Biting Cold (Chicagoland Vampires 6)

He'd been clearly intrigued by the magic, and it wasn't hard to imagine he'd cash in on an opportunity to grab it. It was too bad I hadn't brought along my worry wood, a token of magic from my grandfather that gave me protection from Tate's more subtle forms of magic.

"No argument there," Catcher said.

"In the unlikely event Tate causes problems in Chicago, you can cal Malik," Ethan said. "He can raly the rest of the Cadogan guards."

Malik was the official Master of Cadogan House, Ethan's second until he'd been kiled and stil in charge until Ethan was officialy Invested as Master again.

"You can also cal Jonah," I offered, but the offer was met with silence. Jonah was captain of the guards of Chicago's Grey House, and he'd been my substitute partner while Ethan had been gone. Although neither Catcher nor Ethan knew it, Jonah was also my official partner in the Red Guard, a secret organization dedicated to keeping an eye on the vampire Masters and the Greenwich Presidium, the British council that ruled us.

"We'l cross that bridge when we come to it," Catcher said.

"For now, I need to wrap this up. I'l cal you if I learn anything else."

We said our good-byes, and Ethan switched off the phone.

"He seems to be holding up," Ethan said.

"He doesn't have much of a choice. He loves her, or I assume he stil does, and she's out there head over heels in danger, and he can't do a damn thing about it. For the second time."

"How did he fail to see what she was doing the first time

around?" Ethan wondered. "They were living together."

Malory had set Chicago ablaze in her attempt to make Ethan a familiar. She'd made the magic in the basement of the Wicker Park brownstone she and Catcher shared.

"I think part of it was denial. He didn't want to believe she was capable of the mess she put the city through. And she was studying for exams - and taking them, apparently - the entire time. If Simon didn't suspect anything, why should Catcher?"

"Simon again?"

"Unfortunately. And that's not the end of it. Catcher thought she and Simon were having an affair. Not a romantic one, maybe, but they were becoming too close for his comfort. He was afraid she was going to take Simon's side - the Order's side - against Catcher."

"Love does strange things to a man," Ethan said, his voice suddenly distracted. He tapped a finger on the dashboard.

"There's something in the road there. A dog?"

I squinted at the freeway ahead, trying to ferret out what Ethan had spotted. After a moment, I saw it - a dark mass on the centerline a quarter mile ahead. It wasn't moving. It also definitely wasn't a dog.

Two arms, two legs, six foot tal, and standing in the middle of the road. It was a person.

"Ethan," I caled out in warning, my first thought that the figure was McKetrick, a Chicago-based vampire hater who'd guessed our route and was ready to launch an attack against the car.

The sudden punch of peppery magic that filed the car - and the cloying scent of sugar and lemons that accompanied it -  proved this was a magical problem...and a problem I knew al too wel.

A cold sweat trickled down my back. "It's not an animal. It's Tate."

We didn't have time to decide whether to fight or take flight.

Before I could speed up or change course, the car began to slow.

Tate had somehow managed to take control of it.

I wrenched the wheel, but it made no difference. We were heading right for him.

Fear and anticipation tightened my chest, my heart fluttering like a frightened bird beneath my ribs. I had no idea what Tate was capable of, or even what he realy was. Wel, other than an asshat.

We slowed to a stop in the middle of the westbound lanes, straddling the centerline. Fortunately, it was late and we were in the middle of Iowa; there wasn't another car in sight. Since Tate had rendered the car useless and there was no point in wasting gas, I turned off the ignition but left the headlights on.

He stood in the beam in jeans and a black T-shirt, his hair ruffled into dark waves. There was a glint of gold around his neck, and I knew instantly what it was. Every Cadogan vampire wore a smal gold disk on a chain, a kind of vampire dog tag, that identified their name and position. I'd bargained mine away to Tate in exchange for information about the Maleficium.

Ethan had given me the medal, and although I'd gotten a replacement, I didn't like to see Tate wearing it.

"I'm open to any suggestions you might have, Sentinel," Ethan said, eyes fixed on Tate.

Unfortunately, our sharp and sleek Japanese swords were in the trunk, and I doubted Tate was going to give us time to grab them.

"We face him," I said. "And in case we need to make a run for it, leave your door open." Knowing Ethan could maneuver the Mercedes more effectively than me, I handed him the keys, sucked in a breath, and opened the door.

Chapter Two

HE'S A MAGIC MAN

We stepped outside at the same time, two vampires facing down a magical mystery man on a dark Iowa night. It wasn't exactly how I preferred to spend an evening, but what other option did I have?

Tate's eyes darted to Ethan, widening in surprise. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"As you orchestrated my death, no, I imagine you didn't."

Tate roled his eyes. "I orchestrated nothing."

"You set the wheels in motion," Ethan said. "You put Merit in a room with a drugged vampire who hated her. You had to know I'd look for her and that Celina would react. Since it was her stake that hit me, I think 'orchestrated' is rather accurate."

"We'l have to agree to disagree, Sulivan." Tate smiled drowsily at me. "Lovely to see you again, Balerina."

I'd danced when I was younger, and Tate had filed that information away. "I can't say the feeling is mutual."

"Oh, come now. What's a little reunion between friends?"

"You aren't a friend," I said, and I wasn't in the mood for a reunion. "How did you get Mayor Kowalcyzk to release you?"

"Easily, as it turns out. There's no evidence against me."

That was a lie. They'd found Tate's fingerprints on the drugs, and his favorite minion, a guy named Paulie, had spiled the rest of the details to the Chicago Police Department.

"Did you tel her your arrest was part of a supernatural conspiracy?" I asked. "Woo her with your tales of oppression by vampires?"

"I've found Diane to be a woman who appreciates a reasonable argument."

"Diane Kowalcyzk couldn't pick a reasonable argument out of a lineup," I countered. "What do you want?"