on it lightly before hurrying back to her own room.
It was a poor substitute for family or friends, but perhaps it would help the girl sleep better, just as it had helped Mouse.
Chapter 5
Christoph stood stiff as a board in front of a pay phone down a lonely, dismal New York street. The roads were unfamiliar, the scents numbered too many, and he was feeling like he’d been kicked in the nuts and had his nose rubbed in his own ego.
The phone in his hand was ringing. On the seventh ring he hung up. At least he was getting further into the phone call. Last time it had been three rings. He picked up the phone and dialed again.
Ring...ring...ring...ring...ring...rin—
“I have twenty-one missed calls from this number. Speak or I will track you down and take pleasure in eating you.”
Christoph almost hung up again. Instead, an involuntary cough of respect forced its way out of his throat. He sounded more congested than mindful of his elders. And this was the second most important elder he would ever speak with.
“Hello, sir.” His voice was strained, thin.
“Christoph? How goes the meet-and-greet?” Gregory asked.
“That’s what I’m calling about. Is—is Gavin nearby?”
“No, he’s at home.” Gregory paused. Suspicion colored his voice. “Why? What happened? Where is the cub?”
‘Enjoying indentured servitude under a vampire,’ Christoph thought bleakly. His mouth was dry, knees weak.
“There’s been a sort of... thing.”
“A thing? What thing? What is going on out there?” Gregory snarled. Literally snarled.
There was no way around it. “The vampire I fought in the convenience store showed up again on the subway. We tussled again so now he’s looking for amends and he figured having Analie around for the next five years or so would be good.”
There was a long silence. Then Christoph jerked the phone away from his ear as a ravening, furious, murderous roaring exploded from the receiver. It sounded like Gregory had shifted. It took him a long while to calm down and shift back so he could speak.
“Five years?! Servitude?! Under a vampire?! What in the hell have you done?! What about the territory? What did the alphas have to say?”
“No,” Christoph said, his voice little more than a thin whimper.
“Damn you to the Pits of Agothar!”
Christoph didn’t know what the Pits of Agothar were, but he figured they couldn’t be a very nice place at all.
“She’s Gavin’s cub. She’s his daughter by everything but blood! You lost Gavin’s cub and a stake in New York. New-fucking-York!” Gregory was panting, snarling. “Okay, fine. Territory lost. We’ll think about that later. The cub is our priority. Where is she? Do you know? Is this the same guy you ‘killed’?”
This conversation could not get any worse.
“Y-yeah, same one. Um... it’s a guy. He’s sorta well-known.”
“Who? What the hell did you do, Christoph?”
Christoph’s voice constricted into a strained whisper. “Alec Royce.”
The sound that came from the other end of the line was positively incoherent. Christoph covered his face with his free hand. It took some time before Gregory could speak again, and his voice had taken on a tone of icy, barely controlled rage.
“Alec Royce. You lost Gavin’s cub to Alec Royce. Bad enough she’s a slave to a leech, now you’ve gone and handed her over to the most powerful leech in the country. Brilliant. Wonderful. If you call Gavin, I am not responsible for what happens to you.”
“Wait—you’re not going to tell him?” Christoph asked, stunned.
“Tell him? Are you insane? No, to Gavin, Analie is doing fine. Her stay in New York was requested by the alphas and condoned by ours. They find her charming. She is learning more about the New York Weres. She is enjoying her stay. She sends her love. Whatever. Gavin will not find out about this unbelievable screw-up until after she is home. Stay in New York. We’ll deal with you later. And use your cell from now on, damn it.”
“Okay,” Christoph said, feeling ill.
“This is bad. We can’t have a war and we can’t leave her there. Damn. Let me think. We’ll—” Gregory was cut off abruptly. There was a loud thump as the cell phone dropped and the sound of Gregory hitting the floor soon after, coughing with respect. Christoph heard someone pick up the cell.
“We will be in New York by tomorrow. Stay where you are, and tell Gregory where we are to meet you. Contact no one but him on this matter. Stay out of trouble. If I hear of any more misfortune connected with you,