The Curse (Belador #3)(81)

“His cousin,” Evalle said for Storm, then asked Quinn, “What exactly happened?”

“She was supposed to be in my hotel suite, but she slipped out and went looking for the two boys you think are witches and got trapped by a local troll called Jurba.”

“Has to be Kellman and Kardos. How does she know them and why did she go looking for them?”

“Lanna’s a meddler. She met the boys in the park and overheard them talking about a dangerous troll with the Svart marking on his arm hanging around their shelter. I think she went out to help them or maybe to dig up more information on the Svarts and got caught with the boys here at Underground.”

Evalle said, “If not for getting caught, I like her already.”

“Trust me, you speak too soon. I love the brat, but some days I want to strangle her.”

“But what was she thinking to go snooping on Svarts?”

Quinn pinched the bridge of his nose, then dropped his hand. “My fault. I told her she had to go back to Transylvania immediately or VIPER would get involved, and she really does not want to go home. I’m guessing she planned to find intel or something she could trade with VIPER so she could stay here.”

Storm spoke up. “What’s the plan?”

“Tzader has to leave skeleton teams in each of the metropolitan quadrants to handle the gang battles, but we should have around forty VIPER agents.”

Evalle argued, “That may not be enough.”

“Why?”

“My Nightstalker says more Svarts are coming, but he doesn’t know when.”

Storm added, “And one of the two that attacked Evalle tonight was something worse, some kind of demon Svart.”

“Good goddess.” Quinn slowed as he neared a group of VIPER agents made up mostly of Beladors. He swung around to inform Tzader, but waited as the Maistir sent out teams of four.

When he saw Quinn, Tzader lifted his chin in acknowledgment. Then glanced at Evalle and did a double take.

If Quinn had to guess, the murderous look crossing Tzader’s face probably matched Quinn’s when he’d first seen her, covered in blood. Speaking telepathically to Tzader, Quinn quickly explained Evalle’s condition and Storm’s intervention.

Evalle pointed at her clothes and said to Tzader, “Pay no attention to the blood.”

“Quinn just told me.” Tzader gave Storm an assessing glance and nodded at him. “Thanks.”

Storm answered with a nod.

Quinn started to tell Evalle what he’d learned, but waited as Trey handed the viola case with the Nyght weapon to Tzader, then took over giving orders. Once he, Quinn, Evalle and Storm stood together, Quinn said, “I’ve learned the Svarts are under contract to the Medb.”

Quinn caught the flash of suspicion in Evalle’s gaze, but she didn’t ask where he’d gained that information. Instead, she said, “Why are the Svarts here?”

Not telling her the truth about Kizira would eventually eat a hole in his gut, but Quinn would not involve Evalle. “The Svarts are gathering an army for a massive attack on humans to draw the bulk of VIPER assets out in the open at one time. They plan to destroy the Southeastern coalition, then take over North America.”

“Is that possible?” Storm asked Quinn.

“We don’t know. There’s no intel on the Svart population, and we don’t know exactly how the Medb play into this. And the information came in pieces, so we may not have it all figured out exactly right.”

Evalle started to say something, then turned to Tzader as if he’d spoken to her mind to mind. Quinn would thank him later for keeping him off the spot about where he got the intel. Tzader moved them back to the current problem. “Did you tell them about the truck, Quinn?”

“Was just going to. The last text I got from Lanna said this Jurba troll was transporting them by truck somewhere. She’s caused the truck to have a flat tire, and she thinks she’s leaving a majik trail, but can’t say for sure. She said there are a couple of other unconscious people with them.”

Evalle’s eyes sparked with admiration when she looked over at Storm. “Then it’s a good thing we’ve got a tracker.”

Quinn addressed Storm. “Those kids are being used as cattle. What do you need from us to pick up their trail?”

When Storm didn’t answer at first, Quinn questioned if the tracker hesitated to deal with Svarts again.

Storm finally said, “I only need the freedom to use all my abilities.”

Evalle’s face fell. “No.”

“Yes. That’s the quickest way to track them.”

“I can’t ask you to do that,” she said so softly Quinn almost didn’t hear her.

Storm touched her chin. “You don’t have to ask me.” Then he faced Tzader and Quinn. “I don’t like to advertise it, but I’m a Skinwalker. I can shift into a jaguar. My coat’s black. I’ll blend into the night, but I’m still a big animal that may draw unwanted attention.”

Tzader just said, “Damn.”

Quinn hadn’t seen that one coming either, but he didn’t waste time thinking about it. “We can’t take you inside Underground as a jaguar, but I’m thinking since the kids are in a truck, the troll left here by a loading dock. We’ll enter by the road the delivery trucks take to the docks and start there. If Storm picks up the scent, we’ll follow.”