"… believed to be the same man who murdered a woman in the Warehouse District earlier last night…
"
Nick cursed. "Is that who I think it is?
"
Ash could only nod as he watched the webcam pictures that had captured Zarek's fight with the Daimons and the arrival of the police.
"… the police department is offering a reward for any information on the suspect.
"
Nick and Ash cursed in unison as they showed a perfect sketch of Zarek's face.
"We're screwed," Nick breathed.
"Screwed blue and tattooed," Ash snarled. He pulled his cell phone from his coat and left the bar to call Zarek. The last thing he needed was for anyone to overhear this particular conversation.
Nick followed him outside. "What are we going to do?
"
Ash hit the cancel button. "His phone is off. He must still be asleep.
"
"Are you ignoring my question or did you not hear it?"
"I heard you, Nick. I don't know. We have to keep him hidden. With those pictures, he's as good as convicted."
"Can you monkey with them?"
"I don't know. My powers are iffy at best with modern electronics. The best I can do is blow them…"
His voice trailed off as he saw something even more gut-wrenching than Zarek's face on the news.
Ash let out a disgusted sigh and looked up at the darkening sky. "Are you bored up there, Artie, or what?"
"Huh? What's up?"
Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) Ash inclined his head downChartres Street to the two figures who were headed straight for them.
Almost equal to him in height, the brothers moved like two dangerous predators, slowly, rhythmically.
They looked to the left and right, scoping out everyone they passed as if sizing them up as an opponent, a conquest, or a victim.
Dressed in black, both of them wore long leather coats that swirled around their biker boots. They each had one hand tucked into the folds of the coat as if concealing a weapon.
Oh yeah, these were two of the most dangerous creatures Ash had ever known. More so because they would kill anyone who threatened them without a moment's hesitation.
"Who let the dogs out?" Ash snarled.
Nick frowned. "What?
"
"We have two members of the Katagaria moving in," he explained to Nick.
Katagaria were animals who could take human form and pass through society to procure victims or anything else they craved. Like any other wild animal, they were extremely lethal and unpredictable.
"Oh God," Nick breathed, "don't tell me they're Slayers.
"
"That depends on who you ask.
"
"What do you mean?
"
"The Arcadians would call them Slayers. But to their Katagaria brethren, they're Strati.
"
Nick frowned. "Stratimeans what?
"
"It's the correct term for Katagaria soldiers. Slayers kill indiscriminately anyone and anything that crosses their paths. Strati kill mostly to protect themselves, their pack, and their territory.
"
"So, they belong here?
"
Ash shook his head as the two wolves drew closer. They slowed as they caught sight of him.
"Acheron Parthenopaeus," Vane said, stopping in front of him. "It's been a while."
Ash nodded. It'd been at least a couple of hundred years since he had last seen them. They had been on the run then from the human Arcadians who hunted their unique species through time. The two brothers had been trying to find someplace safe to hide their sister from their enemies.
Vane was the older of the two brothers; he had shoulder-length dark brown hair with reddish highlights.
His feral green eyes never missed anything. Fang was about an inch taller than Vane and had short black hair and hazel eyes. Either one was dangerous when alone—together, they were damn near invincible.
"Vane. Fang," Ash said, inclining his head to each in turn. "What brings you two toNew Orleans ?"
Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) Vane cast a suspicious look to Nick, then must have decided something about Nick wasn't too threatening. "We're denning."
Ash grimaced at the term, which meant the Katagaria wolves had a pack here, and were planning on settling inNew Orleans for a while. "That's a real bad idea. It's Mardi Gras and we have a lot of Daimons who tend to party then. You need to take your pack—"
"We can't," Vane said, cutting him off. "We have six females in our group about to give birth."
"And another one who gave birth this morning," Fang added. "You know our laws. We're stuck here until the pups are old enough to travel."
This was getting better and better. Pregnant Katagaria were Daimon magnets due to the strength of their souls and the psychic powers their breed carried. Not to mention the fact thatNew Orleans was home to three groups of Arcadians who would love nothing more than to claim the skins of Vane and Fang.