alone.” Mac surrendered.
Perry found Mac a Sig Sauer almost like his old one. He offered to find something for Connie, but she wanted nothing but her belt knife.
“It’s what I’m used to. I used to gut chickens, you know,” she said, drawing her blade for the thirtieth time to check its edge.
“Handy.”
“I had to work for a living.”
“And?”
She fixed him with a guarded look, a little uncertain now that she had won the argument to go with him. “Gentlemen generally prefer the embroidering type.”
He touched her cheek, momentarily mesmerized by her wintry beauty—all snow and darkness. “Who says I’m a gentleman?”
As a reply, she thrust the knife back in the sheath, managing to make the simple act suggestive. And then she smiled. It wasn’t the Mona Lisa smile, but a broad grin.
Mac drew the line at taking Viktor. The last thing he needed was an addled werebeast with obedience issues— and to be honest, Mac had grown too fond of the creature to put him needlessly at risk. Viktor was on a truck bound for Pack Silvertail’s rural property. There he could find werebunny rabbits to chase and a very large fenced enclosure suitable for oversized canines.
“Hey. Demon guy.”
Mac turned.
Mac took a hard look at Holly’s sister. She had a light machine gun slung across her shoulder. She saw him look ing at it. “Altered for heavy silver ammunition. I know a guy at Colt.”
“Shouldn’t you be recuperating?” he asked.
“I’m good.”
Mac didn’t believe it for a moment. She looked pale and moved like she still hurt.
Ashe looked at Connie. “Hello, again.”
“Hello. We never introduced ourselves. My name is Constance.” Connie looked Ashe up and down in turn. “Are you Holly’s sister?”
“That’s right. Ashe Carver.”
Connie narrowed her eyes. “Are you here to slay vampires?”
“Not today,” said Ashe. “But it sounds like your son’s in real trouble. There’ll be plenty of action to go around.” She patted her weapon.
Mac turned to her. “Y’know, I saved your life. It kinda hurts you’re planning to throw it away so soon.”
Ashe gave him a lip curl, but it held no rancor. “You never know, Scorch, I might come in handy.”
“You need a warning label.” Mac looked her in the eye. She reminded him of some of the female cops he knew, including his old partner. Solid, for all the kick-ass attitude.
“A warning label. That’s the nicest thing anyone’s said all week.” She turned and walked toward Pack Silvertail’s huddle, where the Bakers were assigning teams.
Mac called after her. “Yeah, and it would say ‘slow learner.’”
Ashe made a rude gesture.
Connie tilted her head. “She’s an unusual woman.” Mac sighed. “Thank God for that.”
Chapter 25
Alessandro’s group had been the first to move into the Castle. There had been half a dozen guardsmen stand-ing watch inside the door. There were now six guardsmen tied up and in the custody of the bears.
Just before they moved off, he stopped and folded Holly in his arms.
“Be careful,” she said.
He held her away, his arms on her shoulders. She was giving him the full force of her lovely green eyes.
“You be careful,” he said. Suddenly everything seemed too fragile. He wanted to take everything back and start the night over. A night where there was no Castle, and Holly wouldn’t be left behind to battle stray monsters. Maybe they’d have watched a movie.
“Alessandro,” she said on an indrawn breath.
“Yes?”
She exhaled, her look confused. He waited.
“I’m the one with the magic,” she said. “Don’t take big risks. Don’t make me come looking for you.”
He could tell she meant it, but that hadn’t been what she’d meant to say. They exchanged a look. Her eyes were full of nothing but love, and a trace of fear, and a lot of courage.
“I’ll tell you the rest later,” she said. He kissed her again, lightly this time, or he’d never tear himself away. “Take my gun.”
“I don’t need it.”
Yes, she had magic, but he’d made her learn to fire a weapon. He liked insurance.
“Take it, anyway. It’ll make me feel better. I’m better with a sword.”
Because if she wasn’t waiting, what was the point of coming back?
Constance remembered Bran’s orders as the guardsmen had captured Sylvius.
How could the guardsmen keep control of Atreus? His powers were growing weak, but he could still protect himself. She hadn’t had time to think about it before, but now it preyed on her mind. She couldn’t think of an answer, and that meant there was a surprise in store.
Not the pleasant kind of surprise, either.
They gambled that Sylvius would still be in his cell, so their destination was the guardsmen’s quarters. Constance and Mac had been running for a long time, the terrain rising. As they approached a junction of hallways, Mac threw out an arm, signaling a stop. Constance nearly bumped into him, her shoes skidding on the stone.
“There’s someone ahead,” Mac mouthed. “I saw movement.”
They waited. Then Constance saw it wasn’t people. “My God,” Constance breathed. “There’s another one,” murmured Mac. “Incredible.” For a moment, the shadows seemed to part. The first was visible only for a moment, a flash of white crossing the cor ridor ahead. Constance blinked, thinking it was a trick of her eyes. She leaned forward, her body resting against the delicious heat of Mac’s broad back. The sensation nearly made her forget everything else.
Then there was another flash of white. This time she got a good look, because it paused.
It was about the size of a deer, its pale coat dappled in light gray. Long, slender legs ended in cloven hooves, a silvery sheen glistening from the long mane and tail. It lifted its head, whuffing, sniffing the air. Nervously, it turned its head.
At the center of its forehead, the spiraling horn shone like mother-of-pearl.
It was so beautiful, Constance wanted to weep. If that was not splendor enough, two more of its kind joined it. Constance blinked, her eyes dry from staring. One of the newcomers touched noses with the first, and the three moved away, passing out of sight.
Mac turned, his eyes alight. He slid his arm around her. “Did you see that?”
“They’re from the levels below,” said Constance. “If they’ve been driven this far up the corridors, the lower caverns must be disappearing.”
“What else is down there?” Mac asked uneasily.
Constance shook her head. “No one knows for sure.”
