ready to witness things which can’t easily be explained.”

  “Fuck,” V exclaimed loudly as he ran his hands through his hair. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

  “I have an idea,” Kylee said.

  V looked over, and with a small shake of his head, he dismissed her.

  Kylee wasn’t used to being dismissed and today wasn’t going to be an exception. “I said… I have an idea.”

  When V didn’t react, Vern looked at her. “What is it?”

  Kylee looked over at the man sitting in front of the laptop, she smiled and spoke with perfect articulation. “You need eyes on the inside. The best way to know how to do it, is to know what you’re dealing with. Correct?” Vern nodded, impressed with this woman’s thinking. Kylee continued, “It’s a hotel, they have maid service. The only people in there that know my face is Taryn and Attor, and I’m sure they can control themselves. I’d be able to get in, pretend to change the towels, and get out virtually unseen.” Kylee smiled proudly as she added, “Yet see all.”

  “That might actually work,” Vern said with admiration.

  “Not a chance.” V flicked around with a sweep of his hand in Kylee’s direction. “She’s a human. It’s like sending a minnow into a tank full of piranhas,” V scowled. “It’s a suicide mission.”

  “That’s the beauty of it.” Vern twisted to face his brother. “She is human. They won’t suspect a thing. She poses no threat to them at all. If she can get in and out without detection, the information could make the difference between life and death for Attor and Taryn.”

  “Kylee, are you sure?” Payton asked. “It’s not like you’re mated?”

  “Ouch,” Kylee mocked a low blow of pain. “That’s harsh. Just because I’m not fucking a dragon doesn’t mean I can’t help the clan,” she said as she looked at the brothers all staring at her with their mouths slightly ajar. “Although, if any of you need a good fucking, I’m more than happy to oblige.” She tapped her closed fist to her chest. “Taking one for the team. I’m the greatest of all team players.” She laughed madly at her own joke. “Seriously, though…” She looked at V and locked on to his eyes. “You want to know what you’re dealing with in that room. I can get that information for you.”

  V nodded. “Okay, let’s do it.”

  A knock on the door made Pettigrove jump. She looked to Q who said, “Get rid of them.” Nodding, she got up, walked down the hallway and around the corner to the front door. On the side of the wall she could see through the video intercom it was a tall, dark-haired maid. She was standing next to a trolley stacked with towels, toiletries and other assorted cleaning products.

  Pettigrove pushed the button on the wall mounted device, and she said loud enough for everyone to hear, “We don’t need anything.”

  “Maid service,” Kylee trilled happily into the camera. A wide bright smile flashing as she smoothed out the black and white uniform Jo had stolen from the utility room.

  “It’s a bit late
for a turndown service isn’t it?” Pettigrove checked her watch. “It’s after six.”

  Fuck, Kylee said to herself, she hadn’t thought of that. Come on brain, now’s your time. A split-second pause before she said, “Ordinarily, yes, ma’am. However, an alarm has been triggered in your bathroom. I’ve been sent up to check it out. I will be super quick. You will never even know I’m here. Discretion is key at the Ritz Carlton,” Kylee said with sweetness and light as she inwardly high-fived herself for her quick thinking. “You wouldn’t want me to get fired, would you?” Throwing the last part into strike at a fellow female’s need to keep employed.

  Pettigrove looked back at the hallway, then to the left where the bathroom is located. “Just the bathroom?” she asked quietly.

  “Absolutely ma’am, just the bathroom.”

  Pettigrove clicked the lock and opened the door, placing her finger to her lips. “My husband is working extremely hard. He’s a high-powered businessman who wouldn’t appreciate being interrupted. There’s the bathroom, make it quick and stay out of sight. Understand?” Pettigrove whispered.

  Kylee nodded and went to the left. Luckily for her, the woman didn’t follow her but stayed waiting at the door for her to exit. Fuck, Kylee said to herself. Fuck. Fuck, as she went through one of the main bedrooms and into the bathroom.

  Kylee stood in the center of a bathroom just like theirs which was full of marble and gold fixtures. This hotel really went the whole hog on the details, Kylee thought to herself, before remembering she was in the devil’s nest and needed to find out the numbers and get the fuck out of Dodge. She snuck back out to the bedroom and stood by the door that looked like it led to the central living area. She could hear male voices talking, assuming that’s where she needed to go. Kylee pressed her back against the wall and slid up the walkway. The voices began to get louder as she started to hear words like dragon and battles being thrown around. She lowered to her hands and knees as the wall ended, and poked her head barely around the corner. Kylee’s eyes went wide as she saw Taryn and Attor sitting propped against the wall, flanked by two huge men, who were both standing there, arms linked across their chests as they stood guard.