Chapter Three
I’m going to kill him.
Not only had Dagen led her on a wild goose chase across the city, he’d set her up. It was bad enough she was forced to wear this ridiculous wig and a coat that smelled horrendous. Now she had to defend herself against three idiots.
“How about you leave me alone and I’ll let you live.” She was in no mood for this confrontation. These three would bear the brunt of her anger toward Dagen. Stomping on the phone had helped, but there was more than enough left for these clowns.
“Now why you got to be talking like that?” The biggest of the trio wore jeans and a white T-shirt that showcased his dark skin and muscled biceps. Objectively speaking, with his short dreads and high cheekbones, he was handsome. When he stepped closer the ambient streetlight reflected in his eyes.
She swallowed a groan. Great, not just goons, but werewolves.
“I’m trying to do you a favor here.” He thumped himself on his chest. “Right, boys?” Right on cue, the two with him nodded like a matched set of brown-haired and brown-eyed bobblehead dolls.
“You’re a real humanitarian.” As soon as the words were out, she wished she could call them back.
His gaze narrowed, his smirk turning into a frown. “You got a smart mouth on you.”
“So I’ve been told. Look, I don’t want trouble. Why don’t you go howl at the moon or something, and I’ll be on my way.” She really was going to kill Dagen when she found him. This had been a colossal waste of time. It was also depressing. After all this time, she’d really hoped he’d treat her as an equal, a partner, and not a potential enemy.
The two bobbleheads glanced worriedly at their leader, who was staring at her in disbelief. “What did you say?”
The longer she stood around chatting, the higher the likelihood of her being discovered. Fortunately, she was wearing a disguise. If these men were aware of the bounty on her head, they hadn’t recognized her. Yet. She doubted her luck would hold.
The best way to deal with predators was to not act like prey. “You heard me.” She stared at him through the thick strands of the wig. The damn thing was itchy as hell. It was clean—no way was she putting something filthy on her head—but it was hot and uncomfortable and not something she wanted to be wearing on a summer’s night. She longed to burn it and the coat and take a long shower.
This entire evening had been a bust.
He gave a growl, and she barely refrained from rolling her eyes. “You’ll have to do better if you want to scare me.” She’d grown up imprisoned in a hellish situation.
“Jamal,” one of his friends called out. “Come on, man. We don’t want trouble.” The first rule of werewolves was not to attract unwanted attention to themselves.
By the look in his eyes, it was too late. She had only herself to blame for allowing her temper to get the best of her. Rather than de-escalate the situation, she’d baited him, making it worse. “Your friend is right.” She offered an olive branch, a chance to peacefully end this. “We can call it a night and all walk away. What do you say?” She crossed her fingers, even though she knew in her heart things had gone too far. Wolves were volatile at best, and these three were ripe for trouble.
“You’ll be scared by the time I’m done with you,” he promised, stalking toward her.
She began to chant under her breath. It was a simple protection spell that, hopefully, wouldn’t vibrate too far around her. Magic sent out waves of energy, which would spread to the surrounding area before gradually dissipating. Residual magic would cling to the alley for some time. The stronger the magic, the longer it would linger.
Before Jamal reached her, something big dropped from above and landed between them. The words died on her lips as Dagen rose from a crouch. As an entrance, it was impressive. She glanced up at the surrounding buildings. Five stories was quite a distance.
Dressed in all black, he radiated danger. It wasn’t intentional. It was as much a part of him as the color of his hair. She barely refrained from staring at his lips. She’d dreamed of them often in the months since they’d last met. He was badass and deadly while she looked like she’d crawled out of a dumpster after a three-day bender. Chalk up another reason to be furious with him. Unreasonable, maybe, but she didn’t care.
“About damn time you got here. Are you responsible for them?” She pointed at the three potential attackers watching warily, unsure what to make of Dagen. He had that effect on people, and this close they’d be able to scent his wolf.
His lips thinned and he shot her a glare. “I thought they were with you.”
“You thought they were what? That’s just great.” She barely stopped herself from grabbing her hair and pulling on it. All she’d do was rip off her wig. That would make a bad situation even worse. “We need to get out of here,” she muttered.
“I’m aware, but I have business with these gentlemen first.” One of the bobbleheads turned as if to run. “Don’t make me chase you.” The low growl he added at the end had all three freezing in place. It was impressive.
Jamal pulled himself up to his full height, which was taller than her but about a half foot shorter than Dagen. “Look, man, I don’t know who you are but this is our territory.”
Onyx eased over to the wall, putting her back to it. Menace swept across the space to engulf them all. Since his attention was on the other three, she began to inch her way to the entryway.
His head snapped around, dark eyes pinning her in place. “Going somewhere?”
“Thought I’d pop around the corner for a mocha latte while you conducted business.” His lips twitched but he didn’t smile. That would ruin the whole dangerous vibe he had going on. Still, she held her breath and hoped.
He removed his coat and held it out to her. It was automatic for her to take it. “Hold this and be good for five minutes.” Turning back around, he dismissed her.
Be good! Be good! She should kick his ass. And she would if she thought she’d actually succeed. She fisted the leather fabric tighter. It would serve him right if she stomped his coat into the dirt, but that would be an insult to such a gorgeous piece of clothing. The scent of leather and male surrounded her. Desire licked over her skin. The man was insufferable. He was also handsome and smart and the key to her freedom. If she didn’t need him, she’d leave.
She bit her bottom lip on the lie. Since she’d first laid eyes on him, he’d haunted her. It had only gotten worse after their kiss in Romania. He filled both her waking and sleeping moments. The worst part was she couldn’t blame all of it on the fact they shared a blood link.
Dagen picked up his conversation with Jamal as though there’d been no interruption. “Everywhere is my territory.”
“I think my alpha would disagree. Why don’t we go ask him?” She’d give Jamal props for not caving under Dagen’s stare, but sweat glistened on his brow. She lacked preternatural senses but would bet money his heart was pounding. The other two kept glancing between the men. She’d been forgotten.
Not by Dagen. If she tried to leave, he’d be all over her. And she admitted to being curious about why they hadn’t left the three to their business and gone about their own. He wasn’t the type to be reckless, so he had a reason for questioning them.
“Why don’t we? Since this is Brooklyn, the alpha is Stan Rostenkowski.” He casually peeled his T-shirt over his head and tossed it over his shoulder.
She barely caught it before it hit her in the face. Bastard. Then the scent of his soap teased her and she wanted to bury her face in the damn thing. Instead, she focused on the sculpted muscles in his broad back as they rippled. She sidled closer, wanting a glimpse of the marking on his chest. While she knew it was there, she’d never actually seen it.
“Well, shit.” Jamal took a step back, his dark eyes widening. “Is that thing real?”
The tattoo was white. It should have blended with his skin but stood out against the tanned flesh like a beacon, as though lit by some inner fire. It was a weapon, a sickle-shaped blade as sharp and deadly as the man who wore it. It lay over his heart, a symbol of the lone wolf. He was a judge, jury, and executioner for rogues.
Her mouth went dry. Her entire body quivered at the sight. She wanted to touch it, to run her fingers over it and trace it with her tongue. A shiver arrowed down her spine. She forced herself to take a step away.
Pay attention. It would be easy for someone to sneak up on them while Dagen was occupied. Okay, that wasn’t likely. His wolf would alert him to trouble, but he might not sense magic until it was too late. That was her purview.
“It’s real.” He ran his hand over the marking. It seemed to shimmer. She blinked, not quite believing her own eyes. “What are you doing in this particular alley?” he asked. When the men hesitated, he added, “If you prefer, I can question your alpha. I’ve always found Stan to be quite an understanding man.”
A snort of laughter escaped before she could stop. Dagen shot her a warning look. Jamal glared at her. “What?” She threw her hands into the air. “We all know the last person any alpha wants to see is one of the lone wolves.”
Now all the men were staring at her. “You’re human.” One of the bobbleheads sniffed the air. She pulled her magic in so fast it knocked her back a step. The last thing she wanted was one of them to figure out what she was. Word of an unknown mage in the city would spread like wildfire. If they’d never been around one they might not realize what she was. But they’d sense something different about her.
Dagen stepped in front of her. “She’s not your business. I am.”
It shouldn’t warm her heart that he was protecting her, but she couldn’t stop the stupid organ from responding. He needs you. The reminder shouldn’t be necessary, but being around him scrambled her senses.
“The alley is a shortcut.”
Dagen tilted his head to one side. What was he listening for? Could he discern lies? It seemed likely, given what she’d uncovered about the lone wolves. Werewolves had exceptional senses that could be honed. The lone wolves took it to a whole other level. It was the difference between a first-time jogger and a gold medal Olympic athlete. Both were capable of running, but that’s where the similarity ended.
“A shortcut? And you what? Decided it was a smart idea to rob a woman who was passing through?”
Uh-oh. He did not sound pleased. She scouted around to make sure there was no one else in the vicinity. So far they’d been lucky.
“We wouldn’t have hurt her. Just taken her bag.”
“Just taken her bag,” Dagen repeated. “You don’t think that would hurt her? For all you know, everything she owns is in that bag.” His voice grew softer. Goose bumps rose on her skin. They all watched him warily. One wrong move and the situation could explode.
…
Dagen tamped down his rage. He didn’t have time for this. These idiots weren’t acting so different from so many in the city, but it bothered him on the most basic of levels.
Bad enough they’d accosted what they believed to be a homeless woman, or at least one down on her luck, but they’d threatened Onyx. His woman. He shook his head, trying to shove the unwanted thought from it. She was his responsibility. He needed her. That’s all there was to it.
“You think might makes right?” he asked. Jamal glanced down at the ground, not willing to meet his gaze. “If that’s the case, why shouldn’t I kill you right here and now?”
Behind him, she sucked in a breath but didn’t interfere. Maybe she believed in him. Maybe she didn’t care what he did to the men who’d confronted her.
Jamal jerked his head up and shook it. He was pale beneath his dark skin, his eyes wide. Fear had a bitter taste. It was one he’d sampled all too often.
“Doesn’t feel good to be prey. Remember that next time you think to steal from someone weaker who’s never done you any harm. I have eyes everywhere in this city. I’ll be watching.”
He hoped he’d scared them all enough to straighten up. Otherwise, either their alpha would have to put him down or Jamal would turn rogue and become his problem. The other two would likely be fine. They were followers. Jamal was young and already chomping at the bit, ready to become top wolf, but he lacked discipline. There was time to develop it. The choice was his.
Dismissing the three, he turned to Onyx and held out his hand for his shirt. Her gaze flickered behind him. The warning was unnecessary. The air behind him had shifted. His wolf had already alerted.
Spinning around, Dagen ignored the claws aiming for his throat and rammed his open palm into Jamal’s chest. He pulled the punch, only shattering the ribs. The younger man gasped and fell to the ground. Some idiots never learned. “I could have taken your heart. Lucky for you, I have more pressing matters.”
He turned to the man’s friends. “Take him back to his alpha. Tell him what happened. Then tell him the black wolf let him live. This is Jamal’s one warning. He’s going to do something stupid to expose your pack unless he learns control. Then I’ll have to pay a visit.” When they hesitated, he inclined his head toward the ground. “Take him.”
They scrambled forward, hefted him up, and headed in the opposite direction as fast as they could manage. Now he had to deal with the bigger problem.
His shirt hit him in the face. He grabbed it and slipped it on. He barely had it on when his coat hit his chest.
“Great place you chose to meet.” Onyx scratched her head, dislodging her hat slightly.
“Yeah, didn’t count on the idiot squad.” He drank in the sight of her, hating the disguise that hid her glorious hair. He’d missed her. It was a strange thought. It’s not like they were friends. They were more like adversaries who needed to band together to fight a bigger threat.
Yet, often when he’d been trying to break the the journal’s code, he’d found himself wanting to talk with her. She had a quick wit and courage. Coupled with her intelligence, she was the type of person he’d want for a friend…or lover. Not that he had either. His position as lone wolf, not to mention as broker, didn’t allow for such things.
“They’re young and stupid.” Hands on her hips, she studied him as he shrugged on his coat. “You didn’t kill him.”
He walked to the top of the alley and motioned for her to join him. “Did you want me to?” He was honestly curious.
She rolled her eyes at him. “Of course not. Okay, maybe if they’d actually hurt me, I wouldn’t have minded if you roughed them up a bit.”
“If he’d hurt you, he’d be dead.” The words were flat, the realization one of complete certainty.
She blinked several times. “I’m not sure if I should thank you or be concerned. Either way, you made an enemy. He took a beating he won’t soon forget. Because he’s a wolf, he’ll heal within a day or so. Then he’ll replay what happened until you’re the villain.”
“That was my read on the situation.” He pointed at a nondescript SUV he’d had one of his people drop off earlier.
She hesitated. “Where are we going?”
He reached beneath the vehicle, pulled off a magnetic box stuck to the metal wheel well, and retrieved the keys. After unlocking it, he pulled open the passenger door. “Somewhere we can safely talk.”
She put her hand on the door. “Why the trust now?”
“You weren’t followed.”
“I could be wired. Maybe I’m biding my time.”
He removed his phone from his pocket and pulled up a feature of his own design. “Let’s find out.” He ran it over her front and back and along her knapsack. She seemed amused rather than annoyed. “No wire or tracker.”
“Handy gadget. I could be biding my time.”
“You could. I’ll search you and your bag more thoroughly when we get to our destination and confiscate any electronics.”
“Ah, your trust only goes so far.”
“You in or out?” He glanced toward the alley. “If that’s a shortcut for the pack, Jamal and his buddies might not be the only ones who use it.”
Without another word, she slid into the seat. He closed the door and looked around as he made his way to the other side. His wolf sensed no eyes on them, nothing out of the ordinary. Joining her inside, he started the vehicle. “Buckle up.”
“In a second.” She removed the black raincoat and tossed it into the back seat. “God, I’m glad to have that gone.” She snapped the seat belt on.
“Where did you find it?” He pulled into traffic.
“I paid a homeless guy fifty bucks for it.”
“Fifty?” His lips twitched.
“He drove a hard bargain, okay.” She sniffed at the sleeves of her shirt and wrinkled her nose.
More like she was a soft touch. “You can shower when we get where we’re going.”
“That bad?”
He shrugged and made a turn at the light. “Could be worse.” Yes, she stank like a back alley, but beneath it lingered the scent of lavender he remembered from their last encounter, mingled with the spicy, sweet scent that was pure Onyx.
“Why did you show them who you were? Before dawn, every wolf in the city will know you’re here.” She tugged the hat and wig off her head and tossed them with the coat. Sighing with relief, she dragged a net off her hair, allowing a thick braid to fall down her back. “It won’t be long before word makes it to Charles and Solange.”
“No, it won’t.”
“And that was the point.” It wasn’t surprising she’d put it together quickly. “You’re announcing you’re here, throwing down the challenge. We’ve lost the advantage of surprise.”
“They already know, or at least expect, I’m here. It’s logical I show up with the other two lone wolves in the city, or nearby. Whatever magic is at play, things are coming to a head.”
“You’re not wrong.” She rubbed a hand over her chest. The tattoo warmed beneath his shirt.
Ignoring the sensation, he continued. “And you helped the gray wolf. They’ll assume you’re still in the area waiting for me. How much do you know about Charles?” It was time to see how open she was willing to be.
“Charles Armstrong and Solange Dupree have been lovers for over a hundred years. His birth name was actually Daniel Roberts, but he changed it. His twin brother Benjamin was the last lone wolf. Jealous of his brother’s position and immortality, he thought he’d found a way to steal it. He tricked his brother into meeting with him and then killed him. Solange was supposed to ensure Daniel, or rather Charles, became the next lone wolf. It didn’t work out that way.”
Dagen’s heart was racing. Whoever her sources were, they were better than his. “You know why there are three lone wolves, don’t you?” This was information he’d sought for decades.
She turned in her seat, her black eyes solemn. “I know everything.”