came next, followed by a S.W.A.T. van.
“Or… not,” Aiden said. “Sometimes I really hate this city.”
“Shit.” Charlotte pounded her fist against her thigh. “Shit, shit, shit!”
They were at a complete standstill, boxed in from all sides, nowhere to drive. Up ahead, two cops walked down from the main intersection with police dogs. Two more followed behind them, holding poles with mirrors attached to the ends. It looked like they were stopping at each car, checking out the undercarriages, talking to the drivers.
“They’re looking for someone,” Dorian said. “Or something.”
“I can’t stay here.” Charlotte unhooked her seat belt. “They want those dogs to sniff everyone’s ass for drugs or bombs? Fine. But I need to get to my sister.”
“Charlotte,” Dorian said. “Try to relax. We’ll get through this snag and—”
“You relax. My sister needs me. Now.”
“We’ll get to her as soon as we possibly can,” Dorian said. His insides churned with worry and frustration, but he kept his voice calm. “Let’s just—”
“I’m going on foot.” Charlotte pushed open the door, but Dorian caught her arm.
“Wait,” he pleaded. “We’ll cut across town as soon as we reach the next block.”
“Do you see this mess?” Charlotte gestured out the windshield up front, the cars in front of them deadlocked, police presence rapidly increasing. Construction on the other side of the street wasn’t helping matters, either. “We’re going nowhere in this.”
“She’s right, mate,” Aiden said. “You two need to go. Now. Cole and I will meet you at Perk once we get through this shit.”
Dorian clapped him on the shoulder, then climbed out of the car with Charlotte. They hadn’t even taken a step when one of the cops jogged over, hand on his gun.
“Hey, hey, hey!” He shouted at them. “Back in the car.”
“What’s going on?” Dorian asked.
“Just another day in fuckin’ paradise,” the cop deadpanned. “You can read all about it in the morning papers. Now, get back in the car.”
“Actually, we’re going to leave, and you’re going to turn around and forget you ever saw us.” Dorian smiled at the cop, hitting him with a deep wave of compulsion until the man could no longer remember why he’d harassed them in the first place.
Then, without a second to lose, he wrapped Charlotte in his arms and blurred them down Park Avenue, leaving fuckin’ paradise behind.
Dorian stopped on Park and Eighty-Third Street, just a couple of blocks from the coffee shop. Now that they’d passed the police mess, this part of the street was desolate at the late hour, the high-end shops and restaurants closed for the night, the foot traffic non-existent.
“What are we doing?” Charlotte asked, breathless after the blur. “It’s… it’s this way!”
She turned to bolt, but Dorian grabbed her arm.
“Charlotte, wait. Listen to me. Whatever’s going on, it’s almost certainly a trap. Sasha said for you to come alone.”
“Of course it’s a trap, but we can’t just leave her there.”
“No. But we also can’t just charge in without—”
“Dorian!” Charlotte’s eyes widened with new fear. “Behind you!”
He spun around just in time to catch two vampires blurring into view, trailed by a demon.
Two members of House Duchanes and a Rogozin half-wit.
Bloody fucking hell.
“Charlotte?” Dorian glanced at her over his shoulder. “Run.”
“But you—”
“Get to your sister,” he ordered. “I’ll be right behind you.” Then, as the dark hunger swept through him and the fangs burned through his gums, he shot her one last wicked grin. “Just as soon as I finish my snack.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
The night was black and sinister as Charley approached the wide alley that led to Perk’s delivery entrance, her nerves raw, her eyes alert.
The vampires and demons had paid her no mind as she’d made her quick escape. Those assholes only had eyes for Dorian, and those assholes didn’t stand a chance. Two sickly looking vampires and a raggedy-ass demon against the Redthorne King? Yeah, good luck.
At least, that’s what she told herself as she crept toward the café.
Dorian could take care of himself. He had to.
Right now, she had to get to Sasha.
In the distance, a clunky street-sweeping truck whooshed along the avenue like a damn freight train. But back here, long before the morning deliveries were set to arrive, the alley was quiet, dark, and deserted.
Charley’s instincts were screaming at her to get out of there. Dorian was right—the whole setup screamed trap, but what choice did she have? Two hours had already passed since Sasha’s text. There was no time for fear or second-guessing.
Cell phone in hand, she moved further into the darkness.
Up ahead she