Hell's Belle (34 page)

“Jesus H. Kristofferson, Serena. I need those ribs intact.” I gave her another scathing look. This was the very reason I hadn’t given her a hug when I’d seen her at the House of Delights.

“If that’s how she treats her friends,” Fera mumbled, “I’d hate to be her enemy.”

The room fairly crackled with power, and I wasn’t sure which—or if all—of us were leaking magic. All I knew was that my skin was itching, and I suddenly didn’t want anyone but Jacq touching me. It was a strangely familiar sensation. I would’ve kicked Serena in the shins, seeing as my toes were still at the right height, but knew better. I’d have broken a foot.

“Ahem,” said the woman in the skirt and heels. Serena set me back on my feet and turned to the woman.

I grabbed Jacq’s hand, moving close to her side. Her emotions became clearer with the touch. She’d been somewhat jealous but more concerned by Serena’s rough play. My detective had held herself back from staking a claim, and I was proud of her restraint. I wasn’t so subtle.

I squeezed Jacq’s hand, leaning into her. She had nothing to fear from Serena. But I might, if I was right about the look in the eyes of the woman with her. Noticing our clasped hands and close bodies, the woman’s glare dimmed slightly. She held out her hand, “Cate Delacy?”

I recognized the voice and smiled, taking in the woman’s wire-rimmed glasses and white-streaked black hair bun. “Miss James?” I shook her hand. “It’s good to finally put a face to the name.” When I couldn’t reach Serena on her cell, I’d called Benito Carmel’s office looking for her and gotten Miss James, his paralegal/personal secretary instead. Miss James had said she would relay the message, but I hadn’t expected her to join the group. At Miss James’ scowl, my happy voice vanished until I realized the dirty look was directed at Serena, who was trying to tug the paralegal’s leather bag off her shoulder.

“Miss James, huh? Does no one know your first name?” Serena asked cheerfully.

Miss James’ scowl was promptly replaced by a neutral expression. She pushed her glasses up her nose with one finger and, studiously ignoring the vampire, pointed to her bag. “Do you have somewhere I can change? I’m not exactly dressed to fight.” She looked around, mentally cataloguing and assessing my companions.

The outfit and demeanor might appear innocent, but it didn’t completely hide her shrewd mind. I’d been raised by women who used good graces for the same purpose. I simply smiled and pointed toward the hall. This was a game I knew well. “Certainly, I’ll show you the way.” I gestured for her to follow, but Serena grabbed her arm.

“Oh, no. You’re not in this fight.” Serena’s fangs flashed a mocking smile as her nostrils flared. “I smell blood in this house. Several people have already been hurt, and I’m sure they were all trained fighters.”

The
unlike you
went unsaid, but no doubt Miss James understood, her face getting redder with every word. Magic was so thick in the air—I could nearly smell it as Serena kept digging her grave that much deeper. “The last thing we need is some adventure-hungry novice getting themself or someone else killed.”

Miss James shrugged off Serena’s restraining hand and cocked her head. “I assure you I am proficient in the defensive arts.” Brushing at the wrinkles in her shirt, she turned to walk away then stopped, giving Serena a withering glare. “And I don’t care to be touched.” She pushed her glasses back up her nose.

Serena should’ve had icicles hanging from her chin—Miss James’ tone was so glacial. The magic in the air fairly rumbled, and I was suddenly aware that it was oozing from Miss James, released by her extreme displeasure. Miss James took another step.

It happened so quickly that at first I stood there trying to make sense of what I’d seen. Serena again reached to stop the paralegal. Without looking, Miss James flicked her wrist. There was a crack like lightning and a flash of gold magic. Then Serena was flying through the air. She hit the side wall with a loud “Uff,” hanging there for a moment, suspended, before dropping onto her ass.

Fortunately, Serena’s guards were outside. Otherwise either Miss James’ head or the guards’ would be rolling on the floor beside Serena. At this point, I wasn’t sure who I would’ve bet on. Miss James was hiding more than a sharp wit behind those glasses.

The air in the room went still. Then the raw magic that had been hanging about receded. All that was left was an eerie, emotionless stillness. No satisfaction or gloating. No regret or rebuke. Miss James was one cool number. I changed my mind. I’d take good odds any day that this woman would win if set against a horde of thirsty, sword-swinging, crazed vampires.

Miss James never even looked back. I followed her heels’ methodical
click click
as she calmly walked from the room. I just shook my head, grinning as Serena muttered, “What a woman.”

I didn’t need to see the look on her face to know that had hurt…and more than just her undead body. But I took one last look to confirm suspicions of another nature before turning again to stare at Miss James’ receding form. Serena’s face said it all. Unknowingly, the prickly paralegal had just released one very curious hound. I had no doubt that Serena would nip at her heels until she unearthed every skeleton in Miss James’ Brooks Brothers closet. Serena had found another playmate, and I was just selfish enough to hope this meant an end to certain things and a beginning to others.

A few minutes later, I knew my hoping was not in vain…at least in regard to Miss James. It wasn’t a phone booth, but you wouldn’t have known it from the super-fast change she made in the downstairs bathroom. Gone were the glasses and bun. Instead, her hair was pulled back into a series of small braids which she’d twisted into a complicated plait at the base of her neck. She was decked out in black cargo pants similar to my own, black boots, and a sleeveless black shirt with thick hammered-gold bracelets around her wrists and small muscular biceps.

My shocked face at the new and improved, battle-ready paralegal’s miraculous transformation was nothing compared to Serena’s slack-jawed ogle. But neither came close to Miss James’ near faint when, a few minutes later, Abigail Gryphon, the Tiger Alpha’s very pregnant mate, toddled into the training room (now more a war room).

“JJ!” Abigail shouted, dashing across the room and throwing herself at the unsuspecting Miss James. Abigail’s ecstatic voice boomed around the high-ceiling room. Miss James struggled to hold up the pregnant woman, who’d lost her breath and balance.

Jacq, Mynx, Fera, Rom and I stood nearby, going over maps. I leaned my elbows on the paper-strewn table, watching as Abigail’s husband, an unamused Grey Gryphon, followed by a worried-looking Luke, entered the room. Grey wrapped his arms around his wife, steadying her. Abigail continued talking from her husband’s embrace, shooting out rapid-fire questions, not allowing Miss James to answer.

“JJ, where’ve you been? And what did you do with your hair?” Abigail leaned forward, gingerly touching the white streak in Miss James’ black hair. Miss James opened her mouth but shut it again. “They said you were de…dea…” Abigail started crying.

“Abby.” Miss James stepped forward, hugging the pregnant woman, not quite fully encircling her swollen belly. “It’s a long story.” She gave Serena and Grey a look. “One I’ll tell you someday soon…but not tonight.”

I thought for sure Grey would erupt over someone making his mate cry. Weres generally removed extremities for that offense. But he merely sighed. “She’s been doing this all day. The kits are nearly due, and I cannot leave her.” He offered Miss James a hand. “I’ve heard a great deal about you, lass.”

Miss James gave him a dismayed look then shook his hand.

Like a switch being turned, Abby’s waterworks stopped, and the flaming redhead hit her husband’s shoulder. “You mean I wouldn’t let you leave me, you big lout.” She gave her husband a watery smile, taking any rebuke from the words. Abby turned to us. “I told him if he didn’t bring me, I’d follow him here and have the babies alone on a roadside.” Luke and Grey shuddered at that possibility. Abby turned back to her husband, kissing him on the chin. “But if it’s okay, I’ll stay here and wait for you.” She gave him a sweet smile, batting her eyes.

“I don’t know, lass,” Grey murmured. “What if the kits come?”

“I’ll take good care of your mate,” Nana said, entering the room with a pale, grim-faced Risa. I wouldn’t have cleared her to fight this minute, but with some food and her Were healing, Risa would be fine by the time we made it to The Burg. Nana pointed at me. “I’ve birthed my share of babies, including that one, who was much bigger than you’d know from how skinny she is now.”

Jacq shifted closer, circling her arm behind me beneath the high table. She didn’t crack a laugh, but Mynx and Fera muffled snickers. I gave both a tight-lipped smile, and they quieted.

Grey bowed his head. “Your reputation, Gwendolyn, as a healer and midwife is well known. If you will allow me to leave some of my people, then I would trust you with this. In fact, it would ease my mind.”

“Agreed.” Nana nodded.

I didn’t protest. With Aunt Helena still injured, they’d be safer this way. I was sure Nicodemus wouldn’t attack, but the extra protection was reassuring. Besides, knowing my grandmother, she’d have them hanging Sheetrock and painting the hall before the rest of us were halfway to the city.

Serena stepped closer to Miss James, who sidled away. “I have a contingent of vampires outside. I’ll leave two to patrol the wards.” To Miss James, she said softly, “
JJ, huh?
I think someone somewhere knows your first name.” She flashed Miss James a fang-filled smile, a curious concentrating look on her face.

Miss James sighed. “
Fine
, call me JJ if you wish. You may all,” she looked to us, “call me JJ. Just stay out of my head.” She gave Serena a pointed look. “And don’t go interrogating my friends.”

The Blood-Kin’s CPA Bob Rainey had contained an embezzling demonic spirit named Sarkoph. The Virginian coal mine guide Peter Traylor had contained a similar dark spirit named Titus. Our neighbor Wellsy was possessed by yet another unknown spirit. Titus had called Nicodemus his brother, which meant he was probably also a demonic spirit possessing yet another body with yet another name. Now Miss James was JJ. My eyes rolled skyward. Any more of this and I was going to need a list.

The others approached the table, but Luke hung back. He didn’t look happy to see Jacq, but he held his tongue, which was more than I’d expected. “Luke?” I patted the table.

He approached hesitantly. There was no lingering anger in his eyes, only awkwardness, which was a relief. “Yeah?” he asked, voice gravelly.

“We’ll get Becca back.” I looked at the assembled group. “We’ll get them all back.” I’d asked the others to leave their Vampires and Weres outside. I was going to explain where we were headed and give a plan of action. The fewer who knew the details, the better. “This, my friend,” I gestured at the maps, “is the kind of story that ends with a happily ever after.” We wouldn’t allow it to be any other way.

I looked down, double-checking a portable GPS before resting my finger on a small circled area that wouldn’t mean anything to anyone if you weren’t from the region and didn’t know the tracker’s signal had been doggedly moving toward that very spot.

It was JJ who expressed the doubt I could see on Luke’s and the other Weres’ faces. “Happy endings are for the movies, children and naïve people who think they’re in love.” She crossed her arms, gold sparks flying as her cuffs knocked against each other.

I grinned, undaunted. “Maybe. But in tonight’s case, I can deliver at least two outta three.”

Almost everyone wore a perplexed expression as they tried to determine which two they could expect. My smile widened. The night was going to be full of surprises.

It was about time I got to dump one in someone else’s lap.

* * *

I was waiting in the hall when Jacq came down from settling Abigail, who had offered to sit with my sleeping aunt in her room. Abby seemed to be full of such courtesies. No wonder Grey’s Weres were tripping over themselves to care for her. JJ, having lingered to speak privately with my Nana, walked through the hall, heading toward the door and the long caravan of cars waiting to leave for the battle. I let her pass without a word, never taking my eyes off the woman approaching gracefully from above.

My eyes skimmed Jacq’s black trousers, low-heeled boots and black T. Her thumbs were tucked into her pockets. No weapons, no badge, she looked dressed for dinner or clubbing. But her face told a different story. That beautiful, planed face of smooth creamy skin, etched muscle, and one single braid of dark auburn hair passing beside her left eye before the rest fell around her neck…

That was a warrior’s face. One that looked at me with hungry, sad eyes.

My mouth was suddenly dry. I tucked my hands into my back pockets and rocked back on my booted heels, waiting. I didn’t have to wonder about the sadness. I’d raised my mental shields in preparation for the battle, knowing I couldn’t risk Nicodemus or his group reading my thoughts. But raising my barriers had cost us both something. Now, I could only feel a trickle of Jacq’s presence in my head. She thought I’d done it to block her. I held out my hand, clasped her warm one, and pulled Jacq to the den.

“Cate, everyone’s waiting.” There was a question in her voice as I pushed her down into my favorite comfy chair and crouched at her feet.

“They can spare us five minutes.” I grabbed Jacq’s hands and looked up, my voice soft and low. “I’m keeping secrets.” Her face froze. I squeezed her hands. “But not from you.” I tweaked my shields, trying to make our connection stronger without letting the others in. It helped a bit. I felt the warmth of her thoughts creep into mine, and we both relaxed. “Besides, after that shower, you’ve seen most of my secrets.”

Jacq smiled and kissed my palm. Her lips lingered. That familiar tingle started at my hand and moved like hot liquid down my arm. I closed my eyes, savoring the sensation. Mentioning our adventure in the bathroom hadn’t made me blush, but the look in her eyes as her lips touched my skin made a flush rise to my face, and I found myself once again speechless.