Vein Pursuits (Black Badge Series Book 2) by Rhett C. Bruno & Jaime Castle

Author:Rhett C. Bruno & Jaime Castle [Bruno, Rhett C. & Castle, Jaime]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Published: 2023-05-22T16:00:00+00:00

SIXTEEN

There’s nothing in this world like an old friend who’s still there for you through thick and thin, muck and mire. It’s another one of those corny lessons a long enough life teaches you. So what if that friend happens to have four hooves?

At some point during the fracas, Timperina escaped Laveau’s side yard, and my rump landed on her saddle instead of the street. Now, I don’t wanna oversell it. Falling a couple of stories wouldn’t have mattered to me much in the end, but it’s the thought. Timp saw me in danger and rose to the occasion as only a friend would.

I clutched her mane to stay on, then looked up. Tourmaline darkened the window with two lesser vampires holding her upright. She sneered, her teeth slick with fresh blood.

“You aren’t even worth my maker’s time, Hamsa,” she said. “Enjoy the company of angels.”

Timp whinnied and kicked, her rear hooves darting backward. I heard the grunt before turning to see she’d struck a werewolf sneaking up on us. The furball toppled ass over tea kettle, skidding across the stone toward Laveau’s. My gaze was torn between there and Tourmaline.

This was mayhem like St. Anne’s Street had likely never witnessed. Windows were shattered. People were screaming, swearing, running. Shadows moved like ghosts. I was barely able to register some of it.

In front of me, werewolves attacked the marshals, one being dragged down the street by his leg. One was crouched behind a barrel, aiming at nothing, frozen by fear. I could feel the sharp tingle of Shar’s wrath as I weighed my decision.

“Damn you, Roo!” I shouted.

I whipped Timp around. The beast she’d kicked was already back up but dazed. I charged, slashing it with my knife as it tried to find its bearings.

“Stay far out of sight, girl. No matter what. You hear? I’ll whistle for you when it’s clear,” I said as we passed Marie’s charred porch. I stood on the saddle, dove from her back, and bounded through the front door with reckless abandon.

Deep claw marks marred the bookcase in the foyer. Tables and shelves were busted, and all Laveau’s oddities were spilled all over.

“Come out, Voodoo Queen,” I heard Roo’s resounding voice echo. “I only want to talk.”

“Roo!” I yelled. “It’s me you want.”

Shadows darted deeper inside. I pressed forward with my knife in hand, checking corners. No time to waste reloading. In quarters this close, I’d risk putting a bullet through anyone. An unfortunate marshal was flat upon the table, eyes still open, a deer antler candlestick poking out of his chest.

I brushed through a beaded curtain and into Laveau’s small hallway leading to her main room. Claws raced toward my head, and I ducked, coming up with a backhanded stab into a werewolf’s chest. A howl quickly transitioned to a wheeze as the air left its lungs. It wasn’t Roo.

“C’mon, you bitch,” Roo cursed. “They worth dying over?”

“They are guests in my home, unlike you,” Laveau replied, and unlike earlier, Damballah was no longer with her.

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