really weird message in the general voice mail. Some guy wanting to speak with you."
"He asked for me by name?"
"Actually, he was a little hard to follow because he was so wired, but he mentioned your scar."
Bella's brother? Z wondered. Although now that she was back out in the world, what would that male have to bitch about?
Well... other than the fact that his sister had been serviced in her need and there was no mating ceremony on the calendar. Yeah, that was something a brother would get pissed over.
"What's the callback number?"
Vishous recited the pattern of digits. "And he left the name Ormond."
Guess Bella's big, bad older bro wasn't it. "Ormond? That's a human name."
"Couldn't tell you. So you might want to take this careful."
Z hung up, dialed slowly, and waited, hoping he'd managed to hit the right numbers.
When the call was answered, there was no hello on the other end of the line. Just a low male voice that said, "Out of my network and untraceable. So it must be you, Brother."
"And you are?"
"I want to meet you in person."
"Sorry, I'm not into dating."
"Yeah, I can imagine with that face of yours you don't have much luck there. But I don't want you for sex."
"I'm so relieved. Now who the fuck are you?"
"My first name is David. Ring any bells?"
Fury clouded Z's vision until all he saw were the marks on Bella's stomach. He squeezed the phone until he heard the thing squeak, but he was through with the hotheaded stuff.
Forcing his voice into a drawl, he said, " 'Fraid not, Davy. But refresh my memory."
"You took what is mine."
"I steal your wallet? I would have remembered that."
"My woman!" the lesser screamed.
Every marking instinct in Z's body fired off at once, and there was no holding back the growl that came out of his mouth. He whipped the phone away from his face until the sound faded.
"... too close to dawn."
"What was that?" Z said with a nasty edge. "Bad connection."
"You think this is a fucking joke?" the lesser spat.
"Easy, there, wouldn't want you to throw an embolism."
The slayer panted with fury, but then got himself under control. "I want to meet you at nightfall. We've got a lot of ground to cover, you and I, and I don't want to be rushed by dawn. Besides, I've been busy the last few hours and I need a break. I took out one of your females, a nice-looking redhead. Popped her a good one. Buh-bye."
Now Z's growl got into the phone. The slayer laughed. "You Brothers are so protective, aren't you. Well, how about this. I got myself another one. Another female. I persuaded her to give me that number I dialed to find you. She was really forthcoming. Cute little blonde, too."
Z's hand went to one of his dagger handles. "Where do you want to meet?"
There was a pause. "First the terms. Naturally I want you to come alone, and here's how we're going to make sure that happens." Z heard a female moan in the background. "Any of my associates catch your Brothers around and this one gets sliced up. All it will take is a phone call. And they will do it slowly."
Zsadist shut his eyes. He'd so had it with death and suffering and pain. His own and others'. That poor female... "Where?"
"Six-o'clock showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show in Lucas Square. You sit in the back. I'll find you."
The phone went dead, only to ring again immediately.
Now V's voice was strangled. "We have a situation. Bella's brother found Wellsie shot in his driveway. Get back home, Z. Right now."
John watched from across the desk as Tohr hung up the phone. The man's hands were shaking so badly the receiver rattled in its cradle.
"She probably forgot to turn that cell on. Lemme try the house again." Tohr picked up. Dialed quickly. Flubbed the numbers so he had to start over. And all the while he was rubbing at the center of his chest, his shirt in disarray.
As Tohr stared into space, frozen as their home phone rang, John heard footfalls coming down the hallway to the office. A horrible feeling went through him like a fever's bloom. He glanced at the door, then shifted his eyes to Tohr again.
Tohr obviously heard the heavy pounding, too. In slow motion he let the receiver fall to the desk, the sound of the ringing over the open line loud in the room. His eyes fixated on the