The daytime streets of the Old Market Square area were full of bustling people so intent on their immediate goals that they never looked into the shadows. But at night, the full-time residents emerged from cracks and crevices. They’d been there all along, ignored and invisible among the more privileged members of society. The homeless ones. Eyes hard and wary, that skittered away when Tyrez tried to make contact.
Their life essences were as chaotic as their lives. The Mover had vanished without effort among them, so smoothly that Tyrez agreed she’d come off the streets to begin with. The Dires tracking her had found her scent several times, and then lost it again.
This time, he didn’t have his little pack of Dires working the streets. It was an important night for them—the full moon, and time for Alex to officially mate bond with the female alpha. They were hunting things other than the Mover.
Reluctant to pull back on the search, Tyrez had recruited some extra Sabre help. Neil was also wound up with the Dire pack, or more precisely, with one of the twins. So tonight’s werecat presence was provided by two close friends of Tyrez’s—Cody and Ryan.
They didn’t have the noses the Dires did, but they were better at beating bushes. At least, according to Cody.
A shadow separated from the alleyway and approached the Dragon. Dressed in a torn hoodie and old jeans, the apparel blended with the locals. His size was another matter. Sabres had almost as hard a time at blending as Dragon shifters.
Tyrez stepped into a doorway and Cody joined him there.
“Checked out two shelters so far. The staff haven’t seen her.” The Sabre’s gaze flashed copper, and his expression took on a fogged look for a moment. He and Ryan formed the male component of a mating triad, and as such were linked telepathically with each other, and with their mate, Kitani.
Tyrez waited patiently as the inaudible conversation took place.
Cody glanced over to him. “Ryan says no luck under the Salter Street bridge.” Another pause, and he grimaced. “Kitani is trying to convince me that a woman and two kids can blend in just as well on the street as a six-foot five muscle-bound hulk.” He shook his head. “It’s all I can do to keep her at home. If Cara hadn’t been too occupied tonight to cubsit, I’d have had no chance at all.”
“Your mate is—formidable,” Tyrez agreed.
Cody’s lips twitched. “You have no idea. None at all.” Then he grinned, his entire face lighting up. “But sometimes, fierce is fun.”
“She is worthy of a Dragon,” mused Tyrez.
Cody’s dark brows dropped. “Hey, stick to your own species, Sir Gecko.”
“She’s not scaly enough for me. And I am not a gecko.” Tyrez spoke without rancor. Cody was a friend, and he was accustomed to the Sabre’s odd sense of humor.
When his phone vibrated in his pocket, he pulled it out and read the text. “May I suggest you carry on with the search?” he told Cody. “My brother wishes to meet with me.”
Cody sighed. “Yep. Shoulda taken the bridges. These shelters are a bear. Catch you later, Prince Lizard.”
Tyrez ignored him as he strode away. Prince he might be. Lizard definitely not.
He headed for the closest alleyway, disappearing into the shadows. Two figures darted out from corners to flee toward the front street.
Tyrez sighed. So much for a slouch declaring him harmless. They sensed the predator—it was as much a part of him as his skin. He just wasn’t suited to a clandestine role.
Their departure, however, simplified things. After a quick scan to confirm he was alone, he abandoned his search for a fire escape and grew his finger and toe talons instead.
Tyrez sank them into the stacked stone and began to climb.
It took him no time at all to ascend three stories to the roof. Moments later, he’d jumped two buildings over and climbed another to the tallest on the block.
The purple-scaled Dragon was coming in low over the city. Tyrez sensed his brother’s life essence as the huge dark shadow skimmed over the city. It was Razir’s preferred landing strategy for a rendezvous. Tyrez argued that someday his brother was going to give some poor apartment balcony resident a heart attack. Razir countered that he was moving far too fast for the average human to perceive.
Watching the Dragon approach, Tyrez conceded his brother might have a point. But he still preferred the rapid dive and backwing method, himself.
Razir slowed, and then smoothly dropped to the rooftop. Seconds later, he was in human form, his purple scales covering his body.
Razir’s chin dipped once in greeting, the metal piercings in his ears glittering in the moonlight. Unlike other shifters, Dragons were able to control their transformations enough to accommodate body decorations. “I take it you’ve had no luck?” his brother asked.
“Not yet. The amount of concrete and the density of scents make this a tough search.”
“Well, I bring news that will brighten your night. Aranta has short listed both you and me. So if she is blind and chooses you, I might have to take over here for a while.”
“That is good news.” Tyrez stifled his automatic reaction, which hadn’t been positive.
