that every cloud had a silver lining. She’d snorted at it at the time, but Sofia had just helped her see the silver lining in the cloud that had hung over her life for ages. If she hadn’t been attacked, first by those soldiers from the bar, and then by Juan, she wouldn’t have everything she did today, and she had a lot.
Smiling faintly at the idea, Ildaria closed up the program and the computer, and then scooped up a sleepy H.D., murmuring, “Time to go upstairs, buddy. Do you need to potty?”
Twisting his head, H.D. gave her cheek a swipe with his tongue and Ildaria smiled. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
H.D. could have walked, but she had to take him out into the hall leading to the bathrooms and bar. She didn’t trust the little guy not to take off on her and rush into the bar so she always carried him out when she finished up for the night. It was that or a leash, and leashing him in what was basically his home seemed cruel.
The noise from the bar when she stepped out into the hall made her glance toward the tables. Someone had the jukebox on and there was the general rumble of conversation, but it was loud enough to suggest it was busier than usual for a Wednesday.
Shrugging, Ildaria turned left and pushed through the door leading to the outer door and the stairs to the apartments, then continued through the outer door into the parking area.
Once he had possession of the Night Club, G.G. had brought in landscapers to break up the pavement in the parking space nearest the door and put in a green space for H.D. to do his business. Ildaria set the fur ball down there and leaned against the wall as she waited for him to be done. It could be a time-consuming event, since H.D. tended to sniff almost every inch of the grass twice before deciding on the spot he wanted to use this time. She didn’t know if he was sniffing to be sure his turf hadn’t been invaded, or looking for the freshest spot, but she didn’t mind usually. She suspected she’d be less patient when winter came with its biting cold, but was hoping H.D. would be less picky then.
H.D. had just finished and was kicking at the grass with his back feet when the door beside her opened. Ildaria didn’t glance around to see who had exited the building. Regular customers sometimes parked in the small lot back here, and she was more concerned with grabbing H.D. before he launched into barking and ankle biting mode and went after the exiting patrons.
“Angelina Pimienta?”
Ildaria froze just steps from H.D., a shaft of ice sliding up the back of her neck at the use of her birth name spoken with a deep Spanish accent. This hadn’t happened for a very long time. Not for over a century and not since she’d left South America. Still, it brought about the same response as it had the last time it had happened. Her body surged with adrenaline and she crouched and spun, attacking before she could be attacked.
Ildaria didn’t exactly look like a kick-ass fighter. But she was. Two hundred years of training in everything from Capoeira to Vale Tudo had made her a finely honed weapon, and while the Enforcers she’d gone up against had always been surprisingly careful not to hurt her, trying to restrain rather than maim, she didn’t pull punches or hold back on kicks in return, at least not with immortals. She struck with purpose, not satisfied unless she heard the crunch or snap of bones breaking. Ildaria did the same now, her leg coming up as she spun, aiming for the general direction the voice had come from. She was right on the mark, connecting with the speaker’s face. Ildaria had forgotten that she was wearing high heels, but didn’t feel the least guilty when her stiletto pierced the man’s cheek. It was just inconvenient because she had to leave her shoe behind or be slowed down trying to drag it out again, and there was no time for that. The man wasn’t alone. A curse, and movement to her side alerted her to that and she turned abruptly to see a large brute with dark hair charging, arms open to try to grab her.
Ildaria almost dropped and swept his feet, but then spotted H.D. attached to the man’s ankle. The