“Yes, sir.”
Waldgrave dismissed his disciple with a quick jerk of his head, leaving him to his thoughts and plans.
He wouldn’t fail Her. He would never fail Her.
Neecy opened Arri’s door but found her bed empty and made. The girl even made hospital corners. Obsessive compulsives were so odd.
Charging down the stairs, Neecy desperately searched for her friend. She got up later than she meant to and she had to get into the city, but she wanted to talk to Arri and help her ease into this. She’d be freaked out. Scared. Neecy wanted to help her through that as much as she could.
She pulled her backpack on and checked the living room, the study, the library, and quickly headed toward the kitchen. Neecy pushed open the swinging door and froze in the doorway.
“Okay, okay. Tell ‘em. Tell ‘em.” Katie handed Arri a cup of coffee.
Arri, sitting on the kitchen counter, took it and shook her head. “Well…you’re a dark, dark red. Passionate.”
The room full of Crows laughed and Katie struck a little pose. “That’s right. I’m passionate! Now pay up! I told ya bitches I was red!”
Giggling, Arri looked past the women and saw Neecy. She gave her a wide grin.
Neecy didn’t need to read auras to know her little friend would be fine.
Neecy mouthed, “I gotta go. Talk later.”
Arri nodded as Connie re-‐hashed the story from the previous night’s hunt. “Like one second we were just standing there, kicking ass, and the next we were being blown away…literally!”
Neecy left the kitchen and headed toward the front door. Now she was really late. Luckily it still hadn’t snowed, so she could ride her bike into the city.
Rushing out the door, Didi who’d abruptly come out of her office called after her, “And don’t forget tonight!”
“Yeah. Sure.” Neecy didn’t know what Didi meant, but she was in too big a rush to actually give a shit.
Neecy stared at the five women standing in her doorway. They all wore gorgeous black cocktail dresses and had their hair and nails done.
Her hair still wet from a recent shower, Neecy mustered up a calm she didn’t feel. “I am not going to a Valkyrie party.”
When Neecy arrived in the city that morning, she immediately went to the university to meet with the doctorate and masters students she advised and deal with her classes. After a full day of that, she did a little food shopping and then headed home for a night of Law & Order reruns and pasta. As far as she was concerned, that plan had not changed.
“Oh, yes. You are going.” Didi took a step toward her and Neecy crossed her arms in front of her chest, her feet braced apart.
“Forget it. This is above and beyond the call of Skuld duty. Besides, I thought Delia and her team goes to these things.”
“I have her handling the Hunter situation.”
“So I heard,” Neecy couldn’t help but sneer. She should be handling the current Hunter situation. Not that Delia wouldn’t do a good job, but Neecy was second in command. Not Delia. Hunting down these idiots and using their heads as golf balls should belong to Neecy.
Didi snapped her fingers. “Show her.”
Janelle reached into a Macy’s bag and pulled out a sleeveless black cocktail dress.
“What is that for?”
“It’s for you to wear.”
Neecy shook her head. “Forget it. You ain’t gettin’ me in that dress. And you ain’t gettin’ me to that party. So you bitches might as well just keep steppin’.”
Ducking her head, Arri stepped back as the other women stepped forward. It was when Janelle cracked her knuckles, though, that Neecy became seriously concerned.
Elder-‐Raven Skellan watched quietly as a small group of women dragged a bound and gagged woman out of a limo.
He’d only come out to take a cigarette break before they served dinner. He never expected a floorshow.
Together, five women hauled the woman out onto the curb and stood her up.
She immediately began to struggle, but a really large blonde put her in a headlock while a tiny redhead handled untying the ropes.
He’d been a Boy Scout in his youth…those were good knots.
They kept the gag on and kept her in the headlock as they headed toward the hotel entrance.
A pretty black woman looked at him and waved. “Hi, Skellan!”
Suddenly recognizing her, “Hey, Didi. Everything…uh…okay?”
“Oh, sure!”
“How’s Harry?”
“Oh, he’s great. I’ll see ya inside, hon.”
“Sure. See ya inside.”
Nope. You just never knew what would happen at a Valkyrie party when Crows were invited. Dropping his unfinished cigarette, Skellan headed toward the entrance. No way would he miss any of this.
“Stop frowning, Neecy.”
The crazy bitches finally released her and Neecy yanked off her gag. “You mother…”
“Don’t you dare, Neecy Lawrence!” Didi barked. “Just get over it. You’re here for the night.”
“I don’t want to be here.”
“I don’t care.”
The women all handed over their coats. Neecy refused to take off hers, so Janelle snatched it off her back.
“I’m so gonna get you for this,” she snarled at Janelle.
“Blah. Blah. Blah,” Janelle said with a smile. Since she was pretty much following a Crow leader’s orders, there was really nothing to nail her for. But Neecy would find something. If it took her the rest of her second-‐life…she’d find something!
“All right, Ladies. Listen up.”
Neecy crossed her eyes while the other five Crows turned to face Didi.
“Remember what I said, ladies. No spitting. No punching. No kicking. No telling anyone you’ll cut their throat when they’re asleep.”
“Hey!” Neecy snapped. “That was one time!”
Didi didn’t even glance at her. “We are here, ladies, to represent The Gathering and our Goddess.” She drew herself up to her mighty five-‐five height, which Neecy at her cool six-‐one, pretty much laughed at. “So…don’t piss me the fuck off tonight. Understood?”
They all nodded except Neecy who glared instead.
Moving like the pack of killers they truly were, the women headed to the grand ballroom. Janelle stayed behind Neecy, prodding her all the way.
The Valkyries had rented out the entire hotel for the night. Must have cost them a pretty penny, she was sure. And the Crows would be seriously outnumbered.
Her little group the only ones willing to make the effort to attend.
They reached the doorway and Didi stopped.
She threw back her shoulders and Neecy knew what was coming. It was the middle of winter, but they all had on strapless cocktail dresses, perfect for what they were.
Chicks with wings.
“Ladies,” Didi smiled. “Unfurl.”
Mike’s head snapped back and he grabbed his nose. “What did I say?”
Yager didn’t answer him. Just picked up his scotch and took another sip. He’d broken the boy’s nose long ago. Now he took pleasure in messing with the little bit of cartilage left any time the pissant got out of hand. Like now.
“It’s not like I asked if she swallowed.”
Yager jerked, just a little, and Mike jumped back away from him. He took another sip of his drink to hide his smile.
“Yager. I’m so glad you came.”
Yager looked down at Cassie Bennet, once called Cassie Blue—her stage name.
He had to admit, the woman had some talent, but only where stripping was concerned. When it came to being a Valkyrie…well, he knew better.
Glancing down at her, he noted Cassie’s sinfully short silver dress. It barely covered her prominent ass. And he knew she probably only wore a thong and not much else under it. Add in the silver “fuck me” pumps and Cassie was quite the recipe for hot, dirty fucking. He knew he could take her to the bathroom right now and nail her up against one of the stalls. And when he was fifteen, he would have been all over that like a bad rash.