Fur sprouted on the backs of his hands—
Calmly, Plympton reached out and touched Johnny’s wrist.
Soothing coolness swirled around his skin. The wolf within him howled in pain and retreated.
“We’re prepared,” Blue Tie continued, “to deliver all of this documentation to our local and national news organizations. I’m sure they will be happy to write headlines about the new Domn Lup and his pack being sordidcriminals. If you don’t want to start his rule with an uphill battle to overcome those kinds of black marks—which we will put front and center for the world to see—then you really should agree to our terms now.”
Plympton laughed. It started out small and quiet, but it grew. As it lifted in volume, the tone became menacing.
“You think this is funny?” Blue Tie asked.
Plympton kept laughing. Johnny joined in, then Gregor, then Todd. They all laughed together as if there was some fantastic joke when they were in fact simply following the lead of the diviza . It was not so different from a pack lifting their voices in unison because their alpha howled.
“What?” Blue Tie asked again. The men around him shifted, uncomfortable with the evil, echoing sound. “What!”
Only when Blue Tie had clearly shown his anger did Plympton let his mirth fade. “All right, boy. If you want your road so bad, we will give you the Cleveland Cold Storage . . . in exchange for Grays Armory.” His voice continued to convey humor.
Blue Tie’s suspicion was evident. “No deal.”
Plympton shrugged. “You are forcing us out. If we have no den to kennel in, it is your public that is at risk. You don’t want us telling the media you’re willing to endanger your citizens for your road. Do you?”
“The Armory is a public historical icon and a museum.”
“Wærewolves require a fortified structure to keep the beasts inside. Our team has already appraised every building in the city. No other building will protect your city’s inhabitants from us like the Grays Armory will.”
“Go somewhere else.”
“Not happening,” Johnny growled.
“We don’t have the authority to give you—”
“Then get it.” Plympton waved the papers at him. “With your obvious skill for fraud, I’m sure you can come up with something that will appease the people.”
“Mr. Plympton—” Blue Tie began.
“To you, this has always been about the building, but not to us. It’s about having a secure location for our people and safety for all. You’re clearly desperate to get your big road built, so you can have the building.”
He pulled his sunglasses off, revealing the wrongness on his silvered eye. The ODOT reps reacted as Johnny had.
“Trade us the Armory and the Zvonul will forget you tried to blackmail us. Don’t and . . . well, we’ll make sure the first casualties stemming from us not having a safe place to kennel will be those nearest and dearest to you.” He pointed at the reps individually, calling them each by name. They shifted uncomfortably. “Shall I name the men hidden in the darkness as well?”
Blue Tie swallowed hard.
“We’ll be ready to start our move this weekend, boys. You’d better be, too.” Plympton turned and walked away, giggling like a Cajun fool.
CHAPTER NINE
S undown was fast approaching when the cab for which I was paying an immense fare neared my farmhouse. I spied Celia’s CX-7 in the driveway and smiled. It would be good to see her and Beverley.
I glanced into the backyard, hoping to see the girl riding around on a prancing Errol, but instead I saw Celia, hands in her hair like she was extremely frustrated. She turned and saw the cab. She started running toward the front.
Something’s wrong .
It took long seconds before the cabbie made the turn. “Stop, stop,” I cried, threw money at him, and I jumped out to run up the driveway.
“What’s wrong?” I called, seeing Celia round the back corner.
“It’s Beverley.”
“What?” We stopped before each other,
Calmly, Plympton reached out and touched Johnny’s wrist.
Soothing coolness swirled around his skin. The wolf within him howled in pain and retreated.
“We’re prepared,” Blue Tie continued, “to deliver all of this documentation to our local and national news organizations. I’m sure they will be happy to write headlines about the new Domn Lup and his pack being sordidcriminals. If you don’t want to start his rule with an uphill battle to overcome those kinds of black marks—which we will put front and center for the world to see—then you really should agree to our terms now.”
Plympton laughed. It started out small and quiet, but it grew. As it lifted in volume, the tone became menacing.
“You think this is funny?” Blue Tie asked.
Plympton kept laughing. Johnny joined in, then Gregor, then Todd. They all laughed together as if there was some fantastic joke when they were in fact simply following the lead of the diviza . It was not so different from a pack lifting their voices in unison because their alpha howled.
“What?” Blue Tie asked again. The men around him shifted, uncomfortable with the evil, echoing sound. “What!”
Only when Blue Tie had clearly shown his anger did Plympton let his mirth fade. “All right, boy. If you want your road so bad, we will give you the Cleveland Cold Storage . . . in exchange for Grays Armory.” His voice continued to convey humor.
Blue Tie’s suspicion was evident. “No deal.”
Plympton shrugged. “You are forcing us out. If we have no den to kennel in, it is your public that is at risk. You don’t want us telling the media you’re willing to endanger your citizens for your road. Do you?”
“The Armory is a public historical icon and a museum.”
“Wærewolves require a fortified structure to keep the beasts inside. Our team has already appraised every building in the city. No other building will protect your city’s inhabitants from us like the Grays Armory will.”
“Go somewhere else.”
“Not happening,” Johnny growled.
“We don’t have the authority to give you—”
“Then get it.” Plympton waved the papers at him. “With your obvious skill for fraud, I’m sure you can come up with something that will appease the people.”
“Mr. Plympton—” Blue Tie began.
“To you, this has always been about the building, but not to us. It’s about having a secure location for our people and safety for all. You’re clearly desperate to get your big road built, so you can have the building.”
He pulled his sunglasses off, revealing the wrongness on his silvered eye. The ODOT reps reacted as Johnny had.
“Trade us the Armory and the Zvonul will forget you tried to blackmail us. Don’t and . . . well, we’ll make sure the first casualties stemming from us not having a safe place to kennel will be those nearest and dearest to you.” He pointed at the reps individually, calling them each by name. They shifted uncomfortably. “Shall I name the men hidden in the darkness as well?”
Blue Tie swallowed hard.
“We’ll be ready to start our move this weekend, boys. You’d better be, too.” Plympton turned and walked away, giggling like a Cajun fool.
CHAPTER NINE
S undown was fast approaching when the cab for which I was paying an immense fare neared my farmhouse. I spied Celia’s CX-7 in the driveway and smiled. It would be good to see her and Beverley.
I glanced into the backyard, hoping to see the girl riding around on a prancing Errol, but instead I saw Celia, hands in her hair like she was extremely frustrated. She turned and saw the cab. She started running toward the front.
Something’s wrong .
It took long seconds before the cabbie made the turn. “Stop, stop,” I cried, threw money at him, and I jumped out to run up the driveway.
“What’s wrong?” I called, seeing Celia round the back corner.
“It’s Beverley.”
“What?” We stopped before each other,
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