Eternal Craving (12 page)

Startled by her thoughts, Jenna quickly shifted her gaze away.

Fin didn’t rise, but he did smile. Who knew what that smile meant? It could mean, “Welcome to my home, I’m really glad to see you,” or it could mean, “I’m glad you could make it because I was getting tired of waiting to kill you.”

Jude seemed to feel the same way, because he paused in the doorway. “You invited me here tonight. I assume I’m here as a trusted friend.” His men crowded around him.

Fin’s smile widened. “Friend, yes. Trusted? Not too sure of that.” He motioned toward the empty chair to his right. “But I’m not harboring murderous intentions toward you.” The word “yet” hung in the air.

The vampire nodded at his men. They fanned out around the room, ready to rush into action if anyone threatened their leader.

Then Jude approached the table. He eyed the seat Fin had offered him before dropping into the one at the far end of the table.

Fin shook his head. “I can reach you as easily there as here.”

Jude shrugged, the motion accentuating his broad shoulders. “Indulge me. Distance gives the impression of safety.”

Fin nodded. “Vampires killed one of the Eleven to night.”

Wow, Fin didn’t beat around the bush. Jenna watched Jude’s reaction. Which was none at all. He’d known about Rap before he came here.

“I’m sorry.” Jude was lobbing the ball back into Fin’s court.

“Remind me again why you’re here in Philadelphia when Pennsylvania isn’t one of the states you have authority over.” Fin tapped his finger on the table in a slow, deliberate beat.

Jenna caught herself following the up-and-down motion of that finger, getting caught in its even pacing, wondering if Fin’s thoughts were quite as calm and ordered.

“If anything happens, I’ll get you out of here.” Al’s whisper fanned the sensitive skin behind her ear. Prickles of awareness spread from there. Or maybe the prickles were fear, because Jenna couldn’t even begin to imagine what would happen if the polite conversation exploded into violence. She thought about the restaurant. Maybe she could.

“Perhaps I felt a need to offer my help to the vampire queen of Philadelphia. After all, I had an inside view of what happened in Houston.” Jude never took his attention from Fin.

Smart vampire. Jenna probably would’ve held this conversation by phone.

Fin nodded. “I’ve got a short memory. How did you know we were in Philadelphia?”

This time Jude grinned. “I have people that work at the airports. You don’t fly out of Houston without me finding out. I run a tight organization.”

“Vampire queen of Philadelphia?” A smile touched Fin’s cold eyes. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Afraid not. She became vampire when the word royalty meant something. Katherine oversees a ten-state area just as I do, but she thinks of Philly as her royal seat.”

Fin nodded. “How much do you know about what happened to night?” His voice had lost its casualness. It cut the length of the table, slicing to the point of Jude’s visit.

“I know a group of Katherine’s vampires laid the trap. Evidently Eight paid them well. She wasn’t part of the plot.”

Utah growled low in his throat. Fin ignored the sound.

“How do you know she wasn’t part of the plot?”

“Katherine is…Katherine. She says what she thinks, and she doesn’t care who she insults. If she’d planned the ambush, she would’ve been damn proud of it.”

“I need information from Katherine.”

“And if she doesn’t want to talk to you?”

Jude’s temper was rising. Jenna couldn’t miss the glowing eyes and the slight lift of his lip to expose fang.

“Then we start pulling in vampires and doing our own brand of investigating.”

“You’re a cold son of a bitch.”

Fin actually smiled at that. “See, I knew if I waited long enough you’d say something nice about me.”

“You’ll have to go to her.” Jude looked downright scary. Unlike Fin, he wasn’t amused.

“Not really. I think I’ll send my representative.” Fin scanned the table. He stopped at Al. “Tell Her Majesty that Al Endeka, my personal rep, will meet with her.”

Jude simply nodded. Then he rose from the table, waved his guards to him, and left the room.

“That went well, don’t you think?” Fin didn’t wait for anyone to voice an opinion. “No, neither of you can go. I couldn’t trust you to control your beasts around the vampires.” He aimed his comment at Utah and Tor.

“And you
can
trust me?” Al sounded incredulous.

“I’m trying, Al. I’m really trying. You listened to your gut to night and didn’t go into that restaurant. That’s a point in your favor.” Fin motioned to Greer, who’d been standing by the kitchen door. “I think I need some coffee now. How about the rest of you?”

A half hour later, Jenna was awash in caffeine and full from stuffing herself with the sandwiches Greer had made for all of them. The sandwiches made her think of the cheesesteak she hadn’t gotten. And that of course reminded her of Rap. It was time for this day to be over.

Fin had spent the time going over ideas for finding Eight. So far they knew he was smarter than Nine had been. They also knew he went in for big splashy parties. Bloody ones. There was nothing subtle about Eight. What they didn’t know was where to find him.

Jenna was just about to give up and excuse herself from the table—after all, she wasn’t going to be the one to engage Eight in hand-to-hand combat—when Fin banished thoughts of sleep.

“Wherever you go from now on, make note of any unusual bells you see. The ringing of a bell will send Eight back home, but that doesn’t help us if we can’t figure out which bell.”

Suddenly everything clicked into place. And she wished it hadn’t. Fin saying he’d seen her in one of his visions. Fin appointing Al as her personal protector. And now the bells.

Her whole world cartwheeled, and when it finally came to rest, she wasn’t a tabloid writer anymore. She slowly rose from her seat. Gripping the edge of the table to keep from swaying, she faced Fin.

“I’m your freaking bell-ringer, aren’t I?”

Oh, shit. Jenna looked ready to self-combust. Al placed his hand over hers. But he didn’t get a chance to say anything comforting—not that he had any practice at it anyway—because Kelly leaped to her feet.

“No, you’re not putting my sister anywhere near that bastard Eight. She could’ve died to night. Jenna’s human. She can’t pull out a prehistoric soul to protect herself.” Kelly pointed a shaking finger at Fin. “If you need someone to ring a damn bell, then
you
ring it.”

Ty reached up to calm his wife, but she slapped his hand away. “The Maloy family has already done its share to save humanity. Leave Jenna alone!” Then her eyes widened. “You had your visions millions of years ago, so you knew about Jenna back in Houston…You never said anything to me.”

Jenna slowly sank back into her seat, her eyes fixed on her sister.

Kelly was just getting started. “You knew she’d show up here to check on me.” She pushed away from the table so hard her chair toppled over with a clatter that sounded extra loud in the silent room. “You manipulative jerk! I don’t care how powerful you are, you’re worthless as a human being.” Kelly ended on a watery gulp. Her last words before she stormed out were aimed at Jenna. “You get on the first plane out of here.” And then she was gone. Ty rose and followed her. He didn’t ask Fin for permission to leave.

Al watched them until they left the room and then he switched his gaze to Fin. If Kelly’s tirade had touched him, no one would know. He studied Jenna and the rest of his men with a calmness that said being a human being wasn’t at the top of his priority list.

“Anyone else have anything to say?”

“We want Al in our pack.” Utah spoke into the silence.

Beside him, Jenna gasped. He couldn’t tell whether from shock or horror.

“Al won’t be hunting while he’s with Jenna. So he can’t be part of your pack.” Fin’s glance touched Jenna. “Unless she decides to go home. In which case we may as well move on to where Seven is, because Jenna is the key here.”

“That’s right, play the guilt card.” Jenna’s comment was an angry snarl.

Utah didn’t give up without a fight. “We’re pack. We’ve hunted with three from the beginning. Three’s an important number—past, present, future. We need a future. You’re the numbers guy. You should know. Al hunted with a pack before, so we want him.”

“He’s not the only one,” Fin replied.

“But he’s the one who misses his pack the most.”

Al wondered how Utah knew that. He’d never talked about his old pack with the Eleven.

Fin held up his hands. “Okay, I’m finished for the night. Utah and Tor, talk to me tomorrow. Jenna, I’ll see you at breakfast.”

He delivered his message to Al mentally.
“Don’t let her leave.”

Then he pushed his chair away from the table and left them sitting there.

Q said it for all of them. “Let’s quit for the night. Being around Fin and you guys this long has revved up my aggression way past safe. We don’t need a fight to top off everything.”

“Good idea.” Al wanted to get Jenna out of there. She’d experienced enough to night to last ten human lifetimes. He also wanted time to think over his feelings about joining the raptors’ pack.

Q stood and offered Jenna his hand. She accepted it, but she looked a little shaky.

“We’ve never officially met. I’m Q, Ty’s partner. Don’t let Fin bully you.” His gaze shifted to Al as he said the last.

Jenna seemed to rouse herself as she worked up a smile for him. “Q? What’s that stand for?”

Al wasn’t sure he liked Q’s smile. Was it a little more than friendly? And if it was, why should he care? Oh, right, he was a possessive prehistoric jerk who wanted to kill anyone who looked at his mate in the wrong way.

But wait, Fin had proclaimed them human, so he wasn’t supposed to be having these feelings. Well, fuck Fin. Al sort of liked the sound of that.

Then he remembered. Jenna wasn’t even close to being mate material. She was Fin’s key, and all Al wanted to do was have sex with her. Somehow though, his last thought didn’t have the ring of truth.

Q dropped Jenna’s hand, just in time as far as Al was concerned. “I’m a Quetzalcoatlus. Fin wanted to call me Quetz, but I don’t answer to anything that weird. So I call myself Q.”

“A what?”

Q laid his smile on her, the one all women seemed to like. Al growled low in his throat. Q heard and sent him an anytime-anyplace look.

“My soul’s a giant pterosaur. A flying reptile.” Then the asshole had to brag. “The biggest flying animal that ever lived. Most of us had thirty-seven-foot wingspans. Mine was closer to forty-five.”

“Wow, that’s incredible.”

Al hated the look of awe she sent Q’s way. “Yeah, yeah, we’re all impressed. Except, last time I looked we didn’t have tape mea sures way back when, so how do you know what size your freaking wingspan was?” He couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth. Jealous words. He hoped to hell they were just a normal primitive reaction to another male trying to take away his personal dessert.

Q’s expression turned dangerous. “At least I was the biggest of something. You were nothing beside Ty, Gig, and Car.”

“Look, it’s been a long night, guys. And if you’re going to get into a pissing match over who’s the biggest, then I’m out of here right now.” Jenna sounded exhausted.

Al took a deep calming breath and tried to think nonviolent thoughts. “Guess you’re right about one thing, Q. Being near Fin and the rest of you guys is working on me. Time for everyone to leave.” Yeah, that was it. He wasn’t really jealous. He was just reacting to being around the others.

Q nodded, and with one last smile for Jenna, walked away.

She looked at Al. “I have to talk with Kelly.” Nothing in her expression gave a hint whether she intended to stay in Philly or flee back to Houston.

He’d be an optimist. “See you sometime this afternoon then.” As she walked away, he thought about following her to her room, following her into her bed, and there in the darkness touching her in all the ways a man could touch a woman. His soul offered a few opinions on what
it
wanted to do.

Al decided maybe he needed to step outside before heading to his room. Glancing around, he realized everyone had left. Most of the other guys had their own apartments. Their drivers would’ve been waiting for them to leave the meeting.

He purposely didn’t bring his duster with him. Al needed a blast of Arctic air to freeze the sensual images of Jenna that bubbled and boiled in his mind. And in other places.

All the way down in the elevator, he thought about how he’d feel if she stayed—tempted, distracted, conflicted.
Happy.
Then he thought about his emotions if she left—bored, focused, still conflicted.
Not happy.
Well, that sort of summed it up.

In the lobby, the guy behind the desk was reading a book. He looked up long enough to nod and then went back to his book.

Al paused, “You new here?”

“Nah. I sub when anyone quits or goes on vacation.”

Al left him to his book as he stepped outside. January in Philly was cold enough to freeze the devil’s ass. Just what he needed. Crossing Nineteenth Street, he moved silently among the shadows of the small park. A tough thing to do since the park was pretty well lit up. He was just getting ready to turn around and go back to the condo when he saw Fin.

Obeying his instincts, he slipped farther into the shadows to watch. He’d probably never react like a human. His soul’s habits were too ingrained.

What the hell was Fin doing? There was enough light in the park to cast a shine over all that silver hair. But Al stopped worrying about Fin’s hair as something moved in the shadows near him.

Suddenly a big cat slid into view. Al instantly accessed all that info Fin had poured into this head when he first rose. Jaguar. Black. Carnivore. Dangerous. Fin didn’t seem worried, though. Instead of keeping his attention on the jaguar, he looked toward where Al stood.

“Don’t just stand there staring.” Fin motioned to him. “Come meet Balan.”

Al emerged from hiding and approached. He never took his attention from the big carnivore. “How did you know I was there? I thought I was quiet.” Al knew he’d been quiet. He’d had a lifetime of moving a very big body silently so he wouldn’t startle his prey. He and his pack had never been fast enough to run down smaller and lighter dinners.

“I always know where all of you are.” Fin sounded amused. “Think about that when you walk past Jenna’s room later on.”

Al grunted. Talk about a buzz kill. “Who’s Balan?” He remembered Ty talking about meeting the jaguar back in Houston, but he wanted the info directly from Fin.

The voice in his head wasn’t Fin’s, and it startled the hell out of him.

“I am the messenger for the ones you call numbers. My masters are not pleased with how you’ve named them. Numbers show lack of respect.”
The jaguar watched Al from unblinking golden eyes.
“They have shown their respect for you by naming you as Gods of the Night. My masters wish to be called Lords of Time.”

Al stared blankly at Balan and then shifted his stare to Fin. “He’s kidding, right?”

Fin wasn’t smiling. “No, he’s very serious. Balan would have you think he’s a glorified messenger boy for Zero and the rest of them.” He paused for an aside to Balan. “If your masters would tell me their names, I wouldn’t have to call them by numbers. They could even make up names. So what name is Eight going by while he’s among the humans?”

Balan opened his mouth in a silent snarl, exposing big sharp teeth.
“Do not mock my masters. Names have power. They will not give you that power.”
Then some emotion that looked a lot like humor appeared in his eyes.
“I cannot tell you the mortal name the one whom you call Eight is using because it would help you find him. Personally, I think his name lacks dignity.”

“Why are you here to night, Balan?”

Good. It was about time Fin got down to business. As far as Al could see, Balan was working for the enemy. It never helped to get chummy with someone who wanted to kill you.

Balan swung his great head to study Al.
“I do not kill. I simply—”

“Observe and report,” Fin finished for him. “I don’t know what part you’re playing in this whole thing, cat, but it’s not the part of a spy. Is Zero in Philadelphia?”

Balan made a coughing sound that might have been a laugh.
“Do you think I’d tell you if he were? But I will tell you this. The one who calls himself Seir watches your windows from this park each night.”

Al couldn’t tell from Fin’s expression whether this was a surprise or old news to him.

“How do you know this?”

“Because I also watch.”

Fin laughed, a harsh bitter sound. “Just great. Pretty soon I’ll have a freaking party outside my windows. Maybe I’ll have to put on a show to make it all worthwhile. Let me know when you’re freezing your butts off and I’ll send down hot chocolate.”

Balan blinked his gold eyes.
“Is that why you came here tonight? Did you hope to catch Seir here?”

Fin glanced away from Balan to scan the surrounding trees. “I don’t have to go searching for Seir. He knows where I’ll be if he wants me.”

Al couldn’t figure out whether that was a threat aimed at Seir or not.

“So is there anything else you want to tell me?”

Balan remained silent for a little too long. Then he spoke.
“My master, the one you call Zero, wants you to know that things need not be like this between you. Now that the one named Rap has been eliminated, all is even between you. He was payment for Nine. Stop interfering in what will be, and you along with your men will reap the benefit when humans no longer walk the Earth.”

At the mention of Rap’s name, Al’s fury fought for expression. Fin threw him a sharp glance.

“Do you believe that, cat?” Fin seemed really interested in Balan’s answer.

“I do not believe or disbelieve. I only report.”
The jaguar sniffed the night air.
“There will be snow.”
Then without a backward glance he faded into the shadows.

“What was that about?” As hard as Al stared, he couldn’t see where the cat had gone.

“I don’t know.” Fin looked thoughtful. “He guards his real thoughts.”

“You seemed pretty cozy with a being that admits working for Zero and the rest of his trash.”

“I’ve known about him for a long time. And he doesn’t work for anyone. He chooses a side.” Fin finally looked at him. “But he can be persuaded.”

Al walked beside him as Fin headed back to the condo. “You said you’ve known about Balan for a long time. I don’t remember him. Guess you and I didn’t move in the same circles. Or maybe I just
forgot
.”

As Fin turned his head toward him, Al caught a glimpse of something that looked like shock in his eyes. Now what had he said to cause that reaction?

“You never met him. There was nothing to forget.”

Al nodded, not completely convinced. “Tell me about him.”

“The Mayan civilization got some things right. They may not have understood the greater implications of some of their beliefs, but they had the basics. Balan means jaguar in the Mayan language. Some believed that Balan was a helper to Bolon Yokte, a Mayan creation lord.”

“And this Bolon Yokte did what?”

Fin cast him a don’t-be-stupid look. “He created.”

Al thought about that. “Well, if I have a piece of land with an old house on it, and I want a new house, I guess I’d have to knock down the old one to make room for the new one. I might even enjoy the knocking down as much as the putting up.”

“That’s the way it works.” For just a moment, Fin looked at him as though he was seeing beyond the man and his soul to something more, something older.

“What about this Seir?”

Fin shrugged. “I’ll deal with Seir when the time comes. And no, I’m not going to discuss him.”

Before Al could work up another question, they entered the condo’s lobby and Fin stopped to talk to the guy with the book. Al didn’t wait around. He caught an elevator and headed up to his room.

Kelly answered her door on the first knock. “You took long enough getting here.”