Laurent stepped behind Beast, going green in the face, but it was Vars who voiced everyone’s feelings. “Seriously?”
Knight groaned and pushed back his hair. “I was just making a point. Christ, haven’t you heard of metaphors?”
Laurent scowled. “Oh, my God, Knight. That is not what a metaphor is. And besides, no one is that perverted!”
Beast rubbed his eyes. He must have run out of patience, because when he spoke it was in a stern tone. “All those things are unimportant right now. Can we finally discuss the reason for this gathering?”
Shadow cleared his throat, trying not to boil in the heat of Rev’s hateful glare. “Yes, the transport of jewelry.”
Beast stared at him. “You are not a member. You’re not involved. I don’t even know why you’re in this room, because Gray doesn’t need his arm to talk to us.”
Gray’s Adam’s apple bobbed, but he held on to Shadow’s hand, breathing loudly.
“He knows about rubies. That’s why he’s here. Right, Shadow?” he asked, briefly glancing Shadow’s way, still flushed yet with more focus to his gaze.
Shadow squeezed Gray’s hand to make sure his human understood Shadow wasn’t going anywhere. He still remembered the utter loneliness of his early existence, and he wanted Gray to adjust to their connection more smoothly.
“Yes, I can easily sense them.”
Jake perked up in his chair. “Like a dog? I mean that in the best of ways. Could you track them? I remember Shadow could tell by taste if they were valuable to a being like him.”
Beast growled. “Is that right?”
Shadow nodded. “The bigger they are, the more powerful, and the easier they are to find.”
Gray’s hand twitched around his, and he faced Shadow with pure hope glinting in his eyes. “So if we went to the place where they were taken, could you lead us to where they are now?”
Somewhere on the periphery of Shadow’s attention, Rev was scowling, but if Gray ignored his father, so would Shadow. He put his arm around Gray to make that point even clearer. Something fluttered in his stomach at the way Gray’s shoulders fit into his embrace.
“I could try. They do leave behind a scent that lingers for a while.”
The smile that brightened Gray’s face was like the full moon warming Shadow’s face with its glow. “We could go and deal with this then. And then you could—”
“He could what?” Beast asked calmly, following the conversation despite his injuries.
Gray licked his lips and slowly looked back at him. “He could stay longer if he absorbed a ruby.”
Shadow stilled. “And… you’d want that?”
“It doesn’t matter, because that’s not what those rubies are for!” Rev butted in, but the message behind Gray’s words was already sinking in.
Gray didn’t want Shadow to leave come next new moon. He liked Shadow and wanted him around.
Gray swallowed. “I know they’re meant for Magpie, but I’ve worked with him for so long. I’m sure he’d agree to offer me a couple of small gems that wouldn’t have made a difference in the grand scheme of things.”
Knight frowned. “What? I mean… maybe at a different time, but Magpie’s getting frantic. He needs those rubies to stop Baal. I can’t see him taking this kind of risk.”
“Even if he got the Pigeon Heart?” Jake asked.
Knight spread his arms. “Maybe then. Maybe. Until it’s in our hands, we can’t take any risks.”
Despite being drunk on Gray’s touch, Shadow still listened carefully, increasingly aware that he could have a future he hadn’t expected. A future with Gray. A future among humans.
Next to him, Gray was becoming more animated. “Okay then, let’s go.”
Joker leaned back in the chair. “You’re joking. Unlike you, we’ve ridden for a couple of hours, and Beast is injured. We don’t even know yet who exactly we’re dealing with.”
“Vars and Jake have stayed here. They could go with me.”
Rev shook his head. “I was all for you going with the others, but not like this. We will find the fuckers and retaliate in due time.”
Gray pulled on Shadow’s hand, leading him closer to where Beast sat watching them with a thoughtful expression. “Why? There’s no time to wait. He said he can only sense rubies for so long after they are gone. Tonight might be our only chance!”
Beast frowned. “What’s gotten into you?”
“I know what,” Joker said with a smirk.
Gray hissed like a rabid cat. “Shut the fuck up. We need those rubies, all right? I’m going to get to them and deliver them to Magpie myself. Beast, come on…”
Beast rubbed his nose, watching them both with a stern set to his brows. “We all know the genuine pigeon blood shade rubies are drying out. It might be that none of the jewels we were supposed to pick up tonight fit the bill. At least five men participated in the ambush. They knew our movements, and we don’t know who they are yet. I don’t want unnecessary risk when we’re set to get our hands on the Pigeon Heart, anyway.”