by Sharon Kay
The roar of an engine alerted him to Ria’s arrival. She threw her dinky little Honda into Park and hopped out, jogging on light feet to join him.
“Did you see it?” Her green eyes flicked from his face to the surrounding apartment buildings.
“No. You heard the whole thing with the neighbor’s dog?”
“Yeah. Shit. I don’t know how that animal survived. Unless the hound was being controlled by another creature who told it to stop the pursuit.” She pushed her hair back from her face. “Where do you want to start?”
He pointed to the snow. “With the obvious.” Drops of blood mixed with the Westie’s paw prints, disturbing the white powder in a messy line.
They jogged along the dog’s tracks, stopping when they reached a street. Ria looked at him expectantly. He inhaled, teasing apart the scent molecules in the air. “We’ll cross and head into,” he narrowed his eyes, “there.” A thick group of trees stood on the other side. A forest preserve or a park, he wasn’t sure.
On the other side the scent of hellhound grew stronger. Ria wrinkled her nose. “No mistaking that.”
He stopped inside the first line of trees. “It’s not just a hound. There’s a Deserati, too.”
“What the hell?” she whispered. “I killed one earlier.”
“Fuck. I have a bad feeling that our Solsti’s time of flying under the radar is terminado.” He shook his head.
“Good thing you’re here.” She shot him a sideways glance. “Not that I can’t handle a Deserati and a hellhound.”
“I don’t want to be on the wrong end of your spin, that’s for damn sure. This way.” He took off to the right along the tree line. In a minute, the trail turned deeper into the woods. They stopped at a messy, mucked up patch of ground. He hoped like hell the hound stayed in the woods until he and Ria could take care of it. An animal like that would be hard to explain. Then again, people would probably just chalk it up to drunk college kids making shit up.
Ria looked at him, eyebrows raised.
“They—”
Snap!
A branch overhead cracked and fell, dropping a Deserati male right in front of them.
The Deserati whistled, and immediately the low, angry baying of the hound echoed off the trees. The canine rounded a gnarled oak, its jaws dripping saliva, red eyes glaring. It was the size of a small horse, with lean muscles covered by a black mangy coat. A wrinkled, jowled muzzle helped it track prey by holding the scent in all its loose skin.
“One of you killed my cousin,” the Deserati snarled.
“Looks like you get the dog,” Ria muttered to Mathias, then strode forward toward the Deserati. “That’d be me. Wanna join him?”
Mathias’s protective instincts flared, but he knew Ria could handle the demon. He turned to the hellhound.
The beast bared its razor-sharp teeth, eyes locked on Mathias. The muscles in its haunches tensed.
Mathias reached for the knife he had concealed in his jacket. This would go faster if I had my damn sword. There weren’t too many places on Earth where he could walk around draped in weapons. Looking like some kind of ninja would attract the wrong kind of attention, so he and Ria relied on their daggers.
Growling, the hound launched himself at Mathias. Predictable. Mathias dodged to the side, avoiding the animal’s weight as well as its sharp claws.
The hound landed with an earth-shaking thud. It whirled and charged, snarling, its bulky head lowered. Mathias had fought these things before. They were vicious, but not smart. He needed to get to the canine’s belly.
Mathias darted toward a tree and climbed up to the nearest branch. The dog followed, claws sinking deep into the bark.
The branch was sturdy enough to support one of them but not both. The animal probably weighed as much as he did. Mathias stood up and walked out onto the branch with careful steps.
The hound reached the branch and followed him, wide paws molding to the curved surface.
Just a little farther, dog. Mathias waited one more second, then jumped.
The hound snapped his jaws and followed.
Mathias was ready. In an awkward tumble of limbs, he and the hound rolled across the cold ground. Mindful of its claws and thrashing legs, he plunged his dagger into its stomach, slicing upward.
Warm blood spurted. The animal howled and tried to regain its footing. Mathias scrambled to stand, dagger out.
The hound barked and tried to charge him, but slipped in its own viscera. It panted out harsh breaths that steamed in the December air, but its struggles were futile. In a minute, it lay still.
Mathias summoned a ball of demonfire and tossed it at the hound. Would’ve been simpler to do that in the first place, but most of the damn animals actually liked to catch and eat the Lash demons’ fire. He shook his head. Fucked up.
Ria. The need to find her surged through him. Even though she was a tough girl, she was still his little sister and damn if he’d let her get hurt on their joint op. She and the Deserati had disappeared into the trees while he’d fought the hound.
Jogging, he followed their scents through the stark trees and brown bushes. Muffled grunts reached his ears.
He burst into a thick grove of pines. Ria had the Deserati face down in a choke hold on the ground. She looked to be in control, except for—
“Watch the tail!” Mathias shouted.
Ria cursed and let go, jumping off the demon right before his long tail would’ve wrapped around her neck. The Deserati coughed and scrambled to his feet, backing up. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled his hand out. Empty.
Ria ran at him.
He reached into the other pocket. A grin lit his face. Ria barreled into his chest, knocking him down. He rolled awkwardly away from her, one hand still stuffed into his pocket.
The air hummed with magic. “Ria!” Mathias yelled. He didn’t know what the hell the demon had. It could be anything. But from the magic building around them, he guessed it was an amulet. One that worked simply by contact and a spell.
The Deserati clambered to his knees. Ria flung her dagger at him, aiming for his heart.
She’s got this. He knew it. Ria’s hand-eye coordination was phenom—
The demon leaned to one side with preternatural speed, and righted himself just as quickly. His lips moved, rapidly uttering words in Demonish.
A shimmering bubble appeared in front of him. A portal?
Mathias threw his own blade, but the Deserati dove through the portal’s shiny surface.
Pop!
The iridescent bubble and the Deserati were gone.
“God damn it!” Ria shrieked. She hurled her second dagger at a pine tree, watching as it sunk into the soft bark. “I had him! How did he move that fast?”
“No fucking clue. Two Deserati and a hellhound in the same day. Not good.” Mathias propped his hands on his hips. “One of us needs to be with Gin at all times. Day and night.”
“Agreed.” Ria blew out a breath. “I’ve never seen anything move like that, except with a magical boost.”
“Me neither. Except for your spin.” Mathias stalked to the pine tree and removed Ria’s weapon. Maybe the Deserati had some kind of spell to enhance his speed and reflexes, but the magic from the portal was all he could sense.
“I’ll go over to Gin’s tonight. See if she wants some girl time. Since someone monopolized her all day.” Ria took back her blade and sheathed it inside her coat.
Mathias grinned. Hell yeah, he’d monopolized Gin. And he’d had fun doing it. “I’m taking her out tomorrow.”
“Oooooh!” Ria puckered her lips and cooed. “Where’re ya going?”
“Vôo de Dragão.”
Ria tilted her head. “Isn’t there an act with fire in that?”
“Yup.”
“She know that?”
“Nope.”
Ria whistled. “Sneaky, brother. And risky.”
“I’ll take the risk. It’s time to get a discussion going.”
She nodded, blond curls bouncing. “Yes, it is.” She sighed. “We should get back. One of us needs to call the big A and tell him about this mess. I nominate you. I already talked to him today.”
“You don’t want to talk to him? I thought you guys got along.”
“Yeah, well. Sometimes he can be an overbearing…” Ria shook her head. “Warrior.”
Mathias shrugged. “Okay.” He didn’t push Ria for an explanation. She was a damn good Watcher, one he was glad to partner with. Especially to coax their reluctant Solsti into the fight.
Reluctant Solsti. Whose home he intended to stakeout tonight, in case any more unexpected visitors stopped by. And whose defenses he planned to take down, through words or seduction. Her scent lingered on his jacket, sending an intoxicating wave to his groin. Maybe both.
CHAPTER 10
GIN PUSHED THE HANGERS BACK in her closet for the hundredth time. She slid one across the bar, then another. And repeat. I have nothing to wear.
Correction. She had one possible ensemble she could wear today. Reaching past several colorful Latin dance dresses, she grabbed her little black dress. Not flashy, but it fit like a second skin. Bias cut panels hugged her narrow waist, while ingenious darts and seams molded the bust and hips. It was a fitted sheath, with a V neckline and straps wide enough for her favorite push up bra. Perfect for sitting next to her mouth-watering date.
She’d called Mathias last night after she, Tina, and Cassie had returned from the vet with little Muffy. After many assurances that she was fine and not freaked out imagining wild animals roaming around town, she told him goodnight. And the deep timbre of his voice had left her antsy, bringing back the intensity of their kiss. From his rumbling voice to his hazel eyes and tall muscular frame, he exuded a raw masculinity that she couldn’t help being drawn to.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Gin.” How had he made those few words sound so sexy?
Because he’s gorgeous. Sensual. He flirts and he’s packed with muscle.
She hung the dress on the handle of her closet door and rummaged in her drawer for her bra and a lace thong. Finding them on the bottom of the pile, she tossed them onto the bed. Her drawer leaned precariously out of the dresser, offering up an explosion of cotton, satin and lace. Dig through that pile for nylons? No way. Sexier to go barelegged.
Donning her underwear, she headed into the bathroom to do her makeup. Smokey eyes would be perfect. Butterflies danced in her belly as she dabbed gloss over her nude lips. When was the last time she had a date?
She rolled her eyes. Oh yeah, that meet-and-greet for graduate and post-doc students back in September. She’d met one guy, a Ph.D. candidate in physics, and they’d had one date, but things just fizzled. No chemistry—hah! She giggled.
Mathias has chemistry to spare. She held up a portion of her hair and frowned, debating whether to pin it up. Was it good luck or bad luck that she’d met him as she was finishing up here and preparing to move on with her career?
Releasing her hair, she decided to leave it long and loose, and slid into her dress. She was transferring her essentials to her little black evening bag, when a buzz from her living room made her jump. She glanced at her phone. Hot date, right on time!
Darting to the front of her apartment, she mentally chided herself. You don’t have to run. But breathless anticipation drove her feet. She pressed the little white button. “Hello?”
“Hi, Gin.” Mathias sounded seductive even through the crappy speakers.
“I’ll buzz you in.” She waited by the front door, listening for his heavy footsteps on the stairs. She heard him walking down the hallway, and then he knocked.
Out of habit she checked in the peephole. All she saw was …black. He took a step back as if he knew she was there, trying to get a better look. Yep. That was him all right. And even through the cheap distorting lens, he looked good enough to eat.
She stepped back and opened the door.
Oh, yum.
He’d slung his leather jacket over one shoulder. He wore black pants and a deep burgundy silk dress shirt. His tie was a unique mix of charcoal gray and burgundy squares, pulled together with black diagonal lines. The color of his shirt brought out the rich brown tones within his eyes, but her eyes were drawn to what he held in his hand…daffodils.
She blinked, feeling a huge smile spreading across her face. Her eyes left the bright gold blooms and flicked up to his. “Thank you. You look great.”
He leaned down to press a feather-soft kiss to her cheek, and his eyes dropped to her chest and legs. “You look beautiful.”
The subtle fragrance of his cologne swirled around her, his breath was warm against her skin, and the butterflies in her belly amped up to warp speed. His roaming gaze didn’t bother her one bit. She liked his eyes on her. “Thank you. Come on in, I’m almost ready.” She took the flowers and brought them to her nose, but nothing dampened his inviting scent. “Mmm. Yellow is my favorite color.”
“I had a hunch about that.”
She walked to the kitchen for a vase, her cheek tingling from his lips and her mouth wanting more. Calm down, Gin, he just got here. Finding what she needed, she filled it and snuck a glance at Mathias.
He wandered around her living room, looking things over. He stopped at the table where she had framed photos of her sisters. “There’s a definite family resemblance, but you don’t look exactly like them.”
She carried the now-full vase into the room and set it on the coffee table. “I know. Brooke and I got the dark hair, while Nicole and I got the green eyes.” She paused. “Well, actually, Alina had green eyes and blond hair like Nicole.”
The wall clock ticked in the quiet room. She’d explained it all to him yesterday, but still… People just didn’t know what to say when she mentioned Alina. She looked at Mathias and saw in his eyes not the usual pity. She saw acceptance.
“It’s just that sometimes I feel like…” She shook her head. “This is gonna sound dumb.”
“I bet it won’t.” He reached for her hand. “Try me.”
“I feel a connection to her. Not like I can talk to her, but just….I feel her. Like she’s here somehow, maybe in a different building on campus. The feeling is almost tangible.”
“That’s not dumb. I think that’s pretty normal.” His voice was soft as he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles.
Relief washed over her. It felt good to describe her emotion out loud, and his acceptance of it meant something to her. “Thanks for not thinking that was weird.”
“Never.” A smile teased his lips. “Despite what I said yesterday about not believing in ghosts, I think family connections stay with us. No matter what.”
“I agree.” She took a deep breath. “I need my shoes.”
“Or I could carry you.” His face was completely serious.
She burst into giggles. So funny. It was the perfect thing to say to relieve the tension. And with that physique, she didn’t doubt him. “Duly noted. But I’ll be right back.” Still grinning, she turned and headed into her bedroom.
Kneeling on her floor, she reached under her bed for her sexiest non-dance heels. The dance shoes were gorgeous, but they all had suede bottoms made for dance floors, not for Illinois’s snowy winters. Here they are. She pulled out the box containing her black snakeskin peeptoe platform heels and slid them on. Perfect. Four inches taller, she walked back out.
Mathias’s eyebrows shot up when he saw her, and he cleared his throat. “Yeah, those are a good choice. Keep those on.”
For later. His unspoken words hung in the air like a tendril of smoke. Had she imagined it? Or hoped it? Her throat went dry and her heart hammered in her chest.
“Okay.” She’d wear them whenever he asked, if he asked like that. But he hadn’t asked. He’d ordered her. Whatever. He was her arm candy for the day. She’d make the most of it.
She opened the hall closet to grab her black cashmere car coat, but he beat her to it. He pulled it off the hanger and helped her int
o it, settling its light weight on her shoulders, his hands lingering a second longer than necessary.
Making quick work of the buttons, she turned to him. “Ready.”
“I’m glad you were free today.” His eyes bored into hers.
“I’m glad you asked.” She winked and walked into the hall. How she was speaking coherently, she didn’t know. But she needed to get outside, draw a deep breath of cold air, and clear the lust out of her head. Or else the two of them, and her shoes, might stay in the apartment all night.
THE THIEF
THE THIEF HID IN THE thick evergreen trees, well away from the huge mansion. She had a mental map of the property, thanks to the casing she and Sebastian had done earlier. A stone wall ten feet high surrounded the place. The only entrances were the iron gate at the front and a small service gate at the rear of the property.
The guards at the front gate checked the identities of the arriving guests, scrutinizing them, searching their bags. Heavy spells blanketed the estate, preventing anyone from using magic to transport onto or off of the property. Foot traffic was the only method allowed. Several feet behind the guards stood sentinels with hellhounds straining against their choke chains. The home’s narcissist owner, Mulvari, didn’t do anything in moderation.
The thief grinned at the challenge. Gifted with the ability to cloak herself in shadows, she was at the top of her game. Pulling off a heist like this, against an egocentric bully like Mulvari, would rock.
Of course, she couldn’t share it with anyone but Sebastian. The vampire who had raised her and taught her everything she knew was concealed in the trees to her right, ready to create a distraction when she needed it.
Wrapping herself in the blackness of the night, she walked toward the gate as a large group of guests arrived. One hound snarled and whirled around, snapping in her direction. The sentinel holding its chain glanced right through her and cuffed the beast on its head.
She gave the hellhounds a wide berth. Animals sometimes sensed her presence, even though their owners saw nothing. Sometimes it was fun to mess with them, but tonight she was focused on her task.
