by Karen Lynch
“You coming?”
I started when I realized I’d stopped halfway down the ramp. I gnawed the inside of my cheek as I began walking again. What do I do?
The decision was taken out of my hands when the demon suddenly stiffened and his eyes narrowed on me.
“Mohiri.”
Crap. I’d forgotten that some demons – such as Incubi and tana demons – could recognize other demons. So much for the element of surprise.
“I only want the human,” I said evenly.
I hoped he didn’t see through my lie. This demon had already killed four women, and there was no way I was letting him go free so he could do it again.
His smile was more of a sneer. “You’re young, and I bet you’ve never met one of my kind before now. I’ve been around longer than you, and I’m not someone you want to mess with.”
A tendril of fear curled in my stomach, but I ignored it and spoke with confidence. “Leave the human and I won’t mess with you.”
He laughed.
Without taking my eyes from him, I reached down and pulled out one of the silver knives tucked inside my boots. I felt better with the familiar weapon in my hand.
The smile faded from his face, and he backed up several steps to lay the girl on the ground. He straightened and faced me, hatred churning in his dark, angry eyes.
I let my Mori come closer to the surface, relishing in its strength flowing through me. Now that the human was out of the equation, I was ready to fight.
“Report in.”
Raoul’s voice in my earpiece startled me. Before I could respond, the demon took advantage of the distraction and lunged at me, faster than I expected.
I moved to the side, but he managed to hit my right shoulder, throwing me off balance. I recovered in time to see him coming in for a second attack. This time, I was ready for him.
My knife sank into the flesh above his collarbone. He grunted in pain and spun away, pulling free of the blade. Black demon blood poured from the smoking wound.
“Beth, where are you?” Mason asked over the comm.
I hit the button on my earpiece. “Outside –”
It was all I managed to get out before the demon made a break for it. I guess he figured backup was coming, and he’d decided his meal wasn’t worth dying for.
I let my knife fly, as I’d done a thousand times in practice, hitting him squarely between the shoulder blades. He stumbled, and I tackled him, taking him down to the ground. I wrenched his arms tightly behind his back, and he howled in pain. Yanking out the knife, I raised it to deliver the killing blow.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
I paused mid-strike and stared at the blonde girl standing a dozen yards away. She wore dark jeans, red boots, and a red leather jacket I would kill for. In her hand was a long silver blade.
She scowled and strode toward us. “Do you know how long I’ve been after this bastard?”
The demon tried to buck me off, and I pulled his arms tighter. He let out a muffled scream and fell quiet again.
I looked at the girl. She wasn’t close enough for me to sense her Mori, but I had a strong suspicion she was one of ours.
“You want him?” I asked her.
She huffed. “It’s no fun once they’re down.”
A door opened, and I heard running feet.
The girl smirked. “Hello, boys. Come to watch?”
“Why am I not surprised to see you here?” Raoul sounded amused as he crouched beside me. “Nice work, rookie. You going to finish it, or sit on it for a while?”
I’d been about to take out the demon before everyone arrived. Now I felt self-conscious performing my first kill in front of an audience.
“Just taking a breather,” I quipped, earning a snort of laughter from the blonde warrior.
Raoul chuckled and stood. “How’s the human?”
“Out cold,” Brock called. “But she’ll make it. We should get her out of here, though.”
That was all I needed to hear. I raised my knife again and plunged it into the tana demon’s heart. He jerked, made a gasping sound, and went still.
I stood and brushed off my pants. Then I retrieved my knife, wiping it clean on the demon’s shirt before I looked for Mason, who watched me with a mix of envy and pride.
He walked over and held up a hand for me to slap. “Niiiice.”
“Thanks.” I tried to be all cool about it, but I felt myself beaming. No one’s praise meant more to me than his.
“Good kill.” The blonde warrior nodded approvingly and came over to hold out her hand. “Jordan.”
I shook her hand as recognition set in. “You’re Sara’s friend.”
“That’s me. And you must be Beth and Mason. She mentioned you last time we talked. Sorry I haven’t been by to give you the LA welcome. Been busy looking for this guy.”
“Guess this means we’ll have the pleasure of your company tomorrow.” Raoul smiled, putting his phone to his ear. As he walked past us, I heard him say, “We got him.”
Jordan sheathed her knife at her thigh. “This was your first kill?”
“Yes.”
“I saw you take him down. Those were some nice moves.”
“Thanks.”
She looked down at my tight black pants and red top.
“You can fight, and you have good fashion sense. I have a feeling you and I are going to be great friends, Beth.”
Taking my arm, she led me away from the others toward the street.
“What about the girl and the body?” I asked her, tossing Mason a helpless look over my shoulder.
“There are enough big strong warriors left to take care of the girl and dispose of the demon.”
“Oh.”
She shot me a mischievous smile. “Besides, if we’re going to be friends we need to get to know each other. Now tell me, have you been to Rodeo Drive yet?”
Chapter 3
Chris
I WALKED INTO the control room and let out a low whistle at the setup. It was twice the size of the one we’d had in Santa Cruz, and Tristan had obviously spared no expense. I recognized the guys from Raoul’s team manning some of the computers, and they all called greetings to me.
“Look who finally decided to visit us.”
Raoul left a station and came toward me. “Great to see you, man.”
“You, too.” I waved a hand at the room. “Nice digs you have here.”
Tactical operations had come a long way in the last few decades. I remembered when we didn’t have cell phones or computers, and now we had surveillance equipment that would make the CIA wet its collective pants.
“You planning to stick around a while?” Raoul asked.
“Until I get bored with you guys.”
He chuckled. “Plenty to keep you busy and entertained in LA.”
I looked around. “Speaking of busy, where is the boss man?”
“I think he’s in the garage, working on his bike. You know how he is with that thing.”
“Yeah, I do.”
We had service contracts with mechanics in every state, but Nikolas and I preferred to maintain our own motorcycles. Some of the places we’d ended up, you couldn’t count on help if you had bike trouble.
My Ducati was being shipped from Westhorne and should be here tomorrow. Not soon enough. After a month away, I couldn’t wait to have my own wheels under me again.
Raoul pointed me toward a door that led to the garage. As soon as the door closed behind me, I heard the clink of tools and saw Nikolas up to his elbows in grease.
“Need some help?” I called, walking toward him.
He stood, wearing a smile. “About time you got your lazy ass back here. How was Germany?”
“Too quiet.” I leaned against the SUV closest to him. “Living here, it’s easy to forget some countries don’t have as much trouble as we do. I did a few jobs, but the trip was a little more relaxing than I’d hoped for.”
Laughing, he reached for a rag t
o wipe his hands. “Well, we’ve got plenty for you to do here.”
“That’s what Raoul said. Trouble?”
He shook his head. “It’s not as bad as it was last year, but I can see why this command center was needed. We manage everything from here to San Diego, and already we’ve seen a slight dip in vampire activity in the area. Tristan said the Council is planning to establish a center in New York City next and then Miami.”
“Let me guess, he wants you to oversee the setup.”
“Yes. Sara wants to see New York, so we’ll probably go there.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “You going to do the sightseeing thing now?”
“Sara heard there’s a big demon community there, and she wants us to build relations with them.”
A laugh burst from me at his pained expression. “Sara in the Big Apple. What could possibly go wrong?”
He made a sound that was suspiciously like a groan, and I laughed harder, earning a scowl from him.
“Has she transported again since that time in Atlanta?”
“No. Eldeorin thinks it’s linked to her emotions. She was afraid for us, so she did it subconsciously. No telling when it will happen again.”
His expression told me he’d be happy if it didn’t happen for a long time.
“How much longer are you two staying in LA?” I asked.
“That depends on what your plans are.”
Plans were something I didn’t have. Nikolas and I had been partners for years, and there’d been no shortage of jobs to keep us on the road together. Now that he and Sara had mated, the three of us were a team. The dynamic was different, but I enjoyed working with them.
There was one place I’d been meaning to go for a while. I hadn’t been home to Longstone in years, and on the long flight from Germany, I’d thought about driving up there for a few days. I wasn’t sure what reception I’d get, but it was time to go back, to see her.
“I’ll probably do a short trip to Oregon, and then I’m here as long as you need me.”
“Good.” He crouched beside the Ducati again. “I’ll show you around when I finish up, and we’ll talk about the setup here.”
“Sounds good.”
A rumble filled the air, and I turned to see two motorcycles pull up outside the open garage door. The first rider shut off her Ducati and removed her helmet to reveal short blonde hair and a face I knew all too well.
The other rider dismounted, facing away from us, and I couldn’t help but admire the figure she cut in her jeans, boots, and black leather jacket. There weren’t many things sexier in my book than a woman riding a Harley.
She removed her helmet, and I watched as she shook out long blonde hair that tumbled past her shoulders. Her hand came up to smooth down one side of her hair, and I found myself waiting for her to turn around so I could see her face.
Jordan said something to her companion as they removed shopping bags from their bikes’ storage compartments. Feminine laughter floated toward me.
I frowned. I knew that laugh…
The women turned toward me, and a jolt of recognition stole my breath when I saw Jordan’s friend’s face. Shock rippled through me.
Beth.
It had been four years since I’d last seen her, but I’d know her face anywhere. I stared at her, unable to believe she was here and looking even more beautiful, if that was possible. At sixteen, her features had still borne the traces of youth, but at twenty, there was nothing childlike about her. She was curvier and a little taller now, and she walked with all the self-assurance of a young warrior.
I’d heard she had finished training, and so many times in the last two years I’d thought about going home to see her. But something had always seemed to get in the way. I’d assumed she was still at Longstone, and the last place I’d expected to see her was here in Los Angeles.
I knew the moment Beth saw me. Her eyes widened, and she faltered for a brief moment before her face took on a closed expression.
Jordan, who didn’t seem to notice the change in Beth, smiled widely when she caught sight of me. “Blondie! I had no idea you were back in the country.”
I returned her smile. “Got back today. I figured you guys were missing me, so I flew directly to LAX.”
She chuckled. “You’re so full of yourself. And I haven’t missed you at all because I’ve been making new friends.”
“So I see.”
My eyes went to Beth, who met my gaze with the polite interest of a stranger, nothing that resembled the adoring looks from the girl I had known.
“Hello, Beth.”
“Hello,” she said. “It’s nice to see you again.”
Hearing her voice after all these years made warmth flood my chest. God, I’d missed her. The urge to hug her was strong, but her cool demeanor held me back. Regret filled me. We used to be so close, but she looked at me as if I was little more than an old acquaintance. And it was all my doing.
“What brings you to LA?” I asked.
She adjusted her hold on her shopping bags. “I work here now.”
“At the command center?”
My eyes went to Jordan and then to Nikolas, who nodded. It was on the tip of my tongue to say Beth was too young for a place like LA, but I refrained when I remembered she had been a warrior longer than Jordan had.
“Yep!” Jordan gave Beth a one-armed hug. “Beth is the newest member of the Scooby gang.”
“Scooby gang?”
Jordan laughed. “Sara has us watching reruns of Buffy with her.”
“Ah.” I had no idea what Buffy was, and I didn’t ask.
Beth shifted on her feet, looking like she was about to leave. I wasn’t ready for her to go, and I searched for something to say to keep her there a little longer.
“Have you been in LA long?” I asked her.
“We got here two weeks ago,” she said in the same detached voice.
We? “Is Rachel here, too?”
Her brows drew together slightly, and she shook her head. “Mason and me.”
“Mason?” I repeated, trying to ignore the sudden tightening in my gut.
“He’s my friend from home.” She took a step back. “I should go. I’m working tonight. It was nice seeing you again.”
She turned toward the garage door, but Jordan snagged her arm.
“Wait. We have to show Sara what we got.” Jordan looked at me. “Later, Blondie.”
Without another glance in my direction, Beth followed Jordan into the house.
I stared after them, unable to take my eyes off Beth until the door closed behind her. I let out a long, slow breath as I recovered from the impact of seeing her again and the knowledge that she could still affect me after all this time.
“Do I want to know what that was about?”
I turned to find Nikolas crouched beside his bike again.
“What?”
“You and Beth. She’s usually more talkative.” He gave me a sideways glance. “You didn’t…?”
The unfinished question hung in the air for a few seconds until the meaning sank in.
“Jesus, no.”
His eyebrows shot up at the vehemence of my denial.
“It’s Beth,” I said.
He gave me a confused look, and I sighed. “You remember Beth. I found her at that fire in Seattle.”
Recognition dawned in his eyes. “The one you were always buying gifts for?”
“Yes.”
Beth’s transition to her new life had been difficult, and I’d stayed at Longstone for a week to help her settle in. I’d never done that for another orphan, but there’d been something about the angel-faced waif that had stirred my protective instincts. Eventually, I’d had to get back to work, and she’d cried when I left. I’d made sure to pick up a little toy or trinket for her whenever I went on a job. I hadn’t made it home every month, but she’d always been excited to see me. I’d loved watching her reaction when she opened the gifts I’d brought her.
Nikolas picke
d up a socket wrench. “I take it you haven’t seen her in a while. How long has it been since you last went home?”
“Four years.”
“Well, she’s not a little girl anymore. And she doesn’t look as happy to see you as she used to be.”
“I know.”
I stared at the door Beth and Jordan had gone through, but all I could see was sixteen-year-old Beth, her gray eyes filled with hurt. I didn’t know how yet, but I was going to make things right with her again.
Beth
As soon as the door closed behind us, I sucked air into my lungs and eased up on the death grip I had on my shopping bags. I was grateful Jordan was ahead of me and couldn’t see my face. I needed a moment to recover from seeing Chris so unexpectedly.
Ever since I’d realized he could show up here, I had told myself I was ready to face him again. God, I was such a fool. Coming face-to-face with him had sent me right back to that day, and it was all I could do not to run to my room and cry like I’d done back then.
I schooled my expression as we entered the kitchen. Jordan tossed her bags onto the table and went to the fridge for a bottle of water.
“Back already?” Sara walked into the kitchen. Her eyes fell on the bags, and she grinned. “Forget that last question. Did you leave anything for the other shoppers?”
“Only the stuff we didn’t want,” Jordan joked. “You should have come with us. We found the most amazing outfits.”
Sara made a face. “I have more than enough clothes, thanks to you. I still haven’t worn the stuff I bought the last time you dragged me with you.”
Jordan’s eyes took on a gleam I was starting to recognize. “That’s exactly why we need to do a girls’ night out.”
“Define ‘night out,’” Sara said with a hint of wariness. “Are we talking dinner or another one of those underground dance clubs you tricked me into last week?”
“What was wrong with Aro’s?”
“Nothing, if you don’t count the pixie who asked me to join him and his friends for a foursome,” Sara said with a shudder.
Jordan laughed. “You should be used to faeries, as much as you hang around with Eldeorin.”