"No, naw, you got me all wrong . . . I ain't into all that. I know some real wicked motherfuckers who like that kinda thing, but thatain't never been my style. I was just wondering because I half expected a thunderbolt to come out of the sky for the kiss . . . you know, given the wings. But I guess since you ain't really supposed to be here, your people upstairs don't have your back like they should?" He peered around her. "But damn . . . I'd have your back day and night-if you'd let me."
"My people have my back," she said between her teeth. "Valkyries never leave their own."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa . . . what?"
She withdrew and angrily stared at him without blinking.
Suddenly Yonnie burst out laughing."Gitthe f**k outta here. You're a for-real Valkyrie?"
"That is my name and that is what I am. Do not cast aspersion on my mixed parentage, demon. You walk by day but carry the fangs of the undead-half human, half dreaded ones, and dare to speak ill of my-"
"Hey, I ain't talking about your people, girl. Don't get all salty on me.Chill."
He walked away from her a little to give her space, thoroughly admiring her beautiful features and voluptuous, athletic body. "I'm the last one to speak ill of a person's background, okay. So let's get that out of the way up-front. Next, I'm an old, old friend of Rivera's-before he went into the Light . . . so, I have some issues to deal with still . . . like prayer lines f**k me up. But I can take you to breakfast at this nice little caf� I know about. Maybe we can talk, girl. I'll buy you some clothes, because as much as I love the view, you're gonna have to fit in with the locals or you'll give yourself away. Then, maybe together, we can find the family? I've got some definite science I need to drop on them."
He watched her narrow her gaze as she ruefully considered her wings.
"They don't retract," she said quietly. "The humans will know what I am. I cannot go on a search for the Neterus without bringing notice their way."
"But you ain't gotno silver in your veins or anything that could be hazardous to a brother's health, right?"
"No," she said, looking away with shame. "I'm red-blooded . . . that part is human, if that's what you're asking."
Yonnie cocked his head to the side and smiled, licking his lips."Com 'ere, baby. I'm a master at illusion."
"Show me from where I stand. I still do not trust you."
"Cool," he said, waving his hand in her direction. "Look behind you."
She screamed and felt her back with her hands, panicked as she dropped her sword. Then she looked down at her clothes. She now wore a sexy red tank top, red mules, and black leather jeans."My wings!"
"They're there, just blending in really well with the background. You can still knock over people's drinks in a club, but whatever background they're up against, they'll be camouflaged . . . until you say you want them back."
"I wish I could see . . . wish I had a mirror . . . I've always wondered what it would be like to fit in with the true humans . . ."
"Ain't all it's cracked up to be,Ma. I like a woman with a little supernatural somethin'-but that's just my personal taste." Yonnie backed away and left a full-length antique mirror where he'd been standing, careful to remain on the back side of it. He watched the expression on her face slowly give way to awe as she covered her mouth and walked forward, stroking her barely visible wings and staring at her reflection.
"How did you do that . . . the mirror and my wings?"
"Aw, it ain't nothin' . . . just a little sleight of hand, boo."He studied her carefully as she turned around and stared at her image. "You're really a beautiful woman, Val. Fine as shit, with wings or without. A gangsta warrior, too . . . I might not be able to take you everywhere I gotta go . . . but I wouldn't mind hanging out with you while I try to find out what's happened to our friends."
"I can't believe you did this," she said quietly, still staring forward and then looked up at him with her beautiful, wide brown eyes.
"This ain'tnothing baby," Yonnie said in a low, seductive murmur. He ran his tongue over his incisors, willing them to stay concealed. "If you think this was da bomb, just wait till after breakfast."
CHAPTER FIVE
There was no reconciling the rage. No escape from it. Fury had burrowed itself so deeply within him that he could literally feel it pulsing through his spinal fluid. How was he just supposed to let some shit like this go? He'd delivered someone a near vegetable-who was as close to his natural father as it gets into the hands of the man's clerical brethren. For a warrior like Father Pat, for any man, as far as he was concerned, that was an indignity worse than deathitself . . . and the Darkness knew that.
"It'sgonna be all right, man," Rider said, landing a supportive palm on Carlos's shoulder.
Carlos gave him a searing sideways glance that made Rider slowly remove his hand. "How you figure?"
"All right, partner," Rider said, keeping his voice low within the assembled group. "It might not be all right.Ever." He stared at Carlos, trying to reach through the rage to reestablish their team bond. "But we've got your back, though."
"Where I might have to go," Carlos said between lengthening fangs, "I can't ask you to have my back."
"Aw'ight, man," Shabazz said, stepping into the inner ring of senior Guardians.