I crouched beside Zaq on a rooftop across from the Hotel Garnet, staring down at the courtyard.
It was Tuesday night. A few hours earlier, Zaq had received word from Spider that Karoly Kral and Victorine Tremblay were meeting here at midnight. Supposedly Rafael and Princess Zoe would be present, too.
Zaq shifted on his haunches. I glanced at him, glad to see him looking better. He’d scared the crap out of me the other night. I’d woken up to find him incoherent and shivering. I hadn’t even hesitated to let him drink my blood. I’d have done pretty much anything to make him better.
I swallowed over something large and prickly in my throat. I’d become too invested in him; I knew that.
I returned my gaze to the empty courtyard. To Zaq’s dismay, we hadn’t been able to conceal ourselves inside the restaurant. Karoly had locked down the entire hotel earlier that day.
Suddenly the scene exploded into action. Expensive cars zoomed up to the hotel—sleek, supercharged machines that looked more like rockets than street vehicles. Within seconds, the courtyard swarmed with black-suited vampires and uniformed soldiers from the Kral Syndicate.
Two enforcers appeared from inside the hotel to update the newcomers. “Mraz staked the prima,” said one.
“Victorine?” asked one of the black-suited vampires.
The enforcers exchanged grim looks. “Yeah.”
What the—? I strained to hear the details.
But I’d heard correctly. Karoly Kral’s lieutenant had staked the Tremblay prima, and in retaliation, Karoly had sent Mraz to his final grave.
I glanced at Zaq. He gazed down at the courtyard, a muscle jumping in his jaw. He palmed a dagger that he’d scared up from somewhere to go with the switchblade he’d taken from me.
So Karoly had staked his own lieutenant. Crow’s intel had been correct. The primus was indeed purging his top people.
Karoly himself emerged from the restaurant. He strode into the courtyard, rapping out orders at his people.
Zaq inhaled sharply and leaned forward.
Where was Rafe?
My stomach soured. If Rafe died, Zaq would never forgive me. It wouldn’t matter that I hadn’t staked Rafe myself. I was a part of this, and we both knew it.
He’d been cool to me all day. Withdrawn and polite in a nerve-grating way. I was pretty sure it wouldn’t take much for him to hate me.
I sipped a breath through my teeth. I didn’t want Zaq to hate me.
I don’t want to lose him. That was Starry-eyed Ridley talking.
Practical Ridley snorted. You never had him.
That’s not true. He likes me. He can’t get enough of me.
Liking isn’t love. Lust isn’t love, either.
I stifled a growl at my own confused heart and nudged Zaq. “Now d’you believe me?” I asked in an undertone.
He took an audible breath.
“Zaq?”
He shook his head and didn’t answer.
I pressed my point, even though I felt like a slimeball. Karoly was his father, after all. But if Zaq didn’t act soon, he was dead. Crow wouldn’t hold off much longer.
“If you don’t do something about your father, Rafael and Gabriel are next—if he hasn’t already staked them.”
He threw a hot-eyed look at me. “You don’t give a flying fuck about my brothers.”
I flinched. He was right—but he was also wrong.
I did care about his brothers, but only because they mattered to Zaq. And he mattered to me.
Rafe Kral came out of the restaurant, Zoe Tremblay held protectively against his side.
Zaq straightened and stared down at his brother like a pointer spotting a bird, muscles locked so tight they trembled with the strain.
“Karoly must have a reason for not killing him yet,” I murmured.
“Like what?”
I moved a shoulder and scanned the street. All these Kral vampires swarming the premises made me edgy. We needed to get the hell out of here before we got caught.
Zaq expelled a breath and rose to his feet. “I have to think.”
I stood as well and put a hand on his arm. “Where’re you going?”
He jerked from my grip. “Don’t. Touch. Me.”
I pressed my lips together. He might as well have doubled up his fists and slammed them into my gut. It would’ve hurt less.
He rubbed a hand over his face. “Sorry.” His chest heaved. “I’ve seen enough,” he added in even tones. “I need to think.”
“You’re tired. Let’s go back to the squat, talk it over.”
I glanced at the alley below and froze. For a few seconds, the world simply stopped. I didn’t breath. Even my heart stuttered and ground to a start.
Crow stood in the alley as herself. Slim, sharp-featured, her shoulder-length brown hair scraped back into a ponytail. She must’ve arrived in the shadows.
She was watching the action, not me and Zaq, but she had to have seen us. If she turned her head even a few inches, we’d be in her line of sight.
My heart lurched, scrabbling like a panicked animal against my rib cage.
How had she known we were here? Because I sure hadn’t told her.
And had she come alone? I didn’t see anyone else, but that didn’t mean they weren’t somewhere around.
Zaq had seen her too. His fingers tightened on his blade.
I grabbed his arm and rose onto my toes. “The shadows—now,” I said against his ear. “I’ll meet you in Times Square. Outside the Minskoff Theatre.”
He gave me a long look. Then, mercifully, he trusted me enough to begin the fade. I followed him into the shadows, praying we’d make it before Crow turned her head.
I flowed over the side of the wall and into the alley. Crow might sense me in the shadows, but she couldn’t follow.
She was gazing up at the roof we’d just exited. “Reaper?” she said, low-voiced. “Show yourself.”
Crap. I closed my eyes and considered pretending I hadn’t heard, but the habit of obedience to my alpha was too strong. I dropped back into the physical world still clutching my switchblade.
Her gaze darted from me to the rooftop. “Where’s P2?” she whispered.
“He took off after he saw his brother was okay.”
She took me by the arm and hustled me around the corner and out of sight of the hotel. “You lost him?”
“No. He’s on his way back to Brooklyn.” I pointed east with my switchblade.
I didn’t even question the lie this time. My entire being was focused on one goal: Protect Zaq from my alpha.
Her cobalt eyes glowed in the darkness like a Siamese cat’s, the rims a paler, vampire-blue. “You let him leave without you?”
Something about her tone sent a chill chasing up my spine. I squared my shoulders. “Yeah. He’s been straight with me. And he knows his brothers’ lives are on the line—he’s not going to try anything funny.”
“Give me the address of the room you rented.”
My mouth went dry with fear. “In Brooklyn?”
She hissed in irritation. “Yes, of course.”
“Can I ask why?”
“Because as of now, you’re off Operation Angel. I’ll handle Zaquiel from here.”
I lifted my chin and somehow managed to reply calmly. “That’s not necessary. I’ve got this.”
“No, you don’t. You’ve been here for over a week now, and Karoly Kral is still standing. In fact, he’s won a few more primuses to his side with his story about Zaq’s kidnapping.”
“Zaq tried to get to Karoly and couldn’t.” Another lie, but I didn’t care. “He’s gone dark, and you know yourself Karoly’s been out of the city half the time.”
She made an impatient sound. “I don’t have time for this. Clearly, Zaquiel either can’t or won’t contact his father, and you’re too close to him to think straight. Now give me that address.”
“He trusts me—”
A flash of silver. “Zaquiel’s location.” She touched a switchblade to my throat. “Now. That’s an order, slayer. The Krals have been a pain in SI’s ass for too damn long.”
I moistened my lips. “Bedford-Stuyvesant. Second floor.” I gave her an address on Atlantic Avenue where I’d once stayed.
She retracted the blade and jerked her chin for me to leave. “Report to your lieutenant. He’ll tell you where to go next.”
“Yes, Alpha.” My hands were shaking. I pressed them to my sides to hide it.
I’d lied to my alpha. Again.
And this time I wouldn’t get away with it. I’d gone rogue, a death sentence for a slayer.
My mouth had made the decision before my mind caught up, but I was all in now. For Zaq.
“And Reaper?” Crow stepped back. “You’re lucky I’m not writing you up for insubordination. Now get the fuck out of here.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
I retracted my blade, faded back into the shadows—and took off for Times Square and Zaq.