The girlfriend’s expression went all pinchy, like she was confused. “Wait, I thought we were helping her.”

“We were,” Mac gritted out.

“They why does she have a gun pointed at you, Mackenzie?”

“Apparently she has some trust issues.”

“Where were you at two a.m.?” I demanded.

She frowned. “At Mac’s club.”

That didn’t prove anything. She could easily have set up the ambush by phone from the bar.

“How long have you been working for the Caste?” I demanded.

Without hesitation or glancing at her lover she said, “The who?”

Mac shot me a superior look.

“What’s your name?” I said, trying another tactic.

She frowned. “Georgia.”

“Well, Georgia, it seems we are at an impasse. Because you gave Mac an address. And at that address, we were jumped by a group of vampires. Can you see why we might be suspicious of your motives?”

“So there were out-of-town vampires there?” she said, echoing Mac’s earlier statement. “Are you guys okay?”

Either they were diabolical masterminds who’d planned for this eventuality and gotten their stories straight ahead of time. Or Mac was telling the truth and I was a colossal asshole.

I sighed. Adam cursed under his breath. Glancing from the corner of my eye, I caught the oh-shit look he and Giguhl exchanged.

Swallowing, I lowered my gun a fraction. “Hypothetically speaking, let’s say you’re telling the truth—”

“There’s nothing hypothetical about it,” Mac barked.

I ignored that and soldiered on. “Why did you give Mac that address?”

“You don’t owe her an explanation.” Mac took a step toward her girlfriend. I raised the gun, a clear warning to stay put.

“Obviously someone needs to clear this up,” Georgia said. Turning to me, she said, “Mac said you needed help, so I gave her the only information I had at the time— a rumor that some vamps were moving into the Prytania house.” She shrugged. “But now I have a question for you.”

I titled my head. “What?”

“Did the guy who attacked you tonight wear a cape?”

My heart kicked up a notch. My fingers gripped the gun tighter in case Georgia wasn’t as innocent as she claimed. “Why do you ask?”

She smiled at the tension in my voice. “Early this evening, I was in the Marigny trolling for tourists when this male vamp in a cape approached me.”

“With a cane?” Adam asked.

“That’s him.” She rolled her eyes. “Total douche.”

My mouth fell open and I lowered the gun to my side. “I’ll be damned.”

Now that the gun wasn’t pointed at her, she lowered her hands and scooted closer to Mac before continuing. “He said his name was Rupert and he represented a group that was recruiting vampires. The guy was weird, right? So I told him I wasn’t interested and started to leave. He grabbed my arm and his entire demeanor changed. Suddenly he was all veiled threats. He said there was a new power in town who was recruiting foot soldiers or some shit.”

“Did he give you any names?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No, but he indicated it was a powerful female. Must be the one Mac said you’re after, right? The one we need to avoid?”

I cringed inwardly. Mac had made good on her promise to warn her friends about Lavinia. I lowered my gun to my side. “Yeah, probably.”

“Anyway, he says any local vampires who don’t fall in line under her leadership won’t live long. I acted interested and offered to spread the word for him.” She shook her head, as if still surprised he’d bought her act. “He seemed happy with that, but before he could keep talking, his cell phone rang. He didn’t speak, just listened. After a few seconds, he hung up. All the sudden he couldn’t leave fast enough. As he ran off, he yelled back that he’d be in touch soon to check on my progress. He seemed to be in a major hurry.”

By this point, Adam sat on the arm of the sofa next to me, and Giguhl leaned against the wall, listening with rapt attention. As the seconds ticked by, my stomach tightened more and more. Not only because we’d obviously accused the wrong person, but also because we were now further away from knowing who called Rupert with our location.

Figuring I might as well admit defeat, I let the gun dangle between my legs. “He was in a hurry, all right. He was on his way to attack us.”

“Anyway, after that, I called in every vamp I know in the area for a powwow. Only it wasn’t to recruit them.”

“You were warning them to skip town?” Adam said, shooting me a look.

She nodded. “Fat lot of good it did. Only a handful decided to run.”

I leaned back against the couch cushions. “And the rest? Do they plan on working for Lavinia?”

“Nope. The rest of us are staying to fight for our city.”

A humorless laugh escaped my lips. “Then you’re all fools.”

“All right,” Mac said. “That’s enough. You’ve gotten your explanation. Now get the hell out.”

“No, wait,” Georgia said. When Mac made disgusted noises, she held out a hand for patience. “Why are we fools for not allowing a bully to push us around?”

I sighed from deep in my chest. The kind of sigh you take before you break bad news to a trusting soul. “Well, Georgia, the answer to your question is this: Lavinia Kane isn’t just a bully, she’s the godsdamned Alpha Domina. Just because you live in New Orleans instead of Los Angeles is no excuse not to understand what that title means.”

Georgia shrugged. “So she’s powerful.”

I snorted. “Not just powerful, Georgia. Ancient. She’s seen empires rise and fall. She’s killed more vampires than you’ve met in your lifetime. Created rivers of blood in the streets of both the Old and New Worlds. And when she wants something, she won’t stop until it’s hers. So, yes, I believe you and your friends are fools for even considering the possibility you could defeat her.”

Georgia tipped her head to the side. “Didn’t Mac tell me you aim to kill Lavinia Kane?”

I licked my lips. “I do.”

A slow smile spread across Georgia’s lips. “Well then, darlin’, I guess that makes us both fools, doesn’t it?”

I liked this Georgia. She had spirit and a refreshing lack of bullshit. “You have no idea.”

“Save your breath,” Mac said. “She’s leaving tonight.”

Georgia’s smile disappeared. “Like hell I am. If you’re staying, I’m staying, and that’s final.”

Mac glanced at me before pulling Georgia aside for a whispered argument. In order to give them privacy, I turned toward Adam and waved Giguhl over. The mage blew out a long breath.

“How you holding up, mancy?”

“I’ll live. If Mac doesn’t turn that shotgun on us, that is.”

“Oh, please, she’s just mad we found out she’s dating a vampire. I’ll just tell her that secret’s safe with us and that will be that.” That earned me two incredulous looks.

The conversation across the room escalated into a full-on shouting match. “….. don’t let her put thoughts in your head. She’s a nut job.” Mac didn’t even try to pretend she wasn’t talking about me. In fact, she pointed a finger in my direction as she yelled, “She’ll get you killed.”

“I think we need to get something straight,” Georgia said, her voice icy. “I only like tops in bed. When the clothes go back on, you lose the right to boss me around.”

“On second thought,” I said. “Maybe they need some privacy.”

I stood and made my way for the door. Adam and Giguhl lagged behind, each enjoying the show too much to leave.

“I think they’re about to kiss,” Giguhl hissed.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed Adam by the ear. “Let’s go.” He yelped and rose immediately. I released his lobe and pushed him toward the door, careful not to nudge his wound.

Giguhl got less careful treatment and had to be forcibly pulled from the room. If we were lucky, the ladies would have furious makeup sex later. Then maybe Mac wouldn’t come after me with that shotgun for pulling a gun on her girlfriend over a misunderstanding.

A crash sounded from inside the apartment.

Then again, maybe I should have taken the shotgun.

16

In the dream, brass cuffs bound my hands to an overhead rafter. A werewolf in full-moon beast form pointed a shotgun at my face. Just beyond the light pool of a single bare bulb, the silhouette of a male paced in the shadows. Every now and then, the dim light caught the shock of red hair on his head.

“Who are you?” I demanded, yanking painfully with my wrists.

He paused. Turned. I still couldn’t make out a face. “We’ve known each other since the beginning.”

He stepped forward into the light. I gasped. He was beautiful. Too beautiful. Long cardinal-red hair, olive skin, eyes the color of wet emeralds. Tall and finely muscled. Not the bulk of a body builder, but the grace of a Greek statue. David instead of Goliath. Everything too perfect to be anything but evil.

“I don’t know you.”

He placed a hand over his heart and closed his eyes. Like my words wounded him. “My beloved Lamashtu . Soon we will be reunited. Forever.”

Blood dripped down my wrist, my arms, to spill on the concrete floor. “You’re a lunatic.”

He looked up, his irises darker now. Crazier. “Remind her where her heart is. Who her master is.”

The were stepped forward. Jabbed the cold metal into my breastbone. “I don’t know you!” I yelled.

The ominous double click of the pump action.

His slimy smile evaporated. He whispered, “Where’s my fucking owl?”

Boom !

I woke with a start. My breath labored, and cold sweat coated my chest. I rubbed at it, relieved to find unbroken skin. A green claw appeared in front of my face. The scent of coffee from the mug it held went a long way toward calming me.