Erin’s phone pinged again. It was a one word message from Annalisa that said, “Okay.”

“What’s wrong?” Kera asked.

“What makes you think something’s wrong?”

“Because you just sighed deeply and rolled your eyes all the way to the back of your head.”

“Oh. That.” She shrugged, not willing to tell Kera that her sister-Crows had lost her dog. “It’s nothing.”

Kera sat back down so Erin could put the bandage on.

“Are you going to be ready for tonight?” Erin asked.

“Sure.”

“Good.”

“How much am I going to owe you for this? I don’t have any cash on me, but—”

“Kera, I only charge people when I actually give them a say in what their tattoo will be. You didn’t have that, so it’s free.”

“That’s big of you.”

“I know. Isn’t it?”

“They’re coming!” Annalisa said, charging back into the kitchen.

Jace continued to towel off Brodie until she heard Kera’s footsteps coming down the hallway.

They never did get ice cream or yogurt because they hadn’t planned for the pileup on the I-10 or the protest near the 101. They ended up trapped in traffic for ages. And even though they texted Erin again, asking for more time, the difficult woman adamantly refused. So by the time they got back to the house, all they could do was hose poor Brodie down—and, boy, had she hated being hosed down—and do a quick dry before the town car that Erin had called pulled up to the front.

Jace threw the towel to Annalisa, who tossed it into a cabinet, shutting the door just as Kera walked in.

“Brodie Hawaii!” she cheered, going to her knees as Brodie charged across the room to her.

Kera hugged her dog as if she hadn’t seen her in years, laughing as Brodie licked her face and neck.

Erin walked in a few seconds later and she immediately sniffed the air, eyes narrowing on Jace.

“We have a job tonight,” Erin reminded Kera. “You better get dressed.”

“Okay.” Kera kissed the dog on her giant pit bull head, scratched her behind the ears, and stood. “Don’t feed her. I’ll feed her after I get dressed,” she told them.

Annalisa nodded. “No problem.”

Kera smiled at her dog once more before walking out of the room. When she was gone, Erin looked at them.

“What happened?” she asked, her voice resigned.

Jace opened her mouth but nothing came out, so Erin turned to Annalisa.

“There was an incident. But it was handled. Nothing to worry about.”

“Uh-huh. Why did you have to bathe the dog?”

“Because of the blood. She was covered in it.”

“Why was thereblood?”

“Well,” Annalisa began, “we’re just guessing, but it seems that Brodie decided to get revenge on the guy or guys who abused her in her past. Before Kera.”

“The guys who . . . ? You mean in Kera’s old neighborhood?”

“Yeah.”

“She went all the way back to Kera’s old neighborhood? How did she manage that without being seen or picked up by Animal Control?”

Annalisa glanced at Jace but all she could do was shrug. Might as well tell her.

Annalisa leaned down a bit and said to the dog, “Show her, Brodie.”

“Are you talking to the dog?” Erin asked. “Why are you talking to the—aaaaahhhhhh!” Erin screamed, scrambling back several feet when Brodie’s wings came out and the steel slammed shut over her muzzle. “What the holy fuck?”

“Keep your voice down,” Annalisa whispered.

“Keep my voice down?”

Brodie stood and walked from one side of the kitchen to the other, wings up, head held high. There was even a little prance to her step.

“What is with this dog?” Erin demanded. “She’s acting like a stripper with new tits.”

“She’s proud,” Annalisa said.

“She’s one of us,” Jace added.

“She’s a dog.”

Brodie stopped in front of Erin and snarled.

Erin pointed a finger. “Don’t you dare threaten me—and you are a dog.”

“Are you going to tell Kera about all this, Erin?” Jace asked.

Erin let out a little snort. “What are you? High?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Tessa stood in front of them, protective fingerless leather gloves on her hand that a boxer might wear. Busy stretching her neck and shoulders, while they stood in the backyard, she gave them a quick rundown of their job. “Shouldn’t be too hard. Some joker in the Valley has gotten his hands on an item of Skuld’s. He’s probably got it on him somewhere.”

“What has he got?” Leigh asked, wrapping her hands with tape, also like a boxer.

“I’m not exactly sure. But whatever it is, it has given him great power. Look for a ring or necklace. One of those big, Rhine-gold necklaces would probably be a fan favorite of some tacky scumbag. Erin, I want you close to Kera. And Kera, you listen to Erin. I don’t think this will be some benign witches we can have Alessandra spook. You’ll have to be ready to step up.”

“Okay.”

Tessa unleashed her wings and shook them out. Kera didn’t know how to shake out her wings yet, so she just did some hamstring stretches instead.

Before they set off, another Strike Team walked out of the Bird House. Their leader, Rachel, waved at Tessa.