Rise of the Gryphon (Belador #4)(55)

He grunted, clearly unhappy, but when he looked at her, his eyes filled with concern. “I don’t know what that Achilles Beast Championship is. You takin’ that Injun with you?”

No, but Grady was not a lie detector. “That’s the plan.”

“Good. He ain’t much, but he’s better than nothin’, I guess.”

She smiled. “Thanks for the intel. If I can’t come see you myself, I’ll ask Tzader to get word to you as soon as the infection threat is gone.” If she couldn’t get to Grady, it would be because she was dead—or in VIPER prison. Either was a distinct possibility, given the corner she was in. “In the meantime, don’t shake with anybody, okay?”

“I’ll be careful.”

On her way to hunt down the mystery woman in red, Evalle lifted her phone, then paused.

Text Tzader or not? The last time she’d seen Isak, he’d actually helped when VIPER had to battle Svart trolls, but Isak still hunted nonhumans, and there was no way for him to know the difference between VIPER agents and a nonhuman threat.

Isak might not understand VIPER trying to save a Langau. But he wouldn’t hurt Evalle.

She’d check it out first, then contact Tzader. Covering the two blocks quickly, she slipped through alleys, keeping her senses open for anything not human. When she came upon a flickering image of a Nightstalker hovering in the back of a closed-in alley, she saw what Grady had been talking about. Parts of a female ghoul—one shoulder, a leg and half of her head—floated into view and faded. She’d had frizzy brown hair and freckles at one time.

The ghoul moaned over and over.

Poor thing.

A noise at the entrance to the alley pinged Evalle into defense mode. She swung around and backed up to a brick wall, hoping whatever gushy stuff she’d just stepped in would come off her boots, because the smell would force her to burn them.

“Want a deal, Nightstalker?” a female voice called softly, heading into the alley.

Evalle eased forward to peek. The owner of that voice was an attractive young woman, a brunette who wore a red dress. The Langau Grady had seen? Probably. The infected Nightstalker started moaning louder and floating toward the Langau, which meant the ghoul was getting close to Evalle. Could the sick ghoul infect her?

Screw it. Time to text Tzader and call in reinforcements, because Isak wasn’t . . .

Boom!

Light exploded all around the Langau as it jerked from being hit. Eyes sank into her head and her fingers sprouted three-inch claws that curled. Her body sucked into itself and vaporized.

The female Nightstalker floated back and up, disappearing into a broken window.

Evalle leaned back against the wall, anger bolting up her backbone. That had to be Isak. She wanted to rip his head off. Literally. Grab that thick skull and use it for a basketball.

True friends are hard to find and should be appreciated, a woman’s voice whispered through Evalle’s mind. Not telepathy. This voice had been popping in at all hours, day or night and at the most inconvenient times. Evalle would like to know who the voice belonged to and why she shared her sometimes unwelcome nuggets of wisdom.

Just build a fence around my life and call it a supernatural wildlife preserve. Evalle heard Isak’s last two steps before his weapon came into view. “It’s me. Evalle.”

He stepped in front of her and lowered his mega demon blaster, letting it swing from a nylon cord attached to his vest. Black cargo pants and long-sleeved black shirt beneath a loaded Molle vest. “Hey, sugar. Why were you hiding in here? You might have gotten hit by flying demon parts.” His blue eyes danced with mirth. He was big all over. Reminded her of a Mack truck dressed up to be a sexy man.

Evalle pushed off the wall. She flexed her hands, working to hold on to her control. “I wasn’t hiding. Did you have to do that? I needed those demon parts.”

“Why? Saw that thing shake hands with a ghoul, then the ghoul freaked out.”

“That thing in the red dress was a Langau. We don’t know how many are in the city, but they’re spreading an infection.”

“Then you should thank me, not complain.”

“I would, but VIPER needed that one. We have sick agents and need to capture at least one for the healers so they can create an antidote.”

“Oops. My bad.” He didn’t sound the least bit repentant, because he’d only recently decided to allow some nonhumans to live. There was a time when Isak hadn’t known VIPER existed and thought all nonhumans were a threat to humans.

He had pointed a weapon at her once with intent, but they’d gotten past that. She just wasn’t sure where they stood now because of that last kiss he’d given her.

Which reminded her . . . “Meant to get your demon blaster back to you.”

“No rush.” He smiled during the pause. “Bring it when you come to dinner.” He stepped up close and ran his knuckle over her cheek. His sandalwood cologne blended nicely with his natural male scent, especially when he was warmed up. Heat rushed into her cheeks and down her neck, into her body. Energy sizzled between them even though he was all human.

All male. But he wasn’t Storm, who would go all alpha right now if he saw how close Isak was to her. In fact, Storm had agreed not to harm Isak as long as Isak kept his hands off her, which he wasn’t doing.

She opened her mouth to ask him to stop and Isak’s finger touched her lips, stalling the words. Evalle, queen of avoidance. She wasn’t sure what to say, but she could not let him think they were going anywhere with this strange chemistry between them.