Julian appraised me for a moment, settling back in his chair. “Yes, there are many who live here. Florence is a thriving city, full of magic.”
Judging from how he’d handled seeing Eudoxia, it made sense that he might interact more regularly than my father did with other supernaturals. “Back in the States,” I told him, “we tend to stick to our separate Sects. There isn’t a lot of commingling going on. Is it the same here?”
He shook his head. “No, we Europeans tend to be more relaxed about most things. As I told your friend, I have a lot of contacts. We’ve learned over the years that different species, who have different magic, can be an asset, so we’ve managed to get along for the good of everyone.”
My brother cleared his throat. “Because of that, are there a lot of interspecies couplings? If everyone is hanging around each other, it makes sense that they would be drawn to one another.” Tyler immediately turned red, reaching for his water glass and taking a long draw.
That was very smooth, I told him. Interspecies couplings? Why didn’t you just come out and ask if he was banging a nymph and get it over with?
Julian chuckled. It was the sound of indulgence. “Yes, it does happen. In my opinion, another supernatural is a much better match for a wolf than any human could possibly be.”
I kept my face passive. Humans, as far as I knew, were the only species genetically matched to give birth to a wolf outside of a mated pair. So a supernatural was not a better choice if you wanted to procreate. Fated matches were another thing altogether, but we weren’t talking about those.
Julian smoothly changed the subject. “What are your plans for today? Other than hunting for your missing friends.”
“We’re planning to head into Florence after breakfast,” I said. “Two of our friends, Daniel Walker and Tallulah Talbot, are missing. If they’re near here, we’re hoping some of the supernaturals in town might’ve seen or heard something.” I watched Julian’s face closely to see if either name registered. “Tally is a very powerful witch and Marcy’s aunt.” I inclined my head toward Marcy. “She’s been missing for a while now. It’s baffling, since she’s incredibly powerful. Whoever took her has to be her equal or greater. Either that, or they had help. Whatever the case, we plan to get to the bottom of it, starting in Florence.”
Julian folded his elbows on the table. “It’s strange that your friends have gone missing recently. The city of Florence and the surrounding areas have been in an uproar these last few weeks. I don’t understand it.” He shook his head. “It was fine one day, and then almost like a switch had been flipped, our world changed, fights breaking out, supernaturals going missing. Honestly, it’s threatening my capabilities to keep it under wraps from the humans, since I’m the prominent leader in the area.” He glanced at me pointedly. “Do you know anything about that?”
Julian knew more than he was letting on. But I wasn’t about to get into it with him right now. I would wait and talk face-to-face with my father so we could come up with a plan. My place on the Coalition would create a power rift between Julian and me, as I would technically outrank this Alpha on his own turf. Julian wasn’t a wolf who would stand for that very long.
“I don’t know anything about it. That’s strange—” I was blissfully interrupted as Lucas delivered our food to the table. His cheery demeanor was exactly the distraction I needed.
Marcy picked up on what we were trying to do. “Hey, Lucas, what are some places to see in Florence? While we’re trying to locate some supernaturals to question, we’d love to see the sights.”
“We’re particularly interested in seeing some of the sculptures,” Rourke added, digging into his food. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen any great works of art.”
“Oh,” Lucas answered readily, “then you must to go to the Galleria dell’Accademia. You can’t miss seeing Michelangelo’s masterpiece David with your own eyes. It’s the greatest statue in Italy. There are also great works there by Botticelli, Andrea del Sarto, Alessandro Allori, and others.” It was clear Lucas was an art aficionado. “There are other museums, of course. But the Accademia is my very favorite.”
I made my move. “Would you mind accompanying us? I think it might be easier if we had a guide who knows Florence.” I hoped asking Lucas wouldn’t raise any red flags for Julian. After all, it wasn’t uncommon for a lower-ranked wolf to be a chauffeur. I shot a glance at Julian, who didn’t seem to be paying much attention to the conversation anyway. “Julian, you don’t mind if we steal Lucas away for a few hours, do you?” I asked. “We’d love to head into Florence as soon as possible. We’ll be back before my father’s plane arrives at six.”
Julian blinked. I had a hunch he’d been having a conversation in his mind with someone else. “Yes, that’s fine.” He took his napkin from his lap and crumpled it up, dropping it on his plate as he pushed his chair back. “I have a driver who will take you all, of course. But if you’d like Lucas to accompany you in addition, that’s fine. There are others who can cover his lunch shift.” He stood and gave us a small bow. “Now if you’ll excuse me, some business has come up that I must attend to. I will meet you back here later this afternoon. Enjoy your day.”
As he left the room, Marcy leaned forward. “Was it just me, or was he a little distracted there at the end?”
“He was totally distracted,” I said. “Let’s finish up our meal and head outside. I have to see Eudoxia first, and then I’ll fill you in on what Jeb had to say. We have some business of our own this morning.”
8
I’d found Eudoxia exactly where I thought she’d be—lounging in one of the suites, complaining that things weren’t quite up to snuff. As I walked in, she spun around. “Exactly how long do we have to stay here?” she asked, wrinkling her nose.
I shrugged, looking around. “This isn’t a house made for peasants. The accommodations are pretty cushy. But I didn’t come here to chat about the decor or time frame. I came to fulfill my end of the bargain.” I pulled back my sleeve to expose my wrist. Her teeth snapped down as she stalked toward me. It was a horrid sound. “I’m going to let you have a thirty-second draw, nothing more.”
She glared at me, but said nothing. She latched on, taking her full thirty seconds. When she was done, she dragged her sleeve over her mouth, smearing my blood as it trickled down her chin. Classy. The only thing she’d refrained from doing was smacking her lips.
I rolled my shirtsleeve down. “We’re heading out, hoping to find answers about Tally’s whereabouts. We’ll be back later this afternoon.”
“I will not be here,” she stated, turning around and walking back to a large window that overlooked the vineyards. “I have business to attend to. In fact, I will be spending as little time as possible here.”
“It’s not an issue,” I said. “I’m sure we will run into you at some point.”
She huffed, but didn’t answer. I was certain she would’ve loved to have said something along the lines of, Not if I can help it.
Her back was to me as I started for the door. Her monotone rang out, “There is danger here.”
My face showed my surprise. “Are you trying to keep me safe by telling me that?”
“No, insolent wolf,” she said, glaring over her shoulder. “I’m simply stating a fact.”
“Got it,” I said. “I’ll be sure to keep an eye out.” I left the room, shutting the door behind me. My wrist was already healed. I had no idea how I was going to work with that woman for an eternity.
I sighed.
The entire group was standing by an SUV parked in the drive when I walked out the front door.
I filled them in on the basics of what we learned while you were gone, Rourke said.
I joined them outside the vehicle. “Everybody ready?” I asked. “We’re on the hunt for statues. We didn’t get very clear details, but since Florence is the city of sculptures, it shouldn’t be that hard to find some. Accademia sounds like the right place to start.”
“So
this supernatural has the ability to cloak you?” Nick asked. “That’s pretty powerful stuff. What kind of a supe can do that?”
I shook my head. “I have no idea, but I’m hoping Lucas’s nose can help us out. Between him and Tyler, we should be able to figure out if there’s a supernatural in that art gallery. If not, we go elsewhere until we find what we’re looking for.”
“When are we going to the bridge?” Kayla asked pointedly. I’d seen her holding on to Enid’s note earlier.
“As soon as we find this supe,” I told her. “Without his help, I won’t be able to rescue anyone. Jeb said that if I followed Enid’s directives, I would die. Kayla, I know you’re worried about Jax, and we are too. He is our priority, as well as our other friends who are missing. Enid isn’t going to kill him. If she did, she’d risk not getting what she wants—which is me. She doesn’t want your brother. I’m the one she’s after.”
“I get that,” she replied. “But the note said to go directly to the Ponte Vecchio. We’re not doing that, and if we don’t follow what she said, my brother could be harmed.” Kayla’s voice was carefully measured. She’d obviously been waiting to say this since we’d landed on Italian soil.
I walked over and settled my hands on her shoulders. She didn’t brush me off, which was good. “Kayla, you have to believe me, your brother’s going to be fine. He’s an ice troll and, by the looks of it, an incredibly strong one. He put up a huge fight when he was taken at your apartment. He’s braver than you think. I know waiting is hard, but if we can’t convince this supernatural to help us, our chances of succeeding in this mission go down dramatically. I need your head in the game. You can help us.” I dropped my hands. “We’re not the enemy. You have to believe that.”
She bowed her head. “I do,” she replied softly. “I see now that you’re the good guys. But you have to understand that I haven’t trusted anyone since my parents died. All I care about is getting my brother back alive.”
“I promise we’re going to do just that.” Rourke yanked open the door of the SUV as Lucas came rushing down the steps. “Help us track down this supe,” I said, “and we’re that much closer to finding your brother.”
She nodded. “I’m pretty good about sensing supernaturals. I will try my best.”
“That’s all we can ask for.” Lucas was almost to us. “Nick,” I murmured to my friend, “I want you to feel Lucas out to see if we can trust him. See how happy he is with his position here, how he’s been treated, and where his allegiances lie.”
“Will do,” Nick answered. “If he’s anything like me, he’s not that happy.” He grinned as he climbed into the front seat, making room for Lucas.
“I’ll take anything in our favor right now,” I said as I climbed into the backseat and shut the door, taking my place next to Rourke, who draped his hand around my waist. I nuzzled his shoulder.
He growled, “How’d it go with the Vampire Queen?”
“As good as it could, I suppose. She’s not going to be spending a lot of time here, so we’ve got that going for us.”
A wolf I didn’t know got into the driver’s seat. “Matteo is going to bring us into town,” Lucas said, turning from the front seat. “The parking is difficult, and I figured time is of the essence.”
I nodded. “Sounds good.”
There were nine of us, including the driver, but this was a custom SUV. There were three large rows in back, each big enough to hold four adults.
The driver and Lucas chatted in Italian about our destination as we took off. Once the car began to move, Lucas turned again. “I was able to procure us tickets. I have a friend who works at the museum, and luckily, she was there today. She will meet us out front and guide us in. We will be able to skip the line,” he said with a wink. “Many flock to Florence to see our beautiful museums, but waiting can be tedious.”
“That sounds perfect,” I told him. Supernaturals weren’t used to waiting for much of anything, but we would be forced to if there were too many humans around. It would be futile for Marcy to try to spell an entire street full of people, or for Nick to use his persuasion on that many. “Is your friend, by chance, a supernatural?”
He chuckled. “Alas, no. She is the daughter of one of the bakers I buy from frequently. We’ve gotten to know each other over the years. She’s a very sweet girl.”
I didn’t want to say too much in front of the driver, so I held my tongue, even though I was dying to ask Lucas a dozen questions about supernaturals in the city and where they congregated.
The roads were ridiculously narrow and full of curves. It took us roughly forty minutes to get into town. I was certain Ray would know exactly when we entered the city. The streets were bustling. After a few twists and turns in a densely populated area, the driver slowed, pulling over to the side. “This is as far as I can take you. The streets ahead are restricted.”
“This is fine,” Lucas announced. “We’re only a few blocks from the Accademia.” As we piled out, Lucas told the driver, “I’ll call you when we’re ready to be picked up.” The guy didn’t even bother responding. Lucas didn’t seem to mind, which was a testament to his character.
I liked Lucas immensely, even though we’d known him only a short time.
Once we were on the street, smells swirled everywhere. My nose was bogged down with all kinds of tantalizing aromas, but in particular garlic, onions, and tomatoes—all the delectable scents you would conjure when you thought of Italy.
I couldn’t imagine how Tyler was faring with his sensitive nose. Lucas was likely used to it, but Tyler looked as overwhelmed as I felt.
How’s it going, bro? I asked. I haven’t smelled this much food in one place in a long time. If we lived in New York City, being here would be easier. Are you going to be able to the channel it away so you can pick out the supernaturals?
Of course, he answered. It’s just gonna take me a minute…or two…or three. He grimaced. There are just so many open air restaurants.
We followed Lucas down a side street. He gave us a brief history of Florence. My wolf was parceling away the smells as quickly as she could, and I was grateful. After a moment or two, things began to calm down and I could focus again.
“The statue of David was originally located in the Piazza della Signoria for all to see, but it was moved inside in 1873, and a replica was made—there have been a few since then—that stands in the piazza today.”
This piqued my interest. “Who is in charge of building replicas?” I asked.
“I’m not sure,” he answered. “They should have that information at the Accademia. I’m sure there have been a number of people in charge of different things over the years.”
Or one person, if that person is supernatural, Rourke said. I think you’re on to something. If statues need replicas made, they need a master craftsman to do so. They wouldn’t entrust that task to anyone.
That’s what I’m thinking, I told him. It’s lucky we have Lucas with us. Do you think we can trust him? It’s going to be hard to keep him in the dark with all the questions we need to ask. If he runs back to Julian, however, it will be a problem.
I don’t smell any malice on him, Rourke said, grabbing my hand. I loved feeling his warmth encircling my fingers. I let myself enjoy it for a moment. Seeing how Julian treated him, I think it would be easy to break his alliance, if he even has one. But before we decide to let them in on our plans, let’s let Nick speak with him alone. I trust him to get a good bead on Lucas.
Agreed.
After a few more turns, we came upon a street that was more crowded than the others. People were queued in front of an unassuming tan stucco building. The only thing giving the location away was a single banner that announced we had arrived at the Galleria dell’Accademia. A red plastic sign jutted out from beside the door that read Entrance Reserved.
A young girl waved at Lucas. She looked pleased to see her friend. He embraced her, giving her a kiss on each cheek. “Maria, so good to see you.” He stepped
back. “I’d like you to meet some friends of mine. This is Jessica, Rourke, Marcy, James, Tyler, Kayla, and Nick.”
“And I’m Ray,” Ray said.
Lucas’s eyes widened at the sudden appearance of the vampire, whom he had not met at the Compound, but he recovered nicely, which made me smile. Lucas definitely had some hidden talents. “And this is Ray,” he finished smoothly. “We are so grateful you could get us in today. It’s a large group, so I’m thrilled you can accommodate us.”
“Of course,” she answered gracefully, her English a little broken, but easy to understand. “This is the reserved-tickets line, but it will be easier to take you in via the service entrance. I’ve gotten prior approval already. Follow me.” Without hesitation, she led us around the building. “I apologize, but we have to go all the way around to access the employee entrance.”
“We don’t mind at all,” I told her. “We are happy to get this opportunity. We won’t be in Florence long, and we didn’t think of purchasing tickets ahead.” To my brother, I said, Keep your nose on high alert. I’m hoping the service entrance means we will get better access to the scents of those who work here.
Any idea what we’re looking for exactly? he asked. Shifter, vamp, witch? It would be helpful to know at least what type of supe I’m searching for.
I have no idea. All we know is he’s old and powerful. I’m thinking it won’t be anything typical, so keep your nose open to anything strange.
Nick picked up the conversation with Maria. “If we’re going through the service entrance, does that mean we might get a peek at the curator’s area? I’m a huge museum buff. I would love to see a little behind the scenes, if we’re allowed.” I wasn’t sure if Nick was using his persuasion on this sweet girl, which was his special gift, but hey, whatever worked.
“Occasionally, we’re allowed to bring tours into the secure areas,” she admitted. “But we usually have to request prior approval.” Her eyes lit up. “But you’re in luck, as our main curator is in attendance. He only arrives from Milan once a month.” She took keys out of her pocket to unlock a small, unassuming door. “If you stay here in the vestibule, I will go ask permission to take you through.”
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