Jet waited patiently. Most weres, although they were proud of who they were, argued that their animal-selves didn’t influence their personality. Lion-weres weren’t all lazy, wolf-weres could be friendly to outsiders, and bear-weres didn’t have all day to sit around waiting for something to happen, be that salmon spawning or indulging in fresh honeycomb. But Jet found patience came naturally to him. It made him a good hunter and it also made him difficult to deflect.
He waited two hours in the laundromat that fronted Ralph’s Brooklyn headquarters. Washing machines went round and round, dryers buzzed, people came and went. Jet went over the case in his head and clarified just what he’d ask Ralph. Fortunately, he’d saved Ralph’s nephew from a triad (the triad was mundane, not were or magical, but nonetheless deadly) in Hong Kong three years ago, and Ralph owed him a favor. Jet would still have gone to Ralph for answers without the debt, but he was glad he wouldn’t leave here owing Ralph.
The fox-were walked in from the back door. Ralph was in his sixties, a short, fat man with a salt and pepper goatee and a bald head. His brown eyes were narrow and shrewd. No one had ever seen him smile. No one wanted to guess what might make him smile. He looked across at Jet, nodded once, and returned to the back room.
Jet stood unhurriedly, stretched muscles cramped from waiting, and followed his host. There were rooms above the laundromat and rooms below. Jet walked down a corridor and into Ralph’s large office.
“Close the door.” Ralph walked around his desk and dropped into an executive leather chair. The room was a den with a television on the wall, books and magazines scattered around, and a computer set to the side of the desk, out of the way.
The two hours Jet had waited hadn’t been a power play. Ralph ran an international crime syndicate: the key personnel other fox-weres; their specialty procurement. Which was to say, they were thieves. Highly successful thieves who could acquire anything for anyone from anyone. No museum was safe. No billionaire’s security impenetrable.
Jet worked as a marshal for the Suzerainty. He was responsible for maintaining order and justice in the were community. But what Ralph did wasn’t the Suzerain’s concern. Ralph’s network rarely used violence, and violence, excessive and exploitative, against the mundane, non-were population was what the Suzerainty ruled against.
So, unlike Perez, Jet and Ralph weren’t professional foes. Jet didn’t like him, but he could respect Ralph’s methods of operation, and one of those involved learning everything he could about those he dealt with. In the two hours Jet that waited in the laundromat, one of Ralph’s employees would have investigated Jet’s current situation. Ralph would know why Jet was here.
Fortunately, Ralph understood family loyalty.
Jet sat in a straight-backed chair. “Six weeks ago my cousin died. I’m now responsible for her two kids, boy and girl, seven and five. Time is going to come when they ask what happened to their mom and I need to be able to tell them that the men who killed her were brought to justice. I have two names. One a man who used to organize drug shipments, the other a rogue mage, powers undefined. I believe they’re working together. They’ve avoided police and Collegium attention, but I believe they’re offering certain services to wanted criminals.”
“What kind of services?” Ralph’s chair rocked slightly.
“New identities.”
Ralph stared at him, eyes unreadable, face impassive.
The room was completely soundproof. Neither the noise of the laundromat nor of the city crept in.
“Names?” Ralph picked up a pencil and dragged a newspaper, open to the sports pages, toward himself. He wrote on the edge of it, Ian Lewis and Graham Monroe, and tore off the scrap of paper. “What do you intend to do with them? They’re not weres.” Jet’s professional responsibilities only encompassed weres.
“Do you care?” Jet answered.
Ralph leaned back in his leather chair, linking his fingers on his stomach, the scrap of paper fluttering between them. “If the services they offer are important to certain people, those people won’t be happy when those services stop.”
Jet nodded. “Nor was the triad when I put three of them in hospital saving your nephew.” All actions had consequences. When the triad sent two of their killers after him in revenge, one had died. Ralph knew this.
The king of thieves exhaled wheezily. “That boy. Family can be damn expensive.” Resignation sounded in his tone. “I’ll get you your information.”
“Thank you.” Jet stood, not fooled by Ralph’s apparent reluctance. Theft in the digital age was often about information. Ralph traded in it and Jet had just brought him a lead to a potential honeypot. The danger of knowing the secrets of that honeypot wouldn’t be as strong as other threats Ralph currently balanced. The fox-were ruled within a spider’s web of danger.
“And if the unhappy ones come after you?” Ralph asked as Jet walked to the door.
Jet thought of Delphi’s prophecies. “They’ll be destroyed.”
For an instant, Ralph’s eyes opened wide, startled.
Jet paused by the closed door. “I’m were liaison to the Collegium, Ralph. Touch me and the Suzerainty, Collegium and police will converge.” He’d point out the obvious to keep Delphi, Tony and Grace safe. “I’m a good ally, but as an enemy, I’m a nuclear threat.” He opened the door and walked out.
The fake chemical freshness of the laundromat engulfed him in a heavy fog before he left it behind, stepping into the street and the harsh tang of car fumes and fall weather. He could smell the river. Even as polluted as it was, the river called to him. It was clean compared to the corruption of Ralph’s world.
But the river would have to wait, as would everything. He had to pick up Tony and Grace from after-school care.
Walking to the car, Grace showed him yet another drawing of Mousey the cat and he shifted his brain from chasing criminals to worrying about her obsession. He’d asked before, and she and Tony had both said they’d never had a cat, but Grace was clearly desperate to remedy that situation. The only upside was that he didn’t have to find a particular cat—Mousey—in the chaos of New York.
“It’s for Aunt Delphi.” Grace retrieved her drawing from him. “Sahara’s mommy puts Sahara’s pictures on her fridge. Sahara said I shouldn’t draw a picture because I don’t have a mommy to give pictures to no more. But Mom didn’t want my pictures anyway. Aunt Delphi will!”
Jet had never heard Grace speak so much at once, and as much as her growing confidence pleased him, he fought rage at Grace’s school friend’s casual cruelty. “Delphi will definitely put your picture on her fridge.” And he’d have a word with Grace’s teacher, tomorrow.
Tony, although he was the dedicated artist in the family, ignored the discussion. But once they were in the car, the cause of his preoccupation became clear. “We’re having a class party, tomorrow. Everyone has to bring a plate of food. Mrs. Edmonston,” his teacher, “sent a note home last week about it, but I didn’t give it to you, Uncle Jet. You can’t bake a cake.” The boy sat behind Jet’s driver’s seat and kicked it. “Do you think Aunt Delphi would?”
Conflicting emotions tore Jet up and he was grateful for his work that had taught him to hide how he felt. “You should have given me the note, Tony. I can always buy a cake. Lots of your classmates’ parents will do so.” In the rear view mirror he saw Tony hunch his skinny shoulders. “Delphi will make you a cake.” He knew he was safe making the promise. Delphi would turn her whole life upside down for a kid who needed her—and here were two who did.
Tony and Grace were already wrapping her into their lives. In a way, that was good. Since he and Delphi were mate-bonded, the kids needed to accept her. However, it meant there was no honeymoon period. He and Delphi didn’t have the time or space to explore their relationship through play. They would never flirt and tease, free of responsibilities. In loving him, Delphi stepped straight into a mom role. She could handle it, but did she want to? Would she grow to resent two kids who’d need speci
al care to overcome the traumas of their early lives? Would she resent him for transferring part of the responsibility for Tony and Grace to her? He didn’t want to, but it was inevitable if they were to function as a family.
He parked at his house, in the space left by one of Delphi’s uncles reversing out in his plumber’s van. The house was closed and dark, evening drawing in early. Next door, the lights of Delphi’s house were on and there was the sound of voices and the smell of chocolate brownies in the air.
Tony and Grace tore down the path of his house and up to Delphi’s front door. They rang the bell together, the Halloween-inspired ghost bell woo-wooing.
Harry, Delphi’s grandfather, opened the door and the kids burst in, greeting him, but rushing on to find Delphi. Harry looked over to Jet as he walked slowly up the path. “Long day?”
Apparently, Jet’s noncommittal face wasn’t as impassive as he thought. “Realization of how much Delphi’s taking on with me.” He nodded in the direction of the children’s voices coming from the kitchen. “I’m a package deal.”
Harry stepped out of the house, pulling the door nearly closed. “You love her?”
“With all my heart. She’s my mate.”
The old man nodded. “My heart, Nan, she says the two of you fit. So, some might say you rushed things, but the family won’t kick up. And kids, no one thinks kids are anything but a blessing. They get loud, they get annoying. Teenagers, you’ve got that to look forward to. But Delphi won’t count the kids against you, not ever. None of us will. You stepped up to take them in when no one else wanted them. Now, you gotta accept that they’ve got family. You’ve got family.” He thumped his chest. “Us.”
Jet coughed, emotion catching him in the throat.
Harry grinned. “And one day, I want to see your bear form.”
So that news had gotten around. The Cosmatos Clan knew he was a bear-were.
“Sure,” Jet said.
Harry pushed the door open. “Brownies and coffee, then we’ll inspect your house. The rewiring’s almost done. Plumbing in a couple of days.” Harry waited till they were in the kitchen with Delphi, her grandmother, brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew, plus Tony and Grace. “Then you can decide what to do with the house since you’ll be living here with Delphi.”
Delphi watched Jet’s eyes open wide at Pops’ announcement. Jet didn’t choke on the brownie he was eating, though, so she took that as a good sign.
Veronica, her sister-in-law, grinned sympathetically, even as she punched her husband, Will, in the arm; probably to keep him quiet. “Welcome to the family that knows your every move, before you make it.”
Jet moved to Delphi’s side, putting an arm around her. “We’ll discuss our plans and let you know,” he said to Harry.
However, now that her granddad had brought the topic up, Delphi had ideas. “I’m thinking we could knock a couple of doors through. One from living room to living room and again on the third floor. Although, maybe that one should wait till the kids are grown up.” As Jet’s arm tightened around her, she added, “It was just a thought.”
“What would we do with all that room?” he asked.
“We could get a cat?” Grace suggested.
“A dog!” Delphi’s niece, Lori, shouted.
“No,” Will said firmly.
Delphi grinned at her brother. “Maybe a puppy?”
“Please, daddy?” His twins raced to him and he glared at Delphi.
“Could we really have a puppy?” Tony asked, wide-eyed.
Oh-oh. Now her whole family looked amused at the pickle Delphi had gotten herself into.
She also felt amusement from Jet. She didn’t know if it was her intuition or the mate bond he spoke of, but deeper than his amusement, she felt his love and hope. She glanced at him and raised an eyebrow.
He nodded fractionally.
“A puppy or an adult dog, and a cat called Mousey,” she said.
Grace raced to her, bursting into tears, and Delphi felt the hot sting of tears herself at the two children’s shocked delight. Tony’s chair clattered over as he ran to her. She crouched and felt Jet kneel beside her, gathering all of them into his hug.
Pops harrumphed with the throat clearing that always meant he was deeply touched. “Told you so, son.”
Delphi glanced up at the odd statement and saw Harry looking at Jet.
Jet kissed her cheek.
In the background, Lori and Steve loudly pestered their parents that they deserved a puppy, too!
After Delphi’s family left, she made a quick pasta meal with broccoli somewhat hidden in the sauce. Tony and Grace wouldn’t have noticed if she’d served an entire meal of broccoli. They were fixated on the cat and puppy promised to them, and in their happiness, they were normal, loud children.
It was wonderful to see and well worth the chaos the pets would bring.
Delphi started giggling.
Jet raised an eyebrow at her.
She shook her head. “Just thinking at how my life’s changed in a week.” And at a swift, faint uncertainty that flickered across his face, or perhaps, was perceptible through their mate bond, she put a hand on his knee. “I like this. I like all the changes.”
He linked his fingers with hers and they ate their pasta one-handed.
The over-excited children wore out abruptly about an hour after dinner. Delphi helped Grace with her bath, then half-carried her to bed, tucking the sleepy little girl in.
Tony clambered up to his bunk by himself. “I’m going to think of names for my dog.”
“Think of something you won’t mind shouting to the neighborhood or in front of your friends,” Delphi advised. She smoothed the covers over him and kissed his forehead. “Good night, pumpkin pie.”
“Good night, Aunt Delphi. Good night, Uncle Jet.”
Jet ruffled the boy’s hair. “Good night.”
He and Delphi walked quietly out of the room, leaving the night light on. Happiness was a tangible aura in the house.
“Do you mind that we’re acquiring pets?” Delphi asked as they descended the stairs to the living room.
“No. I wasn’t sure how I’d manage a pet alone, but if you’re willing to house train a puppy with me—”
He got no further because she kissed him exuberantly. “We’ll have to decide on what type of puppy we want. From a shelter or a pure breed. Suleen, at work, breeds German shepherds.” In between her words, she was kissing him and undoing the buttons on his shirt.
Jet had to go out. He wanted to meet with the team doing surveillance on Ian Lewis’s apartment. But the feel of Delphi, the taste of her, he couldn’t say no.
Someone knocked on the front door. They didn’t ring the woowoo’ing ghost bell. They tapped quietly, almost furtively.
Jet’s instincts growled at him. He strode to the door before Delphi could reach it.
“It’s probably family being careful not to wake Tony and Grace,” she whispered, following him.
He didn’t think so, not with his instincts warning of danger. He opened the door, standing to one side, but between Delphi and the door. “Damn.”
The woman on the doorstep took a pace back.
He leaned forward, grabbed her arm, and pulled her in before she could run. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to swear.”
“That ain’t swearing, sugar.” It was the woman from the bar, his cousin Emma’s friend; the woman who’d given him Ian Lewis’s name and asked after Tony and Grace.
“How did you find me?” he asked.
“I followed you from the kids’ school.” And evidently she’d waited till the house was quiet and the kids were in bed.
“You have magic,” Delphi said quietly.
“How would you know that?” The woman fidgeted with the zip of her jacket, eyes furtive, looking up from behind a tangle of brown hair.
“You entered my house, crossing my ward. It’s a small magic, not a threat. Siren magic?”
The woman stared at Delphi, before scowlin
g at Jet. “I ain’t giving you my name or saying anything more about my magic, see.”
“Ms. Mystery gave me Ian Lewis’s name,” Jet said to Delphi. “She was a friend of my cousin Emma.”
“Oh.” From her tone of voice, all Delphi’s suspicions melted. “Come in. Would you like a coffee? Tea?”
“No, thanks. I’m not staying.” But the woman followed Delphi into the living room. “This one.” A jerk of the head in Jet’s direction. “He said to get outta town and I’m going. I had a couple of things to take care of.” The woman ran a hand along the back of the sofa. Her fingernails which had been long and pointed at the bar were now short and practical and unvarnished. She’d changed her look, aiming for unmemorable. “I was going, today, but I saw Ian Lewis.”
Jet went predator-still. Alert.
The woman’s glance at him was doubtful and…guilty. “This morning, bit after one a.m. I saw a young girl get in a car with Ian Lewis. She’d a been maybe twelve. Make up and clothes.” A gesture indicated dressing-up, pretending to be older.
“Ian Lewis took another child and you’re only just telling me?” Jet exhaled rage.
“And how was I to find you?” the woman challenged, but her gaze shifted to Delphi and the woman was obviously judging if she was safe. If this home was a safe one.
That shamed Jet. Even if he had reason to be angry, no woman ought to be afraid of him. He tried to gentle his voice, but it rumbled in its lowest register. “Did you tell the police?”
The woman snorted. “No. They wouldn’t listen to me. Besides, I ain’t going on record as speaking against Ian Lewis and whoever he works for. I’m outta here.” She suited her actions to her words, walking back toward the front door, but her body was tense and she smelled of fear. She wasn’t sure whether Jet would try to stop her.
He moved aside. “Is there anything more you can tell us? Where was the girl taken? What type of car?”
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