Panther Prowling

by Yasmine Galenorn

  The volume of noise had risen to a steady buzz now as more people crowded into the bar, and I blinked, realizing that I wasn’t following any particular conversation, but instead, I just sat back, taking it all in.

  Menolly was beaming. Another round of drinks later, and the party was growing louder.

  Wild Cherry came over the speakers, singing “Play That Funky Music.” Nerissa grabbed Menolly’s hand and dragged her up to dance. Nerissa towered over Menolly in her tawny, werepuma glory, but the two could boogie it up good. In a skintight hot pink minidress, with golden hair and gold sparkling heels that sent her over six feet tall, Nerissa was a striking sight.

  Camille and Trillian followed, spinning onto the dance floor in all their fetish goth-glory. Dark and vampy, they made one hell of a pair. I blinked. Trillian cut a damn fine figure, now that I looked at him through my Kahlúa-colored eyes. The song shifted to “Super Freak” by Rick James, then it was fully into retro city with “Electric Avenue,” followed by “She Blinded Me with Science,” then “Whip It,” and of course, “Safety Dance.”

  I polished off my drink and grabbed Shade’s hand. “Dance with me.”

  He blinked. I danced, but it wasn’t a common request, considering I preferred curling up on the sofa with television and junk food.

  “Are you sure, babe? You look a little flushed.” His voice sounded huskier than usual and I wanted nothing more than to press up against him.

  I glanced down at the glasses on the table, counting them. Apparently, I’d had seven rounds, not four like I thought. But though my mind was a little fuzzy, more than anything, I wanted to dance with my lover.

  “Dance. Now!”

  We whirled out on the dance floor, but I whirled a little too enthusiastically and would have gone toppling over except that Shade had a tight grip on my hand.

  He pulled me back into his arms and we began shaking it up to “Elevator Man” by Oingo Boingo.

  But as Shade spun me around, I began to realize that maybe I really was a tad drunk. Booze hit my system overly fast and I hadn’t planned on having seven drinks—that was for sure. Not entirely certain what I was doing, I just attempted to stay on my feet. I probably should have asked Shade to take me back to the table, but I was so light-headed I couldn’t seem to form the words.

  The next minute, none of that mattered.

  The door burst open and Daniel, our Earthside FBH cousin, darted inside, followed by what looked like a very angry Viking. The muscle-bound man wearing the leather breeches and tunic grabbed Daniel by the collar and lifted him over his head.

  Shade let go of my hand and I was so startled that I tripped back into the crowd, taking down a couple of vampires who were dancing. We hit the floor as Daniel sailed across the room, the Viking tossing him like a Scotsman tossing a log in the Highland Games.

  As Daniel landed in a shuddering heap by my side, Camille darted toward the northern intruder, but the man took one look at her, then at the rest of the bar, and vanished from sight, as if he’d never existed.

  Chapter 2

  Shade reached down to help me to my feet. The shock of landing on the hardwood floor and of seeing Daniel used as a giant football managed to jolt some of the alcoholic haze out of my system. Though I was a little unsteady on my feet, my head had cleared considerably, probably thanks to the adrenaline.

  Camille knelt by Daniel’s side, helping him sit up. He looked dazed and confused. Smoky reached down and slid his hands under Daniel’s arms, hoisting him to his feet, while Morio brought him a chair.

  “Are you all right, sweetheart?” Shade looked me over.

  I nodded. “I think so.” Tentatively, I tested out my limbs. Feet, ankles, legs—okay. Arms, torso—okay. Neck—a little stiff, but okay. “Yeah, I’m fine. No damage done. But who the hell was that? And where did he go?”

  “I don’t know, but I imagine Daniel can provide some sort of answer. Maybe.” He took my hand and we threaded through the crowd that had gathered around Daniel. By her quick glances around the room, I knew Menolly was keeping a watch out for anybody else looking to stir up trouble.

  “Daniel, are you all right?” Camille leaned over him. “Can somebody bring him a glass of water?”

  Our cousin had a slender build—one might almost call him effeminate until he spoke. Lithe, blond, and in his mid-forties, Daniel was related to us on our mother’s side. He was also an internationally known cat burglar who had belonged to the ISA—the International Security Agency—which meant he’d done some pretty shady stuff in his life. The ISA trained killers, snipers, and assassins, and carried out coupes unknown to even the heads of governments, until they were successfully done and over with. There wasn’t a lock in existence that Daniel didn’t have a good chance of getting through.

  He winced, rubbing his neck. “I’ll be all right, I think. I took a good blow to the shoulder, though.”

  Chase joined us. “I looked for the guy but couldn’t find him. I suppose I could put out an APB on him—he wouldn’t be hard to spot.”

  Camille glanced at me, then shook her head and turned to Chase. “No . . . Chase, that wasn’t any ordinary person. Leave it be for now. Trust me?”

  He shrugged. “Whatever you say, but if some lunatic is running around the streets of Seattle—”

  “I don’t think we have to worry about that. We’ll talk later. Why don’t you go home with Bruce and Iris? We’re going to probably be late, and I’m sure Iris can use her sleep. Hanna needs to take Maggie home, too.” Camille caught Chase’s questioning gaze with a shake of the head.

  He shrugged. “No problem. We’ll talk later.” Returning to the table where Bruce and Iris were waiting, he whispered something to them and they gathered their things and headed to the door, Hanna and Maggie in tow.

  Camille flashed them a wave, then motioned to me. “We should take Daniel in back and get him some ice for his shoulder.” Which was code for: We need to talk in private.

  “Yeah, you’re right. Let me get Menolly.” As I headed back to the bar, I motioned for Digger and Derrick to join us. Menolly’s gaze flickered over to Daniel as she wiped her hands on a bar towel and leapt over the counter.

  “We need an ice pack for his shoulder. And Menolly, we need to find out what’s going on. In your office, if you get my drift.”

  “Right. Derrick? Grab an ice pack and bring it to the back. And you and Digger keep a close eye on the crowd just in case anybody else decides to stir up trouble. Send someone to get us if there’s a problem.”

  “Got it. But Menolly, Delilah?” Derrick’s voice was gruff but firm. “That was no drunken brawler. That was a ghost.” He voiced what I suspected we’d all been thinking.

  I clapped him on the arm. “Yeah, we know, but don’t say anything to anybody, okay? Just do your best to convince them he was a drunk who vanished into the crowd. Say whatever you have to say. We don’t want questions until we have some answers to go along with them.”

  “She’s right.” Menolly removed her apron and handed it to Derrick. “Just keep a close watch on things, do your best to squash any rumors, and come get us if all hell breaks loose.”

  We navigated our way toward the back, passing the stairway leading down to the portal. As I glanced down the steps, I realized I’d rather be talking with the toadsquatter instead of doing this.

  Apparently, Menolly felt the same way. “I really do not want to be dealing with ghosts again. I hate those fucking things.” She paused as Derrick approached, ice pack in hand. “Thanks. This should be fine.”

  As the werebadger made his way back to the bar, I let out a long sigh. “Yeah, I’ve had my fill of them, too. We’ve dealt with so many spirits over the past year that it feels like we live more in the world of the dead than the living.” Then, realizing what I’d said to her, of all people, I started to laugh.

  Menolly broke into a grin
. “Yeah, ya think so? Maybe just a little? Let’s see, Camille and Morio are steeping themselves in death magic. I’m a vampire so, technically, yeah, I’m all the way to the left of the spectrum—dead and then some. And you’re . . . what? Right! A Death Maiden. Maybe there’s a reason we keep tripping over them?”

  “Oh, shuddup.” I playfully swatted at her. She knew how to be snarky when she wanted to.

  We reached her office—along with Smoky and the rest of the guys—and Menolly handed Camille the ice pack. Daniel let out a groan as Camille placed it over his right shoulder and the back of his neck.

  “Well, that feels lovely, in a masochistic sort of way. I’m going to have a lump on the back of my neck tomorrow, that much I can tell you.” He winced, trying to hold it into place.

  Camille found a strip of cloth—what looked like a long tea towel—and fashioned a tie to keep the ice pack in place. “There. Just don’t move too fast and it should stay put.”

  We gathered around Daniel, Menolly taking her place behind her desk. She leaned back and put her feet up on the mahogany surface, ignoring Camille’s frown. “My desk, my feet. So, Daniel, care to tell us just what the fuck was going on out there?”

  Daniel shrugged, then immediately let out another groan as the ice shifted slightly.

  “You shouldn’t do that.” I was feeling all too perky, given the mix of adrenaline and alcohol. Or maybe, impertinent was the right word. The evening had been a bust, but not in the way we’d expected.

  Daniel stuck out his tongue at me—an uncharacteristic move. “Well, thank you, Captain Obvious. I never would have thought of that.” He sobered. “All right, here’s the deal. I need your help. I was on my way to ask you when . . . when . . . well, you saw what happened.”

  “You were being chased by one butt-ugly big Viking and we’re pretty sure it was a ghost. That’s what happened. Care to tell us where you picked him up and why he was after you?”

  The fact that Daniel was coming to us for help could only mean that he’d gotten himself in some sort of trouble he couldn’t handle. And since he normally ran on the shady side of the law, that also meant he couldn’t go to the cops.

  He let out a long sigh. “Okay, the thing is . . . I think I’m in trouble. Big trouble. And the only ones I know who might stand a chance in hell of helping me are you guys. Because this trouble? Is the kind I know nothing about.”

  “Meaning supernatural.”

  “Right.” He shifted again. “I fully admit to ignorance in this venue. I have never been one to pretend to have knowledge that I don’t. That sort of arrogance gets you killed very quickly.”

  Trillian let out a laugh. “I like you, Daniel.”

  I caught Camille’s gaze and grinned at her. Our cousin and her husband had a great deal in common—they were both mercenaries, of a sort, and both were arrogant but it wasn’t the blustery know-it-all machismo that drove us nuts. No, they knew what they were capable of, and they were honest about what they couldn’t do.

  Daniel took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “All right. Long story short: I came across a sword—a very old one. And now I think it’s trying to make me do things against my will. And that Viking? I think he was one of the sword’s protectors. I have no clue as to what I’ve gotten mixed up in, and for the first time in my life, I’m up against something I can’t fight. Will you help me?”

  Camille pinched the bridge of her nose and winced. “By ‘came across,’ you mean you ‘stole it,’ right?” We all knew what Daniel’s shorthand meant. But to our surprise, this time he shook his head, looking serious.

  “I did not. You know I’d tell you the truth if I had, but no—I didn’t steal this sword. And now, I don’t know how to get rid of it.”

  Menolly let out a long, exasperated sigh. I whistled, low and long. We didn’t even have to consult over this one. Daniel was blood kin. He and his sister were the only blood relatives of our mother’s that we had ever met. Whatever he’d gotten himself into, we were going to help him. With our family so rapidly diminishing, we wanted to keep everybody as intact and safe as we could.

  “Of course we’ll help. Start from the beginning.” I settled down in one of the chairs as everybody else found a place to sit. “And Daniel? Don’t leave out anything.”

  * * *

  So I’m Delilah D’Artigo. Over in Otherworld, my name is Delilah te Maria. We take our mother’s first name as our surname over there, but when my sisters and I came Earthside, we adopted her surname for our own. Camille, Menolly, and I are half-Fae, half-human.

  Our mother, Maria, was human. She fell in love with our father—Sephreh ob Tanu—a full-blooded Fae from OW. He took her home with him and she willingly sacrificed her Earthside life for him. They settled down to live happily ever after, and promptly had four daughters, including my twin, who died at birth. Mother fell from a horse and broke her neck when we were very young, and Camille took over the household, because our father retreated emotionally. We had a rocky time of it, but at least we had each other.

  We work for the OIA—the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. Or rather, now we run the Earthside division. Our jobs have gone through a major shift since we first crossed through the portals from Otherworld.

  Camille is the oldest. She’s a witch, and a Priestess to the Moon Mother. She has three husbands—Smoky, Morio, and Trillian—and together, she and Morio work death magic. Curvy and busty, Camille has long raven-colored hair that reaches mid-back. Her eyes are violet, an unnatural but gorgeous color, and when she runs magic heavily, they become tinged with silver. Camille lives in corsets, skirts, and heels that would break my ankles. She’s shorter than me—five-seven, and not nearly as athletic.

  Menolly is the youngest. At barely five-one, Menolly is thin and petite; she was a jian-tu for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency until she fell into a nest of vampires. Dredge, the biggest, baddest vamp in OW, caught hold of her, and after the longest night of her life, he raped her, tortured her, and then turned her into a vampire. The motherfucker scarred every inch of her body except her hands, feet, and her face, leaving intricate swirling designs that were as beautiful as they were deadly and macabre.

  There’s no way Menolly can ever fully let go of all the baggage, but we dusted Dredge a few years back, and it helped free her from her past. She’s married to a werepuma—Nerissa. They’re madly in love, though they have their problems. Menolly is also consort to Roman, the son of Blood Wyne, Queen of the Vampires—and Queen of the Crimson Veil, the sacred realm from where all vampires draw their power.

  Then, we come to me. I was born a werecat, and as I said, I had a twin, but Arial died at birth. When Camille, Menolly, and I were sent Earthside, I ended up pledged to serve the Autumn Lord—an Elemental Lord. At first I thought it was inadvertent. Turns out? Now I’m thinking, not so much accident as destiny.

  The Autumn Lord sparked off a change in me so that I now have two Were forms—the tabby one I was born with, and a black panther who primarily emerges during combat situations. I’m engaged to Shade—a half-dragon, half-Stradolan (or shadow walker), and he, too, is bound to the Autumn Lord. I’m destined to bear the Autumn Lord’s child via Shade, but I’m hoping that’s a ways in the future because right now? Children? Not such a good idea, considering what we’re facing.

  Ever since we came Earthside, we’ve traveled quite the winding road, but I have the nasty feeling we have a long ways to go before we see the light at the end of the tunnel.

  When we were first assigned to come over Earthside, we thought we were on an enforced sabbatical. We tried, but just weren’t the most effective at our jobs—no employee of the month awards in our trophy case. But as I said, once we were here, life took a major detour.

  Now we’re embroiled in a demonic war. Shadow Wing, leader of the Subterranean Realms, is trying to break through the portals, in order to pour his hordes Earthside. Meanwhile, he�
�s managed to send one of his minions through to OW to start a horrific war. They’ve pretty much devastated the Elfin race at this point. The Demon Lord intends to take over both Earthside and Otherworld to make them his private stomping grounds. And all the nukes the humans have won’t be able to stop him.

  We’ve lost our Father, and a number of friends due to collateral damage, but along the way, we’ve also met some pretty incredible allies. We’re holding on as best as we can. Where this will lead? Anybody’s guess right now. But we’ll fight to the end, because really, that’s the only thing we can do.

  * * *

  Daniel cleared his throat. “So, yes. Yesterday, I was on a consultation with a potential client—”

  “You mean, you were making a deal to steal something for somebody. Let’s be blunt here, Daniel; we’re not prettying up what you do.” Camille let out a snort.

  He flashed her a bad-boy look, but just smiled. “As you wish. Anyway, during our meeting, I noticed a sword hanging on the living room wall next to a painting. I prefer guns and other more portable weapons, so for the most part, I ignored it. But something about it stood out. Almost like it was calling to me. I ignored it, but it kept . . . I swear the damned thing was whispering to me.” His voice trailed off and he shook his head. “One thing you need to know about me: I never steal anything from my clients. That’s a firm rule. You consult with me, you’re free from me ever taking anything you own.”

  “Okay, so what happened?”

  “I don’t remember the rest of the meeting, nor do I remember leaving. I must have, but the next thing I knew, I was on the side of a road up in Shoreline. I have no idea how I got there, but my car was out of gas. I had meant to fill it up before the meeting but forgot. Anyway, I managed to flag someone down and get gas, but then I remembered I’d promised to do something for Hester. By the time I finally got home, I found out my apartment had been ransacked. The alarm system had been mangled, and the security tapes showed nothing.” Daniel shrugged, looking both irritated and confused.