Out for Blood (16 page)

“Well done.”

“Are you sure? I still don’t know if—”

Creek grabbed her wrist as they walked. Again his touch gave her a weird shiver that also somehow calmed her. “It’s what needed to be done.”

She pulled her hand away, unsettled by the contact. “Yes, you’re right. But there will be backlash.” Nothing she said went without critical comment by some newspaper, television station, or website. It was part and parcel of being mayor. The elevator was open and waiting. Creek and John got on with her; then John punched the button for her office’s floor. He’d yet to make eye contact with her since the announcement, but it was hard to tell who he was looking at behind those dark shades.

Creek spoke as the doors slid closed. “Remind them that if this curfew had been in place sooner, your daughter and the two other girls wouldn’t have been killed.”

“
Maybe
they wouldn’t have.” The memory made her heart ache. “A curfew isn’t going to stop someone intent on killing.”

“It won’t,” John said quietly.

Creek canted his head to one side. “It will. Once an example has been made.”

She leaned against the wall and glanced at him. The smoked mirror interior reflected John’s large form and beside him, Creek’s slightly smaller one. But there was something odd about Creek’s reflection. It was distorted. Like another shadowy figure lay over the top of his. A figure with wings.

She squeezed her eyes shut, then looked again. The distortion was gone.

Creek stared at her, a disconcerting darkness in his eyes. “Are you all right, Madam Mayor? You don’t look like you feel well.”

“I feel fine, thank you. Just stress.” She forced a smile. “A day without stress is like a day without… well, I wouldn’t know. It’s been so long since I had a day without stress.”

The doors opened and John stuck his arm out to keep them from closing. “You should take some time off, ma’am.”

“I wish I could, John. Maybe when things have calmed down.” She headed for her office.

Creek walked beside her, his hand on her elbow. “The curfew was a step in that direction.”

Lola nodded. “Absolutely.” Still, she couldn’t shake the sense of foreboding that hung over her like a flock of circling vultures. What was the saying? Darkest before the dawn? If that was true, she hoped dawn came fast.

“Don’t worry, we’ll find Fi.” Chrysabelle squeezed Doc’s arm, slightly amazed at how such a big man could fit into such a small car. “I know she’s got a temper, but she can’t stay away from you for long.”

“I don’t know about that. After what I said…” Doc shook his head, eyes scanning the road as he shifted gears. “I’m just hoping she’ll come out to talk to you.” He exhaled. “I could really use her company after the day I’ve had.”

“You want to talk about it? I know all about bad days.”

He snorted a laugh. “I guess you do.” He turned out of Mephisto Island and headed toward downtown. The late afternoon sun glinted off the bay surrounding the private island. “I had a council meeting today to discuss…” He glanced over at her. “Maybe I shouldn’t talk about this after all.”

“To discuss what happened with Mal and me the other night?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m really sorry about that.”

“Nothing for you to apologize for. Brutus shoulda kept his cool. Nothing would have happened if that cat had just held it together.”

Doc’s jaw ticked and she wondered if changing the subject was a better idea, but he kept talking.

“Didn’t help that Mal went nuts either.”

Chrysabelle nodded. “I agree, but if you’d been in his situation, if that had been Fi—”

He held up his hand. “Trust me, I get it.”

“So what was decided? Or can’t you tell me?”

He was quiet for a moment. “What was decided is that pride law stands and pride law says a life for a life. Technically that was satisfied, until word got out you weren’t dead.” His gaze flicked in her direction. “Not everyone believes it, by the way. Some of the pride thinks the wolves are trying to start things. Some think you’ve come back as a ghost.”

“What happens when they know I’m alive for sure?”

His mouth hardened into a thin line and he stared straight ahead. “Shopping district is the best place to start. You know how she loves clothes.”

“Not telling me isn’t going to make it go away.”

He stayed silent a few seconds. “Mal’s life will be required.”

She turned away, preferring the blur of the passing landscape to the harsh reality of his words. Her fingers knotted together the same way pain twisted around her heart. “I can’t let that happen.”

“You think it’s what I want?” He slammed the heel of his hand against the steering wheel. “Hell, no. Mal’s saved my life more times than I can count. I owe him.”

She twisted to face him. “Tell the pride that. Explain what happened. They’ll understand, won’t they?”

“Pride law is pride law. There are no exceptions.”

“Not even on the word of the pride leader?”

He pursed his mouth again. “I can try. I
will
try. You have my word.”

“Thank you.” It wasn’t much, but it was something. She’d hate to make enemies of the entire Paradise City pride, but there was no way she’d let them sign Mal’s name to a death warrant for something she’d caused.

Doc parked the car and turned off the engine. He faced her, his eyes earnest. “Look, if it takes me stepping down from my position, or whatever, I’m going to do everything in my power to keep Mal safe.”

“I appreciate that.” She knew what going against the pride could mean for him. Like being thrown out again. She gave him the best smile she could manage, considering. “Let’s go find Fi. We have only a couple hours before the sun goes down.”

He opened his door and got out as she did the same. “I plan on looking for her until I find her, sun or no sun.”

“What about the mayor’s curfew?”

“Screw that noise. I’m the pride leader. I’m not going to let something like that keep me from the woman I love.”

“You think that’s the wisest attitude with everything going on?”

He grinned and held his arms out. “Wisdom rarely plays a part in my decisions. Why start now?”

She shrugged. It was his skin, but she wasn’t going to say it. Doc was a grown man. He could make his own choices.

A couple hours later and there was still no sign of Fi. Chrysabelle glanced at the sky. “Doc, you should really get back to headquarters or wherever you’re staying. I’ll keep looking. In fact, I’ll go get Mal and—”

“And let him violate the curfew? No, I’m good.”

She’d forgotten Mal was an othernatural, too. How long had she been thinking of him as a man and not a vampire? She checked the sky again. The sun would be down soon and she had no idea how much grace period would be allowed between sundown and full dark. “Please. Go home. I’ll find Fi, I promise.”

He took her arm and pulled her into a narrow alley between two buildings. “I appreciate your concern, but you’re forgetting that I can outrun any mortal alive. Even if some random patrol sees me, they won’t be able to catch me or track me.”

The longer they argued, the longer they’d be vulnerable. The street solars had already flickered to life. “Fine. Let’s go back to my house and regroup. We can get Jerem. Technically, as my driver, he gets a pass.”

Doc looked like he was going to say no, but he just shook his head and walked out of the alley. She followed, hoping his response meant he agreed with her plan.

Across the street and down one block, two police officers were getting out of their car.

She shoved Doc toward his little sports car. “Get us out of here, now.”

With lightning speed, he whipped around. “I told you—”

“You there!” One of the cops had eyes on Doc and was pointing with his nightstick.

“Hell, no,” Doc snarled. He started toward the officers.

She snagged his arm to hold him back. “Don’t, Doc. Let’s just go, please. Fi doesn’t need you in jail.”

He hesitated and muttered, “Dammit,” under his breath. He backed up and pressed his thumb to the biometric lock on the car door. “Let’s get out of here.”

A soft whistle came toward them. A split second later, a tiny orange-furred insect landed on Doc’s neck. Except it wasn’t an insect. He slapped at the tranquilizer dart, but it was too late. Whatever the cops had been equipped with, it worked fast. Doc slumped against the car, his eyes rolling back in his head. “Tell…”

His mouth moved but no more sound came out. Chrysabelle grabbed his massive form as he slid toward the sidewalk, falling to her knees beside him. “Tell who? Who do you want me to tell?”

But he was out.

The cops ran up. One held a tranq rifle. “We’ll take it from here, miss. Best you go home where it’s safe.”

She stared at them, trying not to hate them for doing their jobs. “Do you report directly to the mayor?”

The officer with the gun looked at his partner and smiled. “For taking down the first curfew violator? Absolutely.”

“Give her a message for me. Tell her I said she’s an idiot.”

Chapter Sixteen

M
al knew Chrysabelle was on board before he heard her calling out his name. If not for the edge of fear in her voice, he would have met her with a kiss. He rushed to where she stood just inside the door off the aft deck. “What’s wrong?”

She threw up her hands and paced past him. “Doc’s in jail. They’re going to chain him in the city square.”

“What? That’s barbaric.”
Just like you.

“The mayor announced a curfew for othernaturals from sundown to sunup. Any othernaturals out during that period are subject to disciplinary action.” She stopped pacing long enough to scowl. “They shot him with a
tranquilizer
gun. Can you believe that?” She shook her head. “The mayor’s using him as an example to scare the rest into submission.”

“Why wasn’t Doc at pride headquarters?”

“He was, but Fi’s gone missing—he told her to get lost, but it was for her own safety, and now he can’t find her. I was helping him look, but the sun set and he wouldn’t go home. Stupid man,” she muttered. “I went to the police station to get information about how to bail him out when I overheard a couple officers talking about the mayor’s plans for the first othernatural caught.” Her hands tightened into fists. “This is a giant, bloody mess.” She stared toward the glittering line of the city.

“You look like you want to punch something.” He came to stand beside her at the rail, resisting the urge to slip his arms around her. He knew her well enough to understand this mood would not be fixed with his strained attempt at comfort. “You know when it comes to Doc, I’m in for whatever needs doing.”

She pushed back. “That’s just it. I don’t know what to do.” She went quiet, her brows furrowing. She turned, studying him. Unexpectedly, her hands came up to cup his jaw. “You’re bitter cold. You need blood.”

“It can wait.”
Never.
But with her hands on his skin and her wrists so close to his mouth, he was helpless against her delicious perfume. His fangs dropped and his human face shifted away.
Blood blood blood.

“It can’t wait. You need to be strong for whatever happens next.” She took his hand and began leading him into the ship. “And as much as we need to help Doc, his decisions led him to where he’s at, so he can sit tight for a little while longer.”

“Doc can be stubborn.”

She laughed softly. “Pot, meet kettle.” He was about to respond when she turned a corner and stopped, then glanced back the way they’d come, her eyes questioning.

“You don’t know which way to go, do you?”

“Not a clue.”

He smiled gently. “Where do you want to go?”

“The kitchen, I guess.”

He squeezed her hand. “The galley it is.” As they walked, she explained in more detail what had happened with Doc and Fi and the mayor’s curfew. He shook his head. “Dominic’s going to have something to say about this. She’s basically shut down the bulk of his business. Fae and varcolai can come and go during daylight hours, but the fringe who come for his comarré, not so much. She’s bitten off more than she can chew.”

“I agree, but Dominic can fight his own battles on this one. I have enough of my own problems to deal with.”

“Then why not let Doc face the punishment that’s coming to him? A couple hours in the square isn’t the end of the world.”

“Because Doc is our friend and—”

“I agree with that reason completely.”
You don’t have friends.

“It won’t look good if the pride leader is put on display like, well, like an animal. Doc will be humiliated. He’ll be forced to retaliate. Or the pride will on his behalf. It’s just a bad situation all the way around.”

Mal nodded. “All good points.”

“And”—she took a deep breath—“if we can get Doc out of this, the pride will owe us. And we need them to owe us.” She came to a stop and faced Mal. “Pride law says a life for a life. Brutus killed me and you killed Brutus, but word is beginning to spread that I’m alive.” She grabbed his hand and held on. “They could demand your life. I’m not going to let that happen. Doc won’t either. But it would really help if the pride felt indebted to us.”