Night Shift

"It's a good idea." Dominic's tone said just the opposite. "How much of this is based on what that hellbreed told you?"

"Practically nothing," I admitted. It's what Perry didn't tell me that has me curious. "Which is why I'm probably on the right track." Thunder muttered softly behind my words, echoing in the warehouse's spaces. Windows vibrated a little, bouncing under the sound.

Harp finished chewing. "So what are you going to do next?"

The only thing I can. I braced myself. "Call on Perry to set up a meet for me. I'm going to do my best to drag something useful out of Navoshtay. Before then, though, I'm going to do something I haven't done since Mikhail was alive."

The feathers in her hair fluttered as she made a sharp restless movement. She visibly restrained herself from waving a denuded chicken bone at me by sheer force of will. "What, go out for a movie? You're killing me here, Jill."

I winced. I wish you wouldn't say things like that Picking up a chicken wing, I bit into it. Chewed thoughtfully, and swallowed. Licked my fingers, and stared at the white meat under the crust of breading. "I'm going to go between."

No sound except rain dripping, splashing through the gutters, swirling on the roof. "You're going to what?" Saul said it very quietly, as if he didn't understand.

He probably didn't. Harp had gone still. I took another huge bite of chicken, stalling for time. Then indicated my blue eye with a quick sketch of a gesture, still dangling the chicken. "I came back from Hell with a sort-of-gift. I've got a dumb eye and a smart eye. One can see the normal world. The other sees below and between. If I need to, I can see more of the between. All it takes is blood." And since I've spilled so much already, I might as well. I let out a soft sigh. "I just need someone to hold the other end of the line for me while I go down. Mikhail's not here, and I doubt Perry can be trusted with that. Maybe Galina, or Avery."

"I'll do it." Saul's tone had stayed soft, but there was an edge to it. "If you're really determined to do something so risky."

I don't think I'll let you hold the other end of that line for me, Were. I don't know you enough. "Nobody involved in this is going to tell me the truth, and none of my guesses satisfy me." I laid my fork down. "The rogue's going to kill someone else. Or she is. Or Navoshtay. I want the killing to stop."

"But… between" Harp, out of all of them, sounded like she understood what I was talking about. "Jill, I don't know if that's such a good idea."

What about me facing down both Perry and Navoshtay? Between I can handle. Hellbreed who each want to take a bite out of me I might have a little trouble with. "Screw good idea. I want results" I stared at my plate some more, wondering how on earth I was going to get the food in me. "And I want 'em yesterday."

"You won't get anywhere on an empty stomach." Apparently Saul had decided to get all Jewish-mother on me. "It won't stay hot forever, either."

I picked up my fork again. If I go between I'll probably lose everything I ever felt like eating in my life. Not to mention dealing with Perry and what he's going to ask in return for setting up this meet. Might as well enjoy something while I can. "Guess not," I mumbled.

"You're not really intending on…" Dominic took a quick mouthful of potatoes when my eyes met his. He also shut up in a hurry.

The warehouse clattered with the sound of rain and the static of tense, unhappy Weres. I'm not exactly happy about this idea either, guys. "If I don't do it, who will? I'm the resident hunter."

"You should take better care of yourself." But Saul dropped his eyes, and the words didn't have the usual sting.

"Hard to do when I'm ru

For some reason, both Harper and Dominic laughed their fool furry Were asses off at that. Dom laughed so hard he almost choked on a potato. It's a damn good thing he didn't spit it across the kitchen.

Harp and Dom headed back to their hotel room, needing a change of clothes and some sleep. Even Weres get tired.

I had other plans.

I started dialing Perry's number three times, hanging up in the middle each time. I dialed four times before I could let it ring through without hanging up.

Getting braver all the time, eh, Jill?

I told that voice inside my head to go away. I didn't think it would, and I was right.

One ring. Two. Three. The shadows of rain reflected all through the room, ghostly dapples against the wall and my skin, a mottling like hellbreed contagion in an aura.

My aura. The scar turned hot and hurtful, straining in anticipation. My pulse thundered so loud I almost couldn't hear the ringtone, kept my breathing even only by sheer stubbor

No, that's not true. My throat had closed to a pinhole, that's why my breathing was shallow. I shouldn't have been doing this, I was too tired. I was going to make a mistake.

Mistakes are not allowed, Jill.

He picked up. "Hello." A silky, smooth, bland voice that raised both my hackles and gooseflesh the size of eggs on my arms.

My mouth was bone-dry. Dry as a chickenbone in the desert. Dry as my palms were slick and wet. Still, I sounded good. Steady, even. "Perry."

"Oh, my dear. I've waited ages for you to call me." His voice crackled through phone wires, diving underground to come up and bleed into my ear like snakes aiming for my brain. He chuckled, a warm pleased sound, and I felt condensation collecting on my skin again, the touch of a scaled, rough tongue too flexible to be human or animal.

"Can the sentiment, Pericles. I want you to set up a meet for me." The words came out hard and fast, just as if I wasn't scared out of my mind. "With Navoshtay Niv Arkady."

Silence, crackling like lightning. I got the idea he didn't think too much of the request.

Tough luck, hellbreed. "I've got questions that need answering. This is my town, after all. You'll set up the meet and keep my skin whole through it. It'll count toward the time I owe you. And you'll keep your nasty little maggot fingers off me the whole time, too."

More silence. When he spoke, it was the rasping of sharkskin against the palms of a drowning diver. "If I am to perform this miracle, it will not count toward what you owe me. That's ridiculous, my dear."

A hot jet of nasty satisfaction curled through me. He didn't say no outright. Thanh you, God. I tossed the dice. "Ridiculous or not, it's what's going to happen. You're not coming clean about something, Pericles. That violates our agreement. You can either be in violation, or you can set up the meet and have it count toward my balance."

More silence. I prayed I just hadn't opened up a can of worms, and I further prayed he wasn't thinking up a lovely way to get back at me for outwitting him this once.

I don't care. I'll put up with it The important thing is to stop the killing. My palms ran with fear-stink sweat, a trickle of ice sliding down my back. I couldn't tell if it was sweat or merely dread. I did not close my eyes—I didn't want to imagine him on the other end of the phone.

The shadows dappling my bare arms had all turned angular, though the water falling on the skylight hadn't changed its shape.

"Very well." Sharp and curt, the words were knives. "I shall arrange it, and go to some trouble to ensure your safety. I will further allow you some leeway on your repayment. Don't think you've avoided me, my dearest. I do this because it pleases me."