“No one’s ever given me credit like that before.”
“When you give credit to yourself, others will give credit to you.”
Nash chuckled.
“What?” I asked.
“You sound like Iris.” He smiled.
“Well,” I said, grabbing my bag and my coffee and standing up, “I do like to pretend I’m getting better at all this.”
Despite everything else that has happened today, I thought.
I left Nash and Kandice to their research and their twitterpating.
Driving home in my little Miata, I was finally ready to admit I was exhausted. I needed sleep. Needed to stop with the coffee and try some water or, heaven forbid, chamomile tea.
I needed to get home so Chaz and I could work on the secret language that I’d seen all day. I let my brain drift into a nice little wonderland where it was just me and him and maybe a set of Egyptian cotton sheets, working on our cutesy together.
However, I also wandered into the other lane and nearly sideswiped the truck beside me.
Startled and sufficiently awake, I made it back to the townhouse, where the garage was empty. Maybe Chaz had gone for groceries. We were running dangerously low on food.
I dragged my feet through the courtyard between the garage and the house and saw flowers on the dining-room table. I slid the glass door open and felt the pressure of the amped-up protection spell above the entry.
There was a small plant on the table. It was stalky, with small purple flowers. I plucked the note from the table and the plant identifier from the soil.
“Got a call. Cause, not underwear. Should be back tomorrow. Will expect the cavalry if I’m not. Get some rest. Love, Chaz.”
I looked over at the plant marker. Catnip.
Tired laughter echoed through the blissfully quite house. Screw the secret language. He knew the way to my heart was through a joke.
I took the catnip and the note and went straight to bed.
Chapter Ten
SHADOW WAS ON the bed when I woke up. His tail wagged as he began to jump. He might have been enjoying his role as guard dog too much.
“Oh my God, what?” I said as I sat up and adjusted my tank top.
Shadow jumped off the bed and ran to the bedroom door.
I was about to tell him to use his doggie door when I heard the pounding at my front door. The next round of it shook the whole front of the house.
Rubbing my eyes, I adjusted the charm at my neck and slowly walked down the stairs. I caught a glimpse of the clock on my way. Six thirty in the morning.
Who the hell was knocking on my door at six thirty in the morning? I ran my fingers through my hair and looked out the peephole. Crap.
I flung the door open and Peter Delmont was standing on my doorstep.
“Someone better be dead,” I growled.
He just smiled. His workout attire was already soaked in sweat and I was going to blame it on my drowsy sensibilities when I admitted that he smelled amazing. “Wanted to drop these off. The paperwork was filed yesterday, so you officially own all seven properties.”
I eyed the folded manila envelope he clutched. “You couldn’t wait for a decent hour of day?”
“Frankly, I thought you’d have a lackey get the door.”
“I don’t have lackeys,” I said as I grabbed the envelope.
“You shouldn’t be here alone. Where’s that fiancé of yours?”
I frowned. He was asking entirely too many questions. “How did you even know where I lived?”
“Paperwork. The devil is in the details, Miss Jordan.”
I leaned against the door frame. His blond hair was combed back despite the exercise and his blue eyes looked almost teal in the morning light. He really was a specimen.
“Well, I appreciate the house call, Counselor. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a day to start.”
Peter licked his lips and put his hands on his hips. He looked over my shoulder and his eyes landed on the silver protection charm in the foyer. “That’s big stuff.”
“It’s why I don’t need lackeys.”
Peter smiled, his lips still pressed together as he fought his amusement. “You really just do things your own way.”
“Pride myself on it. Will I be seeing you at the full moon or did your secretary not get it on your calendar?”
“I’ll be there, sans caravan.”
“Right, because your undoubtedly phallic sports car can’t be caught on the same drive as the rest of us.”
This time, his smile was wide enough to have some teeth in it. “Have a good day, Miss Jordan.”
“Mr. Delmont.”
He turned to go just as Tucker was making his way up the sidewalk still in full police regalia. Oh, this would be interesting.
I took off my charm for a moment just to feel the story between them. It took a moment for my energy to adjust to being unhampered by the spell.
The two men slowed as they approached each other and static electricity sizzled between them as they passed, eyes locked and fists clenched. They really hated each other.
Tucker made his way up the sidewalk, not taking his eyes off Delmont until he was standing before me. “Why is Delmont leaving your place sweaty at the crack of dawn?”
I laughed. “Are you serious?”
I walked into my place and Tucker followed, closing the door and locking it.
“He stopped by to drop off the keys to the properties. The signatures went through. It’s official.” I tossed the keys on the dining-room table and walked into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.
Tucker leaned against the counter next to me. Shadow joined us and Tucker reached down to give him a good scratch behind his ears. Still brothers, no matter the shape.
“And he decided first thing in the morning was best.”
Discovering that coffee had not magically reappeared in my kitchen, I huffed and turned toward Tucker. “Listen. I know there is bad blood between you guys. Nash didn’t tell me everything, except that he was responsible for keeping you guys on the outside of the old pack. Did you hear the keyword in there? Old pack.”
“Still think he’s a do—”
“Language,” I snapped. “What is it with you guys and that word?” I turned back to get two mugs from the cabinet. There was Plan B for caffeine but I hated to result to such measures. “But he’s ours. He chose me, Tucker. That has to mean something to you.”
Tucker let out a long, slow sigh. He wasn’t convinced.
I put a kettle on, and with a heavy heart, dumped in two scoops of instant coffee. As I waited, I took a moment to appreciate my Riko. I’d been wearing that damn charm for so long I’d forgotten how powerful Tucker really was. Slightly pissed off, his power pulsed around him like a heartbeat.
“Besides”—I smiled—“he’s the low man on this totem pole.”
Tucker seemed to take great pleasure in that as the smile spread across his face. “Where’s Mr. Garrett?”
I frowned. It sounded so odd and my first response was going to be that Mr. Garrett died almost seven years ago fighting Haverty. “Mr. Garrett?”
“Your fiancé?”
The kettle started to whistle. “Why’d you call him that? He’s just Chaz.”
Tucker looked down at his coffee. “Well, it doesn’t seem right to just call him Chaz anymore.”
I poured the hot water and stirred. “Why not? He’s still just Chaz.”
“But he’s your Chaz.”
“Damn straight, but you’ve never called him Mr. Garrett.” I handed him the mug. It was odd to be having this conversation with Tucker after the conversation I’d just had with Chaz.
Tucker pressed his lips together and looked for his words in the steaming coffee. “He’s not a Primo even though he’s your mate.”
Oh, well, that was out of left field.
“Don’t get me wrong. He’s like a brother, bled for us, fought with us, but he’s not pack.”
I took a sip of
coffee. I’d been waiting for this, for the ancient politics of all this to finally mangle the situation. “What would that take?”
Tucker’s smooth answer made me think that he’d prepared for this question already. “He’d have to be committed to us and break his alliances with the Cause.”
“Why?”
Tucker put down his coffee. That’s how I knew that this was important to him. I put down mine to let him know it was important to me too.
“Because you can’t have two alliances, Violet. It doesn’t work. You’ll pull yourself apart trying to be true to both.”
“Sounds like you’re not just talking about Chaz.”
Tucker licked his lips. “We all understand why you weren’t able to host the first full moon, but you haven’t even told me of the plans for the next one.”
“We’re going to the farmhouse.”
“And what then? Do you even know how to commune? What are we going to eat? The devil’s in the details, Violet.”
Shivers wracked down my spine at hearing that horrible phrase again and I spilled coffee down my hand. I walked back into the kitchen to get a towel.
Tucker leaned against the door frame. “You can’t half-ass this, Violet.”
I put my coffee mug in the sink, only half drunk. “It wasn’t my intention to half-ass this.”
“The road to hell is paved—”
I put my finger up and stopped yet another annoying cliché. “Did you want to look at the properties with me today or just be Mr. Judgey?”
Tucker dropped his head. “Let me change.”
I LOOKED DOWN at the double macchiato in my hand and then up at the condo not three blocks from where I lived. Haverty had also been drawn to the intimate townhomes in Uptown for one of his seven safe houses. I tried to let the similarities stop there for now.
Tucker took the first step toward the front door. I sipped my hot beverage, let it steel my nerves, and followed after him.
It smelled like mildew and wet carpet. I covered my nose with my hand, visions of spore-induced zombies dancing through my head.
“Pipes must have burst,” Tucker said as he freely sniffed the air.
He ran his hand along the wall and found a light switch. The living room was sparse: a couch, a TV on a plastic milk crate. It looked like my first place in LA when I got the job working for Drew at Cloak & Dagger Productions.
“Guessing no one’s been here in a while?” I asked as I walked into the living room.
I crushed something under my sneaker. When I lifted my foot, I saw a bag of vegetable chips. Fresh vegetable chips from Sprouts. “Or still living here.”
Carefully, I opened my borders and let my power wash over the bottom floor. Even with the dampening spell, I could still feel the hide-aways.
Two rabbits. Young. And mine. My stomach churned. I closed my eyes and sorted through the fifteen strands that floated like spider’s silk through my power. When I found the correct two, I pulled at them slightly and there was an audible gasp from behind a half-sized door under the stairs.
I looked at Tucker and he nodded.
“You can come out,” I said nicely.
It took them a while, but slowly the tarnished handle turned and I saw four small brown eyes peer out of the darkness.
“It’s okay,” I cooed. It didn’t sound like my voice. It sounded like disappointment, but not at them, at myself.
Slowly, Hannah and Evan unfurled themselves from the small cupboard under the stairs. They stood before me, smelling like wet fur and moist wool. The smell was new since I’d last met with them, but the look of guilt wasn’t.
“Hannah, you told me that you were living in Plano.”
“Actually, all we said was that we’d found a place.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. I wouldn’t fault her on the technicalities. “How did you know about this place, Evan?”
“Followed Carlisle for a while. He used it to have parties.”
I cringed at the name and I think they all felt it through our connection.
“You know a pipe has burst someplace,” Tucker said.
“Yes, sir,” they both answered, eyes still cast down.
I studied them. I’d never seen two people more suited to their animals. Or a couple who needed a fresh start.
I looked over at Tucker and raised an eyebrow. He held out his hand with the keys in his palm. I plucked the keys out of Tucker’s hand and held it out to the couple.
“The place is yours on a few conditions.”
They twitched with anticipation.
“You clean it up. Make it livable.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You keep it that way.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“And if one of your pack mates needs help . . .”
Their eyes darted to mine. “We will give them a home.”
The sentiment hit me like a warm shot of tequila. It started in my chest and spread out to my extremities. I couldn’t help but smile. There were lights in their eyes, or maybe it was a hum in the connection between us. I liked it. It felt like being a Prima. Felt like I might be doing something right.
“You’ve got a week to get that smell out of here.”
Hannah looked over at Evan and he nodded. She reached out took the keys. “We will.”
I looked around the place and back at them. It would be the perfect nest for two rabbits, who could make more rabbits. The thought of a whole host of rabbits sent a chill down my spine.
“Something wrong?” Tucker asked.
“My burden. Let’s leave these two to it and head over to the next one.”
“Thank you, Prima Jordan,” Hannah called out.
“I’ll see you in a few days. Full moon, remember?”
As we left, I think I heard a happy squeal from the two inside.
SOMEWHERE IN THE middle of the third property, my stomach growled.
“See, I knew you weren’t eating,” Tucker grumbled as we walked through the kitchen.
“I’m fine,” I said. I grabbed a packet of peanuts from the bottom of my bag. “See, not starving.”
But the peanuts smelled too good and the roasted honey smell of them filled my senses. I was hungry. Too hungry.
I threw a handful of nuts in my mouth. “What’s this?” I asked as I turned the handle of a small door that looked like a pantry off the kitchen.
When you are about to engage four ghouls in battle, might I recommend not doing it with a mouthful of honey-roasted peanuts?
Four slimy humanoids rushed out of the white door.
“Violet,” Tucker yelled.
I put my hands out against the barrage and a thumb sunk into shoulder meat. That’s why I shouldn’t have had the peanuts. Bile rose up in my throat at the rotting breath of the thing that came out at me.
Two rushed past me toward Tucker and I managed to kick one of them back into the pantry.
The ghoul’s milky eyes seemed to look at me as his hands came out again.
Instinct took over and I struck him with an open palm strike, only to feel his ribs crack beneath my palm and not stop him coming.
He swung a limp arm at me and I pulled back, but not far enough, and his long dead nails raked my cheek, drawing blood.
I should have been more in control. I should have been well fed and well rested and maybe been taking the time to shift every now and then, because the moment that I smelled blood, the panther took over.
I fell back against the kitchen counter and into the silky blackness of my animal.
WHEN I CAME to, I was kneeling naked over a decapitated body with a slightly cheesy taste in my mouth. Crap and double crap.
My heart raced as I looked around the scene to piece together what was going on. Body parts lay all over the empty dining room. The smell of filth was all around us. I looked down at my pale skin to find it slick with this black ooze. Why I was naked?
Movement to my left drew my attention as Tucker shifted back into his huma
n form.
“Violet?” His voice was high and tight as he turned away and shielded his eyes. “What the hell happened, Violet?”
I stood. “Shirt.”
Tucker took off his button-up shirt and tossed it at me. I slipped it on as fast as I could and my mind seemed to work better not bare naked.
The moment I was covered, Tucker turned around. “What the hell was that?”
“I don’t know, Tucker.”
I looked down at myself, the hum of the shift still in along my skin. And I was starving. Anything that I had remembered to eat in the past day was burned through with the energy of the shift.
My stomach churned as I looked down at the torso of a ghoul at my feet. There were very distinctive claw marks all over the body. Blood I could handle, had spilled it and had it spilled, but rotten body fluids were a new kind of gore that even on my second exposure was still hard to manage.
Tucker stormed over to me. “You lost control, didn’t you? I mean, you were the fastest I’ve ever seen you, but you lost control.”
I rolled up my sleeves, nearly ripping the poor things off with my anger. “What do you want me to say, Tucker? That I’ve been too busy to eat or run or shift in the past six weeks? Fine, you’re right. Feel better?”
Tucker ran his fingers through his hair. He let out a long sigh. “No.”
“Tell anyone and I’ll have to eat you, but your point has been made. Okay?”
Tucker looked around the room. “What are these things?”
“Ghouls, according to Jessa.”
“In the middle of the day? In Plano?”
“Guess they don’t care about zip codes.”
I nudged the body at my feet and black ooze seeped out of the flesh and into the carpet. “Can you call Jessa? See if she can get the Cleaners over here? I’m going to try to find my bag.”
Tucker nodded and called Jessa. I went back into the kitchen to see if there was anything left of my pants.
There was another body in the kitchen. It almost matched the black granite countertops of the new construction.
My clothes were shredded and probably the reason the panther went after them with a vengeance. Those jeans were fairly new. At least the purse was relatively not soaked in ghoul guts.
Nine Lives of an Urban Panther Page 11