Gods and Ends by Devon Monk

Author:Devon Monk [Monk, Devon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Odd House Press
Published: 2017-05-13T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Granny Wolfe stood in front of them all. Smaller than the rest of werewolves, with wide swaths of silver hair, she did not give the impression of being weak in the slightest.

Rossi and Bathin didn’t even move, nor did they break their staring contest. I wondered if the demon and vamp had sensed the Wolfe family’s approach a while ago since they didn’t seem surprised at their arrival.

“Nobody’s killing tonight,” I said. “Not here. Ben’s inside. Let’s take a break from the bloodletting.”

Bathin’s mouth curled up on one side.

“The non-voluntary bloodletting,” I added.

“You think I don’t know this thing that’s with you?” Granny said. “This demon dug a hole through you, child. You just letting that stand with you, strigoni?”

“He has no say over her,” Bathin said.

“Push me, demon,” Rossi suggested.

I stood between them, and turned my back on Rossi, because I knew him and trusted him.

“You aren’t my friend, Bathin,” I said. “You aren’t my boss, you aren’t my owner. You are an unfortunate circumstance that I have to live with. Nothing more. Like some kind of soul STD. Don’t assume you can call the shots here.”

He finally looked away from Rossi. “Maybe you need a history lesson, Delaney.”

“All I need is for you to tell me what you saw tonight.” I held up one finger. “Where was Ben?” Held up a second finger. “Where is Lavius?”

“Ben was bound and tied in a crate.”

“Where was the crate?”

“Sunk beside a trawler about a mile out.”

Well, that explained the water covering him. It also explained the cold and darkness that Yancy had seen around him. And that he was alone but also looked over and not near, but near.

I couldn’t imagine what kind of hell that had been for him.

“Who was on the boat?”

“Two mortals, and a vampire. They’re dead now. You’re welcome. I’ll put it on your tab.”

I blinked. I hadn’t told him to kill anyone, but it made sense he might have to in order to free Ben.

“She owes you nothing,” Rossi said. “Who was the vampire?”

“I don’t keep track of half-souls.”

“All demons keep track of us,” Rossi said. “Always have. Who was it?”

“Giorgio. Do you want to know how he died? Do you want me to explain how I tore him into strips?”

The weres growled.

“No,” I said. “What did you do with the boat?”

Bathin leaned back on the porch rail. “Uh…left it adrift? What was I supposed to do with the boat? Bring it into the bay? Tow it into an iceberg?”

“Shut up. We’ll deal with it later. Did they tell you where Lavius is?”

“They didn’t tell me.” From the way he said it, I knew he was being cagy about it.

“Tell me or I will let these werewolves take out their frustrations on you.”

Four of the Wolfe boys stepped forward and the other four in wolf form snarled.

Bathin watched me with keen interest sparking across his features.

That’s right, demon. I have friends and my friends have claws.

“I dug through their minds,” he said. “The mortals and the vampire.

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