by Dannika Dark
“Good for you,” Shepherd said. “More generations to annoy with your fashion.”
Wyatt glanced down at his T-shirt, which said THE FUCK I GAVE WENT THAT WAY, with an arrow.
“I’m just here to educate,” he replied, scrunching up his disheveled brown hair, absent of the knit cap I’d previously seen him wearing.
Claude’s nostrils flared. He continued eating, but his eyes remained watchful as they analyzed me. “What are you?”
I only hesitated for a second. After coming out in front of Viktor, Christian, and Niko, it felt good to be open about what I was, even if no one understood it. “I’m a crossbreed.”
You could have heard a pin drop.
“Is that why you’ve got them funky eyes?” Wyatt asked.
“Not exactly.”
“Raven is half Mage and Vampire,” Viktor added.
Gem’s jaw unhinged. “That’s impossible!” But her reaction wasn’t as smarmy and bemused as Christian’s had been. More of excitement and curiosity.
I looked past Blue, who stared at me wide-eyed. It seemed that Viktor hadn’t told everyone, so Niko must have heard the rumor from Christian. “Viktor, can we get back to this whole ‘partner’ thing? I work alone.”
“Not anymore,” he replied nonchalantly. “Everyone is paired up based on their strengths and weaknesses. Although Gem is a Mage, she is not physically strong, so I chose Claude. They protect each other in all ways. Blue is Niko’s eyes and he is hers.”
I touched the stem of my empty glass, spinning it. “It sounds like you put a lot of thought into it, except why do I feel like we’re just getting thrown together because there’s nobody left?”
He bit down on a piece of cheese, staring at it. “Sometimes we can’t choose our fate, and it is fate that chooses us.”
“Maybe we can rotate,” I suggested. “Switch it up every so often.”
“Uh-uh,” Gem complained. “No way I’m getting paired up with Shepherd. He’s a grump.”
“Which brings me to my next rule,” Viktor continued. “I hate to be blunt, but I make rules for a reason. Partners will not engage in—”
“Extracurricular sextivity,” Wyatt finished, raising his glass to Christian in a toast. “Sláinte.”
Christian rose to his feet and put his knuckles on the table, leaning toward Wyatt. “Put a cork in it before I drain you.”
When Viktor cleared his throat, Christian sat back down. “I would highly recommend that you fulfill any urges outside this house.”
Urges? I stood up, offended. “Do I look like a slut who can’t keep her legs closed? You talk as if I’m a car that needs to be serviced at a gas station by a good pump. And just to clarify, I have no urge to fuel up with a Vampire.”
Christian leaned back in his chair, his tone cool and dispassionate. “Worry not, lass. This gas station is self-service. Just the way you like it.”
Niko must have seen a solar flare around me, because he couldn’t stop looking.
“Everyone gets the same talk,” Viktor assured me. “This has nothing to do with you personally. Please, sit.”
When I did, Niko leaned in close and lowered his voice. “His intentions are in the right place, he just sucks at delivery.”
Claude reached out his hand. “Give me your plate, female, and I’ll put some food on it.”
“No, thanks. I’m not hungry.”
I’d heard Chitahs talk about their sisters or mates, and it sounded like they revered them—cared for them in a way I didn’t understand.
“Don’t you eat? Is it because you’re half Vampire?”
“She’s a scavenger,” Christian said, lifting his glass of wine. “It’s no fun unless she can hunt for her food.”
I peered around Niko. “Why don’t you shut up over there and find a wrist to sip on?”
Gem pointed at Christian. “Doesn’t look like Raven plays on Team Christian.”
“You better eat something,” Christian sang. “The Chitah won’t eat until the women at the table are fed.”
This had to be a joke.
I looked up at Claude and realized there might be some truth to the remark. “Go on and eat, Claude. Ignore him.”
Claude lifted his chin. “I can scent your hunger, female. Now give me your plate.”
I still didn’t feel part of this posse, and aside from that, even Betty had tried for three weeks before I’d accept her meals at the diner.
Claude leaned back in his chair and folded his arms.
“Rest up, little ones,” Viktor said, rising to his feet. “We have important matters to discuss in the morning.”
Chapter 8
“When do I get my weapons back?” I asked Viktor over a light breakfast.
Since no one had told me when the scheduled mealtimes were, I’d wandered into the kitchen early that morning before the house stirred with activity. Viktor invited me to sit with him and talk a little.
He set a plate in front of me with a sausage patty on it. “You’ll get your weapons back today, just don’t use them on anyone in the house.”
“I can’t make any promises with regards to my partner.”
He chuckled and sat to my right. “If this works out, you’ll learn to tolerate each other. It does not mean you’ll work exclusively with him, only on certain jobs. It’s also good to have someone you can confide in, someone who has your back above all others.”
“I wouldn’t bet on that,” I muttered.
Viktor swallowed his orange juice. “Careful who you choose to provoke. Christian may come across as benign, but he is a dangerous man.”
“Then why have someone like that in your group?”
He laughed quietly. “We are all dangerous, are we not? Some more than others. He and Shepherd are my newest inductees, so it will take a while for them to adjust. Don’t push them over the edge. You’re a willful woman, and sometimes that can be enough to drive a man insane.”
“I can’t argue with that. So how do I know when it’s dinnertime if there aren’t any clocks?”
“Most have a clock or watch in their bedroom. Can’t you sense time? You’re half Mage.”
I stared at the uneaten sausage patty. “I haven’t gotten around to that part in my training with Niko just yet. Where is everyone?”
“Claude went to work. Wyatt sleeps in.”
Christian strolled into the kitchen wearing a pair of dark shades, his hair rumpled. He took a seat in one of the booths along the central wall, keeping his back to us. Filtered light trickled in from the arched window to my right. I had a nice view of a narrow doorway that led to the kitchen. I hadn’t seen it, but that was where people were coming from with food or drinks in hand.
Shepherd swaggered in, and instead of taking his usual seat, he sat at the opposite end of the table, Blue claiming the chair to his right.
Gem floated in like a breeze, dressed and looking like a girl who didn’t need coffee to start her day. Her locks were accented with subtle highlights so that her hair wasn’t one solid color. In the light of day, she had arresting eyes just as violet as her hair. She also had a beauty mark high on her cheek, just below the outer corner of her left eye. Her chunky heels knocked on the floor as she approached the chair in front of me and bowed.
“Gem Laroux. It’s so nice having another girl around. I was afraid Viktor would add more testosterone to the fire.”
Gem gave Viktor a quick hug before she sat down. He looked uncomfortable with the display of affection, but not surprised.
“Are those your real eyes?” I asked.
She laughed and tucked her chin in her hand. “I bet you hear that more often than I do. They’re real. What about yours?”
“Where is Niko?” Viktor spoke in a sonorous voice, one that must have echoed into the outer hall.
Niko strode into the room and found a chair next to Gem. “I’m here. Apologies, I was feeding the cat.”
“How many times have I told you not to feed that stray?” Viktor chided
. “You give them food, and then they hang around and poop all over my lawn.”
While Niko and Viktor discussed felines, Gem leaned across the table, her voice low. “Was that you on the roof last night?”
I shook my head in a liar’s denial. While the inside of the mansion was undeniably impressive, it was the roof that excited me the most. After everyone had gone to their rooms, I’d quietly stepped out of the window and walked the entire length of the mansion to get a better sense of the property. Heights gave me a sense of peace—a safe place where I could gather my thoughts and reflect.
“Oh. I could have sworn I saw someone on the roof. Maybe it was one of Wyatt’s haunts,” she said, widening her eyes and then snickering.
Viktor sipped his coffee and then set the mug down to address everyone in the room. “Claude’s at work, and I don’t have the patience to wake up Wyatt. I have business matters to discuss, and I’ll fill them in later.”
“Before we begin, can I ask a question?”
All eyes fell on me.
Viktor stroked his beard. “You may.”
“Is the name of this group Zero?”
Everyone barked out a laugh, including Shepherd.
I glared at them. “What? It was on the business card.”
“That would be a pathetic name for a group,” Gem said. “I wouldn’t want to be a zero.”
Blue’s voice softened with humor. “People would think that was our track record for captures.”
“Or IQ,” Shepherd added, talking with a cigarette in his mouth. He struck a match against the coarse strip on the matchbook and lit the end of his smoke.
I stole another glimpse of his scars, more noticeable now than the previous night. When he caught the direction of my gaze, I quickly looked away.
Viktor steepled his fingers. “Enough, enough. It’s a fair question. No, Raven. Zero is just a way to communicate to our contacts when we need their assistance.”
“Like getting Christian lemon bars?”
Gem played with a crystal necklace that hung from her neck.
“We do not advertise our group, so that’s the first thing you must know,” Viktor said, flattening his hands on the table. “It is possible with time that the public will figure this out, but for now, we choose to remain underground.”
“I understand.”
“Good. We are Keystone. There wasn’t a need for a name when it was just me, but after picking up Niko, Blue, and Wyatt, everyone felt we needed something to call ourselves. The main rooms have archways with a keystone at the top. I like the meaning, because a keystone is the center stone that locks the arch together. It holds the pieces in place. Years ago, I wanted to do something with my life that had meaning. I had the right connections, so I decided to become a local bounty hunter. It evolved from there, and I sought out a partner. Soon the idea became bigger than me, so I looked around at all this space and thought, why not? It seemed a shame to let the mansion go to waste. Having the team live here makes it feel more like a home, and a team should be a family. Everyone here has an important role; we’re not just warriors. I have assembled an equal balance of muscle and intelligence.”
He took a sip from his water glass.
“Do you get assigned cases? Does everyone work on the same thing?”
Viktor set down his glass and waved his finger. “We never have just one open case, and I decide what jobs we take. Sometimes we open our own cases, and other times our services are requested. I’ve created a unique system that allows us to work independently and not answer to anyone. Since you are new, I’ll fill you in on a case we’re working on. Darius Bane has been high on the hit list for some time, and it doesn’t look like anyone is close to arresting him due to lack of evidence. However, we have several tips from reliable sources. The most recent crime dates back two weeks.”
“What’s he done?”
“He’s a human killer. Do you know why that is a deplorable crime? Because humans are the weaker species, and therefore deserve our mercy. Since his victims are human and not part of our world, we cannot call them to witness. But repeat offenders leave… how you say… fingerprints?” He looked to Shepherd for help.
Shepherd drew in a deep puff of the cigarette. “I think what you mean is that they follow a pattern.”
Viktor nodded. “Thank you. Pattern is correct. You cannot allow immortals to kill humans. Empowerment is a dangerous thing and can lead to even greater crimes against humanity. It is true that humans would wage war against us if they knew we existed, but that is out of fear. Men like this bring more into their circle and plan murders in greater numbers. Soon they will want to rise up against humans in a rebellion. We will never be able to live peacefully and openly with humans, and that’s why, centuries ago, Breed went underground and made ourselves into nothing but bedtime stories. It is far easier to live in peace, even if it means keeping ourselves secret. And we must always remember that they are the weaker species, even if they dominate us in numbers.”
“I understand.” And I did. After being around some of the older immortals, they had this sense of entitlement about them, as if they belonged in this world and humans didn’t. Maybe that was why I tried a little harder to protect humans.
“This man, he is no good.” Viktor began to spout off in Russian until Gem patted his hand.
“English,” she said.
He sat back in his chair. “Forgive me. I think in Russian, I speak in English… It’s too confusing.”
Gem smiled and winked at me, as if implying this happened a lot when Viktor became emotional.
Then his gaze swung in my direction. “Our paths crossed a few months ago when you took out one of Mr. Bane’s men. That’s how we came to eventually track you down.”
“Did you say his name was Darius?”
“Da.”
“The other night, I overheard some big shot talking to his lackey about killing a human club owner and making it look like a local gang. He wanted to torch the place, but I really didn’t get what his motive was. The other man called him Darius. Do you think it could be the same guy?”
Viktor launched to his feet and kicked his chair over. “Son of bitch,” he growled in broken English.
“I don’t think he went through with it,” I quickly added. “His partner got a good look at me and knows that I overheard their conversation.”
“You didn’t kill him? I was not aware you let anyone go.”
I scraped my teeth against my bottom lip and folded my arms. “Believe me, it wasn’t out of mercy. He got away, but maybe it’s for the better. If he thinks someone knows what he’s doing, maybe he’ll stop. Why don’t you just find out where he lives and burn the place to the ground?”
“He is well protected, and we must do this as discreetly as possible.”
“There’s nothing discreet about murder.”
Viktor shook his finger at me, still pacing. “We cannot make ourselves out to be terrorists. If you want fireworks and a parade, you are in the wrong place. We have been unable to track him since he has many homes, and if we break into the wrong one, it could set us back years. It is impossible to know where he sleeps, and he does not make many public appearances.”
Shepherd dropped his cigarette butt into a glass of water. “So what’s the plan? We’ve been gathering evidence against this piece of shit for months, but it’s not enough to turn him over to the authorities. We either need to catch him in the act or—”
“Cut his throat,” Christian murmured from his booth. “I vote for plan B.”
Viktor turned around, gazing up at the window when the room grew deceptively bright from thinning clouds. “I agree. He has too many friends in power, and without sufficient evidence, they would try to crush us.”
“What else did you hear them say?” Niko asked, his pale eyes centered on the table.
I turned my small plate in slow circles. “It sounded like extortion, targeting new business owners in the neighborhood and making them think they n
eeded his protection. But he said something weird before he left.”
“Oh?” Viktor asked, turning around. He righted his chair and sat back down. “What did he say?”
I touched my lip, trying to recall the exact words. “He said that they have no right to be here. What did he mean by that?”
Gem waved her hand. “He was probably just making a general statement about humans.”
“Those were his exact words?” Viktor asked, his stormy eyes lowering in thought. “Shepherd, do me a favor. After this meeting, I want you to have Wyatt pull up the list of victims and pinpoint the location of their businesses, even if their death was elsewhere.”
Shepherd ran his hand over his bristly hair. “What are you looking for?”
“A connection. We’ve focused so much on the human aspect and the location of the murders that perhaps we’re not seeing the bigger picture. If this is related to their place of business, we might have something to go on. Tell Wyatt to pull up old land records as far back as he can. See if he can trace any of those buildings or land to Breed.”
“If you can’t figure out where he’s staying, then why don’t you just charm one of his buddies?” I suggested.
“Oh, we tried that,” Gem said. “Epic fail. Christian got staked, and Claude almost lost his pants chasing them down. Long story.”
“They wear sunglasses,” Shepherd said, his arms folded across the table, accenting muscles that made him look like a professional fighter. “They’re smart bastards, always on alert, even when they’re off the clock.”
“Have you tried other methods?” I asked.
Viktor rubbed his hands together. “Like what?”
My eyes skated about the room. “Really? You have two pretty girls and you can’t think of a single idea to get close enough to his men?”
“Absolutely not,” Niko said. “If something goes wrong, they’ll physically subdue them. It could be a death sentence if they don’t have backup, and I won’t have that on my conscience.”
I raised my hand. “Then I’ll be the guinea pig. That’s what I do best.”
Shepherd sat back, his arms draped over the back of his chair. “So you’re offended when Viktor says there’s no sex in the house, but you’ll fuck a guard for information?”