Chapter Eighteen

Chapter 18

B ack at her shop, Selene and her sisters took turns in the shower, then scrambled through Selene's closet for clean clothes. Then they crowded in the store with her, hovering like a bunch of mother hens. "I don't need five babysitters. You all can go home," she said, more irritably than she'd intended.

"We made a promise to have someone with you at all times," Deme said.

Aurai slipped her arm around Selene's waist and hugged her close. "If there's any chance someone might target you, he'll have to go through one or all of us."

"If you're trying to scare me," Selene grumbled, "it's working."

"Be serious, Selene." Brigid tossed a fireball in her palm. "We won't let what happened to Aurai, happen to you."

Selene gave her flame-throwing sister a pointed look. "We defeated the Chimera. The chances are pretty slim that there's another lurking beneath the city."

"That might be true. But this family sticks together." Gina stuck her hand in the center of the circle of sisters. "No witch left behind."

Brigid, Deme and Aurai covered Gina's hand with ones of their own.

Selene sighed and laid her hand over top for a brief show of force, then dropped it to her side. "I appreciate your concern, but right now, I could use a little alone time to gather my thoughts."

"And think about the dreamy Gryphon Leone?" Aurai grinned. "He's very handsome without his shirt, what with all those lovely muscles and those six-pack abs." She fanned herself with her hand. "How does the rest of him stack up?"

"Aurai!" Selene's cheeks burned. "That's not something we discuss."

"Don't be such a prude, Selene." Aurai planted a fist on her hip. "I'm twenty-one and not a virgin. We all know you and the shifter are doing the nasty."

Her cheeks on fire, Selene turned away and punched the button on the shop's answering machine.

Selene had no fewer than fifteen messages from the combined forces of Mrs. Stockton and Mrs. Washburn. Each woman demanded to know why the costumes hadn't been delivered to the hotel with the charity ball only a day away.

"Damn." Selene clapped a hand to her forehead.

"What's wrong?"

"In all the excitement, I forgot to deliver the costumes. They were supposed to be at the hotel yesterday afternoon."

"We can deliver them," Gina offered.

Selene shook her head. "Deme, you and Brigid have a murderer to find. I would think your time would be better served out beating the streets to find the black wolf."

Brigid's cell phone buzzed and she glanced down at the display screen. "Speak of the devil, it's the boss." She punched the talk button, turned and walked a few steps away.

"We can't leave you alone," Deme said softly, but in that firm tone of an oldest sister used to giving orders. "Even if we can't all stay, at least one of us will be with you at all times."

Selene knew they were hanging around because they cared. "Thanks."

Brigid ended her call and turned back to the group. "Well, Deme, that was our cue. The lieutenant got a tip on a secret meeting location of an unnamed wolf pack. We're to meet Cal at the station and go from there back to Archer Heights."

Deme gave Selene a stern look. "Stay with one of your sisters. Having backup isn't a sign of weakness."

"Tell me about it." Brigid snorted. "Deme saved my ass on our last assignment against that telepathic demon who tried to get me into his car. If she hadn't been there, who knows what he'd have done."

Selene nodded. "I get it. I'll keep a backup. Now go. We need to find that wolf before he attacks again. Call me if you need me to help with the investigation. And don't forget, I need help tomorrow night getting the waitstaff ready for the charity ball."

"We won't forget," Deme said over her shoulder as she followed Brigid out.

Gina and Aurai stuck to Selene like glue. They rode with her to the seamstress's shop to collect the costumes and back to Selene's to unpack and check over each garment. She ended up pulling five costumes of the hundred for rework. She and her sisters delivered the rest to the hotel in ten boxes.

When they returned to Selene's apartment, all three women flopped into chairs, exhausted.

"I think I could sleep for days," Aurai said, yawning into her palm.

"Nothing like fighting wolves and escaping a tunnel collapse to get your blood humming." Gina leaned her head back, closing her eyes. "But I think delivering costumes wore me out even more." She tipped her head up and stared at Selene. "How do you do it?"

"How do you clean fish tanks all the time?" Selene shivered. "All that slime and fish poop gives me the heebie-jeebies."

Gina shrugged. "I love the finished product—clean water and happy fish."

"Same here. I like the finished product of beautifully dressed people."

"Speaking of beautifully dressed people..." Gina's eyes narrowed. "What are you wearing to the ball? Are you keeping your gown a surprise or something?"

Selene blinked. "I haven't got a gown because I'm not attending the ball. You know how expensive the tickets are."

"Let me get this straight..." Aurai's brows rose. "You don't get in free for all the work you've done?"

"I'm getting paid for my work. That's enough for me. Besides, the ticket money goes to a children's charity. It's a good cause."

"Oh, come on, admit it," Gina said. "You'd love to go to that ball."

"Think of the hundreds of yards of expensive fabric and gowns made by the world's top designers," Aurai continued, painting a picture with her words. "Sparkling jewels, gorgeous hairstyles, the crème de la crème of Chicago society decked out in their finest. A ball fit for royalty." She swung out her arm with dramatic flourish.

Selene had dreamed about attending, imagining the beauty of the decorations and the people dressed in their finest. It would be truly magical. But even with the money she'd make with the fairy costumes she'd designed for the staff, she couldn't afford to plunk down thousands for a ticket. "It's just a ball. They're only people. I have no interest in going," she lied.

"Aren't you in the least interested in seeing Gryphon in a tux?" Aurai's sly smile didn't fool Selene a bit. The girl was digging for information.

Again, Selene felt it necessary to lie. "No."

"Oh, come on, can't you imagine all those fabulous muscles contained in a tailored black tux." Aurai smacked her lips. "Yum."

Hell, yeah, she'd imagined Gryph in a tux. But she'd seen him in a whole lot less, leaning over her in the bed, making love to her until she cried out. Heat spread down her neck into her chest and lower, pooling between her legs.

As tired as she was, Selene pushed out of her chair and paced the floor. Sure, like any woman who loved fashion and beautiful clothes, she'd dreamed of attending a beautiful ball with music, dancing and men dressed in tuxedoes.

But this was different. Gryph was sponsoring the event and he hadn't invited her or expressed a desire for her to be there. It was a charity event he would barely tolerate and at which he'd probably make a five-minute appearance. Why should she want to be there with the backbiting society matrons picking apart every woman's outfit and hairstyle like the fashion police of Chicago? "Besides, I'm sure it's too late to purchase a ticket anyway."

"Ah ha!" Aurai sat up straight and pointed a finger at Selene. "I knew you wanted to go." She pulled her smart phone out of her pocket and clicked buttons.

Selene frowned. "What are you doing?"

"Going online to find a ticket for you," she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Oh, no you don't." Selene snatched the phone from her hands.

Aurai lunged for it.

Gina plucked the phone from Selene's hand and swung away. "Here's the website."

Aurai wrapped Selene in a hug, trapping her arms against her sides.

Selene struggled to free herself. "Let go. I'm not going to the ball. There are more important things to be concerned about."

Ignoring her protests, Aurai asked, "Any tickets left?"

A long pause and Gina looked up, her lips turning down on the corners. "Sold out."

Aurai released Selene.

"See?" Selene stepped away from her sister, hiding her disappointment. "It wasn't meant to be.

Not as convinced she should give up, Aurai touched a finger to her chin. "We have to think of a way to get her in."

"I'm not going."

Aurai grinned at Gina. "She doth protest too much, methinks."

"Me, too."

Selene rolled her eyes then pinched the bridge of her nose to force back the growing headache. "I need rest. Tomorrow is a busy day. I have five costumes to alter and deliver, and I want to be in the staff area before it starts to make sure everything fits and looks right." And maybe she'd catch a glimpse of Gryph. Selene glanced at her wristwatch and swallowed a groan. She hadn't been with him for all of six hours and she was counting the minutes until she saw him again.

Damn. She had a business, a home and her sisters. She didn't need the complication of falling for a man, much less falling for a man who wasn't human.

Gina's eyes narrowed. "Are you in love with him?"

Damn. Was everyone becoming a mind reader? Selene shook her head. "No, no, I'm not. Other than an animal attraction—no pun intended—he's not my type."

"You mean your type isn't tall, broad-shouldered and gorgeous?"

"Look, I'm not in the market for happily ever after."

"So, you're in the market for miserable and lonely?"

"Of course not. I'm not miserable, and I'm not lonely."

"Then why have you been checking the time ever since we left the Lair?"

Her cheeks burned and the heat spread down her neck. "I'm not watching the clock." Unable to stop herself, she glanced at her watch again. This time she did groan. "Okay, so I'm clock-watching. The ball isn't very far off. I'm tense, keyed-up and second-guessing my work."

Gina snorted. "Yeah."

"Honey..." Aurai crossed her arms over her chest, her lips twisting into a wry grin. "You're wondering when Gryph will walk through that door, sweep you off your feet and kiss you like there's not gonna be a tomorrow."

"No, I'm not." Though the thought made her knees weak. She had to admit she was disappointed he hadn't come by to check on her. The sun had set and still he hadn't dropped in or called. "I'm going to get a shower and go to bed."

"I call dibs on the couch," Gina said.

Aurai shrugged. "Fine. I'll take the chaise. I feel decadent when I sit on it." The piece was in a rose-and-burgundy red fabric, an antique from a 1930s boudoir. Selene had found it scuffed and torn in a flea market. She'd brought it home and lovingly restored it to its former glory.

"You two do whatever makes you happy. Good night."

Selene grabbed clean underwear and her favorite, worn nightgown and headed down the hallway to the only bathroom, closing the door behind her.

As she stripped out of her clothing, she couldn't help thinking about Gryph. Standing naked in front of the tub, she touched her fingers to her breasts, imagining Gryph's hands there instead of her own. So sensitized by her imagination, her nipples tightened into hard little buds. The least little flick set off electrical charges, bursting along her skin and sending a rush of liquid lust to her core.

She stepped beneath the shower's spray and let the water wash down her chest to the mound of curls over her sex. A soft moan left her throat.

"Are you all right in there?" Gina asked.

Selene raised hands to her taut nipples and said, "Yes." More than all right, she was well on her way to one-handed sex. It would be every bit as good as the real deal she'd shared with Gryph.

Yeah, right.

"Let us know if you need anything," Gina called out.

She needed something, all right—a man. And not just any man. Gryphon Leone was the only man who knew exactly how to scratch her itch. But he had too much on his mind to think about her. Lives depended on him. Sex was only a distraction.

She built a foaming lather with the bar of soap and slid her hands down over her breasts, plumping them in the warm water, continuing the descent to her nether regions. Her channel clenched in anticipation. If only her hands weren't so soft. If only they were the big coarse hands of a man who did more than push paper for a living.

She parted her folds and stroked herself with the tip of her finger, sending shards of sensations shooting across her nerves, lighting a fire deep in her core. Her breath caught in her throat and she stroked again. She wished Gryph was there. He was so much better at this. But in a pinch...

Dipping a finger into her channel, she swirled it around, testing how wet and ready she was.

For what? Her battery-powered pleasure device? Who was she kidding? Nothing was better than the real thing. Yet, she'd been as guilty about pushing Gryph away as he'd been. By the goddess, she wanted him!

She rinsed the suds and lathered her hair with the sweet scented shampoo, scrubbing hard as if to wash the man out of her head before she ducked under the water.

A scraping sound penetrated the blast of water in her ears. She pulled back out of the water to listen.

At the same time, big rough hands slipped around her belly and pulled her back against a hard, muscular body.

She tensed, sucked in enough air to scream.

"Shh. It's me," Gryph whispered against her ear.

Leaning into him she let go of the tension of the day, reveling in a different kind of tautness blossoming in her belly and spreading outward. She reached behind her and grasped his buttocks, pressing him into her, his member nudging her behind.

"How did you avoid the gauntlet of my sisters?"

"What gauntlet? The minute I arrived, they disappeared."

"Some protection they were."

"They did tell me to call them if you needed anything. Do you want me to call them?" He nibbled her earlobe then trailed kisses along the curve of her neck.

"No."

"Do you want me to leave?"

"No."

"What do you want, Selene?"

She curled her fingers around his and pushed them lower, to cup her sex. "This." With her hands guiding him, she pushed one of his big fingers into her channel. "Touch me."

"My pleasure." With one finger sliding into her folds, the other rising up to cup her breast, Gryph had her complete attention.

"Holy hell, I missed you," he breathed against her skin.

"Ditto," she rasped as he flicked that highly sensitive bundle of nerves and sent her body and mind shooting skyward.

"How much?" he asked, his rough tongue sliding down her shoulder, his teeth nipping along the way.

"Enough." She turned, pressed against him, chest to chest, wrapped her arms around his neck and drew his head down until her breath mingled with his. "What took you so long?" She claimed his lips.

Laughter rumbled up his chest, dying off before it could escape his throat. He lifted her, pushing her up against the cold shower tiles, circling her legs around his waist. Nothing could cool the heat raging inside her.

Selene locked her ankles, her wet entrance rubbing against his erection. "What's taking you so long now?"

He grasped her face in his hands and then kissed her long and hard, his hips rocking against hers, yet he refused to penetrate. When he tore his lips from hers he spoke in a low growl. "Promise me..."

"Anything."

"Stop me when I get too rough." He held her motionless, his gaze glued to hers.

Selene could tell by the intensity of his expression, this meant a lot to him. She laid a hand against his cheek and brushed a kiss across his lips. "I promise."

With her gathered in his arms, he swiped the curtain aside and grabbed a foil pack from the counter. Water sprayed out on the floor.

Selene didn't care, desperate for him to slide the condom over his engorged manhood and enter her in one long powerful thrust. She ached to feel him deep inside, filling her, stretching her, making her scream with desire.

With painfully slow movements, he took his time, centering then rolling the prophylactic down.

With a tight huff, she brushed his hands aside and finished the job.

His laughter echoed against the bathroom walls, but he didn't prolong her torture, entering her like she wanted, fast and hard, driving deep, her back banging against the wall. That little bit of pain, coupled with his intense hammering, rocketed her to the edge of reason.

She dug her fingers into his shoulders and screamed out his name as her body shook with the force of her release.

* * *

Gryph rammed into her once more and held, his face tight, half-morphed into the beast. When he came back to earth, he looked down at his hands, his claws extended, digging into her buttocks, trickles of blood dripping into the shower's spray.

"Damn!" He lifted her off him and set her on her feet, turning her so that he could assess the damage, his heart squeezing hard in his chest. "You promised to stop me."

She tried to hide the puncture wounds. "They're just scratches."

"I did that."

"Yeah, and that was the best sex I've ever experienced." She reached up to cup his face, a face he knew would be half man, half beast.

Gryph knocked her hand away, regretting his anger as soon as he let loose. "I'm sorry." He stepped out of the tub onto the bath mat and reached for his clothing. "I keep saying never again, but then I can't seem to keep my hands off you."

"Then don't." She climbed out and stood in front of him, pressing a finger to his lips. "I enjoyed every moment. And if I'm not imagining it, so did you."

"I don't enjoy hurting you."

"You didn't."

"For the love of heaven, woman, you're bleeding!" He jammed his feet into his jeans and flung his shirt over his shoulder. "I'll understand if you want me to leave. Aurai said call her if you wanted her to come back tonight."

"Don't make me call her." Selene reached out with her mind. He could feel her strong pull. "Stay." She leaned into him, her hands circling his neck.

He shook his head, and dragged her arms down to her sides. "I shouldn't. Every time we make love, I hurt you."

Selene's jaw firmed. "It's okay."

"No, it's not. I don't want to." He brushed a thumb across her lips and bent to kiss her.

His phone buzzed from where he'd left it on the counter. Ignoring it, he deepened the kiss. But it buzzed again. Finally, Gryph lifted his head and stared down at Selene. "Hold that thought." Then he reached for his phone. Two text messages glowed on the screen.

The first from the lieutenant at the police department. "Got a lead on the black wolf. Call me."

Gryph's heartbeat ratcheted up and his jaw tightened. A lead on the black wolf was what he'd needed, but he didn't want Selene involved.

Selene wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her cheek against his back. "What is it?"

"I'm needed at the office."

Her arms tightened. "Now?"

He turned in her arms and pressed a kiss against her soft brown hair. "'Fraid so."

"Sure it can't wait?" she asked, her hands splaying out across his back and sinking lower.

Gryph captured her arms and pulled them away from him. "As much as I'd like to stay, I have to go. Duty calls."

"Then I'll come with you."

"No. You have a gala to prepare for."

Her lips firmed. "If I didn't, I'd go with you."

As he dressed, Gryph shot a glance at her. "I'll call Aurai and have her come stay with you."

"I'm okay on my own."

"I'd feel better if she came."

"I'd feel better if you stayed." She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face against his chest. "I wish you didn't have to go."

"Me, too." He kissed her one last time. "But I have to."

He hurried out the door and up the stairs to the street above. Night had enveloped the city in darkness, broken up by streetlights dotting every other corner. Neon lights blinked to life, advertising beer and vacancies.

Gryphon's heart throbbed with a heaviness he couldn't dispel. Reluctant to leave Selene unaccompanied, he called Aurai.

She answered with a bright "Hello."

"It's Gryph."

"Oh. Everything all right?"

"Can you stay with Selene tonight?"

"Of course," she answered. "You two have a fight?"

His hand tightened around his cell phone. "No. I want to find the black wolf."

"So you're going to join Deme, Brigid and Cal?"

"Why?" he asked, his curiosity peaked. "Where did they go?"

"Somewhere in Archer Heights. The lieutenant got a tip that the black wolf had been spotted with a pack of rogues. They went to investigate."

"Without backup?"

"I don't know. They left Gina and I in charge of being Selene's backup until you showed up."

"Why didn't they call me before they left?"

"Ha!" Her bark of laughter grated on Gryph's nerves. "You seemed to have other things on your mind."

He ignored her innuendo, focusing on what needed to be done versus what he wanted to do. "Do you know the exact location your sisters were headed?"

"No. And I don't understand why they didn't take all of us sisters. We're stronger together."

Gryph figured he'd only seen the tip of the iceberg that was the power of the five witches. "Are you good with staying with Selene?"

"I'd rather be out looking for the black wolf," Aurai admitted. "But if Selene needs me, I'm there."

"She needs you."

Aurai sighed. "Okay. I'll be there in a few minutes."

Gryph clicked the off button and walked to the end of the block, keeping to the shadows. He wouldn't leave until Aurai arrived.

While he waited, he checked in with the lieutenant and got the same information he had passed on to Cal, Deme and Brigid.

"Deme said you were a big help the other night," the lieutenant said. "They could use your assistance again, tonight."

He assured him he'd be on it as soon as he was sure Selene was safe.

As he leaned against a brick building, his gaze returned to the apartment where Selene lived. Why couldn't he control his inner beast? All his life, he'd worked hard to know the signs, to suppress the animal when it rose to the surface. With Selene, he lost all sense of time and presence. He became one with her, forgetting who and what he was.

And each time, he'd drawn blood.

Aurai arrived, parking against the curb in front of the building.

Gryph remained in the shadows until Aurai made it safely into the apartment. Then he stripped off his shirt and shoes and let his beast free.

On all fours, he ran through the streets, avoiding people, staying in the deepest shadows, out of sight. He ran until he could run no more, clearing his thoughts, grounding himself in what must be.

When he looked up to see where he was, he found himself in Archer Heights, several blocks over from the pool hall they'd barely escaped from the other night. For thirty minutes, he ran through the streets, checking any suspicious locations until he came to a group of warehouses surrounded by a run-down chain-link fence.

Slipping through the darkness, moving from shadow to shadow, he inched closer, recognizing the scent of wolves.

After studying the building for a full fifteen minutes, he located all the sentries. Wolves stood at each corner, two on the roof and one near a door at the rear of the building.

Keeping back and downwind to remain undetected, Gryph wondered what was going on inside that required guards and so many standing watch.

About the time he decided to move in, the door opened and several wolves strutted out, and then broke into a run.

Five or six men dressed in jeans and dark shirts emerged, looking back over their shoulders. The men mounted motorcycles and raced away from the building.

Gryph thought that was all of them, but then a woman in a short sexy dress and killer heels stepped out of the building and held the door.

Moments later, a large black wolf exited, head up. He paused for a moment, sniffing the air, his head moving slowly in a 180-degree turn until it stopped, his nose pointed directly at Gryph.

The hackles rose on the scruff of Gryph's neck, his muscles bunching, ready to defend his position.

After a long moment staring in Gryph's direction, the black wolf's shoulders gave what could only be considered a shrug and he turned toward the female, following her to a limousine. Again, she held the door for him. He jumped in and she climbed in beside him.

The limousine left the warehouse through an open gate, headed north.

A shiny new SUV burst from a side street. Gryph recognized Deme in the driver's seat and he leaped into the middle of the road, blocking its path, roaring so loud the sound echoed off the buildings.

The SUV screeched to a halt and Cal and Brigid dropped out, Deme remaining behind the wheel.

Cal pointed a nine-millimeter pistol at Gryph.

Brigid held a fireball in her hand, cocked and ready to throw. "You better be Gryph or you're going to get a mouthful of fire from one angry witch. I nearly wet my pants."

As proof, Gryph partially transformed to human.

Deme jerked her head and shouted, "Get in."

Cal claimed shotgun, Brigid held the back door open.

Gryph jumped in and Brigid slid in next to him.

Deme slammed her foot to the accelerator and sped after the limousine, taking a corner so fast, Brigid was thrown against him.

Brigid righted herself, a frown denting her brows. "I don't know if I'll ever get used to sitting so close to a lion shifter."

Within seconds, Gryph completed his change to human. "Better?"

She nodded. "Much." She smirked. "Though I don't know what's more disturbing. Sitting next to a changeling or a hot-bodied, naked male. I see why Selene is smitten."

Deme raced to the end of the street, where it T-junctioned, and let the SUV drift halfway past the stop sign. Everyone glanced in both directions.

The limousine was a quarter of a mile to the south, turning onto a street Gryph knew to ramp up onto the expressway.

"Hurry. If they get on the expressway too far ahead of us, we might miss what exit they take."

Deme gunned it, turning the wheel hard to the right. The back end of the SUV fishtailed and straightened before the tires got enough traction to propel the vehicle forward.

With the limousine turning farther ahead, Gryph could only hold his breath and pray they didn't lose it.

As they neared the turn the limousine had made, the SUV was rammed from behind, jolting them forward.

A black sedan with dark tinted windows slid up beside them and swerved over, broadsiding their vehicle.

"Hey!" Deme yelled. "I just got issued this SUV."

"Yeah, but now you're pissed off. What are you gonna do?" Brigid prompted as she crawled across Gryph to hit the button that slid the window downward. "I know what I'm gonna do." She balled up a flame and slung it like a professional baseball pitcher, straight at the windshield. The fireball landed and scattered, making no difference to the driver, who slammed into them again, throwing Brigid back onto her side of the vehicle.

The passenger seat window lowered and a deadly looking rifle barrel poked out.

"They have guns!" Gryph shouted.

Deme swerved toward the attacking vehicle, slamming into the passenger door.

The gunman ducked backward, the rifle barrel disappearing for a moment.

Gryph knew it wouldn't be for long. He rolled his window all the way down and, using his great balance as a feline, crawled out on the edge of the window, holding on to the oh-shit handle. When the rifle barrel poked out again, Deme jerked her steering wheel, aiming the SUV at the side of the sedan.

Gryph seized his opportunity and leaped across the small gap, grabbed the top of the other vehicle and held on as the driver jerked back and forth in an attempt to dislodge him. It only made him angrier and even more determined to bring the vehicle to a halt. The gunman leaned out, trying to get a bead on the half man, half cat clinging to the roof.

Grabbing the barrel of the weapon, Gryph yanked it out of the gunman's hands, threw it to the street and sank his claws into the man's arm, dragging him halfway out of the vehicle.

The man screamed in pain, his face elongating, his nose stretching into that of a wolf.

Before he could fully transition, Gryph jerked him the rest of the way out of the car and dropped him to the pavement.

He rolled into the path of the vehicle still trailing them, causing the driver to slam on his brakes too late to avoid the body.

The car hit the shifter and bumped over him before it came to a halt straddling the limp form. Another gunman leaned out the passenger seat window aiming at Gryph, who was still clinging to the rooftop.

A bullet pinged into the metal roof near his hand. Another shattered the back windshield.

The driver continued to swerve back and forth as they neared the ramp to the expressway. The limousine had pulled way ahead, cleared the ramp and shot into the ever-present Chicago traffic.

Deme rammed the sedan with the heavier SUV, forcing the car up on a sidewalk, headed straight for a telephone pole.

Gryph saw it and leaped to the side at the last minute, hit the ground and rolled to his feet as metal crashed into wood.

Deme brought the SUV to a halt and all three passengers jumped out.

"You okay?" Deme asked.

Gryph straightened and dusted himself off before going back to the vehicle wrapped around the pole.

"Quite the acrobat." Brigid chuckled as she caught up to him. "Kind of handy to have around, ya know?"

"Deme, call for an ambulance and also have them run the license plate while we check for survivors and take care of the tail vehicle," Cal ordered.

Gryph glanced into the vehicle—the people inside weren't moving. A driver, and a passenger in the backseat. The vehicle that had run over the gunman wasn't going anywhere and the occupants were bailing.

Gryph roared, dropped to all four paws and ran after them, catching the slowest man, letting the others go. They'd lost heart in shooting him, preferring to sacrifice one of their own to guarantee their escape.

Gryph pounced on the slowest man, slamming him face-first into the pavement. When the man tried to get up, he planted a foot in the middle of his back and applied enough pressure to keep him immobile.

Cal and Brigid gathered around in time to see the man's attempt to shift into a wolf.

Leaning close to the man's ear, Gryph growled—a low, dangerous sound. "I wouldn't do that, if I were you."

The man's transformation receded and he lay still. "What do you want?"

"To know why you tried to kill us?"

He snorted and refused to answer.

"Perhaps you need a little persuasion." Gryph grabbed the man's arm and yanked it up the middle of his back.

His captive grunted, sweat popping out on his forehead, but refused to enlighten them.

"Let me give it a shot." Brigid dropped to her haunches. "Do you know what it feels like to have your flesh burn until it melts off your body? Every nerve in your body screaming for it to stop?" She twisted her wrist and brought up a ball of wicked-looking flame.

The man's eyes widened and his face paled.

"Maybe I'll just go for the eyes and burn them out of your head." Brigid gave him an evil grin and moved the ball of fire so close the heat turned his cheeks red.

"No! Please, don't!" The man squirmed and bucked in an attempt to throw Gryph off his back.

Gryph leaned harder on the arm until the man almost passed out.

"Okay, okay! I'll talk!" He lay with his face pressed into the asphalt, his eyes on the fireball. "Want do you want to know?"

"Who's in charge?"

"Black Wolf."

"That's it? That's all you've got for me?" Gryph tightened up on the arm. "His name."

"That's what he calls himself. I swear," the man cried.

"Where can I find him?"

"We don't find him , he finds us ."

"That limousine has to park somewhere."

"It's rented."

Gryph glanced up at Deme. "Did anyone get the license plate?"

Deme shook her head. "Got away too fast."

"Someone has to know how to get in touch with Black Wolf." Gryph growled. "A second in command? The woman? Who are they? My patience is wearing very thin."

"Brayden. Brayden Sellers is his second, now. Miriam Crestley is the woman. They arrange for his transportation. Ask them."

"If you know anything else, now's the time to tell. And if you're lying to us—" Gryph dropped his voice into a menacing whisper "—we'll kill you."

The man closed his eyes, his body shaking. "It doesn't matter. They'll kill me anyway for what I just told you."

Gryph let go of the man's arm and straightened. "Then get out of here. Get out of town. Just don't let me catch you anywhere near Archer Heights or Black Wolf again."

Deme was on the phone with the lieutenant, relaying the names and the location of the wrecked car and the dead man. When she hung up, she tipped her head toward the SUV. "Let's go. We have an address. And, Gryph, Cal's gym bag is on the floorboard."

Cal chuckled. "There's a pair of sweatpants in it."

Gryph left the informant lying in the middle of the street, barely feeling sorry for the shifter who'd tried to kill him. He should never have fallen into the group of rogue werewolves to begin with.

The team climbed into the SUV. Gryph found the bag and the pants, pulling them up over his naked legs. They headed to an area Gryph was familiar with. Lincoln Park, filled with some of the most luxurious homes in the city and on top of some of the oldest tunnels. The homes here were as old as the money.

"Why are we here?" he asked.

"Miriam Crestley lives here. Or at least her father and mother do," Deme said. "She's the daughter of a man whose family helped establish Chicago."

"I'm sure they'll be pleased to know who their daughter is hanging out with."

They parked in front of a stately white stone mansion with towering oaks and lush landscaping. Deme turned to the others. "Let me and Cal handle this."

Without a shirt and shoes, Gryph was more than willing to take a backseat to this part of the investigation.

When Cal and Deme returned, they were both frowning.

"Thomas Crestley said that Miriam is staying with her boyfriend in a loft in the Gold Coast area. He wasn't sure where. He did, however, say that she was expected to be at the charity ball, and suggested we talk to her there."

"Did the lieutenant have an address for Brayden Sellers?"

"No. Seems the address on his license is old and he's moved around since."

"Damn. We're back to square one."

"No, we have tomorrow night at the ball to corner Miriam," Brigid argued. " If we had tickets to get in."

"I can get tickets. How many do you need? Three?" Gryph asked.

"Yes," Deme said.

"No. We need six." Brigid gave Deme a sharp glare.

Deme cleared her throat. "Right. We need six."

"Okay. I'll have a courier send them over in the morning." Gryph leaned back in his seat, tired to the bone. They had been so close to finding out the identity of Black Wolf.

"Do you want me to drop you off at Selene's?" Deme asked.

He wanted to go back to Selene's. But he couldn't risk it. "No. Take me to my building. Please."

Brigid crossed her arms. "I thought you liked my sister."

"I do. But that's beside the point."

Deme pulled up to the GL Enterprises building and Gryph hopped out, thankful the interrogation was over and he could get on with his life...without the complication of falling for a witch with four very concerned and nosy sisters. He slammed the door and walked away.

If only it was easy to walk away from Selene.