Bella had made a beeline for the entrance. Steven hadn’t even crossed the lobby by the time Bella had returned with Amy Jo in tow, Luca close on their heels, as they headed for the stairs.
A few seconds after that, Diego and Marco had entered, their faces set in identical expressions of grim determination. They had all trooped up the stairs because Cole had insisted he needed to talk to Bella, but obviously she had a different opinion.
“Cole.” Steven placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Give it up. You’re not going to win this one. Let’s go to the bar. I need a drink.”
Diego sighed, and Steven thought he heard relief in the sound.
“I could use a bottle of alcohol.” Diego slid a look at Marco, who stared back. “Maybe a couple.”
Something had happened on their way down here. Something to do with Amy Jo. Something between the brothers, as well. Diego looked…rattled. Which was surprising. Diego didn’t do rattled. Pissed off was more his general speed.
“Fine.” Cole turned away from Bella’s door with a disgusted look on his face. “We need to talk anyway and it’ll be easier without them.”
Luca’s sudden cough sounded suspiciously like a laugh.
Cole glared at him but the kid stared right back. Luca might be young, but Steven had spoken to him earlier. He knew what he was doing and he knew the consequences should he fail. He took his duties seriously. That didn’t mean Steven wasn’t any less worried. But here, in this hotel, he didn’t think any harm would come to her.
The hotel was owned by two
streghe
, members of the cursed thirteen that his father had been sworn by sacred birthright to protect. Madrona and Furia had made this hotel a safe haven in a world that was becoming more dangerous every day.
As they made their way to the darkest corner of the surprisingly large bar on the first floor, Steven watched Cole nod to people as they passed. A few of the women gave him sexy grins that offered more than a greeting. He didn’t acknowledge them any differently than he did the men.
“Still haven’t taken
tribuni
advice and found a wife, huh?” Steven asked Cole as he pulled out a padded leather chair at a table in the far corner and sat down.
Cole shook his head. “No time.”
“And you don’t like being a piece of meat any more than I do,” Diego added as he sat. “Sometimes, this life sucks.”
A thirty-something waitress in a short black skirt and a fitted white t-shirt stopped at their table, giving them smiles all around. “
Legatus
, gentleman. What can I get you tonight?”
Steven had the urge to laugh. He knew exactly what he wanted. And exactly what he wasn’t going to get if Bella’s locked and guarded door meant anything. He looked over to find the same expression on Diego’s face. And surprisingly, Marco’s face.
And Cole…well, Cole looked ready to hit something.
“Whiskey.” Cole said finally. “And tequila. Just bring us a couple of bottles and four glasses.”
“Absolutely, your highness.” Her southern accent was smooth as silk, but not one man at the table looked interested. “I’ll bring you some munchies, too. You’re gonna need food to soak up at least some of that alcohol.”
When she’d gone, Cole took a deep breath and released it, like he was trying to release something he’d bottled inside.
“Alright.” Cole’s expression turned determined. “We know we’ve got a few different problems, so let’s line them up and try to knock them out one at a time. Steven, let’s deal with you first. What do you know about Charles Jones?”
His hands curled into fists before he could stop them. “Not enough, obviously.” He held up one hand before Cole could cut in. “Don’t. Just…don’t. I checked him out before I went to work for him and nothing, not one goddamn thing sent up a warning flag. The firm’s legit. I know he has some clients who are connected to hereditary families. But hell, every major firm in the states has got to have at least one client with blood ties. Maybe that should have been a flag—”
“Steven. Stop.” Cole’s voice dropped a few decibels. “I’m not coming down on you for this. Jones is
Mal
. He wouldn’t have let anything slip unless he’d wanted you to know. That wasn’t what I was going to ask.”
Yeah, right. “So?”
Cole rolled his eyes. “So…who’s he working for? What have we got on him that we can use against him? He has a daughter, right?”
“Yes, Tiffani. She started at the firm around the same time I did. She’d just returned from a year in Europe. She’s a bitch, for the most part. A pampered princess whose only goal in life seems to be to land a husband. Namely, me.”
“And I’m guessing it wasn’t for your looks,” Diego drawled.
Steven flipped him the bird. “Hey, Pretty Boy, don’t piss me off.”
Marco snorted at Amy Jo’s nickname then said, “What exactly do they want with you?”
No one answered as the waitress returned with their order. No one spoke, even when she left.
Steven had enough trouble dealing with his own shit without actually talking about it.
Cole finally filled the silence. “Steven has powers the
Mal
want. He has the ability to control the weather, in addition to some other…specialized talents.”
Diego knocked back a shot.
Marco’s eyebrows flew up. “They want him because he’s
Mal
?”
Cole didn’t answer, neither did Diego. Both stared at him. Steven grabbed for the tequila bottle.
Fuck this. He was damn sick and tired of apologizing for something he couldn’t change.
“Yeah. I was born
Mal
, but I won’t…” He took a deep breath and blew it out again. “I don’t use my powers.”
“Which is another problem in itself.” Cole slid a glance his way. “But that’s not on the table now. We need to have a plan of attack because the
Mal
sure as shit do. You said Jones was talking to someone on the phone.”
“Yeah, but I don’t know who.”
Cole nodded. “I’ll get someone working on phone records though I don’t figure we’ll get lucky there.”
“So we need defensive strategy,” Diego said. “Make sure they don’t catch us with our pants down.”
Cole grabbed the tequila out of Steven’s hand and poured himself a shot. “Which means we need to lure them here. And we already have the bait.” Cole pointed at Steven. “If they don’t know where you are, we need to make sure Jones finds out. And we need to get Bella and Amy Jo out of here before Jones gets here.”
“Maybe tomorrow we’ll know more about who’s behind this,” Diego said. “If Andrea can pull any information out of Amy Jo. But…she’s pretty damn traumatized. And I’m not sure Andrea screwing about in her memories won’t do more damage.”
“Are you saying we shouldn’t have Andrea try?” Cole asked.
Diego shook his head. “No, it’s just… I can’t imagine…” Then he sighed. “I don’t
want
to imagine what went on the night Amy Jo was bitten. But whatever happened, it left mental and physical scars that haven’t healed. I don’t want to create any more permanent damage.”
Cole didn’t answer right away and Steven knew he was trying to figure out what Diego had going with Amy Jo. Marco was no help. He had his head turned, letting his gaze roam over the rest of the bar, seemingly ignoring their conversation.
“Can you suggest another method of getting the information from her?” Cole asked.
Diego grimaced as he shook his head.
“Then we’ll have to go ahead with Andrea.” Cole leaned over the table, forcing Diego to meet his gaze head on. “I trust you’ll be there to make sure nothing happens to her.”
Marco sliced a glance at Diego and the brothers stared at each other for a few seconds.
“We’ll be there,” Diego said.
“Fine.” Cole nodded and leaned back into the chair before standing. “I’ll be right back.”
Then he walked away.
Steven tracked Cole as far as the door, where he disappeared into the lobby. An awkward silence settled around the table. Diego contemplated the empty glass in front of him while Marco continued to gaze around the room.
“Hey, Marco. What’s—”
The sound of a gunshot rang through the bar.
Chapter Fourteen
The gunman sat in a first-floor room more than a block up the street from the Hotel
Nuit san Lune
.
Waiting for his targets to leave the security of the building.
The client had provided him with several pictures, which he’d studied until he knew each and every mole on their faces. Yesterday, he’d scouted the location and found this room.
The woman who’d rented it to him had barely registered his presence. He had one of those unremarkable faces. It served him well in his line of work.
A flash of movement at hotel entrance caught his eye and he sighted through the scope of his Parker Hale M85.
Damn, he was a lucky guy.
One of his five targets had exited the building and now leaned against the wall to the right of the front door, under the red and white awning. Probably thought he was hidden under there.
The man squeezed the trigger.
And watched the target fall.
Let’s see who else shows up before I need to get out of here.
* * *
Bella and Amy Jo decided to skip dinner and go straight to the best part.
They ordered one of every dessert the hotel had to offer and added a few plates of appetizers for good measure.
An hour later, Bella looked at the decimated food cart then at Amy Jo and knew she’d found a kindred spirit.
“Good thing our metabolism burns through calories like a wildfire.” Bella leaned into the comfy chair in the lounge area of her room. Something bluesy and mellow throbbed in the background from the stereo system.
Amy Jo nodded and wiped her fingers on a napkin after licking off left-over chocolate icing. “That’s one good thing.” She paused and bit her bottom lip so hard Bella was afraid she’d draw blood. “So…what are some of the others?”
Finally
. Bella had been waiting for Amy Jo to start asking questions. It signaled a return to normal for the other woman.
“Well, there are lots, actually. Like enhanced hearing and smell. Our eyesight’s only a little better than normal, but I guess I should be glad we’re not colorblind, like real wolves. We’re physically stronger than regular humans and we tend to live longer.”
If we make it past thirty, considering we have more than our fair share of predators.
But she didn’t say that. Amy Jo didn’t need to hear about that. Not yet.
“What about people like me?” Amy Jo asked softly.
Bella frowned. “What do you mean?”
“People who aren’t born…what do you call it?”
“
Versipellis
. It’s Latin for ‘skin shifter.’”
“You don’t call yourselves werewolves?”
Bella smiled. “No. I’m Etruscan
lucani
and because you were bitten by a
lucani
, you are, too. Wolves are the largest
versipelli
group in the world. Then there are Norse
berserkirs
. They’re bears. And Chinese foxes. I never could pronounce what they call themselves. There are a few other groups, too. Diego and his brother are Iberian lynx. They’re only a hundred or so of them left, though I didn’t even know Diego had a brother until I met Marco. However, we’re
not
ravening fiends and we don’t eat babies and we’re not cursed by God. Most of us have been raised to the old ways.”
Amy Jo’s head cocked to the side. “What does that mean?”
“We’re not Christian.”
Her eyes narrowed as Amy Jo frowned. “You’re
Jewish
? I mean, not that there’s anything wrong—”
Bella laughed at the complete confusion on Amy Jo’s face. She laughed until she had to gasp for air and felt tears flood her eyes.
Poor Amy Jo. The world she’d known no longer existed for her. That narrow, relatively safe little world had been destroyed by what she’d become.
How screwed up was that?
And how strong she was to come through it relatively intact.
Bella admired the other woman more than Amy Jo might ever understand. Yes, Bella had suffered the horrible loss of her parents and brother and, later, she’d lost the man who’d loved her like a daughter. But she’d been pampered and spoiled her entire life, given anything she asked for.
And then what did she do? She turned her back on her family. She became a veterinarian but she didn’t use her skills in any positive way for her community, for the people who depended on Cole and, to some degree, her to at least take an interest in their lives.
When her laughter finally calmed, Bella saw Amy Jo sitting with her arms crossed over her chest, eyebrows raised.
“Oh, sure, laugh at the new girl.”
Bella sighed. “I’m sorry. I just realized something about myself that… Anyway, no, we’re not… Well, I’m sure there are Jewish
versipelli
and Protestant and Muslim and so on. But the Etruscans have an ancient belief system. We worship the Etruscan pantheon.”
Amy Jo’s brows lowered as she mulled that over. “You actually worship gods and goddesses? I mean, I know you said about becoming a priestess but I didn’t think… Well, hell, I don’t know now what I thought.”
“Yes, we worship gods and goddesses.”
“Should I be worshiping them, too?”
Bella shook her head. “Not if you don’t believe. They tend to be vengeful.”
Amy Jo’s eyebrows flew up. “But you believe?”
“Yes,” Bella smiled. “I do. I know how weird it must seem to someone who wasn’t raised the way I was. But there are deities who walk the earth, who shape fate and meddle in our affairs.”
Amy Jo shook her head, her expression shell-shocked. “I never thought there were people around who still worshiped Zeus and—”
“He’s Greek.”
“Jupiter?”
“Roman. There’s also an Egyptian pantheon and Celtic and Norse and—”
Amy Jo threw her hands in the air. “Wait, I surrender. Maybe someday we can go down the list, but not now. Just tell me…about people like me. Are there a lot?”
Bella sobered and shook her head. “Not really, no. Most don’t survive the bite.”