Sweeter than Wine

CHAPTER 9

The next evening, right after sunset, Sebastian and Christy headed to her old house by very conventional means, taking one of Sebastian's cars-a midnight blue Lamborghini-and driving the forty-five minutes from Sebastian's estate to her old neighborhood. Christy had lived in a very nice upper middle class section, but it was nothing like the exclusive area Sebastian called home. Seeing his estate from the outside, she was once again amazed by the simple majesty of his home. Just driving down the winding driveway that led from the seven-bay garage building to the front gate was impressive.

After seeing the way Sebastian lived, it was a little embarrassing to worry so much over the money Jeff had stolen from her. Though a huge amount to her, it was probably pocket change to Sebastian. Still, it was her money and she'd also paid for the house Jeff had bought after the wedding. Standing on principle, Christy wanted what was hers back. She deserved at least that after putting up with Jeff.

Christy clutched the papers Morgan had drawn up and left with her the night before. All she had to do now was work up the nerve to give them to Jeff. He'd heard about the divorce, which was what had set him off, but he'd yet to be served the papers. Sure, they could've hired someone to give him the papers, but it was important to their plan that Christy see Jeff in person. It was also important, on a personal level, that she confront him.

After his last blowup, Christy feared Jeff's reaction, but another part of her-the brave part that gained strength every day from Sebastian's loving care-was looking forward to seeing how she'd do against Jeff now. She almost relished the idea of giving him a little back of what he'd dealt.

While not a violent woman, Christy had been pushed beyond her limits and she figured it was healthy to fantasize about planting her fist in Jeff's face. Not that she'd ever do it. Well, not unless he swung first. She felt a surge of excitement and fear mixed together. If he tried to hurt her, she wondered if she'd freeze or if she'd have the wherewithal to defend herself this time. Now that she knew how to do so and had the power to back it up.

Sebastian reached over the center console and placed one warm hand over hers. She was gripping the envelope with the divorce papers so tightly, her knuckles were white.

«I'll be with you, Christina. Kinsey will never be able to harm you again.»

«Is it bad of me to want to punch his face in?» Christy turned in her seat to watch Sebastian's strong profile as he drove with confidence down the streets of her old neighborhood.

He laughed. «Not at all. And if you don't, perhaps I will.» Sebastian lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles before releasing her to downshift.

Within moments, they pulled up in front of her old house. It had never really been a home to her, though she'd tried her best. It was a beautiful place, but she wouldn't miss it.

«Are you ready?» Sebastian shut off the engine and turned to her.

Christy took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. «As I'll ever be, I guess.»

Sebastian got out and came around to open her door, ushering her from the low-slung sports car. His manners were impeccable and Christy smiled up at him as she stood, though inside, she quaked with nervous excitement. The coming minutes would set events in motion, both in her personal life, and in the plan the men had devised to deal with the magical threat.

Christy had been taken to the hospital with little more than her bathrobe, so she had to dig up the spare key from the side of the house to enter. She considered ringing the bell, but dammit, it was still her house. She could enter it if she wanted to. And she could bring a friend inside as well.

Christy opened the door and stepped inside. Sebastian waited outside until she turned. «Please come in, Sebastian.»

Sighing, he stepped over the threshold. «Glad you said that.»

«So those old myths about having to invite a vampire in are true?»

«It's tradition, love.» He tugged at his collar and looked a tad uncomfortable. «We are creatures of habit and after living so long, sometimes tradition is all we have left.»

«Well, consider yourself permanently invited into this house. It's still mine and I can damn well invite whoever I want inside.»

Sebastian placed one warm hand on her shoulder, squeezing with gentle pressure. «Well said, my love. Feeling independent, are we?»

«I'm preparing to do battle.»

Sebastian chuckled as they moved down the hall toward the back of the house. «Good for you, Christina. Remember, I'm here for you if you need me.»

She stopped to look up into his eyes. «I'll always need you, Sebastian.»

«Well, look who's decided to come crawling back.» Jeff stood in the light from the kitchen, a beer in one hand.

Christy spun to face him, her heart in her throat. Sebastian's warm presence behind her gave her courage.

«Jeff.»

«Is that all you can say? Where the hell have you been for the past week?» His voice rose. «Who is this guy? One of your friends' wacko husbands? Is that who you've been with? One of your weirdo college friends?»

«Jeff, you nearly killed me.» Christy's voice was pitched low, but the words cut across the dim hall.

«You don't look hurt to me,» he sneered.

«But I was,» she whispered.

«Courage, my love.» Sebastian's voice in her mind steadied her.

She moved forward, and incredibly, Jeff fell back, moving into the kitchen. He put the island in the center of the room between them, placing his half-finished beer on the counter. Christy and Sebastian stayed on the other side of the large kitchen, but the lighting was better in here. Jeff's eyes followed them with rage and suspicion. Christy remembered that look, but this time, she didn't have the same level of fear. In fact, the more time she spent in Jeff's presence with Sebastian beside her, the more she saw how pathetic Jeff really was. All the fear he'd taught her in recent months dropped away to be replaced by contempt.

«You've abused me for the last time, Jeff. I came here get my stuff and give you these.» She slapped the papers on the table between them but he made no move to retrieve them.

«What's that?» Jeff eyed the folded stack of papers, anger causing color to rise in his face.

«Divorce papers.»

Jeff swore, but didn't touch the papers, eyeing them, and her, with building rage. «You little bitch!»

He stormed around the table and raised his hand, but the blow never landed. Christy was long gone and Jeff's balled fist struck empty air, throwing him off balance.

Everything happened in slow motion. Christy saw Jeff's fist coming at her face, frame by frame, as she moved lightning fast out of the way. She went low, as Hiro had taught her and used a sweeping motion of her leg to drop Jeff to the floor, easy as pie. Jeff hit the table leg on the way down and lay on the ground, a look of surprise on his face as he clutched his side.

«What the hell was that?» Fury shone in his eyes. Fury…and fear.

«That was me not taking any of your crap anymore, Jeff. I came to get my things. I expect you to stay out of my way while I do it.» She smoothed her shirt as she spoke, trying to control the trembling of her hands. She'd just stood up to Jeff's anger and it felt good. Damn good.

«In fact,» Sebastian spoke for the first time, «you should probably go have those ribs looked at. That was a nasty fall. How clumsy of you.» Sebastian's chastising tone increased Jeff's anger, but she wasn't afraid anymore.

«Who the fuck are you to tell me what to do in my own home?» Jeff rose to his feet, clutching his side, his breath hissing out in fury and pain.

Sebastian towered over Jeff, using his greater size to intimidate. Christy could also feel a bit of Sebastian's mind magic in the air. She'd bet he was adding some psychic persuasion to his words and it appeared to be working. Jeff's face went a little slack and a fraction of the anger drained away from his features.

«I'm the man who will rip your heart out if you ever raise a hand to this woman again.» The growling promise in Sebastian's voice sent a shiver down her spine. Jeff staggered back, using the kitchen counter for support.

He looked from Sebastian, to her, and back again. Rage showed in every stiff line of his body, as he edged toward the back door that led to the garage.

«This isn't over, bitch. You and your freaky boyfriend had better be gone when I get back. I don't know what he did to you, but you're not the woman I married.»

Christy faced him as he drew the door open. «No, I'm not, Jeff, and I never will be again. I should have found the courage to shoot you the first time you slapped me. It would have been worth the prison time just to get away from you!» She screamed at him, but Jeff was already out the door and heading for his ego car-a late model Lexus he'd bought with her money. «You bastard!»

Tears formed in her eyes and her body shook with turbulent emotion. It felt good to fight back, to say some of the things she'd bottled up inside. It was cathartic to see Jeff scurrying away like a mangy cur with his tail between his legs.

It was about time.

Sebastian came up behind her as Jeff roared out of the drive. Warm hands settled on her shoulders, rubbing in comfort as he moved his body into alignment with hers. She relaxed back against him.

«You're sexy when you're angry.»

Sebastian's rumbling words tickled her ear and startled her into laughter. That felt good too as his arms lowered to her waist, embracing her.

«You're good for me, Sebastian. Without you, I never would have found the courage to stand up to that bastard.»

«You always had it within you, my love. You just didn't have the means or opportunity to let the real woman out. Now you do, and I, for one, am proud of you.» Sebastian turned her in his arms and held her close, kissing the top of her head.

«Oh, Sebastian.» She raised her lips to his, seeking his kiss. Whenever he kissed her, all was right with the world and nothing else existed.

But he pulled back much too soon. With an apologetic smile, he reached for the cell phone at his waist.

«I have Matt on standby. He's got a pickup truck, so anything you want, we can take with us now.»

«What would I do without you? You've thought of everything, haven't you?» She marveled at the effort he'd put in on her behalf.

«I try.» He punched a speed dial button, said a few words, and a moment later shut the phone. «He's around the corner. He'll be here in a few minutes. Why don't we go through and see what you want to take with you?»

She reached up to cup his cheek, looking deep into his eyes. «I love you.»

He turned and kissed her palm. «And I you.»

While they were lost in each other, Matt arrived and rang the doorbell, breaking them apart. Christy felt flushed as she headed down the hall to open the door. Matt winked, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek as he entered.

«You okay, sweet thing?»

«As good as can be expected, I guess.» She tilted her head, considering. «Actually, better than that. Thanks for coming over, Matt. Once again, you're saving my life.»

He shrugged. «What are friends for?»

Over the next twenty minutes, the three of them went through the house room by room and cleared out the few items Christy wanted. Most were heirlooms from her family of little monetary value, but precious to her for the memories they held.

As Jeff drove himself to the emergency room for X-rays he placed a call on his cell phone. Damned if that weirdo Ben Steel hadn't been right. The woman who'd just decked him was most definitely not the same mousey girl he'd married after college. Christy was different now. She had a strange look in her eye and a backbone she'd never possessed before.

The man with her gave him the creeps as well. Eyes of a stone killer, Jeff hadn't liked anything about the sinister character and it killed him to think his wife was most likely fucking the bastard.

Well, Jeff would find a way to put a cramp in the asshole's style. Steel didn't say much, but his friend Mario had told Jeff a few things. He claimed Christy's old college friends had gotten mixed up with a bunch of vampires. Vampires! For cripes sake.

Jeff had laughed at the little man when he'd said it, but after looking into those cold eyes, he wasn't so sure. And what else could give his wife her sudden Supergirl complex? Christy had always been a klutz, but tonight she'd gone all Crouching Tiger on him. It wasn't normal. Not in a week. Not after a lifetime of ineptitude.

And she was strong too. He'd felt the power behind her leg sweep. She had new skills that couldn't be learned in a week. Not even if she'd been a top athlete before she'd disappeared from the hospital without a trace. That was weird too. Oh, he figured her friend, Jena, was hiding her at first, but he'd kept an eye on Jena and knew Christy hadn't been with her do-gooder doctor friend.

So where had she been for the past week? And how could she have healed so quickly? He knew damned well he'd hurt her bad. He'd been a little out of control, and had probably gone too far, but the bitch pissed him off. She truly did. All she had to do was breathe and he started to feel the need to slap her. Over the years he'd lost it a time or two, but nothing like that last encounter. The devil had been riding his shoulder that last time and he'd damned well intended to kill her.

In retrospect, he was glad she'd lived because otherwise he'd still be in jail. So the bitch was good for something, besides her money.

Jeff placed the call to Steel, as requested, surprised when Steel seemed to take for granted Christy's new superpowers. The man was just like his name-steel. Nothing affected him, and nothing caused a reaction. Jeff wondered what it would take to get a rise out of the guy, but didn't care to push him too far. Steel had eyes like that guy with Christy. Cold, calculating, and their icy blueness chilled Jeff to the bone.

Steel ended the call and sat silent, thinking over the possibilities. Christina Kinsey was, almost without a doubt, a vampire now. Otherwise, she never would have been able to stand up to her bully of a husband. Steel had a good idea of what had happened last week. Christy ended up in the hospital, and her friends were notified. Then suddenly she was gone. Poof. No record of the specifics of her injury or prognosis, and memories all over that floor of the hospital were suddenly fuzzy.

Steel had seen it before. He passed no judgment on the bloodletters, but for the woman he felt compassion of a sort. No female deserved to be beat up by the man who'd promised to love, honor and protect her before God and man.

Kinsey was a bastard, but he was also Steel's best source for information at this point. Of course, Mario Gonzalez seemed to have an inside track too, but Steel hesitated before placing the call to his associate. More and more, he felt something about Mario was off, but he didn't know quite what. Mario's information was good and he seemed nice enough on the surface, but there was something…

Steel sighed, letting go of his reservations. He needed backup and like it or not, Gonzalez was it. Flipping open his cell phone, he dialed the number. A few minutes later, it was done.

He went out to get lunch and a thermos full of coffee before he sat down to work on his report. A good meal would go a long way toward making the necessary paperwork easier to bear. Spotting a likely deli down the block from his hotel, he got a sandwich and sat down at one of the casual tables out front to eat. It was a nice day out, but the quiet made him too introspective.

Steel had laid down his weapons, for the most part, several years ago. He'd resigned after a mission turned hideously bad. In a war-torn rain forest, he'd learned the real truth about the world. He'd learned the hard way about shifters and other kinds of supernaturals.

And he would never be the same.

He'd been contacted by a representative of the Altor Custodis not long after. How they'd gotten his name, he still didn't know, but this band of watchers had even more resources than Interpol or the CIA. He ought to know. He'd worked with both during his long career in black ops.

All in all, this new gig wasn't bad. Steel traveled the country at his own pace, doing investigations and sending back reports. His expenses were taken care of and he got a nice, hefty bounty for each report he sent in. The money was going straight into his retirement fund-an overseas account he'd set up with an eye toward disappearing and reinventing himself once he was too old to work and still young enough to enjoy life a little. But the AC job wasn't that difficult. At least his life wasn't in constant jeopardy, as it had been elsewhere.

Sure, he had to be covert. A lot of the supernaturals he investigated would take exception to being watched and documented, so there was still enough of an element of danger to amuse him and keep him on his toes. But it wasn't nearly as bad as the old days. Steel was too good now to be tracked, seen or caught.

Or so he thought.

He'd just taken a bite of his sandwich when the hairs on the back of his neck prickled in alarm. He was being watched. No, more than that. He was being stalked.

Steel set aside his lunch and took a casual look around. Three marks-southwest, northwest and due east. That left him little choice for escape, but he spotted a few small alleys and driveways between the buildings that could prove useful. The three all had the look of were. Well, wasn't that interesting?

They'd crept up on him, though how they'd managed to do it, he didn't understand. Sure, they were were, but Steel prided himself on his instincts. He'd have thought no supernatural could take him unaware after the training he'd received from the AC. Perhaps today was the day he'd be proven wrong, but he wouldn't go quietly.

Aware of his odds, he had to make a quick decision. Flee, fight or surrender. It wasn't in his nature to surrender right off the bat, and he wasn't in the mood for a fight. For one thing, he had no beef with these people. He had a few principles left and one of his cardinal rules was never to kill someone who didn't deserve it.

He didn't recognize any of these shifters, but could tell right off they were supernaturals. They didn't try to hide it. In fact, they let the distinctive shift show in their eyes-about the equivalent of a muscle man flexing. It was a silent signal that said, «Don't fuck with me.» He saw the eyes flare on the woman heading straight for him and didn't stick around to find out why a bunch of were had tracked him down. So he took the third option. He fled.

But he didn't get far. They'd double teamed him, which meant they wanted him bad. The second string was waiting as he fled down an alley, and this time he recognized the leader of the group, a werehawk named Collin Hastings. Steel knew the man's reputation as an elite private detective and had even seen his service record.

Hastings had served in the U.S. Army Rangers. Seemed he was a natural parachutist. If only his superiors had known the man gliding so effortlessly on the wind currents was as at home in the sky as he was on land. But the Army didn't know everything about Hastings. They'd signed him up, trained him, and let him go when his last stint was over.

To be fair, Hastings had spent more than his share of time in the Army. He'd re-upped a few times, rising through the ranks to retire as a Captain. Privately Steel thought the werehawk would still be in, had his lack of appropriate aging not been so visible. Even the Army would eventually look twice at a man who didn't seem to age at all.

Steel stopped running when he saw the second team closing in. He was in an alley and were blocked both ends. They'd trapped him good and well. Even with all his training and experience, he knew he didn't stand a chance against six werecreatures, at least one of whom he knew could claim the high ground in the form of a raptor. He cursed as he raised his hands in surrender. No sense getting the snot beaten out of himself by seeming to resist. These folks wanted to talk to him and they'd gone through a hell of a lot of trouble to do it. The least he could do was hear what they had to say.

«All right, you got me.» He spoke loud enough to be heard by sharp were senses. «Now will someone tell me what the fuck is going on here?»

Hastings strode forward, his people closing in around Steel. «We mean you no harm, Mr. Steel. As long as you're not Venifucus.»

Venifucus? Steel started at the word. He'd been briefed about the ancient evil society, but his handlers in the Altor Custodis claimed the Venifucus were long gone. His interest was piqued. Why would these people think he was one of those long-gone bad guys? Unless…

«I heard they were wiped out a few centuries ago. You've got the wrong guy.»

He stared down the leader of the group, impressed with the way Hastings carried himself. Here was a man who knew the score, and how to operate in the real world. Steel respected that. He thought they might've even been friends had they met under different circumstances.

«Haven't you heard? They've been making a comeback. Whether or not you're one of them remains to be seen, Mr. Steel, but you'll understand we have to make certain.»

«I'm listening.»

Hastings' head tilted, his ears cocked. Steel knew that look. The were had exceptional hearing and could pick up stuff most humans would never hear.

«Not here,» Hastings said shortly. «Please come with us, Mr. Steel. We have quite a bit to discuss and I can assure your safety as long as you're not on the wrong team.»

Shrugging, he decided to play along. They had him. Six were against one mortal were bad odds, even for him. They walked in formation, Steel in the center of the group, to a parking area a short distance from the mouth of the alley. Two black SUVs waited there. Hastings and two of his operatives escorted him into the first vehicle, the rest of the team taking the second. They piled in and headed out on a circuitous route. They wasted little time getting out of the downtown area, but after that, they took quite a few twists and turns to foul their trail.

As soon as they were on open road, Hastings seemed to relax a bit. «I regret the abduction, Mr. Steel, but as I said, the Venifucus are back and we need some answers.»

«So why me? I'm nobody.»

The werehawk leveled a cold stare at him. «Evil has followed in your tracks for the past year, Mr. Steel. Either you're a very skilled liar or someone near you is killing off supernaturals as they find them. Through you. Just on gut instinct, after meeting you, I'll admit my money's on Gonzalez.»

«What did you say?» His mind spun as he realized the watchers were also being watched. This guy knew his contact's name and claimed to have information about his movements for the past year. A chill ran down his spine though he didn't let his apprehension show.

«Mario Gonzalez. Don't play coy, Mr. Steel. I have another team picking him up as we speak. One of you has left a trail of bodies in your wake. Right now, I'm willing to entertain the idea that it wasn't you, though knowing your history and training, I would've bet money on you as the perp before today.»

«That's comforting.» Steel's sarcasm was obvious.

«Come now, Mr. Steel, one old soldier to another, wouldn't you like to hear what Mario's been doing behind your back for the past year? I can't believe the Altor Custodis advocates stringing up entire families of were, children included, and murdering them in cold blood. Or staking out a quiet den of bloodletters to die agonizing deaths in the blistering sun. And if you haven't heard about it, that can only mean a cover up on the highest levels of your organization.»

Steel's mouth set in a grim line. «Who? Who died?» His blood ran cold at the idea he might've been the cause of innocent deaths. All the supernaturals he'd been assigned to ferret out and report on in the past year were more or less innocuous folks who were just living their lives, quietly existing. None were killers or had done anything to earn the ultimate sanction, and several of his reports had included small children and babies. «I want proof of your claims.»

Hastings eyed him for a moment before nodding. «I've got files in the house.» He nodded out the window as the SUVs pulled up in front of a small house in the woods on the outskirts of town.

As they rolled to a stop, Steel opened the car door and was out before any of the others, but he wasn't making a break for it. No, he was heading for the house. If innocent people had been murdered because of him and his work for the Altor Custodis, he needed to know.

An hour later Steel sat defeated, with his head down, resting in his hands. He'd seen the horrors of war and police actions, even terrorist hits, but never had he seen evil in its purest form. The photos of the dead ate at his soul. He knew each and every face, from the oldest to the youngest baby. He'd watched them and reported on their doings to the Altor Custodis, believing what he was doing was the right thing. Only it wasn't.

Now innocent people had been killed in grisly ways because he'd outed them. Maybe they weren't human, but they weren't hurting anyone that he could see. There'd been no reason to kill them. Especially not the little ones.

He would live with this on his conscience for the rest of his life.

But there was something he could do in the meantime, to at least try to put an end to such butchery. Steel's life changed in that moment. He'd had a few of these kinds of moments in his life in recent years, but none this profound. When he'd gone from mercenary killer to watcher and guardian after being approached by the Altor Custodis, he thought he'd put away his guns for the last time.

He'd been wrong.

Sighing heavily, he realized he'd have to use those skills he'd perfected over the years to clean house. Somehow, the organization that had been set up centuries ago to watch supernaturals and ostensibly protect humanity had been infiltrated. They weren't only watching and recording anymore. They were killing. And they had to be stopped.

Benjamin Steel was just the man for the job.

Sitting back in his chair, he eyed the man sitting across the room. Hastings had given him the files and left him alone. He respected that. He also respected the detailed accounts these files contained, compiled by a professional. Steel trusted his gut. Hastings was on the level.

«I'm sorry.»

Steel didn't apologize often, but these people had died because of him and he felt true remorse. Hastings nodded once, slowly, acknowledging his words.

«You've got a fox in your henhouse, Mr. Steel. The question is, what are you prepared to do about it?»

He stood, flexing his muscles as his entire body prepared for war.

«I guess I'm going on a fox hunt.»

Hastings stood and grinned. «Then might I suggest you could use a pack of hounds to help out?»

Steel was taken aback, but he guessed he shouldn't have been. Why would the were go to all this trouble to alert him of this mess, then leave him on his own to clean it up? If there was anything he knew about werecreatures, it was that they were very hands on. Wherever the action was, they were in the thick of it.

«The AC doesn't take supernaturals.»

Hastings laughed. «They may not take you anymore after what you've got planned. Did you think of that?»

«The thought did cross my mind, but this has got to be done. The killing needs to stop.»

«No argument there.»

«What do you propose?»

Hastings snapped his fingers and a group of people entered the room. Some, Steel recognized from the take-down squads that had abducted him earlier, and some he'd never seen before.

One man in particular caught his attention. He was young, but built on the large side, even more muscular than most werecreatures were naturally. Steel knew why. This man worked construction with his brothers and they were part of the reason he'd been sent to this area to do surveillance. Thank goodness he hadn't sent in his report yet or this man and his family might very well be dead. It looked like somebody in the hierarchy of the AC was a Venifucus mole and was ordering hits as soon Steel's reports confirmed the identities of the supernaturals he'd been sent to investigate.

The young man walked right up to him and held out one hand. «I'm Matt Redstone.»

Steel shook his hand, liking his forthright manner. «I know.»

Matt's eyes went cold, then brightened as he turned to the room at large. «That, my friends, was the sound of the stakes being raised yet again.» He turned back to Steel with a questioning smile. «So you know about me?»

Steel nodded. «And your brothers.»

«Damn.» Matt shook his head. «Should we worry?»

«No, thank God. I didn't send the report yet and after what I just saw, I never will.»

Matt ran one hand through his shaggy hair in relief. «Well thank the Lady for small favors.» He moved over to a chair and straddled it. «I'm here to offer you some help. From what we've been able to discover, the one who's killing our folk is a pretty powerful magic user. He's killed both were and vampire. Even we don't like to tangle with bloodletters, though most forms of magic bounce right off us. As a non-magical mortal, you wouldn't stand a chance against that kind of firepower without some help. My brothers and I are willing to extend that help.»

«Cougars, right?» Steel sat again, interested in what the other man was proposing.

Matt nodded. «My oldest brother is Alpha of the cougar clan. He's away right now, but I'm authorized to gather the clan in case of emergency and I'd say this qualifies. I can get some volunteers to help out with surveillance, to supplement the people Hastings already has on the case. We're going to need a small army to take down the man who did that,» he nodded with his chin to the files still spread on the low table. «If we do this though, I have to insist on one detail.»

Steel sat back, waiting for the other shoe to drop. «What?»

«No reports. No photos. No record of any kind. I don't want my people to be immortalized in some Altor Custodis file somewhere. Not when there's the potential it could be used later to hunt them.»

«I agree.» That was a no-brainer as far as Steel was concerned. The minute he discovered his tasks for the AC had turned deadly, he'd broken from their path of watching and recording, but never interfering. The time had come to act and he'd damn well do it, regardless of what the rest of the brotherhood had done for centuries. The game was different now. The playbook had to change accordingly.

«I'm glad to hear you say that,» Matt went on. «This is bigger than you might imagine. So big, in fact, we've formed an alliance with a few others you'll need to meet if you're going to be of help to us.»

Intrigued, Steel waited to hear what more the werecougar would reveal, but the PI's cell phone rang and all eyes went to Hastings. The call was short and terse. He could tell something was wrong from the man's body language and clipped questions about how bad more than one person was hurt. Hastings shut the phone with a snap.

«Gonzalez escaped. He's our mage. No doubt about it. He toasted Kevin's and Sarah's asses, but they'll be all right with time. The bastard also broke Melissa's arm.»

«Man, she's gonna be pissed about not being able to fly until it heals,» Matt observed. Everyone in the room felt the seriousness of the moment. «You got anywhere you have to be tonight?» Matt asked Steel.

«What do you have in mind?»

Matt stood. «I think it's time for you to meet our allies. They'll be rising when the sun sets.»

«No way.» Steel found it hard to believe what the werecougar implied. From what he'd seen, werefolk didn't mix with vampires and vice versa.

«Way.» Matt checked his watch as he headed for the door. He spared a moment to look back at Hastings. «It's your house, so it's your call. Do we go to them or do I invite them here?»

The PI sighed as he sank back in his chair. «Much as I hate to give up this location, I think it's time we show a little good faith. Sebastian's trusted us with his home. No sense we can't show the same courtesy with a mere safe house.»