If she could get the alpha to play along with that, he’d never have the opportunity to notice that Susan was much less surprised than she should have been.
“Is stunned, poor thing.” The alpha leaned in so close Silver could feel his breath on her cheek, smell his satisfaction with her weakness. “Even if she could hear this far.”
“Call for your lover.” Silver raised her voice so Susan could hear. “Leave anyone else out of this.” The last thing they needed was more humans. A beat later, the underling slammed a fist into her back. Apparently the alpha didn’t approve of her order to Susan. Silver closed her eyes to weather the surge of pain.
“This party is for Dare. No need to be inviting others. Unless your mate happens to have a human piece on the side.” Some anger sneaked into the alpha’s tone, but he was back to mocking by the end.
The underling pulled Silver back and slammed her into the wall again. She went limp and managed to lead with her shoulder. Pain clawed at her, but only enough force reached her temple to scrape it. The smell of her own blood fogged her nose. She rolled her other shoulder, but it only pulled her bad hand free to hang dead and useless. “Dare will be coming, don’t worry.”
The alpha laughed. “Oh, good. I’m looking forward to talking to him.” He looked pityingly at Silver. “I didn’t think it would be so easy.”
“If you have never learned the lesson that once in a while a cowering enemy bites all the harder when you least expect it, I think you are about to,” Death said. He stood proud and tall silhouetted against the Lady’s piercing light, and the underling’s sandy-colored wild self showed its belly. The alpha’s wild self was gray and built low to the ground, probably perfect for a lifetime of hugging the shadows before jumping out to attack. He didn’t even seem to notice Death, more fool he.
Silver tested the underling’s hold, and he smashed another punch into the same place on her back for her trouble. Shadows sucked in her vision for a moment. She whimpered for effect, though if she was honest, it wasn’t far from the truth. The blood trail down her cheek turned from warm to chill. “Why hurt me, if it’s my mate you want? Why anger Seattle with this trespass?”
“I’m doing Seattle a favor, getting the Butcher out of his territory for him. He should be grateful.” The alpha touched a fingertip to her chin and then rocked back. “You’re my message. Since Dare doesn’t wish to listen to what I have to say.”
Silver ignored the alpha for a moment to gather her thoughts, though she was careful to leave her muscles limp. She didn’t want to give the underling any warning. Then she smashed her head back and heard the satisfying snap of the underling’s nose. He didn’t drop her, but his grip loosened enough for Silver to pull free.
The underling was back on her a moment later, but a moment was all Silver needed. She wormed her fingers into her pocket and found the comforting chill of her necklace chain. She pulled the silver metal out and the underling flinched back.
The alpha hissed in shock. “Lady, how can you touch —” He fell silent and stared at her fingertips, as if searching for burns that didn’t exist.
Into the silence of the fragile stalemate, Susan spoke. “John. You have to get here right now.” Her voice stretched high and thin until it broke. She spoke more, details of their location Silver couldn’t make herself follow at the moment. It was enough to know help would arrive soon. For now, she needed information.
She planted her feet and let the chain trickle from her hand until she had only a single loop over her fingers. She waited a beat, letting them second-guess their instincts about the danger she posed, letting them relax. Then she lashed out with it. The underling, smarter, flinched faster. She caught the alpha across the cheek, smelled the sizzle-burn of his skin under the metal, and showed
“Is stunned, poor thing.” The alpha leaned in so close Silver could feel his breath on her cheek, smell his satisfaction with her weakness. “Even if she could hear this far.”
“Call for your lover.” Silver raised her voice so Susan could hear. “Leave anyone else out of this.” The last thing they needed was more humans. A beat later, the underling slammed a fist into her back. Apparently the alpha didn’t approve of her order to Susan. Silver closed her eyes to weather the surge of pain.
“This party is for Dare. No need to be inviting others. Unless your mate happens to have a human piece on the side.” Some anger sneaked into the alpha’s tone, but he was back to mocking by the end.
The underling pulled Silver back and slammed her into the wall again. She went limp and managed to lead with her shoulder. Pain clawed at her, but only enough force reached her temple to scrape it. The smell of her own blood fogged her nose. She rolled her other shoulder, but it only pulled her bad hand free to hang dead and useless. “Dare will be coming, don’t worry.”
The alpha laughed. “Oh, good. I’m looking forward to talking to him.” He looked pityingly at Silver. “I didn’t think it would be so easy.”
“If you have never learned the lesson that once in a while a cowering enemy bites all the harder when you least expect it, I think you are about to,” Death said. He stood proud and tall silhouetted against the Lady’s piercing light, and the underling’s sandy-colored wild self showed its belly. The alpha’s wild self was gray and built low to the ground, probably perfect for a lifetime of hugging the shadows before jumping out to attack. He didn’t even seem to notice Death, more fool he.
Silver tested the underling’s hold, and he smashed another punch into the same place on her back for her trouble. Shadows sucked in her vision for a moment. She whimpered for effect, though if she was honest, it wasn’t far from the truth. The blood trail down her cheek turned from warm to chill. “Why hurt me, if it’s my mate you want? Why anger Seattle with this trespass?”
“I’m doing Seattle a favor, getting the Butcher out of his territory for him. He should be grateful.” The alpha touched a fingertip to her chin and then rocked back. “You’re my message. Since Dare doesn’t wish to listen to what I have to say.”
Silver ignored the alpha for a moment to gather her thoughts, though she was careful to leave her muscles limp. She didn’t want to give the underling any warning. Then she smashed her head back and heard the satisfying snap of the underling’s nose. He didn’t drop her, but his grip loosened enough for Silver to pull free.
The underling was back on her a moment later, but a moment was all Silver needed. She wormed her fingers into her pocket and found the comforting chill of her necklace chain. She pulled the silver metal out and the underling flinched back.
The alpha hissed in shock. “Lady, how can you touch —” He fell silent and stared at her fingertips, as if searching for burns that didn’t exist.
Into the silence of the fragile stalemate, Susan spoke. “John. You have to get here right now.” Her voice stretched high and thin until it broke. She spoke more, details of their location Silver couldn’t make herself follow at the moment. It was enough to know help would arrive soon. For now, she needed information.
She planted her feet and let the chain trickle from her hand until she had only a single loop over her fingers. She waited a beat, letting them second-guess their instincts about the danger she posed, letting them relax. Then she lashed out with it. The underling, smarter, flinched faster. She caught the alpha across the cheek, smelled the sizzle-burn of his skin under the metal, and showed
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