those two years of community theater worthwhile,” she said, and pinned me with a glance.
I waited for a moment, then took a step back, lifted my hands as if in peace. My face was a model of contrition.
“You aren’t bad yourself,” she said. “Vampire thing?”
“Constantly playing a role,” I agreed. “Why don’t you buy it?”
Gwen looked back at the door. “Because I’m a skilled and experienced investigator. She shows none of the typical characteristics of a person who’s been assaulted—no fear, no concern. She seemed very eager to put the blame on vampires without any hard evidence a vampire was involved. The attacker might have been familiar, except she couldn’t actually see his face. And there’s nothing near the corner of the bar that indicates a fight took place. None of her blood, none of his. Given the size of her cut, she should have left something behind.”
“So what will you do now?”
“I took her statement, and I’ll file a report, and I’ll continue to investigate. Because my suspicions are just suspicions until I have more evidence.”
I nodded. “Thanks for handling this carefully.”
She moved to the door of her vehicle, opened it. “You don’t know me, so I’ll excuse that. But I handle everything carefully. It’s kind of my thing.”
* * *
* * *
Gwen left, and I waited outside for Connor and Theo to emerge, but ten minutes passed in relative silence, but for the thump of raucous music from the bar.
It took long enough that I was a little afraid Miranda had started some new nonsense that had embroiled my friends, so I walked inside again, found Connor and Theo with Gabriel in the lobby. His expression was fierce. And when I walked in, he aimed it at me.
“I’m not sure I should let you in here.”
But when I reached Connor, I felt his fingertips brush against mine. Confirmation we were still playing the game, and it was the Pack’s turn to take a little of theirs. At least, I presumed that was why the air roiled with magic.
Since I was potentially the root cause, I couldn’t really blame them—and had my own part to play. I wouldn’t take calling out without a fight, even from Connor’s dad. So I tipped up my chin. “Since I’m not the one who hurt Miranda, there’s no reason not to let me in here. You’ve got no evidence a vampire did this to her. And even if you did, I’m not that vampire.”
Gabriel’s lip curled. “They’re in Chicago because of you.”
“Wrong. If it’s the AAM, they’re in Chicago because of your Pack,” I countered. “But for their bad acts in Minnesota, I wouldn’t have needed to save Carlie’s life.”
I saw the truth in his eyes and almost regretted my words. But their truth insulated me from that guilt.
Something crashed nearby, and all eyes turned to the bar, where the sounds of a scuffle erupted. Then crashing, and the quick pop of magic. Fights were pretty run of the mill, but this must have been different, as Gabriel’s eyes narrowed, and then he turned to me.
“You want to help?” Gabe asked, throwing back the promise I’d made after Connor had been hurt. “Go deal with that.”
He stalked away; after a last look, Connor followed him.
There was another crash from the bar, a cloud of acrid magic.
“This is punishment, right?” Theo asked.
“Yes,” I said and headed for the door. “Yes, it is.” I glanced back at him. “You ever been in a shifter bar before?”
“No.” He lifted his brows. “Should I be concerned?”
“Yes. And avoid the claws.”
* * *
* * *
The bar lined the far wall, a stage at one end. Tables and chairs usually filled the space in the middle, squeezed together over hard concrete floors. It smelled like alcohol, cigars, and shifter. And right now, blood and magic.
Two of the tables had been upended, and Daniel Liu stood in the clearing with a shifter I didn’t recognize. About the same age, with ruddy skin, shorn auburn hair, and blue eyes that gleamed at Dan with considerable hatred. A bruise was already blooming across his jaw, and blood from a cut above Dan’s eye had streamed a line of crimson down his face.
Shifter blood, potent with magic and power, was more than a little tempting. But I pushed the desire back, lifted my chin, and surveyed the two men—and the twenty who’d gathered around them.
“Problem, gentlemen?”
Dan shifted his gaze to look at me, eyes widening. The stranger didn’t bother. Just sniffed the air.