Then her voice became brittle with bitterness.
“But unless there is a public execution, they will keep hunting for her. Even if I swore that I killed her, they would not be satisfied, and our races would eventually war. I cannot allow that, so do what you must.”
At that, I expected Bones to tear her head off. A big part of me wanted him to. What she outlined was a future with nothing but death for Katie, and I couldn’t accept that.
From the grim look on Marie’s face, she expected that Bones would kill her, too. That’s why both of us were shocked when all he did was tap his chin in a thoughtful way.
“Public execution, hmm? If we promise you that, will you agree to the rest of our terms?”
“Are you out of your mind?” I asked, horrified.
“Will you or no?” he pressed, ignoring that.
Suspicion creased Marie’s brows into a single dark line.
“You came here to bargain for the child’s life. Now you’re willing to execute her?”
Bones’s teeth flashed in a feral grin. “Publicly.”
“The hell we are,” I snarled, hitting him hard enough to rock him backward.
His power flashed out, encompassing me in the equivalent of a supernatural straitjacket.
“Kitten,” he said very low. “Trust me.”
Marie stared at us with the same degree of wariness, but curiosity tinged her gaze, too.
“Agreed,” she said. Then she accepted the knife Bones extended, cutting her hand with a single hard slice. “I swear it by my blood.”
His invisible grip dropped from her neck.
“Then call your people off,” Bones stated, giving my hand a slight squeeze. “We’ll do the rest.”
Thirty-two
This section of Detroit’s east side reminded me of photos I’d seen of Germany after the Allied invasion. Abandoned buildings loomed like battered, concrete giants over streets that appeared empty until the humps of clothing alongside them moved. Most of the streetlights were out, which could explain the burning trash cans since the summer evening wasn’t chilly. Every so often, a faraway siren broke through the other sounds, but although fights, glass shattering, and the occasional gunshot seemed commonplace, I hadn’t seen a single police car.
Good for us. Bad for whoever called this derelict place that America forgot home.
“Cat!”
Fabian zoomed toward me, his face lit by a beautiful smile. Then movement on the roof of one of the lower buildings caught my eye. I tensed until I recognized the vampire striding toward the edge.
“Welcome,” Ian said, sounding anything but convivial. “Hope you enjoy the smell. A little more raw sewage, and it would be just like the place I grew up in.”
Another form appeared behind him. At some point since I’d last seen Tate, he’d shaved his face and shorn his hair into its usual buzz cut.
“Mr. Fancy Pants hasn’t stopped bitching since he arrived,” he muttered. Then Tate frowned, looking farther down the empty street.
“Why do you have a bunch of ghosts following you?”
I turned to see at least two dozen ghosts trailing about fifty yards behind us. Good. We’d been hoping Marie’s borrowed power would lure nearby spooks like they were moths and I a shining flame. Detroit was a large city, and though Ian and Tate had scented Katie in several spots, they hadn’t managed actually to set eyes on her.
Now we had reinforcements, and thanks to the grave power running through my veins, the ghosts would be compelled to obey my commands.
“Where do you think you have Katie’s location narrowed down to?” I asked, avoiding Tate’s question.
His frown said he noticed my omission, but he replied without further comment.
“From what we’ve gathered, she moves around, but her scent has been strongest at the old book depository, the former Packard auto plant, former Central Station, and the old church on East Grand Boulevard.”
“Thanks.”
Then I faced the ghosts, who drifted closer at my beckoning wave.
“I need you to find a little girl for me,” I told them. “She’s about four feet tall, auburn hair, and her eyes might glow. She’s probably hiding in one of the places my friend just mentioned. If you see her, only tell me or this ghost here.” As I nodded at Fabian.
My entourage dispersed as soon as I finished speaking. Fabian left with them before I could specify that he wasn’t included in the order. Tate shook his head in disbelief, but a knowing look crossed Ian’s face.
“You’re back on Marie’s sauce.”
Bones flew up to the roof. I followed, landing with only an additional extra step to balance myself.
“Yes,” I said shortly.
“What sauce? And who’s Marie?” Tate wondered, reminding me that he’d missed a lot while working for Don these past years.