“Eww!” Gigi gagged, and Mira made a disgusted face.
“She’d deserve every second of the agony, believe me, and even that wouldn’t be enough to make up for all the wrongs she’s done.”
“So to start from the beginning,” Hank said after I fell silent, “Bennie had a mate. A wolf shifter. About twenty years ago, the alpha of the pack, Nathan Barlow at the time, had to kill him because he went feral, and Bennie took revenge by cursing Nathan’s mate and unborn child before she fled. Fast-forward to the present, a couple of wolves smelled a dark witch at a diner near the pack border and called their current alphas. Nathan tagged along to see what was up and—”
“How’s any of thismybusiness?” I interrupted. Bennie got around. I didn’t see how it connected to what I was trying to accomplish. “And what’s it have to do with a kidnapped baby she-wolf? I mean, that’s sad and all, but what does it have to do withme?”
“One, the kidnapped baby wolf is from the same pack as Bennie’s mate. It could be just a coincidence, but I find that very suspicious. Two, Nathan recognized Bennie’s scent immediately. Three, Bennie wasn’t there alone. Nathan and the current alphas smelled both Diabolical and Divine power, so they asked my friend Angelo to find out if anyone in the neph community knew Bennie’s whereabouts or who her three companions were.”
“And your friend Angelo texted you,” Gigi finished up. “Well, we know one of her companions was Runa Someone. Do you recognize the other two, Hank?”
“One looks just like Kerry’s sketch of the shadow prince.”
Grabbing his phone, I nearly crushed it as I stared down and saw thick black hair, lizard-leathery skin, and green-gold eyes with black slitted pupils.
“They never get the eyes right,” I muttered and handed the phone back to Hank with a shrug. “I’ve been meaning to pay Bennie a visit, anyway. Still not convinced this is any of my business, but maybe she’ll have some useful information since she’s working with him.”
“What about the fourth person photographed with Bennie?” Mira asked.
“Kerry, try to stay calm, okay?” Hank took his phone back, angled it away so I couldn’t see it, and swiped to the next photo. “You can’t lose your temper. We need you awake and functional right now. If we have to put you in a coma again, it’ll only slow down the whole search for Gemma.”
Just hearing her name, I stiffened, my nostrils flaring wide as my hands tightened into fists, but I gave him a curt nod, determined to keep it together.
Then he showed me the last photo, and that determination was all that kept me from lighting this place up with blue fire.
Samuel freaking Castle.
Of course it was.
“Okay,” I growled, “nowthis is one hundred percent my business.”
#
Before Jax, Rome, and Mira took me to the Huskarls’ training center to try and cool off, I left Hank with clear instructions to get the Angel of Death here with his wolves as soon as possible and not take no for an answer.
The moment they arrived, I planned to use them to sort out the dark witch and her little neph buddy once and for all. The wolves could have Runa and try to get information about theirlost she-wolf before they killed her, but Bennie was mine. That which was going to give me some answers before I cut her up into teeny, tiny pieces and burned them.
Those thoughts were put on hold soon after we returned from the training center, though, and Josef Krall came running to tell me Mingo had contacted him. He and Queen Parvenah had arranged a meeting with Darius, and I coulda jumped for joy to finally havesomethinggoing my way.
Leaving Rome and Mira in charge of Mr. Snyder and Lilas, I took the rest with me. I especially wanted Gina and Gigi along. If either of them found a way to ’port my girl outta there, I’d create an opportunity to do so even if it cost me my life.
Hank was a critical participant, too, because he could guarantee no deceptions or ambushes.
And I needed Jax along to keep me from killing anyone I shouldn’t.
The five of us met Mingo on neutral ground, which turned out to be a baseball diamond in the middle of a public park.
Hank shook Mingo’s hand, and they talked quietly as we stood around home plate. I rolled my shoulders and tried to calm down, but little fireflies of power escaped each time I breathed.
Not a good sign. Lock it down. Lock it down tight.
“Darius is here,” Mingo said.
We all watched as the dark-haired djinni stepped out of the dugout, and I didn’t waste any time getting in his face.
“You have something of mine. I want it back.”
“The Seal of Solomon.” Darius crossed his arms over his chest. “That is my price.”
