Night Shift

"Earthborn progeny" means Navoshtay impregnated a Trader. A shiver of loathing went up my back, jingling the silver in my hair. It still didn't answer why Navoshtay was here to collect her personally. By what I knew of hellbreed customs, Cenci was born out of a human and therefore not pure 'breed. She had the same «legal» rights as a chair or a coffee mug and theoretically not as much power as a pure 'breed; it should have been a simple case of Perry cooperating with me to send her back trussed up like a pig on a spit, with an apple in her mouth—if it was necessary to send her back alive, that is. If he could control the unruly hellbreed of Santa Luz and the surrounding metro areas, he could apply enough pressure to find one troublemaking 'breed female and kick her ass over the river.

Then again, she was powerful. Disturbingly powerful. Navoshtay's spawn in a body that might be old enough to burn out some of its mortality… the thought was nightmare-worthy, and that's saying something. Besides, I'd never seen Perry unveil the extent of his power, not even when he marked me.

Sometimes I let myself think he might just be tricky instead of strong.

Perry paused for a moment, then went on, silkily. "She is making quite some trouble with the human law—of which you are still a part—and you have made it adequately clear that the trouble will not stop if she remains in my territory. There is no profit to keeping her here and angering Arkady. For all these reasons, I could care less why he wants her. My interest is that this matter be concluded quickly, so it doesn't interfere with my own pleasures more than it has already."

It was a nice pat explanation. Too bad I didn't buy it. It was not like Perry to merely obey another hellbreed, no matter how powerful. Hellbreed don't do obedience and they don't do charity. Their net of feudal obligation runs on one thing: fear. There's no trust among 'breed. They turn on each other at a moment's notice, whenever they think the benefit outweighs the risk.

Thank God it does, too. Otherwise they might rule the world, instead of just hanging in the dark corners and buying power and privilege.

"Well, thanks for telling me. I'll call you if I need you." I lifted the rum bottle again, touched it to my lips.

Perry's eyes fastened hungrily on the bottle's mouth, and by default on mine. "Are you dismissing me, my dearest?" One pale eyebrow raised.

Oh, goddammit, I am so not in the mood for this. "Why are you here?"

Perry slid off his seat. He looked about to say something, but Galina turned from the sink and regarded him, level and easy, her mouth a straight line.

"Don't make me, hellspawn." Her tone was just as even as her mouth.

He ignored her, but he didn't move forward. "I came to tell you the Weres lost their rogue. I also came to tell you Arkady will not pursue you. As long as you stay out of his sight, he will… forgive… your impoliteness."

"And you just happened to be in the neighborhood when I came by?" I tossed it at him as if it didn't matter. Who did call me down here, Perry? If it was Cenci, why didn't she shoot me? And if it was you … that would mean that you knew she was in this area. My brain pawed lightly at the problem, turned it over, and dropped it in disgust. I was too tired, blunted both by adrenaline fatigue and the shock of almost-dying so many times in a row. I needed some rest before I could even begin untangling this out.

"I can always find you, my dear." The grin widened again, white teeth showing their sharp pearly edges. I thought of shark's teeth when I saw him smile like that. "Think on that, for a while. See you soon." A nod to Galina, his sandy hair falling over his forehead in a soft wave—and he was gone, the Sanctuary shields settling back into taut humming alertness as the bell on the shop door downstairs tinkled.

I let out a sigh and put my forehead down on the smooth wood of the table. It felt good, cool against fevered flesh. Great. Just… great. Dried blood crackled on my skin, but my hair was still wet from rain.

"Every time I talk to him I feel slimy." She shuddered, a movement I could sense without looking. The shields shivered too, responding. "I don't know how you stand it."

I don't. Not very well, at least. I'm so scared he's going to get in, Galina. The more he plays with my head, the better he gets at taking me apart.

The better he got at that, the more dangerous it was for me and everyone I protected. "I don't stand for much. Thanks for bringing me in." I closed my eyes, tried to relax my shoulders. They wouldn't go down, tight and taut and aching.

The faucet started to gurgle. Was she refilling the bowl? She wouldn't be able to dab much more blood off me with just the one washcloth. "I had to," she said quietly. "We can't afford to lose you."

I took refuge in bleak humor. "I'd hate to be lost." Thunder boomed again, the storm slacking despite the massive disturbance of the roused Sanctuary shields that had contributed to the instability of the weather pattern. You can always tell when a Sane gets pissed off, it gets rainy over their little castles.

"Seriously, Jill. Perry was just up the street, I sensed him as soon as I hit my doorstep. He was standing around, waiting."

I lifted my head, bracing my chin on both hands and slumping in the chair. She shut the water off, brought the bowl to the table, and dipped the washcloth in again.

"Up the street?" I turned this over in my head and got exactly nowhere with it, again. He was waiting. If he knew Cenci was waiting here too…

What the fuck is going on?

"I wonder if he was going to ride in to save you." Her touch was gentle as she sponged at the crusted blood along my hairline. "Or if he lured you down here in the first place."

Me too. My face wrinkled up, hard. I tasted blood and the sourness of failure. "Thank you. I was trying not to think that out loud."

"Just one more service I provide. You want something to eat?"

"More rum, if you've got it." I finally succeeded in pushing my shoulders down a little, unstringing the nervous tension in them. "Then I've got to go home. I'm calling it a day."

Chapter Twenty-two

My pager was battered and busted despite its padded pocket. The lightning hadn't helped; even insulated electronics can have a little problem when you start messing around with potential-paths in thunderstorms. I had a spare at home, courtesy of the Santa Luz Police department, and I needed more ammo anyway.

And—I'll admit it—I was feeling a little shaky.

Cancel that. A lot shaky.

I pulled through silver curtains of rain into the garage, was out of the car in a heartbeat, and walked through the utility room. It felt good to be home, for the first five seconds.

Then I realized entire place was buzzing and resounding. Unhappy Weres will do that.

I didn't blame them for being upset. If they'd lost the rogue they were likely to be a little more than upset. They'd be downright cranky. Which meant more food. It's a wonder they weren't all butterballs. Damn Weres.

Of course, their metabolisms run high and hot, like mine, and the change is metabolically expensive. I just had a hellbreed scar working on forcing my body to heal fast enough to stand up to the abuse I was taking.

I was hanging up my coat when I discovered they were arguing, and not quietly either. The acoustics of my home are good for a reason, I like to know when even a roach is scuttling in the walls.

Not that I have a roach problem. Sorcery is occasionally a practical thing.

"How am I going to tell your mother this?" Harp's voice, raised as it seldom was, edged like an axe and flung at someone.