“You don’t understand what they’re like.” Her scent sharpened, hints of snow biting through the musk.
He paused and studied her. She was upset, and while fear edged through her, she wasn’t afraid. No, not afraid at all. Anger flowed through her. Anger and protectiveness. “You have my back?”
“Of course.” Her fierce response gave him another reason to smile.
“I have yours. Stay close to me.”
“Switch hands.” She let go of him and circled around, taking his right hand in her left. She wanted her sword arm free even if she didn’t have a sword.
He could appreciate that.
The door opened before he could knock.
Five figures occupied Heidi’s bookshelf-enclosed office, each shrouded in a gray cloak. Anthony could read no expression on their hidden faces, but their scents—those he could taste. Foreign, alien, cold, fur and death. Ruthie stayed firm at his side, her head up and shoulders back. He could almost see the crown that should rest on her brow. A thousand rumors about the Overseers circulated throughout the world. Intimidating. All-powerful. Mysterious.
Their identities were secret. The one Overseer he’d ever heard of being revealed died within a day of the news breaking. That fact spawned new rumors. But every rumor agreed on one facet. The Overseers were dangerous.
Anthony considered these faceless men and women. He could scent both genders.
“You need not bow nor speak, Mr. diNapoli. You are here merely as a courtesy. Our business is with Princess Ruth Ann.” The laconic words came from the faceless figure closest to them. He smelled of vampire.
Ruthie squeezed his hand and he heeded her warning, even if he didn’t like it. “Yes, your graces?” His princess didn’t bow either.
“You have ended your contract with the Midnight Mystery Lounge.” It wasn’t a question. The same figure spoke, but Anthony didn’t make the mistake of ignoring the other four.
“From a certain point of view, your graces, yes, I have.”
Her wording caught his attention and theirs.
“Explain,” was the droll response from the gray-sheathed vampire.
“Through no fault of anyone but my own, my punishment was given unto Anthony diNapoli. He chose not to punish me, but to allow me to earn my freedom through single combat.”
Anthony tensed. It wasn’t a lie, precisely, but it also didn’t scent of the complete story.
“That is not entirely the truth.” Dammit, the vampire noticed as well.
“No, but it was a direct result of that combat that I chose to take the freedom that has always existed in my contract with you.” Ruthie didn’t back down from the story and when the gray figure took a step in her direction, Anthony curled his toes against the carpet and settled his weight onto the balls of his feet.
Vampire or not, he could take it out before it took another step if necessary.
“Intriguing,” a feminine voice whispered from the back of the room.
“Very,” a third gender-neutral voice agreed.
“Hardly. I told you he would defend the princess,” a bored fourth intruded. “And unless you wish to provoke his claws into your throat, you should remember that.”
Anthony switched his attention to the fourth speaker. The male smelled of fur, but not cat and not wolf. Bear perhaps? He couldn’t be certain and didn’t feel the need for closer inspection.
The first figure waved a hand for silence and the four fell quiet. “You understand that the terms of your employment were based upon your acquiescence to the bands?”
“I do.” Her nails dug into his hand and he held firm.
“Then you will not be performing this evening?”
“Her term with the Midnight Mystery Lounge may have ended, but she is a member of the diNapoli tigers and must perform or we will have no show.” He didn’t doubt that he was the subject of their regard, because no surprise rippled through the collected at his statement. “I’ll also put you on notice that we intend to free the Amazon, Jaimela.”
Her hand convulsed around his. He surprised her. Again.
A small smile curled his lips. He liked surprising her.
“The Amazon Jaimela serves out her term as decried by this council when she stole from the Arcana Royale until such time as she returns that which was stolen.” The laconic voice hardened. “Your petition to have the Princess Ruth Ann added to your group is approved but only for the seventy-five shows in your contract.”
“And when the run ends?” He pushed his luck.
“Prove successful and discuss it with the stage manager.” The indolent reply offered a decent compromise. He would keep his mate as close to her sister as circumstances would allow.
As one the figures turned away and Ruthie pulled free of his hand to take a step forward. “That’s it?”
They paused.
“You were never the one we took issue with, Princess. You struck the bargain, petitioned us for the right, whether you stay or go has always been up to you,” the female answered.
Anthony wrapped his hand around her arm to pull her back lest she aggravate them further.
“I would ask a question.”
He sighed.
The figures turned to face her, one at a time. The vampire motioned her to speak.
“If Jaimela took something from your Sphinx, why can you not take it back?”
As questions went, it was a fair one.
The five figures remained silent so long Anthony feared they would not answer.
“To answer that question, you must understand what your shield-sister sought at the behest of Athena. Discover that answer and you will know what needs be done.”
The five disappeared between one blink of an eye and the next. Ruthie fell back a step and bumped into him. He wrapped an arm around her midsection and cradled her against his chest.
“I take it they never said that to you before,” he murmured against her hair.
“No.”
“Do you know what she sought?”
Ruthie shook her head slowly. “She never told me and I never asked.”
He frowned. “Why not?”
“It was her quest.” She turned in his arms and tipped her head back to look at him. “Have the gods ever talked to you?”
He shook his head once.
“Me either.” But instead of pulling away in frustration as he feared she might, she burrowed closer to him. “When these shows are over—I may have to petition a goddess.”
Anthony thought about that. “Greece is lovely this time of year.”
“It could take years.”
He shrugged. “I don’t care. I know this is new to you. I know mating is new to you, but where you go, I go. If it takes us the rest of our lives to discover the secret to Jaimela’s freedom, I won’t abandon you or your quest.”
Ruthie jolted at that turn of my phrase.
“My quest?”
“Yes, princess. Your quest.” He nibbled a kiss to her earlobe and then gave her bottom a light swat. “We’ll make our plans for that later. We’re due onstage.”
She laughed, sliding her fingers into his hair and pulling him down for a harder, lengthier kiss. “I’ll get you back for that swat later.”
“I look forward to it.”
An hour later, he stalked onto the stage, sliding through the jets of stage mist to prowl around Ruthie dancing nude at the imaginary bathing pool, a glittering wash of light spilling down to mimic the falls.
His nose twitched.
