Hot Demon in the City (Latter Day Demons Book 1) (22 page)

"I should have known—my grandmother can do the same thing," I muttered.

"While I have not encountered your race before, it is not human, young one. Neither is Kory's."

"He could have told me," I blew out a breath. "I suppose it doesn't matter now, since he left me behind."

"He has no desire to place you in danger," Klancy turned away to study the lights surrounding the bay far below. "You think he has abandoned you? I feel he is protecting you—by separating himself from you and the others in this house."

"And here I am, whining about it. Thanks, Klancy." I turned to go back inside.

"You are welcome."

* * *

Kordevik

"You sure you want to do this?" Mason squared his shoulders as we studied Tooth and Nail from across the street. At least all the neon worked in the sign placed over the door.

The place was windowless, like Clawdia's, with a heavy, wood and metal door leading into the bar. Two vampires walked in while we contemplated our mission. "I'm ready if you are," I said, clenching my fists.

"Let's do this," Mason nodded.

The moment we walked in, conversation stopped. I was used to seeing Watson behind the bar. Two people stood behind this one—a man and a woman, who appeared to be related.

Perhaps these were the half-werewolves Watson disliked. Nobody approached us as we made our way to the bar. Halfway there, I began the shift to my smaller Thifilathi. My clothing burned away while my skin turned to black scales. Gasps could be heard when my height increased and curved horns formed above my ears. I blew clouds of smoke, which caused those nearby to cringe. Two scooted chairs back to give me space.

"Where's Granger?" I growled as I fisted the male bartender's shirt in one hand and lifted him off his feet.

"Put him down." The female pulled a shotgun from beneath the bar and pointed it at me. Smoke drifted from my nostrils as I turned my head in her direction.

"Put the gun down," compulsion dripped from Mason's voice. As directed, she lowered the gun and set it back on the shelf.

"Where's Granger?" Mason demanded before I could repeat my words.

"I don't know," the half-were whispered. "Nobody's seen him for days."

Chapter 14

Lexsi

Watson borrowed the TinyCar to get to work. I didn't care; I had my own form of transportation and it was much faster than driving. It also allowed me to go to the gym beforehand, without a ride from Kory.

Klancy's revelation the night before troubled me, too. Was Kory a shifter? If so, what kind? Shifters came in all shapes and sizes—the size and mass of the person often had little to do with the animal they became.

Normal-sized humans became rabbits, squirrels and other small creatures. I considered that while running on the treadmill. What if Kory was a small shifter? Was he too embarrassed to tell me what he was?

Either way, he wasn't here to discuss it with me. Perhaps he didn't want his secret out at all. I still hadn't heard from him—what if Klancy was wrong and Kory was done with our relationship?

I realized I'd only make myself sadder if I continued to worry about it, so I showered, slapped on makeup, skipped to my favorite alcove near the bus stop and walked the rest of the way to the station.

It was Thursday, and I'd promised George cinnamon rolls on Friday. That meant I'd be cooking when I went home for the evening. I had George's résumé on my computer, too, thanks to Anita.

Time for a meeting with Lee, before he left the following day.

"You have a minute?" I asked after knocking on Lee's door.

"Sure." He offered a half-smile. "What's on your mind?"

"This." I handed him a flash drive with George's information. "George is working as a driver for Rome Enterprises, when he has stellar records from a New York college and ran his own news program there."

"Our George?" Lee took the flash drive while staring at me.

"Yeah. Seems somebody only thought he was good enough to be a chauffeur for the company."

"I'll take a look," he promised. "You're not thinking about jumping ship, too?"

"Maybe someday. Possibly soon," I said. "I have a few things to do here, first."

"They're replacing me with Hannah's old boss from LA," Lee dropped his eyes and stared at his desk for a moment. "Those two," he shook his head. "Lexsi, don't let them bully you. You know what to do if that happens." He looked up at me, concern in his eyes.

"I do, and I appreciate it. More than you know. By the way, I'm bringing cinnamon rolls and maybe a few other things tomorrow," I said. "I hope you like them." I turned and walked out of Lee's office, to find Farin waiting outside the door.

"Can we have lunch today?" she asked.

"Sure." I studied the frown on her face. "What's wrong?" I added.

"Rick. He's acting weird."

"In what way?"

"I'll tell you over lunch."

"Okay. Twelve-thirty all right?"

"Yeah."

The reason Farin and I didn't ride together to work was that she had to be there at four for the early broadcast, while I didn't have to show up until two hours later. Working out at the gym was becoming a habit, and I didn't want to give it up. Keeping in shape could save my life, should someone attack me again.

"Have you ever taken self-defense classes?" I asked as Farin turned to walk away.

"No, why?" She turned back to me, with a puzzled frown.

"I think it's a good idea," I shrugged. "Ask Tibby if you can work out at his gym." I turned away this time. Hannah would be at work in an hour or so, and I had research to do.

* * *

There was still nothing new on the women's shelter murders in Texas; I spoke with someone at the affiliate in Texas. They were following up on the case but had nothing new, either. They worried the FBI was keeping any new information under wraps.

I worried about that, too, but from a different perspective.

The Texas station wanted to do follow up reports; I wanted to know whether anyone was linking Loftin Qualls to the deaths, or were considering them copycat crimes. So far, nobody had said his name, although the deaths could easily be attributed to him, were he alive and on the loose.

Meanwhile, I did further research on the states still allowing the death penalty; Oklahoma had an execution scheduled in the next month. Perhaps it would pay off if I did research on that prisoner, too.

Nothing new had been reported on any of the missing people from the California migrant workers' bus, and there was no further word on those college students missing from the Texas bus.

My fingers itched to punch Davis' number on my cell phone, but I held back. I had questions for him; that much was true. I also wanted to find out how Kory was doing. I knew better than to ask where he was; it was likely a safe house and that information was confidential.

Stay safe
, I sent Kory in mindspeech, knowing he'd never hear my words.

* * *

Kordevik

I almost dropped the weights I lifted; Lexsi's mindspeech shocked me so much. I considered making a reply before deciding against it. She'd know immediately that I wasn't human, let alone most any other creature native to the planet.

She probably didn't know that Granger hadn't made an appearance in days. Even the vamps in the bar knew nothing—Mason and I checked.

I found it humorous that none of them wanted to make a frontal assault on me, too, especially when my smaller Thifilathi did the questioning. Perhaps the news of so many of their burned or destroyed brethren held them back.

I really didn't give a shit. I wanted my hands on Granger and the sooner the better, in my opinion. I didn't like watching my back while humanoid and frankly, Granger had it coming.

If I discovered Claudia had thrown in her lot on Granger's vendetta against me, then she could expect a visit from yours truly next.

Mason had gone to meet with Davis and Thomas after we'd gone home the night before; he didn't say what he'd discussed with them and I was asleep when he got back anyway. I'd taken Tiburon up on his offer to use the gym where he worked out. Except for the manager and two boxers going after it in the ring nearby, I had the place to myself.

Perhaps I should tell Tiburon to invite Lexsi and Farin to work out here. They had everything necessary and few people there to use it. I considered, too, that the full moon was approaching. That meant all the weres and shifters would be going crazy.

Lexsi might need extra protection during that time; anything that shifted always felt bolder and angrier during that part of the month. I spoke of my kind, too; we became territorial during the moon-shift. I always skipped into the high hills surrounding the Bay area, where fog often drowned out the noise when I released a roar or two.

"Hey, bro." I discovered Tiburon grinning down at me while I bench-pressed eight-hundred pounds.

"I didn't see you come in," I said.

"Most people don't," his grin grew wider. "I just have to avoid the rat traps they put out."

* * *

"You're a rat? For real?" I asked. Tibby and I sat in a diner down the street from his gym; I'd gone a few rounds with him when he asked, then agreed to have lunch with him.

"For real, man. My grandmother—she's the Rat Shifter Packmaster in San Diego."

"You're worried about telling Farin, aren't you?"

"Yeah." Tiburon sounded depressed. "She probably thinks I'm a tiger or something. How do you tell your girl you're a rat?" Dark eyes reflected his concern; he was in love with Farin, there was no question about it. He was also terrified she'd reject him if he told her what he was.

"Damn, dude, you got some chops for a rat shifter," I declared. I was bigger, faster and stronger than any human or shifter, yet he'd gotten in a few punches. Snark Demonio deserved his nickname and reputation.

"I hope Farin sees the same thing, instead of thinking I'm vermin."

"If she loves you, she'll never think anything of the sort."

"I don't know how to tell her," he added.

"Be honest and show her," I suggested. "Just make sure she doesn't scream at the sight of, well, the normal version. Make her understand that beneath the furry exterior, you're still you."

"Are you still you—beneath the scales?" his eyes met mine.

"One hundred percent. I'm just extra dangerous, that's all."

"How much can you bench press when you're like that?"

"You've only seen the smaller version," I pointed out.

"There's a bigger version?"

"Yeah. If you see that one anytime, somebody's gonna die."

"Is there a reason for me to be scared of you?" Tiburon asked.

"None," I shrugged. "Unless you decide to go into business with Granger."

"
Pedazo de mierda
, that one," Tiburon hissed.

"Agreed," I said. He'd called Granger a piece of shit. I was okay with that description, although I had others that would fit just as well. "You know I'm looking for him, don't you?"

"I understand this, after he sends bounty hunters after you."

"Anybody who shoots at me and blows up my car better be ready for the consequences," I said.

"If you need help that I can give," Tiburon shrugged.

"I'll remember that. If you need help convincing Farin, let me know. I'll do what I can."

"Thank you. I will remember that."

* * *

I wondered what to do with myself after skipping back to the safe house in Petaluma. I hated daytime television, wasn't hungry after my lunch with Tiburon and was already bored after ten minutes wandering around the house.

Mason was asleep in a darkened room; too bad, I'd have asked him what he'd heard from Davis and Thomas the night before. That's when my cell phone rang. It was Watson. I thought about not answering—after all, he could probably give me good information as to Claudia and Granger's whereabouts, he just hadn't done it.

"What?" I said, instead of hello.

"Dude, I need to see you. Like now."

"About what?"

"Somebody ran a light and hit Lexsi's car, man. You need to come."

"Is she hurt?" I was striding toward the door while I spoke.

"She wasn't in it. I was—I borrowed it. Dude, you need to get here fast. I'm about to lose it."

"Where the hell are you?" I demanded.

"At the corner of Comper and Parley." He named an intersection not far from the Tooth and Nail.

"I'll be there in a minute," I snapped and ended the call. Was he acting as bait so more of Granger and Claudia's hit men could take aim at me?

I decided to play it safe and skip to the top of a nearby building. That way, I could determine whether an accident really happened, or if it were a trap.

The scene when I arrived was exactly as Watson described—I just imagined it wrong. The SUV that hit Lexsi's TinyCar looked like an accordion, while the TinyCar didn't show a scratch.

Firefighters called to the scene were attempting to cut the other driver and his passenger out of the SUV while Watson paced on the sidewalk, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. He was about to lose it, and I could see why.

The SUV was larger, heavier and should have obliterated the TinyCar. If the laws of physics had applied, the smaller, lighter vehicle should have been sent sailing. It wasn't. It stopped right where it was hit, in the middle of the intersection.

Several witnesses were gathered on the sidewalk, too; I imagined more than one of them had called 9-1-1, because an ambulance was on the way. I could hear the siren coming closer the longer I examined the scene from my high perch.

"Fuck," I growled before I skipped into an empty alley and walked out of it. Watson smelled me before he saw me; his head jerked in my direction. He looked like a man who'd nearly died, only to find his salvation walking toward him.

"What the hell happened?" I mumbled as I stopped beside him.

"I don't know. I saw things, man. Things that don't make any sense."

"Things?"

"Well, people. One person. Woman."

"Who?"

"I don't know, man. Never saw her before."

"When?"

"After the car was hit."

"A witness?"

"No, man. Look, I don't know how to explain this."

"Are those two all right? The ones who hit you?"

"I don't think so. I smell death."

"But they ran the light," I pointed out. "They're in the wrong."

"They're werewolf," Watson hissed. "I think they've been following the car. I don't know whether they thought Lexsi was in it, or knew I was."

If they hadn't been dead already, I might have turned and killed them, in front of street cameras and a multitude of witnesses. "Answer questions for the police, then I'll get us out of here, TinyCar included." I didn't attempt to hold back the breaths of smoke that clouded the space between Watson and me.

"Please don't turn," Watson whispered. "I want to, too, and we don't need anybody seeing that."

"Hmmph." I blew more smoke. I wasn't going to explain to Watson on the street that I'd turned the night before and walked into the Tooth and Nail with Mason. Those werewolves should be following me, not Lexsi or Watson.