Darkness Unbound (Dark Angels 1)

“Well, the light is on,” Tao said. “That doesn’t mean Handberry is home.”

“True.”

“Did you deliver the package?”

I nodded. “It scuttled in about five minutes ago.”

“Then hopefully Stane is picking up the feed okay.”

“With what that thing is probably worth, he’d be pissed off if he didn’t.”

Tao snorted. “Trust me, Stane wouldn’t have paid for it. He would have done some sort of nefarious deal. He’s got a nice sideline of black-market electronics.”

I wasn’t entirely surprised. “So the mess in the shop is a cover?”

“Would you think of looking for illegal components in all that grime?”

“Not when there are probably hundreds of spiders just waiting to pounce.”

“The webs are fake. Stane hates spiders as much—” He paused, glancing toward the front of the bar as a commotion started up. Two men were going at it, the smack of flesh against flesh audible even above the rest of the noise. It didn’t last for long—security moved in quickly and escorted them out of the venue.

But a reaper followed them out.

I shivered and took a quick sip of beer. It didn’t help much. Nothing did—not when I knew death was so close.

“They don’t muck around,” Tao commented.

“I suppose they can’t afford to in this sort of crowd.” I scanned the room, looking for another reaper. Looking for mine. I couldn’t see either, and something within me relaxed a little.

The guarded door was suddenly flung open and Handberry stalked out. His weaselly, pockmarked features were stained a dark shade of red, and the stink of anger poured off him.

“Matt,” he snapped, barely even glancing at the guard, “I’m off home. If anyone is looking for me, tell them to fuck off until tomorrow.”

“Yes, boss,” the guard said, relief crossing his features before settling back into bored disinterest. Maybe Handberry was as unpleasant to work for as he looked.

Handberry strode past our table and pushed his way through the crowd. Not that it was hard—this place might be filled with humans, but even they were feeling the fury radiating off him, and they parted like the Red Sea.

Tao finished his beer in one long gulp, but I didn’t bother. With my wolf constitution, drinking any alcohol that fast tended to make my head spin, even if I didn’t actually get drunk often. I had enough wolf in me to prevent that, at least.

Tao caught my hand and led me back through the crowd. He was big enough that people tended to move for us, so we weren’t that far behind Handberry when he exited.

“Leaving so soon?” the toothy guard asked.

“The band is too fucking loud,” Tao commented, glancing after Handberry but turning right toward to his car.

“Fucking werewolves,” the guard muttered. “There’s no pleasing the bastards.”

“Werewolves just have higher standards.” Though Tao’s comment was soft, we both knew that the cat shifter, at least, would hear it.

Anger swirled through the night after us, but the two men remained at their posts. Maybe if Handberry hadn’t still been visible, it would have been a different matter.

Tao opened the passenger door for me, then ran around to the driver’s side and climbed in. On the opposite side of the street, just up from the club, Handberry was getting into a red pickup. After several seconds, he pulled out into the street, tires smoking as he hit the gas.

“Moron,” Tao muttered as he followed at a more sedate pace.

“Wonder what’s made him so angry?”

He glanced at me. “Maybe he just found out that the two thugs he sent after a certain werewolf failed in their task.”