The Black Tide (Outcast 3)

Because there was a difference, I wanted to say. But was that really true? Penny might have fled with the vampires, but she'd also let me live, and surely that meant something. After all, Dream had ordered the vampires to kill me on several occasions now, and Penny was no doubt well aware of that fact. And that, in turn, meant that somewhere deep inside, the child that was Jonas's niece still survived.

“But the longer she remains in their hands,” he said softly, “the less chance there is of that remnant remaining. It needs to be done, if not today, then in the next couple of days.”

“To echo your earlier words, we’re taking one hell of a risk if we go out today.”

“No more than the one you took to come here,” he said.

“And Nuri? What would she say to this sudden change of plans?”

He didn’t immediately answer, and the soft buzz at the back of my thoughts told me why—he was checking with her. A slight smile tugged his lips. “She agrees it’s a fool’s mission. But she also said that if we’re going to do it, it has to be done now, because there will be no other chance.”

I took a deep breath and released it slowly. I’d only come here with the intention of updating him and Nuri, but given Charles was knocked out for a good part of the coming day, there was no real reason why I couldn’t investigate the rift Penny had disappeared into.

I scrubbed a hand across my eyes and then met his gaze grimly. “I will not go into that rift without a means of being tracked or indeed rescued. I've barely escaped from three

of their facilities now. I fear I will not escape a fourth.”

“All that can be arranged.” He reached across the table and caught my hands in his. His fingers were calloused and oh so warm, and oddly made me feel safer than I'd ever felt in my entire life.

“For the first time in my long life,” he continued, “I'm excited about the future and what it might bring. I don't want to lose that feeling, Tiger. And I would, if I lost you.”

His words had an odd sort of tightness forming in my chest. I wasn't exactly sure what it was, but it felt heavy and wonderful all at the same time. “But we barely know each other. We don't even know if this thing between us—”

“Is real?” he cut in, amused. “It definitely is if it’s managed to turn around the opinion of this world-weary, déchet-hating ranger.”

I took a somewhat shuddery breath and released it slowly. “Wherever I end up, it's likely to be a trap. It might take an army to break me out, and not even Nuri, with all her contacts, will be able to rustle up such a force.”

“Sometimes the best force to use is no force at all.”

“Being enigmatic is doing nothing to ease my fears.”

He smiled. “I know, but it's better you don't know details in the event you’re captured. You just have to trust me.”

I did trust him. I just didn't trust the fact that Dream hadn't already countered whatever they were planning to do. “You do realize that we lures are immune to all manner of drugs? They'll find it hard to get any information out of me.”

“Hard doesn't mean impossible, Tiger. You were affected by that drug in Winter Halo, remember.”

It wasn't like I could forget it. Even though the drug had done nothing more than cloud my senses and mind, it had still been something of a shock that there were now drugs my immunity couldn't handle. Although, given time, my natural healing abilities would chase any drug, no matter how deadly, from my system. It was the reason I'd survived being all but melted by the Draccid gas, after all.

But would I have that time if I were caught again? If Dream had issued a kill order within Central, why wouldn’t she order the exact same thing everywhere else?

A rubbed my arms against the growing chill within. “How soon can you be ready to move?”

“Within the hour.” He smiled, but it failed to lift the concern swirling through me. “Why don't you catch some sleep while I get everything in motion. My sleeping pack is over near the tower.”

“Thanks.” I pushed up and walked across. Once the pack was unrolled and the air mattress inflated, I climbed in. And went to sleep with the wild, rich scent of cat filling every breath and the happy chatter of the ghosts washing through my mind.

It wasn't Jonas who woke me—it was Cat, and her energy was filled with uncertainty.

“Is everything okay?” I climbed out of the sleeping roll and hastily tugged down my tunic. Jonas's quick amusement told me he hadn't missed the movement but he didn't say anything. Which was good, because how could I explain the ease with which I walked around naked in front of strangers, and yet was so totally reticent to do so in front of him? Except, perhaps, as a reluctance to tease the one person who actually meant something to me.

Branna went into Deseo, she said. He did not come out.

Deseo was the brothel on Twelfth Street that Sal had not only once owned, but one that held a false rift sitting in its basement. “You've checked the entire building?”

Yes. He’s not there, but Bear still watches the exit.

I glanced across at Jonas. “Meaning he might have left via the rift that exits into Carleen. Do you think he suspects the rift they took Penny into might be my next point of attack?”