Chapter Twenty-Nine
Outside, Sabrina slowed as she neared the house and the windows blew out, flame following the explosion. She hit the gas and burned rubber getting into the parking lot. The car shuddered to a halt, and she climbed out and raced toward the burning structure.
A man running out ran right into her and she shoved him back. With murderous eyes, he brought up the gun he was holding in his other hand and she did a jump kick to bring her foot into contact with his wrist.
The gun clattered to the ground, and he drove a punch into her stomach. Sabrina gasped, but shut down that part of her mind reeling from the pain. Even as she did she feinted left and when he went to block she drove her fist into his groin.
He groaned and Sabrina drove the heel of her hand into his nose before leveling a punch at his jaw. He fell hard and she rushed toward the building, sweat dampening her underarms and her palms.
She screamed in fury having to back up, the flames and smoke too much. “Veda!”
“Sabrina!” Blade came running around the side of the building. “I’ve called for help.”
“Where were you?” Sabrina charged her and Blade ducked the punch before shoving her back.
“Kya was with her,” she snapped tensely.
Sabrina clenched her fists.
“I caught one of them,” Blade told her. “He’s out cold and trussed like a Christmas goose in the truck. I’m sure Kya got them out.” She tried to pull her back but Sabrina glared at her. “Do you see anyone? Do you!”
Blade’s lips tightened. “Sabrina—”
Sabrina punched her in the stomach this time as she let out a baleful scream. Tears filled her eyes and she fought to stay on her feet. Blade pulled her back as the scream of the fire truck drew close.
Blade tugged her around back and they both stopped short. A very naked Veda slumped over Kya next to the pick-up Blade had taken off in.
“Veda,” Sabrina hurried to her and Blade rushed after her to peel Kya up off the ground.
“Are you okay, baby?” Sabrina crushed Veda to her. Her heart was still pounding as fear turned to joy.
Veda hugged her back. “I think so.”
Tears wet her shirt and Sabrina hugged Veda tighter. “I thought I’d lost you. I was terrified.”
“I’m okay.” Veda’s voice was soft but throbbed with emotion that made Sabrina’s throat ache with tears she refused to cry.
“We need to go,” Blade ordered.
Sabrina stepped back from Veda and jerked open the truck door. “Get in. I’ll get my car and meet you down the street.” She met Blade’s eyes. “Nothing better happen to her between now and then.” She slammed the door closed once Veda was in.
****
“Here.” Blade handed her a throw.
Veda took it, grateful. “Thanks.”
The wait seemed like an eternity to Veda, but Sabrina was pulling up beside the truck a few minutes after Blade pulled into the parking lot of an abandoned building down the street.
Sabrina pulled open the truck door with a t-shirt in hand. “Put this on. How’s Kya?”
“She’s still out,” Blade said as Sabrina stared at her.
Veda rubbed Sabrina’s stomach. “Something hit Kya, and knocked her out. I had to drag us out the through the back. I used magic.”
Sabrina looked at her then. She kissed her softly on the lips.
“Untie me,” a male voice ordered groggily.
Sabrina moved before Blade did, jerking the back door of the dual-cab pick-up open. She closed a hand around the man’s neck.
Veda turned to look behind them. A few cars were passing on the street, so she cast a cover spell to hide the truck from view of passing people. She cast a barrier spell to keep the sound of their voices and possibly the man’s screams from carrying.
She turned back hoping the guy didn’t make Sabrina hurt him too much.
“Who sent you?” He spat on her and she drove her fist into his jaw. “Try it again, and I’ll start breaking body parts.”
“Or something,” Veda said softly from behind. She focused on his shoulder and sent an arc of magic into it. He groaned.
“That was a warning,” Sabrina told him. “Talk.”
“The King of Clubs,” he said. “The Hatter wants her dead since you handed evidence over to the feds.”
“A mole,” Blade murmured.
“Even as we speak, men are at your place blowing it up,” he said with a sneer.
“I want the King’s real name,” Sabrina told him and reached behind her to release her knife from its holster.
He stared at her. Veda saw the anger in his eyes and he shifted into a cat.
“Wonderful,” Blade muttered. “Your bedside manner hasn’t improved.”
She stabbed the cat in the shoulder and it hissed at her and he shifted back. “Talk.”
“Damn it,” he muttered. “All I know is he’s a fed. He feeds us information to keep Five by Five ahead of the feds that’s how we know about the footage you handed off to the feds. The Hatter is making a run for it tonight.”
“Where is he hiding?” Sabrina demanded.
The naked man gripped his shoulder. “I need a doctor. I’m bleeding to fucking death.”
“Answer and I’ll get you a doctor,” Sabrina told him.
At that time, a groggy Kya sat up and tossed him the shirt she was wearing. “Pansy.”
He caught it with his free hand and pressed it to his shoulder.
“Now, where is The Hatter hiding?”
“He’s staying at Lowell Grande’s.” He laughed.
“What’s funny?” Blade asked and slapped the back of his head.
“Grande and The Hatter are one and the same,” he said and smirked.
“Where’s the house?” Blade demanded.
“He’ll be gone by the time you can get to him,” he said coldly. “He’s leaving tonight.”
“Give us the address,” Kya commanded and Veda flinched at the whip of her voice. “Or she’s cutting your balls off first.”
“You’re not going to—” He broke off when Sabrina brought the knife down. He let out a yelp and parted his legs and Veda’s breath whooshed out of her as she braced for more blood.
Chapter Thirty
Veda stared aghast, mouth open and hand gripping the truck door tight enough to hurt, but the knife never even hit the cloth seat let alone the guy’s crotch. She let out a breath at the same time he did.
“Okay. Okay!” He rattled off the address and Blade hit him over the head knocking him out.
“Are you going to heal him?” Veda asked.
“Sure,” Blade said. “We want him alive in case he’s lying.” She turned away to use her phone and Kya leaned back against the seat.
“I’m getting out of here,” Sabrina muttered. “Tell Ace to call me.” She took Veda’s hand and led her away.
“Sabrina, we have to heal him.”
“He’s going to die, Veda, as soon as intel is verified.”
“You lied to him?” she demanded jerking her hand free.
“Yes. That’s the way the game works, and he knows it. Now, come on. We need to get to a real safe house.”
Veda glanced back but quickly picked up the pace. Once they were in the car she ended the spell. Sabrina pulled out into traffic a moment later. Veda leaned her head back against the seat.
“I need clothes,” she said quietly.
“Swinging by your place is out, baby, I’m sorry,” Sabrina said. “Look in my bag and see what you can find. We’ll stop some place.”
Veda climbed into the backseat and rummaged through the bag and found jeans she knew wouldn’t fit but pulled them on as she considered how she’d ended up naked. She’d shifted into the wolf.
Her life was about to change yet again, but she supposed she’d been an unwitting accomplice. She’d needed to save herself and then Kya. She only remembered wishing for the wolf’s strength.
“How’d you end up nake
d?”
“I don’t know. I smell like smoke.” She sighed. “I’ll have to use magic to make me less noticeable in the store. My head still hurts.”
“What happened, Veda?”
“We were attacked, and I used magic to get us out,” she said. “I don’t have shoes.”
“I think it would be better to risk going by your place after all,” Sabrina told her ruefully.
And so they did. They were able to get in quickly and Veda packed another bag while Sabrina was on the phone. She couldn’t resist taking a quick shower too to wash the smoke off her. Once she was dressed, they headed back out. The drive to the new safe house was thirty minutes long and Veda prayed there was food there because she was hungry.
“You’ll be safe here,” Sabrina told her as they pulled into the driveway of a ranch-style house. It was one of three on this side of the street and they were on the end.
“I don’t think Blade told anyone where we were,” Veda murmured.
“Neither do I,” Sabrina said. “There was probably a tracker on your car.”
“Oh.”
Sabrina cut the engine and released her seatbelt before facing Veda. “I’m sorry.”
Veda frowned. “This wasn’t your fault and I managed, Sabrina,” she said. “I was so scared but I managed to keep my head together because I didn’t want to die without seeing you again.”
Sabrina reached across the seat to take Veda’s hand. “Veda.”
“I’m glad you showed up when you did,” she said. “I wanted you.”
Sabrina pulled her into a hug. “My heart shattered when I saw those flames.”
Veda looked up at her. “I won’t say it,” she said. “I know you’ll think—I won’t say it.”
Sabrina nodded as if in understanding and then released her. They both climbed out and Sabrina grabbed Veda’s bag and led the way inside after disarming the alarms.
“Ace is coming over with Blade, but we have time to grab a bite to eat,” Sabrina told her. “She mentioned the possibility of taking out The Hatter tonight.”
“Can it be done so soon?”
“With the location, yes, and we’ll be able to spend the weekend together without this hanging over us.”
“Then, you should do it,” she said. “I mean, I’m assuming you’re going with them.”
Sabrina nodded and stopped to lean against the wall in the corridor. “I want to go.”
“If I asked you not to?”
“Then, I won’t,” Sabrina replied with a shrug.
Veda moved close enough to brush a stray lock of Sabrina’s hair behind her ear. “I wouldn’t be the kind of lover who asked you not to do something you felt you had to.”
Sabrina put her hand on Veda’s waist and drew her closer. “You’re assuming I would hate you for it.”
“Eventually,” Veda replied softly.
“There is only so much a woman can take, but this is a situation where I’d rather see the guy dead with my own eyes since he wants you dead,” Sabrina told her. “You matter, Veda.”
Veda smiled. “So do you, so I’m not going to ruin this by getting in the way.”
“I’ll make sure you’re safe.” Sabrina kissed her.
“Okay.”
Sabrina pushed away from the wall and led Veda to a spacious bedroom with a big bed. The thick drapes were pulled closed though besides the bed and a chair there was nothing to see in the Spartan room.
“I’ll get dinner started.”
“I’ll be there in a minute,” Veda told her. Veda watched her with a single thought in her head.
“I’m falling for her way too fast,” she said softly and then pushed out a harsh sigh. She didn’t take long, Veda only wanted a few minutes to herself.
She followed her nose to the kitchen picking up the hint of spices, but she knew why her sense of smell was suddenly so keen. She accepted what was happening to her though she wondered if it was permanent or would fade once this passed.
She would tell Sabrina if they were still together in a few months. Otherwise, there was no need to tell her now when she already had so much on her mind.
She came to a stop inside the kitchen. The white was blinding and the cherry of floor barely cut through it. Light flooded the room adding even more gleam and shine. Sabrina stood at the center island preparing food and a pot rack hung over head. There was an eating nook with a long table and benches as well as a few chairs several steps away.
“This is big,” Veda said. The kind of place you could have a greenhouse in.
Sabrina shrugged. “I have a condo, but I come here whenever I’m not working the next day.”
“I love it,” she said. “It’s much better than my place.”
“Well since my condo is toast, I guess we’ll be spending time here,” Sabrina told her.
Veda smiled. “What can I do to help?”
“Oh nothing. Just have a seat. I’ll be done shortly.”
“I’m not ready for a huge meal,” she said.
“I’m making sliders with homemade fries. I’ll learn some low cal recipes for you.” Sabrina gave her a smile.
“Good.” She laughed. “I love food, but I’m not going to overdo it.”
“I’ll be right here to help,” Sabrina assured her.
Ace arrived a few minutes later with several other women. Veda wasn’t happy about being swamped, but Chloe was a familiar face that she was happy to see.
Chloe and her friends, Jasmia and Simone, took over making dinner while Sabrina and the others went into another room to talk. Veda wasn’t too pleased at being excluded though the other ladies didn’t seem to mind. The fact that Chloe was so at ease surprised her but then neither of the other women was trying to hit on Darice.
“You work for a lingerie company?” Simone asked curiously.
“For plus size women,” she answered quietly. They were going to make her feel about fifty pounds wider in a few minutes, she thought shifting her weight from one foot to the other.
“Really? What company?” Jasmia asked.
“Perfect Charm,” she said. “We’re more than lingerie though. All of the clothes we design are for the larger size woman.”
“That’s great,” Simone said. “What do you do there?”
“I handle the advertising and marketing and some of the designing.” She nodded.
“That’s how you met Sabrina?” Jasmia asked. “I know she had to do some of the stories on successful women in the city.”
“No, we met at No Dice.”
“Some club, huh,” Jasmia said with a smile.
“Yeah.”
“I like your top,” Chloe said. “Did you design it?”
All eyes turned to her and her cheeks heated—only a little. The top was a spaghetti strap check that fit her curves without molding to her shape. The shirt she’d pulled on over it had quarter sleeves and was a contrasting color.
“Yes.” The shirts had been pulled on with white jeans that had been perfectly ripped in places.
To her surprise, Simone continued on the topic of clothes telling her one of her co-workers was looking for nice items for plus-size women.
“But if all the clothes are that cute, I’m gonna be so jealous,” Simone said giving Veda a smile.
By the time they’d finished dinner, Veda was a little more at ease with the other women. Simone especially seemed to go out of her way to make her feel a part of the group.
“I’m glad you’re relaxing with the girls,” Sabrina said after she and the other women joined the small group in the kitchen.
She craned her neck to look over her shoulder at Sabrina. “Everything settled?”
Sabrina nuzzled her. “Yes,” she murmured in her ear. “We’re leaving.”
Veda turned. “You’ll be careful?”
Sabrina nodded and trapped her in place, one hand on either side of Veda. She leaned toward her. “Zy and Darice are going to stay here with you guys,” she murmured. “Can you hide the hous
e with your magic?”
“Do you want me too?”
“I’ll call when we’re close,” Sabrina said.
“Okay.” Veda leaned into her wrapping her arms around Sabrina’s waist. “Come back in one piece.”
“I plan to,” she said and kissed the tip of her nose. “I plan to spend a lot more time with you.”
Veda nodded. “I’m looking forward to it.”
“Come on, lover girl,” Ace called.
“Later, baby.” Sabrina kissed her lightly and Veda clung to her for a moment before letting her go.
As soon as Sabrina was out of the room, Darice leaned next to her. “You couldn’t have fallen for a more terrific woman, well other than me.”
Veda gave her an incredulous look. “Oh, please. You’re not that fantastic, I was hitting on you because I was desperate.”
“Veda, don’t sell yourself short,” she murmured. “Sabrina wouldn’t be with you if she didn’t want you. Anyway, I didn’t turn you down because you aren’t attractive and sexy. I was in love with someone else.”
“I know,” she said. “Excuse me.” Veda left the room heading to the bedroom to perform the spell.
She could go on after losing Sabrina. She just didn’t want to have to. There was still so much for them to experience and do together. So, Veda said a prayer to Frey to keep her consort safe.
Chapter Thirty-One
By the time they reached the house Lowell Grande had rented, Sabrina was in that cold nothing place. She was ready to do battle with the cartel leader and his friend. Blade and Cattail had been here watching the house. They’d gotten information on the security system being used too before killing the man Blade had captured outside the safe house.
They knew how many guards there were and thanks to a black cat they knew where they were, but Sabrina wasn’t counting on anything but trouble.
“Blade and Cattail are already inside,” Ace told the five women in the truck. “Cattail said The Hatter’s packing to leave, and he has only six men here with him along with his wife.”
“What about Black Jack?” A blonde woman sitting in back asked.
“He’s not on site, but the King of Clubs could be,” Ace said. “Alexi’s people are in place and ready to start the diversion. We’ll go in cat form from the back. Sabrina, take position in the trees.”
Burning for an Assassin Page 15
