Haley sighed. “Wait.” Creyal flinched. “Eat first, and then you can go.” He stayed where he was. With all his hair in his face, she couldn’t see his eyes. “Creyal, you need to eat. You look like a centerfold piece for Vegan National. I mean, unless that’s the look you’re going for.”
His head turned in her direction “Why?”
“Because you’re not taking care of yourself. Besides, you’re already wearing Deshi’s pants and Farley’s shirt. You might as well eat a little pizza.” She shrugged. “Completes the whole home invasion package.” His shoulders fell and he opened the door. Haley hopped off the bar stool to stop him. “Wait. I was kidding. You know, funny ha-ha? Creyal, please. Sit down and eat.” He let go of the knob and she bumped it shut with her hip. “It’s all right.”
Haley pushed him onto a stool and moved a box of pizza under his nose. He still didn’t move. When she looked at Farley he was stock still, a piece of Italian genius in one hand, his eyes frozen on Creyal, watching him.
“How come you never act this way around Deshi?”
Farley took a tentative bite of his pizza slice. “Deshi’s never been disrespectful. Him,” he pointed, “he’s done nothing but dish out disrespect.” Creyal still wasn’t eating.
“Damn it.” Haley stood up and pushed his hair back out of the way. Maybe if he could actually see it, he’d eat. She checked the glass jar on the bar that collected every paper clip to forgotten pen that came out of her pocket at the end of the day, and found a rubber band. Haley pulled his hair back, and slid the rubber band in place. It wasn’t perfect, a few stray hairs hung out across his eyes. “Eat.” Now he was staring at her. “Oh for Christ’s sake, what now?” She glanced at Farley, who shrugged.
Creyal said, “Females do not tend to Males that are not theirs.”
Haley let out a groan. “Can you please stop? This isn’t the Dens. I didn’t grow up in the Dens. I don’t use the same rule book as other Kin, so you might as well get used to it. Now eat. It’s getting cold.”
The phone rang and she almost knocked the pizza to the floor diving for it.
“Hello?” Please be Garrett.
It was.
“Haley, are you watching the news?”
“No, why?” She looked around for the remote and saw it on the arm of the sofa. “What channel?” She turned on the flat screen.
“Doesn’t matter, it’s on all of them.”
It took a minute for her to realize what she was seeing. Fire, lots of fire. “What’s going on?”
“Dr. Meyer’s clinic was fire bombed. They say that the Earth For Humans group is claiming responsibility, but I’ve got a couple of eyes on the scene. That’s not your typical truck and fertilizer combo. Whoever did that knew what they are doing.” Haley glanced over at Creyal, who was huddled over the pizza, tentatively picking at it, like he was scared he’d mess it up.
“Is Dr. Meyer okay? And her staff?”
“She’s alive.”
Haley learned a long time ago, that for Humans, being alive can be worse than being dead. “How bad?”
“She’s burned over fifty percent of her body. At her age, she’s in bad shape. But someone pulled her out of the fire and whoever it was wasn’t Human. Witnesses claim he got her to the parking lot and went in for the others. They don’t think all of them will make it. A few are worse off than Dr. Meyer. There are at least eight patients unaccounted for, including Creyal. So, he may be dead.”
“Creyal’s fine, sir.”
Garrett was silent for a second or two. “You say that like he’s sitting in front of you or something.”
“Actually, he is. I came home and found him in my apartment.”
“Haley, all the evidence that Dr. Meyer collected was in that building. I think Dobson may have arranged for it to be leveled. And I’m sure he meant for Creyal to die.”
She sighed. “We have another problem. June Dowery sent the email for me to do the interview with Niles.”
“June was killed this afternoon pulling out of the D.A. office parking lot.”
“I know, Farley saw it happen. He went to help. Garrett, June was a Link.”
Her boss made an unhappy sound. “As in a Human Link to a dragon?”
Was there any other kind? “Yeah, specifically the Queen of North Carolina, Nidia.”
“And why do I have a feeling this isn’t all the bad news you have for me?”
“Farley stole her PDA. It has Dobson’s number in it and a list of calls. They’ve been talking back and forth on a regular basis, and I doubt it’s been conversations about the weather.”
“Damn it.” Something shuffled in the background. It sounded like Garrett was throwing things around on his desk. “How did she get into the D.A.’s office?”
“It might have been a recent bonding.”
“You don’t sound too convinced of that.”
“No, I’m not. I’m no expert, mind you. There’s a lot about my people that I don’t understand. Especially the Females.” Marking Farley had shown her there was a lot about the metaphysical bonding that couldn’t be gleaned from books. “Garrett?”
“Yeah, Haley.”
Haley shut her eyes and sank to the sofa. “He’s going to kill me, isn’t he?” She waited for Garrett to say something, anything. The continued quiet the worst kind of confirmation she could have gotten.
When he finally broke the silence, he said, “You need to consider disappearing.”
She laughed. “Garrett, I can’t run. If I do, you wind up in the pen.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ve been in worse places. Look, I know a guy who does private charters. He owes me a favor. I can arrange for you to get out of the country.”
“And go where? I’m Female. I was kicked out of the Dens. I’m from unknown blood. That means no Queen will have me. I may have a lot of pull with the Males of my people, but to the other Females I’m just high ranking Food. The safest place I can be is in Atlanta. Medan wants me as her Enforcer, and until she is pissed enough to have me killed, it’s unlikely the others will get too close.”
“If you’re her Enforcer, the other Queens won’t touch you?”
Haley thought about that. “It’s a bond. I don’t know a lot about it. I’ve never met an Enforcer. What I do know is to attack any one bonded to a Queen is considered a direct attack on the Queen they speak for.”
“Would Dobson be able to get to you?”
“I don’t think Dobson follows the rules of the Dens, but Medan may take it as a personal insult and go after him.”
More shuffling echoed over the receiver. “Haley, if you won’t leave the country, then do what you need to do to survive.”
“Garrett, sir, if I become her Enforcer, I may compromise the CFKR, the Bureau, and every case I’ve ever worked on dealing with illegal trades. I don’t know how much control she will have over me. I don’t know if I will be able to keep secrets from her.”
“You marked Farley, right?”
“Yes.”
“Do you control him?”
Haley glanced over. Farley was talking to Creyal in a low voice. How much control did she have over him? Something had gone wrong this afternoon. Biting him had stopped it, but she had no idea why his behavior even happened in the first place.
“Garrett, that’s knowledge Females are imprinted with by a Queen. I had a Human adoptive Mother. I imprinted on her. So to tell you the truth, I don’t have a clue.”
“Haley...” His sigh belonged to a defeated man. “Do what you have to do to protect yourself. I’ll worry about the back lash.”
“But--”
“No. No excuses. Do it. If the Bureau won’t protect you from Dobson, then they don’t deserve your loyalty.” His words surprised her and at the same time made her realize the depth of his concern. His friendship.
“I’ll think about it.” It was the best she could give him. Sad thing was, it seemed like the only choice she was left with.
“One more th
ing. I need you to get that PDA to Ken.”
“I can drop it off on my way to the Dens.”
“Do it.”
“You still trust him?”
“Ken?”
“You don’t think Dobson has gotten to him?”
“Is there a reason why I should suspect he has?”
“No, it just seems like the colonel has his claws in every branch of everything I once believed in.”
Garrett barked a laugh. “You have no idea, Haley. You have no idea.”
After a little more talk about Dr. Meyer and the loss of evidence, Haley hung up and went to sit back down at the wet bar beside Farley.
He said, “Dobson torched the clinic, didn’t he?”
Haley nodded. “Yeah, that’s what Garrett thinks. He wants me to take the PDA to Ken. He says we can trust him. I figure we’d drop it off on the way to the Dens.”
Farley gave her sad eyes.
“It’s my only choice.” She tried to muster a smile, one that would say don’t worry, but she couldn’t get her lips to make the lift off. Then her voice had to go and do something stupid, like crack. “I don’t know what else to do.”
Every instinct told her that going to Medan was as dangerous as Dobson.
Farley pulled her face into his neck. The strength of his hold was crushing. Haley welcomed it. Maybe if he held her tight enough, her world wouldn’t fall apart.
“I want to go with you.” Haley started to shake her head. “Don’t tell me no. Please.” Yeah, and what would she do if Medan decided he would be a fun accessory to play with again? “Please.” Farley trembled and Haley could smell his desperation.
He needs this, because going without him will confirm all his fears. That he was weak, without worth, and helpless to protect her.
Hell, she was helpless to protect herself.
“Okay. Just promise me one thing.” Haley made him look at her. She wanted to tell him to run if things went bad, hide, leave, save himself. All the things you’re supposed to tell the person you care about, when something dangerous is coming to snuff you out.
Instead, Haley told him what she was really afraid of. “Don’t let me forget who I am. Please, Farley, I don’t want to become her puppet.”
He smiled. “It’ll never happen.”
She could only hope he was right.
Chapter 35
Above the cab, the street lights dwindled in numbers until there was nothing but night. They passed through the dirty, trash-covered streets of the Zone, leaving Human society and all its garbage behind.
A block inside the Wall, offensive neon lights butchered the darkness and crowds of people gathered. For all its proximity to the Hive, the Pit was one of the safest clubs on the strip, which why everyone from business men to college kids shed their moral skins and flocked here.
The cabbie stopped behind a line of cars waiting to pull up to the door. Haley paid him and got out. Farley and Creyal followed.
“C’mon.”
Haley grabbed Farley’s hand and headed toward the doors. Moving through the wall of people was like trying to move through quick drying concrete. Farley snapped off a few creative curses when he got an elbow to the side of the head.
Haley recognized the Kin bouncer and pushed to get closer. “Hey!” His eyes widened and fell where she touched him on the arm. “Can you get us in? We’re here to see Medan.”
He turned her hand over and pressed his face in her palm. “For you? Absolutely.”
Farley stepped up beside her and the bouncer flicked his golden eyes in his direction.
“He’s with me,” Haley said. The Male’s eyes went up and over her head. She caught sight of Creyal in her periphery. “Him too.”
Inside, the mass of people and flashing lights was stifling. When Haley looked back at Farley his eyes were bright gold, his teeth extended.
“Are you okay?”
He waved a hand in front of his face. “It’s the pheromone. Shit gets more real every new batch they make.” Haley glanced at Creyal. His eyes were all silver but he hadn’t popped any teeth.
“The entrance is in the back.” She pointed to the rear of the club, just in case her words had been stomped out by the noise. Considering she couldn’t hear herself think, that was pretty much a sure thing.
They moved, but it was a losing battle. Too many people were packed in the place. Obviously, Medan wasn’t worried about violating any kind of occupational codes.
As they made their way past a string of tables, Haley did a double take. Three women, in various stages of undress, were climbing all over a Male sitting in the booth. She looked away only to see two Males hovering over a Lesser-Bred on the other side. The sounds of sex and feeding rivaled the guitar riffs.
Creyal moved up and blocked her view. “If you’re going to get down there tonight, you need to start moving.” He threw a worried glance over his shoulder. “They smell you.”
Males closed in, their mouths opened, their throats working as they drank down her scent. Deep thrums, whirrs, and clicks were carried on the waves of music. Haley went backwards and bumped into Creyal.
“What do they want?” At least she didn’t sound as panicked as she felt.
“You.” Creyal leaned in close. Farley growled. “What are you going to do, Snack Cake? Take on all of them?”
Closer now, they reached for her. Some had blood on their faces, some smelled of sex.
“What the hell’s wrong with them?” She tossed Creyal a desperate look.
“They’re drunk on the pheromone.” It came out slurred.
“Why aren’t you?”
Creyal lifted his arm and thumped the crook. “Still stoned. Trust me, I’m getting there.” His wide hand pushed apart his shirt and stroked his stomach. “Mmm—” He grinned. “This is almost as good as H.”
Male Kin filled the floor at her feet. Crawling over each other, reaching for her, stroking her legs, touching her skirt. This wasn’t what Haley had expected. She had no idea what to do or how to control them. Nothing like this happened in the Tank. Hell, this many Males in one place didn’t happen outside the Wall. The cold panic of fear boiled under her skin. The Males hissed.
“Fuck, stop that!” Creyal grabbed her shoulder. “What the hell’s wrong with you? You’re starting to smell like Food.”
“Well, I’m sorry, but this isn’t exactly what I expected. Hell, I’ve never even read about anything like this.” She clung to Farley, trying to keep him with her and not let him be carried away by the Males. “Why aren’t they going after the Human women like this?”
“Christ, you really are domesticated. You’re Female, your scent is unmistakable.”
Before Haley could snap off a reply, a tongue hit her calf, another on the back of her knee. Then hands, dozens of hands, inched up legs until fingertips brushed the underside of her ass.
Haley didn’t have the sexual inhibitions that Human women did. More than once she’d had a Male suck the back of her thigh in the Tank. The behavior was a sign of respect, even affection. But this? So many bodies, so many Males, were overwhelming. These weren’t white-scales, but fully mature Males, strong in mind and body. And sex in public was not an option.
So much for not having inhibitions.
One, okay, I have one.
“Farley!” His gaze came up, but he couldn’t seem to focus. “Farley.” He pulled at her blouse, freeing it from her skirt, and slipped his hands up and grabbed her bra. Haley growled and shook him hard enough to snap his head back.
“Need...” Farley lurched forward and she went backwards. Creyal caught her and became the only thing keeping her from hitting the floor and being smothered.
The music screamed from speakers above, and the color of the strobes changed, going from white and yellow to blue and red. Haley struggled to stand as another wave of bodies rushed forward. With one arm she held onto to Farley and the other she clung to the feral.
“God of Man, Creyal, please don’t let me fall!”
She’d never be able to control the panic if she hit the floor. Somehow they wound up in an alcove between the booths and wall. It didn’t stop the Males. They just climbed higher.
“What do I do?” She looked over her shoulder at Creyal. “Please. I don’t know what to do.”
“You’re the Female.”
Farley caught her mouth and his tongue thrust deep. The taste of him on her palate brought a moan out of her throat. The wave of Males rumbled and whirred. Behind her, heat blossomed across Creyal’s chest.
Farley whispered something near her ear, but she couldn’t understand him. He tried again.
“Ah, fuck, Haley, you’ve got to do something.” Haley felt Creyal’s erection press against her back. He laughed; it was a sound that bordered on madness. One of her shoes was pulled off. Lips closed around her toes, sucking.
Farley pushed himself closer. “Roll...” His mouth touched hers. “Roll me, Haley.” He sucked on her bottom lip, licked her chin, her cheek, and nipped her ear.
“Now? I can’t Roll you here.” He pulled her legs up around his waist and moved between them.
“Roll me.” The request came from a Male pressed to her hip. His hands worked the skin of her leg. “Roll me,” said another. “Roll me.” The plea became a chant echoed by all of them.
Creyal laughed again. “Oh, that sounds like a brilliant idea!” He shuddered and slid part way down the wall.
“Creyal!” Haley tried to kick but Farley had both of her legs. Someone bit her on the ass. Mouths and tongues licked and sucked the backs of her thighs.
“Haley...” Farley pulled at her panties, ripping them. “This is the Dens. Roll us so we can feed. We can’t stop.” He pushed himself against her, the bulge in his pants rubbing against her core. She gasped.
Farley parted her shirt and pushed up her bra. His mouth latched onto her nipple and Haley couldn’t stop her body’s response. Her metaphysical energy flared. Behind her, Creyal moaned. She felt him fumbling with his clothes. All around her the Males responded, losing their clothing, rubbing against each other.
City of Dragons: Blood Bonds Page 29
