Nine Lives of an Urban Panther (20 page)

“Please don't harp about the pack, Violet.”

“Okay. I won't harp. Besides, I've got the rest of our life to harp on it. And now that I've given up my job for you, I've got a lot more time on my hands.”

C
HAZ STOPPED BY
the coffee shop, or I made him stop at the coffee shop before we even went home the next evening. The shop looked good with the lights back on against the dark street and Bastian looked even better behind the bar. He smiled and tossed the steaming towel on the espresso maker as I walked across the floor.

“Miss Jordan,” he greeted.

“Don't you even start.” I leaned forward on the counter and looked around at the life ebbing from the place.

“Caramel macchiato?” Bastian asked.

“Extra whipped cream.”

I followed Bastian down the bar.

“How did you do it, Violet? I've watched you pay for coffee in handfuls of pennies before.”

“Someone died,” I answered honestly.

“Oh my God, I'm sorry.” Bastian's eyes went all puppy dog.

“Everything's fine. Did you get all the paperwork sent in?”

“Yeah. Your lawyer is a shark though.”

I laughed. “You have no idea.”

We paused our conversation as he steamed the milk.

“I can't thank you enough, Violet.”

And here we got to the part that I'd been practicing in the car ride home. The reason that I really made Chaz stop here. “It's not completely altruistic. I will unfortunately need to exert some powers of ownership.”

A furrow formed between Bastian's sandy brows. “Like what?”

“Like I'm going to make some modifications to the back room and I might ask you to hire a few people. Close up early on occasion. But the coffee making is all up to you.”

Bastian nodded. “Whatever you need, Violet.”

I smiled. “Might be nice to have a permanent parking spot out front.”

Bastian laughed and it echoed off the espresso-soaked floors and the arts-and-craft-covered walls and surrounded me with a warmth that made me feel like this was all going to work out just fine.

I bathed in that glow for exactly the time it took for Bastian to finish up my coffee and for me to walk to Chaz's car parked out front.

My cell phone began to ring. I fumbled for it in my purse and finally found it.

“Hannah?” I answered. She was supposed to be at work. That's why she had to get back early from the full moon.

“Is that this freak's name?” The venom carried through the line could have melted the phone in my hand.

My power went out to Hannah and Evan. As I sorted out the power strands to find them, I asked calmly, “Who is this?”

“You know who I am.”

I did. I could practically smell it as I made the connection with Hannah and Evan, scared but together. I wasn't scared of Kandice's boyfriend. I was scared because they hadn't called out to me.

“Tighty whities. I do remember you.”

I got into the car with Chaz and carefully set my coffee in the holder. He knew something was wrong.

I held out my hand. “Drive,” I mouthed.

“What do you want?” I asked TW as Chaz took my hand. His power filled the car and he got the location: the Uptown townhouse.

“I want Kandice to pay for what she did,” TW hissed.

“What? Wise up and get a decent boyfriend?”

“What?”

Oh, guess he hadn't heard about that. “If I get there and a single curly hair is out of place on their heads, I won't just chase you down the street naked. Tonight, I'm feeling hungry.”

 

Chapter Nineteen

C
HAZ STOPPED AT
the darkened end of the street.

There was what looked like a tailgate party outside of the townhouse. Five trucks surrounded the front of the house. It looked out of place on the narrow street filled with Smart Cars and Mini Coopers.

I slipped out of the car. The smell of alcohol wafted down the street. Who actually tailgates at a lynch mob? At least they'll have ice to nurse their wounds.

“They've got Hannah and Evan.”

Chaz shook his head. “How did they even find them?”

“I will never underestimate the power of stupid again.”

He went to his trunk and opened it.

I walked around to join him, using the open trunk to hide us. As if that bunch was smart enough to be on the defensive. “I can't kill them, Chaz. But I don't know another way to stop it. Just scaring the wits out of them didn't go as planned.”

He pulled out a small dart gun and a baseball bat.

“How long have you wanted to use that?” I pointed to the gun.

“Only like three months.” Chaz tucked the gun into the back of his pants. His hip holster already held his everyday gun. “But how are you going to do this, Vi? If intimidation didn't work the last time?”

“I really will just have to eat him.” It was worth the look in Chaz's eyes and the laugh that bubbled out of my throat. “I don't know, Chaz. They took my people. I'm not playing with them this time.”

“And frankly, I don't want you burping redneck all the way home.”

I snorted. “I love you.”

I stared down at the street and thought. These guys were smart enough to find them, but stupid enough to actually think that they could take on a Prima.

Of course, they didn't exactly know I was a Prima. I wondered what tighty whities had told them happened that night in order to get them roused enough to mob it up.

There was a lightning flash behind me and the night was filled with the smell of ozone. I jumped and turned, ready for a fight. The Legacy sizzled down my arms at the new feeling of power.

Two women walked toward me. A tall redhead and a younger girl. They were powerful. The feel of it preceded them like a warm breeze.

“Prima Jordan,” the young girl said as she scuttled forward quickly. “I'm Twila.”

I relaxed, curiosity calming the cat for a moment. “Remy's girlfriend?” I asked as I walked a few steps toward them.

“Prima Jordan,” the woman said. “I am Mistress Willowbourne.”

Every muscle in my body flinched to keep in the snicker. The tall redhead in the ankle-length dress looked every part the Coven Mistress. The green cape was a bit much though.

“I wanted to thank you for the information about the Shades. It proved invaluable.”

“Well, you're welcome, and I'd really like to extend the olive branch and talk, but I've got a little situation here.”

“I know.” Willowbourne's eyes flicked to the circle of trucks. It really was that obvious on this street.

I gaped. “How?”

But I knew the answer in the twist of Twila's pale fingers at her waist. “Remy's in there.”

I gulped and turned back to look at the house. The Legacy burned down my back and I had to clench my hands into fists to keep my anger down. A third one? Why couldn't they call out to me?

“I do seem to owe you,” Willowbourne said.

I licked my lips and turned very slowly back to the tall woman. “What?”

The woman looked down at Twila. “It seems our star-crossed lovers are going to take the day. If you need some help, I might be able to assist, if the Mother wishes.”

I looked over at Chaz. He only shrugged.

Willowbourne rubbed her hands together and there was a ripple in the air around us. She was calling on her power and the trees around us seemed to give it to her.

“Well then, let's hope the Mother wishes three of my pack to be saved from a group of rednecks.”

Willowbourne smiled. “Seems that the wind is right.”

Chaz's hand curled into mine as we walked toward the house. Willowbourne said she needed thirty minutes and we promised to deliver the rednecks to her in one piece.

We were almost to the townhouse when Tyler came running out of the bushes.

“Something's wrong with Remy. I texted him and he didn't text back. He always has that damn thing in his hand.”

I winced. “He might have gotten himself kidnapped?”

“What!”

“Shhh. You're blowing our plan to get him back,” I hissed as I grabbed his arm and pulled him into sync with us as we walked toward the house disguised as young twentysomethings on a Wednesday night.

As we walked up to the front door, I feigned a stumble and launched my purse into the back of one of the guys' heads.

He turned around and his plaid shirt had seen better days. He reeked of beer though he had nothing in his hands.

“Sorry about that.” I laughed as I bent down to get my purse.

“No problem,” he grumbled.

That was before I sunk my fist into his midsection. He doubled over and I elbowed the back of his skull. He dropped like a sack of smelly potatoes.

I looked up at the boys who were looking at me with their mouths open wide enough to catch flies. “What? Did you really think that negotiating was going to work with these guys?”

“No. Just remember to save one for me,” Chaz said.

I winked at him as we walked in through the unlocked door.

“W
HERE EXACTLY DID
you learn how to hog tie someone?” Chaz asked as I wrangled the last of the bunch.

I cinched the knot tighter. “Waylon taught me, actually.”

“Do you think he
saw
that you'd need the skills?” Chaz asked as he stood over them.

I'd never thought of that before. “I don't know. I think he did it because we were bored.”

I pulled out my phone and dialed my Riko.

“Officer Briggs,” he answered.

“Tucker, I need you to pick up a few drunks in Highland Park.”

“What?”

“I need you to arrest someone.”

“That's not in my . . .”

I spoke slowly. “Tucker. I need these guys to wake up in jail in their underwear with no memory. I know that might compromise your morals, but this is what I need.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

I hung up. I knew I was swimming with a sort of gray but as I watched Hannah walk up to one of the men still unconscious and kick him really hard in the shins, I also knew that my gray was worth her standing up for herself.

I felt Willowbourne walk into the little townhouse. She looked around at the men scattered across the floor. “Your methods are effective, if a little brutal.”

I crossed my arms. “Don't judge my methods and I won't mention the cape.”

Willowbourne raised her eyebrows.

That whole foot-in-my-mouth thing. I'd done so well. “I'm sorry. I get a little snippy after a fight.”

“I forgive you.”

Chaz came up behind me and squeezed my shoulder. I needed his steady reminder that Plan A actually seemed to be working right now if I didn't ruin it.

I stepped to the side and let the witch do her thing. Willowbourne walked through the group, running her hands over the heads of the men. “Which one needs the biggest wipe?”

I pointed to TW.

“Who does he need erased?”

“Me.” Kandice appeared in the doorway of the house, Nash close behind her. Their fingers were so tightly woven together that I felt the ache of it in my hand.

Willowbourne summoned her and when Kandice looked at me, I nodded. We needed to show trust among the species and I was going to offer it up first.

Kandice went to her and the woman put a hand on her shoulder and then placed her white hand on the man's head.

I felt the pull on Kandice and then the push of a spell into the man's brain. Willowbourne's eyes went white for a moment, just like Yasmina's had. It was pure Mother power and it smelled like rosemary.

It only lasted for a moment and I was going to comment on it, but Chaz put his hand over my mouth. I did need him to protect me from myself.

When Willowbourne let go of Kandice, Nash rushed to her side and pulled her against him. The witch completed the circle of men and then wiped her hands on her cape. Looked like it was good for something. “My part is done here.”

“Thank you, Willowbourne.”

“I will see you soon, Prima.” The woman and her train of skirt walked out of the door and into the night air.

I looked over at Twila, still curled around Remy. He'd fared pretty well through this whole ordeal, only a small bruise on his cheek, which would probably just made Twila love him even more.

“I think you should probably go with your Mistress,” I suggested.

Twila's arm only curled tighter around Remy's.

There was a crack of lightning in the front yard and the girl jumped. She kissed Remy on the cheek and scurried out of the house.

“I need to learn that lightning thing. That was handy.”

Tucker's police lights filled the living room. Tyler flinched at the familiar pattern of red and blue against the walls.

Tucker walked in the room and stopped cold. “What do I actually need to know?” he asked carefully.

I wove my very simple story. “These eight men got drunk and broke into Hannah and Evan's house.”

Tucker lifted one eyebrow. “They sure did do a lot of damage.”

I nodded. “They sure did, but they are not going to remember it. They were really drunk. Scouts' honor.”

Tucker scratched behind his ear. His nervous tick. “Was that a cape I saw leaving?”

“Maybe.”

Tucker shook his head. “Okay. I need everyone out who doesn't want their name on the record.”

Hannah and Evan stayed. Nash offered to house them at the apartment for the evening until sunlight could help them rebuild their living room.

This left Chaz and me to an empty townhouse. I fell onto my lavender bedspread and didn't protest when Chaz pulled off my shoes.

“Has it started yet?” Chaz asked as he kicked off his boots and pulled off his shirt.

“Has what started?” I asked as I rolled over to stare at the ceiling.

“Where your brain goes crazy?”

I sighed. It had already been going that direction on the car ride home. I'm as cool as a cucumber as I beat the fool out of a bunch of rednecks, but now that there was quiet, the gears started churning out painful thoughts. “Already there.”

Chaz made quite a showing of unbuttoning and unzipping my jeans. He pulled them down my long legs and I smiled as he had to tug to get the skinny jeans off my big feet.

He rolled me over and pulled off my jacket and let me fall back to the bed in my T-shirt and underwear.

The churning thoughts might have stopped for a little while as I watched him peel off his UT shirt and let his jeans fall to the floor, the moonlight streaming through the window highlighting every perfect muscle in his torso.

He crawled across the bed and pulled me into his arms as we rested on the cool pillows. I hadn't even wiped the blood off my knuckles yet and I picked at the brown flaky mess as he held me.

“I did this, Chaz. Tonight was all my fault. My bravado because I wanted to do something by myself.”

“But Hannah and Evan are fine, better. Kandice and Nash are stronger than ever.”

“And I had to break my promise to Tucker that I would never ask him to do something against his morals. What makes it worse was that Peter saw it coming. ”

Chaz sighed, his breath cascading down my arm. “But I think the Willowbourne likes you.”

“Really?”

His fingers ran softly up and down my arm. “She's hasn't left her circle since I've been working Dallas. Tonight was a big deal.”

“Really?”

“It's how she survived. She hid.”

I sighed. “I just can't help but think that Haverty might have had the right idea about keeping us hidden and the penalty that came with it.”

Chaz sat up. “What?”

I huffed and shifted to a sitting position on the bed. “Calm down. I'm not saying that I'm going to go all tyrant. I'm saying that . . .”

What was I saying? That Haverty had to be a bastard because he didn't have others to help him? That he had to crack an iron whip because if he didn't, humans were being murdered all the time? Was I feeling sorry for the guy?

“I think I'm saying that I won't have to because I trust others. Which, according to Iris, is the last thing I should be doing.”

“Iris?”

“Yeah. Gave me this big speech on how I needed to do this alone because it would be easier on everyone.”

The information didn't sit well with Chaz and it weighed heavy across his brow.

I licked my lips. “I think with everything that's happened tonight, maybe, Iris and Haverty had the same problem.”

“What was that?”

“They were alone.”

Chaz smiled. “Say it again, fearless leader.”

My skin goose bumped and again I made a choice, and the echo of it hung around us. “I think we need to unify Dallas.”

Though Chaz was golden for a moment, his eyes turned dark. “Where does Spencer come into all this?”

Hearing Chaz say his name sent another shiver down my spine. “The others have to know. They need to know what he is capable of.”

“Are you going to tell them about your connection?”

“Hopefully they already know, but I'm not going to keep it from them. Hell, maybe one of them knows how to break it.”

Because I already knew a way to break it. I curled back into Chaz's arms and we lay back down on the bed. There was always a Plan C going round and round in my head. A plan that was guaranteed to break the bond.