Silver-Tongued Devil (12 page)

The were crossed her arms but deigned a terse nod in my general direction. Ignoring her surliness, I turned to Georgia. “What brings you to the Big Apple?”

Georgia looked to Mac expectantly, but the werewolf hunkered down. Finally, Georgia realized she’d be doing all the talking and explained. “Mac’s uncle called her back.”

Mac’s uncle was Michael Romulus, Alpha of the New York werewolves. Since I’d just seen him a couple of nights earlier at Vein, I was surprised he hadn’t mentioned Mac’s imminent arrival. Although, to be fair, we had been discussing a brutal murder.

“Do you know why?” I went to join Adam on the sofa, while Georgia took her place next to Mac across the table from us.

Mac crossed her arms and scowled at the coffee table. “Yeah.”

Adam put his arm around my shoulders. “Before you got here, Georgia said they have a favor to ask us.”

I looked at the couple for confirmation. Georgia nodded, but Mac looked more miserable than ever. Finally, the vamp nudged her lover’s side and wasn’t subtle about it.

Mac sighed and sat up straighter. “Do you remember in New Orleans when you asked me to help you find your sister?”

“Of course,” I said.

“And how you promised a favor in return?”

Heaviness settled in my center. Somehow I just knew this favor wasn’t going to be something I liked. “Yeah.”

“I’m calling it in now.” Her tone was tight, like uttering the words cost her a chunk of pride.

Adam pulled his arm away and leaned forward. “What do you need?” His casual demeanor was gone now.

“I think Mike called me back because he wants me to find a mate.” She tipped her head toward her lover. “Obviously that’s a problem.”

I sucked in a breath. This wasn’t good at all. Even if Michael could accept the fact his niece was a friend of Sappho, which was unlikely given werewolves’ male-dominated culture, he probably wouldn’t be too thrilled by the fact she’d fallen for a vampire. Mating between the races had been forbidden centuries earlier by the Black Covenant. Abolishing that provision was on the table for the peace talks, but it was also one of the big sticking points of the negotiations. Naturally, as the product of such a forbidden match and the participant in one now myself, I was also pretty invested in the outcome of that line item.

“So what are you going to do?” I asked.

“What choice do I have? I’m going to have to tell him about Georgia and me.”

Adam and I exchanged a tense glance. “Well, it probably won’t be easy, but Mike’s a reasonable guy.” Adam’s tone was overly bright with false optimism.

“You have to understand. I’m an old maid by were standards. Most of my friends and cousins were married off by the age of twenty. I’m pushing forty.”

Georgia patted her girlfriend’s arm. “You’re just a baby.”

She was right. By vampire standards, forty was pretty young. Georgia had told me back in New Orleans that she was seventy-five—twenty years my senior. But werewolves had shorter life spans than the other dark races. No one really knew why. The average werewolf would live only about two hundred years. Compared to mages who lived to be two thousand and some vampires who’d literally been around since before antiquity, they were little more than violent puppies. That reputation also explained their lack of power at the negotiating table.

“Either way,” Mac continued. “Michael’s been on me for years to settle down. That’s one of the reasons I went to New Orleans. I figured, out of sight, out of mind, you know? But I guess with everything going on he’s decided to do something about his spinster niece. And with the Lupercalia mating rituals coming in a couple of weeks, well, I put it together.” She rubbed her hands on her jeans. “Needless to say, I don’t think he’ll do a miraculous one-eighty and welcome Georgia into the pack.”

I sighed and scooted closer to Adam. I’d certainly had my share of shitty family setups and betrayals, but at least I’d had a right to choose my own mate. Of course, it took killing my grandmother to achieve, but still. “So how exactly do you need our help?”

Mac leaned forward with her elbows on her knees. “You said you were friends with Uncle Mike, right?”

“Sure,” I said slowly.

Mac grabbed Georgia’s hand. “We were hoping you could talk to him for us. You know, open the door to ease the way and all.”

I went still. “Um, Mac? Not that we’re not totally supportive of your right to be with Georgia—”

“We are,” Adam jumped in. “Totally.”

“But?” Mac demanded, her eyes going all squinty.

“But don’t you think it’s best if he hears it from you?”

“If I believed that, I wouldn’t have come to you.” Mac’s jaw went hard. I knew it was costing her a lot to ask me of all people for help, but she was asking the impossible. “You squelching on your promise?”

“You don’t understand,” Adam said. “It’s not that we don’t want to help you. But we’ve got some serious shit going on right now. Sabina and I are knee-deep in a murder investigation. We can’t put that aside to play mediators for you and your uncle.”

Mac jumped up. “I told you they wouldn’t do it!” She raised her voice at Georgia. “We’re out of here.” She began to stalk off, but Georgia pulled her back.

“Mackenzie Romulus, sit your ass down!” she demanded. “Adam and Sabina have every right to have reservations.” She turned to us. “Sorry, guys. We’re both feeling pretty frustrated right now.”

“Totally understandable,” Adam said.

Mac dropped back onto the couch and crossed her arms. Georgia ignored her and soldiered on. “If you’re unable to talk to Michael on our behalf, could I at least trouble you for a place to crash?”

“Wait, so you’re not going to Michael’s now?” I asked.

“No, Einstein,” Mac said. “She means that she needs a place to stay until I have a chance to talk to Uncle Mike.”

I glared at her for the insult. Lucky for the surly werewolf, I really liked her partner. Otherwise I’d kick both their asses out of my apartment for Mac’s attitude. “Of course Georgia can stay here.”

“Thank you so much,” Georgia said. “It shouldn’t be more than a couple of nights, right, Mac?” When Mac didn’t answer, Georgia elbowed her again. “
Right
, Mac?”

Her tone was too pointed for me not to raise a brow. The tension between the couple was palpable. If I had to guess, Georgia was annoyed Mac hadn’t already told Michael about their forbidden love.

Mac sat up straighter. “Sure. A couple of nights. Two weeks at the most.”

Adam’s head whipped toward me. He mouthed, “Two weeks?”

“Um, that’s quite a range,” I said. “Why two weeks?”

Georgia’s eyes had narrowed into thin slits. “Yeah, Mac, why two weeks?”

“Because,
honey
, that’s when the Lupercalia mating rituals happen,” she said in a patronizing tone. “Worse comes to worst, I’ll just come out to the entire pack that night.”

Adam was so shocked by this announcement, he jerked in his seat. “Uh, that’s a really bad idea.”

Mac’s eyes went all flinty. “Why?”

“Don’t you think announcing your forbidden love for a vampiress at a werewolf ritual might piss off a few of your kin?” I said.

Mac’s chin came up. “So?”

“So it’s fucking dangerous,” Adam said. “The Lupercalia feast is one of the sacred nights where werewolves can change forms without the full moon, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So you’re going to just drop this bombshell and then expect dozens of werewolves in full wolf-berserker mode to just take it in stride? Especially your uncle, who’s going to be embarrassed and angry,” Adam said, his voice incredulous. “More than likely, you’ll both be punished, if not killed, and then if you’re still breathing, you’ll be shunned.”

“Let them shun me.” Mac’s chin came up. “I don’t care.”

Georgia squeezed Mac’s hand in support.

“Pardon me, but if you really feel that strongly, why haven’t you already declared your intentions to Michael?” I knew I was stirring the pot, but it had to be asked.

The were’s eyes narrowed and a low growl rumbled in her chest. “What are you implying, mixed blood?”

I held up my hands. “Mac, stop it. I know we’ve had our issues but I’m not your enemy. I’m just saying maybe it’s better to just go talk to Michael now instead of staging melodrama in front of the entire pack. He’d probably be more receptive to the idea that way.”

Mac shot a glance at Georgia and sighed. “You’re probably right.” Georgia patted her arm.

“Whatever you decide, you know Sabina and I have your back. Giguhl and Pussy Willow, too. In the meantime, of course Georgia can stay with us.”

Mac looked up quickly. “Really?”

We both nodded. “I should warn you, it gets a little crowded,” I said. “Giguhl and Pussy Willow have the twin beds in the guest room. But you’re welcome to the couch you’re sitting on. The windows have blackout shades so you should be safe in here during the day.”

Georgia patted the couch. “This’ll be great. Thanks, guys.”

“Yeah, well,” I said, “we’ll see if you’re still thanking us after you’ve had to share a bathroom with a drag queen and a demon for a few nights.”

I’ll give Giguhl some credit. He managed to wait two seconds after we’d all emerged from the back room to launch his campaign.

“Seriously, you guys should consider it,” he said, stabbing the air with his claw for emphasis. “You’d be awesome!!” He looked over at Alexis, who’d arrived while we were talking to Mac and Georgia. “You, too. Especially you.”

Alexis crossed her arms. “No.”

Giguhl’s lips pursed into an offended pout. I covered my grimace with a sip of beer. I knew it was childish, but my ego skipped a beat. Alexis got an invite but not me?

Before the conversation had turned to Roller Derby, I’d been enjoying hanging out with old friends over a beer. But with the change in topic, every swallow tasted fuzzy and bitter, like wounded pride.

Luckily for Giguhl, Georgia and Mac weren’t as closed to the idea. “I’ll admit it sounds fun. What do you think, Mac?”

The werewolf shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Actually,” Adam offered, “it might be a great solution. Until you can sort things out with Michael, it’ll give you two a chance to be together without raising any suspicions.”

“Totally,” Giguhl said. “We’ll have two practices a week plus the bout, so you’ll see each other all the time.”

Mac paused and set her drink down slowly. “Hmm, that would give me a little more time to work up to telling Uncle Mike.”

Georgia’s face fell. I wanted to hit Mac for her insensitivity. I couldn’t imagine what this was doing to Georgia’s pride. But Mac didn’t notice her partner’s distress.

“And you say we’ll get to hit people?” Mac continued.

“Oh, most definitely,” Giguhl said. “In dark-races Roller Derby, violence is not only encouraged; it’s also required.”

A slow smile spread across the were’s lips. “Awesome.”

Alexis cleared her throat. “They’re waiting for us.”

I sighed and set down my beer. I wanted to stay and hang out with our friends, but duty called. “Giguhl, can you take Georgia to Vein and get her cleared with Slade for feeding?”

“Wait, what’s that about?” Georgia asked.

“If you want to feed while you’re in the city you have to pay the blood tax to Slade Corbin. Folks around here call him The Shade and he runs the nonmage dark-race business in the city.”

“How much is the tax?”

“Two Gs.”

“Ouch,” she said.

“If that’s too much, I can hook you up with bagged blood while you’re here. But either way, it’s still best if you introduce yourself to Slade to avoid any misunderstandings.”

Georgia grimaced at the mention of bagged blood. “No offense, but I’d rather go into debt to this Shade than drink bagged blood.”

My lips twitched. I remembered a time when I’d have agreed with her. “Suit yourself.”

Giguhl raised his claws with a huff. “Wait, what about dinner?”

“Sorry, G.” Adam grimaced. “We’re going to have to take a rain check. Orpheus and the Despina are waiting for us.”

“Well, that’s just great,” the demon said, crossing his arms. “I give and I give and I give. And what do I get in return? More orders! I don’t exist just to do your bidding, you know. I have rights!”

“Give it a rest, Norma Rae,” I said with an eye roll. Gods save me from demon diva fits. “This way you’ll be able to check on Pussy Willow.”

The demon stood straighter. “Hmm, you have a point.” He turned to Mac. “You wanna come with? PW will be thrilled to see you.”

Mac shook her head. “If I don’t report to Uncle Mike’s soon I’ll have to spend the night listening to a lecture about punctuality and respect for one’s Alpha.”

“Okay, we really need to get going,” Adam said. “Mac, let us know how your talk goes. Giguhl, behave yourself.” He turned toward Alexis and me. “You guys ready?”

Just before I followed them out the door, I remembered Giguhl couldn’t escort Georgia to Vein in his demon form. I stopped in the doorway and yelled, “Giguhl, change forms!”

A pop echoed through the apartment. A gasp and a curse followed. “That’s not right,” Mac growled.

“Oh, please,” Giguhl hissed. “Like anyone’s gonna believe you’re disgusted by a little pussy.”

“The pussy part’s not the problem,” Georgia responded, her tone positively arid. “It’s the double entendre between your legs.”

“Bitch, please,” the demon cat responded, obviously enjoying the banter. “One night with this bad boy and you’ll give up the poon forever.”

Alexis shot me a confused look from the hall. “What the hell are they talking about?”

“Trust me.” I shook my head and shut the door behind me. “You don’t want to know.”

13

I
n conclusion,” Adam was saying to Tanith and Orpheus half an hour later, “we now believe the two murders are connected.”

Once again, we were sitting around the conference table in Orpheus’s office. We’d had Alexis start with her findings, which frankly didn’t amount to much. No one at Vein the night of the murder saw a damned thing. She also said when no witnesses turned up, she’d asked Slade if she could see the security footage. Naturally that was a dead end, too, because Slade didn’t allow cameras in the back rooms, to protect his customers’ privacy.