On Midnight Wings

Giovanni went still. “Watched what unfold?” He looked from Silver to Merri to Annie, his expression darkening. “Has something happened to the creawdwr?”

Silver groaned in disbelief, slumping against the booth’s cushioned back. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I can’t believe I just did that—spilled the beans. No torture involved. Lucien is gonna kill me.”

Annie, slab of corn bread poised near her lips, regarded Silver with smug blue eyes. “And you thought I’d be the one to blab, didn’tcha?”

Merri raised her hand. “I know I did. Glad I didn’t bet on it.”

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck,” Silver repeated, raking both hands in frustration through his hair. Once Giovanni learned the truth and passed it on to his mère de sang

, Silver had no doubt that the entire Cercle de Druide would know as well.

The secret was unraveling.

“Tell me what’s happened,” Giovanni urged, leaning against the table. “I give my word that I will do anything and everything possible to help. But if you keep silent, I can do nothing.”

Silver saw honest concern in Giovanni’s hazel eyes, heard it in his voice. Time to roll the dice. Trust him or stake him. But first, a little insurance. Silver tapped at Merri’s shields and the former SB agent thinned them immediately.

<If I don’t get the answer I want,> Silver sent, <snap his neck. By the time he heals and is back on his feet, we’ll be long gone.>

<Will do. What answer do you want?>

<You’ll know it when you hear it.

>

Shifting his attention to Giovanni, Silver said, “Okay. But I need your word that it goes no farther than you until we get Dante back.”

Giovanni drew in a breath, considering. The fact that he didn’t immediately agree to the terms suggested sincerity to Silver, that Giovanni actually valued his word. Sitting beside the Italian, Merri sipped at her beer, her casual demeanor deceptive. She was a coiled cobra.

Giovanni slanted a sideways look at the petite former SB agent, before returning his gaze to Silver. A knowing smile brushed his lips. He nodded. “You have my word. I will keep to myself anything and everything you confide in me—until Dante is safe. Besides,” he added in a low voice, “I’d hate to be so rude as to force bella Merri to abandon her beer in order to stake me. Or would she shoot me?”

“Who says I can’t do both?” Merri murmured.

Giovanni held both hands up in mock surrender. “Not me.”

Tension uncoiled from Silver’s muscles. Picking up his mug, he drained it, then leaned forward against the table and started talking. He skipped over most details—like Dante’s slipping between the past and the present and his lack of control over his power—and sketched events in broad terms, finishing with, “Something went wrong with Lucien’s search for Heather, so now we’re just waiting for him to haul his winged ass from Gehenna with a new and improved plan B.”

Fire burning in his eyes, Giovanni opened his mouth, then snapped it shut when a sudden buzzing noise—like the world’s largest bumblebee—vibrated into the air. Annie twitched, startled. Reaching into her jeans pocket, she yanked out her cell phone. She frowned as she read the caller ID.

Leaning in for a look, Silver saw: C Cortini. Wait. As in Caterina Cortini? Why would she be calling? His heart skipped a beat. Holy shit. Maybe she has news about Dante. He nudged Annie’s knee with his own. Answer it.

“Want me to put it on speaker?” Annie asked, wiping her barbecue-sauced fingers on a napkin before picking up the cell again.

Silver shook his head. “Don’t want any eavesdroppers. Besides, we’ll”—he nodded at Giovanni and Merri—“be able to hear just fine.”

“Nightkind supersenses,” Annie grumbled. “Must be nice.” Thumbing the Talk button, she said, “I hope you have some good fucking news for us.”

“Annie, thank God. Listen to me, okay? I need to speak to De Noir or Von.”

“Holy shit. Heather,” Silver said, sitting bolt upright, pulse racing, as relief swept across Annie’s face, lit her blue eyes. He snatched the phone from her hand.

Some good news at fucking last.

34

THE CLOCK RUNS OUT

I’M NOT GOING TO wait for you or De Noir, not for anyone. I can’t—there’s no time. But as soon as I find Dante, I promise I’ll let you know exactly where we are. You go after Von. You find our nomad and bring him home. And, Silver?

Yeah?

Thanks for watching over Annie. I owe you.