soft, fragrant breeze Merilee sent forward to blow away the smoke.
"Half the pagans left on flights to San Francisco this morning, and the rest are moving around the city, performing protective rituals," Freeman continued. "All the Vodoun mambos and houngans south of our position are already gone. The few still hanging around, they’re buying bus tickets, renting cars, or just walking away, over the bridges and through the tunnels."
Merilee kept her eyes on her notes, jotting in the margins. Her expression had turned serious and worried.
Jake read the ancient Greek shorthand and mentally deciphered the code as fast as she produced it.
What do they know? Real info, sensation, instinct?
Check with Charlotte Heart, if still in town.
Stone Man?
Jake’s brow furrowed.
The first musing was easy enough to understand, and Charlotte Heart must be an informant. But the Stone Man? Who—or what—was that?
Merilee never looked up as Freeman finished his speech with "Get out, get to your sources, and find out what the hell’s going on— right now ."
Freeman rattled off patrol assignments, pairing Sibyl triads with OCU partners and available Astaroths.
Jake watched as the groups got up to leave and find their demon partners, and he registered that his brothers were opting to work a double shift.
Why hadn’t his own name been called?
Was Freeman planning to stick him in the townhouse?
Shit. Jake tried to stay calm, but he wanted to stand and leave with everyone else. What the hell? He kept trying to catch Freeman’s eye, but the SOB was ignoring him.
Pointedly keeping his eyes away from Jake, Freeman turned to the pregnant Sibyls. "Riana, Cynda, you’ve got townhouse guard duty with Jackson, Brent, and Hargrove—and figuring out next week’s duty roster."
Jake relaxed a fraction.
Okay, not the townhouse—so . . . what?
Freeman offered Riana and Cynda a smile.
Both women glared at him.
Freeman sighed and let them glare. He kept ignoring Jake, and his next comment went to Andy. "We’re joining up with Creed and Nick."
Andy’s smile could have warmed the whole townhouse in the dead of winter. She started to get up, but Merilee caught her arm. "Andy can’t work without a Sibyl to help her with her elemental control." Merilee didn’t look angry or stubborn, but confident instead. Calm despite the newly reforming storm of voices, chair clattering, and the door banging open, then closed, as assigned groups headed out of the conference room.
Jake liked her self-possession. At the same time, he wondered what it would be like to see Merilee crazy, gasping and moaning from his kisses, his touches.
His cock got hard in seconds.
Come on, Freeman. Get me the hell out of here.
Jake closed his eyes and imagined Mother Anemone in various naked poses to regain control. When that didn’t work as well as he’d hoped, he envisioned the Russian Mothers, then the Irish Mothers—and that definitely did the trick.
When he opened his eyes, Andy had squared off with Merilee. Both women were standing beside him now.
Wind gathered around Merilee in tiny swirls. Jake figured only Sibyls could see the air energy moving. Well, Sibyls and demons.
"Our numbers suck right now," Andy said in the forceful, targeted voice of a longtime police officer. To Jake’s surprise, no sprinkler heads blew off, and no water seeped through the walls in response to her frustration. "I go where I’m needed."
When Merilee started to argue again, Andy cut her off with, "I was OCU before I knew any of you, Merilee. And that’s what I am tonight—a cop, not a Sibyl—and right now, I’m more useful that way." Her eyes drifted to Freeman, and the tops of her cheeks colored. "Don’t worry. I’ll behave."
"Not taking the chance." Merilee gripped her pad so tightly her knuckles turned white. "I’m coming with you."
"Stuff it, all of you." Freeman’s stern gaze moved to Merilee. "Last time I checked, I was still the captain, and everyone
"Half the pagans left on flights to San Francisco this morning, and the rest are moving around the city, performing protective rituals," Freeman continued. "All the Vodoun mambos and houngans south of our position are already gone. The few still hanging around, they’re buying bus tickets, renting cars, or just walking away, over the bridges and through the tunnels."
Merilee kept her eyes on her notes, jotting in the margins. Her expression had turned serious and worried.
Jake read the ancient Greek shorthand and mentally deciphered the code as fast as she produced it.
What do they know? Real info, sensation, instinct?
Check with Charlotte Heart, if still in town.
Stone Man?
Jake’s brow furrowed.
The first musing was easy enough to understand, and Charlotte Heart must be an informant. But the Stone Man? Who—or what—was that?
Merilee never looked up as Freeman finished his speech with "Get out, get to your sources, and find out what the hell’s going on— right now ."
Freeman rattled off patrol assignments, pairing Sibyl triads with OCU partners and available Astaroths.
Jake watched as the groups got up to leave and find their demon partners, and he registered that his brothers were opting to work a double shift.
Why hadn’t his own name been called?
Was Freeman planning to stick him in the townhouse?
Shit. Jake tried to stay calm, but he wanted to stand and leave with everyone else. What the hell? He kept trying to catch Freeman’s eye, but the SOB was ignoring him.
Pointedly keeping his eyes away from Jake, Freeman turned to the pregnant Sibyls. "Riana, Cynda, you’ve got townhouse guard duty with Jackson, Brent, and Hargrove—and figuring out next week’s duty roster."
Jake relaxed a fraction.
Okay, not the townhouse—so . . . what?
Freeman offered Riana and Cynda a smile.
Both women glared at him.
Freeman sighed and let them glare. He kept ignoring Jake, and his next comment went to Andy. "We’re joining up with Creed and Nick."
Andy’s smile could have warmed the whole townhouse in the dead of winter. She started to get up, but Merilee caught her arm. "Andy can’t work without a Sibyl to help her with her elemental control." Merilee didn’t look angry or stubborn, but confident instead. Calm despite the newly reforming storm of voices, chair clattering, and the door banging open, then closed, as assigned groups headed out of the conference room.
Jake liked her self-possession. At the same time, he wondered what it would be like to see Merilee crazy, gasping and moaning from his kisses, his touches.
His cock got hard in seconds.
Come on, Freeman. Get me the hell out of here.
Jake closed his eyes and imagined Mother Anemone in various naked poses to regain control. When that didn’t work as well as he’d hoped, he envisioned the Russian Mothers, then the Irish Mothers—and that definitely did the trick.
When he opened his eyes, Andy had squared off with Merilee. Both women were standing beside him now.
Wind gathered around Merilee in tiny swirls. Jake figured only Sibyls could see the air energy moving. Well, Sibyls and demons.
"Our numbers suck right now," Andy said in the forceful, targeted voice of a longtime police officer. To Jake’s surprise, no sprinkler heads blew off, and no water seeped through the walls in response to her frustration. "I go where I’m needed."
When Merilee started to argue again, Andy cut her off with, "I was OCU before I knew any of you, Merilee. And that’s what I am tonight—a cop, not a Sibyl—and right now, I’m more useful that way." Her eyes drifted to Freeman, and the tops of her cheeks colored. "Don’t worry. I’ll behave."
"Not taking the chance." Merilee gripped her pad so tightly her knuckles turned white. "I’m coming with you."
"Stuff it, all of you." Freeman’s stern gaze moved to Merilee. "Last time I checked, I was still the captain, and everyone
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