“Sure.” Finley bent her head over her tablet, making notes.
Jenks’s wings rasped a warning, but it was only David with Garrett and his packmates approaching. They had their stuff with them, and I smiled. Thank you, David. Four less Weres would help.
“Excuse me, Rachel?” David interrupted. “If you have a second. Garrett wants to say good-bye.”
“You mind?” I asked Finley, and she shook her head.
“I’ll give her the tour,” Jenks said, and Finley started when his dust blanked her screen. “I’ve got ideas, and Rachel’s busy trying to keep Cincy together. Can you take a look at the backyard and tell me what you think we could do besides putting in steps? All it takes is one drunk vampire to fall off and crack his head open to set everyone else off. We don’t even have an MPL.”
Finley smiled, clearly charmed when Jenks lit on her clipboard. “You don’t need a mixed-population license if you’re nonprofit.”
“Profit?” Jenks snorted, his usual cocky attitude beginning to slip back. “This here is a runner firm. I can’t tell you the last time we made a profit.”
I lifted my brow as they walked away. Jenks’s plans sounded like overkill on resale repair, but his dust was cheerful, and I wasn’t going to mess with that. “You have a place?” I said when I turned back to the Weres.
“David found us somewhere,” Garrett said. “We just wanted to say thanks. This was better than the mall bathroom we’d been looking at. If there’s anything we can do to repay you, let David know. He’ll tell us.”
Suddenly all the noise and confusion seemed worth it, and I gently shook Garrett’s bandaged hand. “Thanks, but you got me out of a tight spot at the I.S. I feel as if I owe you.” Giving in, I tugged Garrett closer for an earnest hug. He was red-faced when he pulled back, grinning as he ducked his head, not knowing what to say.
“No retaliation against Constance or her people, okay?” I said, and they jostled elbows, worrying me.
David looked at the door, then me. “Go ahead. I’ll be right there,” he said, and the quartet wove their way to the front, fist-bumping everyone as they went.
“I’m going to have so much hair in my sink,” I said, and David laughed. “Thanks for finding a place for them,” I added, wondering who I could call to locate somewhere for the witches. I didn’t know who to talk to about the displaced vamps, either.
“Not a problem. They’re a good pack.” He hesitated, then put a hand on my shoulder and turned me to the wall. “Before I go,” he said, making sure no one could read our lips, “I need to hear the words come out of your mouth that you are not going after Constance by yourself, either.”
The pleasure of seeing the four Weres find their feet vanished. Life rushed back, and I stiffened at the reminder of Nash. “If I don’t tell her what she did was wrong, no one will, and that was wrong no matter how you smell it,” I said, angry. “You think I should accept her authority like everyone else?” My voice had risen, and I didn’t care. “She’s a bloody monster preying on the living and the dead!”
David’s hand came up, placating me. “I was there. I saw what she did. I agree with you taking control. All I want to know is that you aren’t going to try to bring her to heel alone.” He smiled. “You have friends, you know.”
“Oh!” I blurted, and Jenks, who was showing Finley the detail in the moldings, spun in midair to look at me. “Um, I haven’t thought that far yet,” I admitted, warming.
“She’s tearing the city apart because half of it would rather follow you than her,” David said. “They’re looking for direction. I know asking for help isn’t your modus operandi, but you need to use all your tools this time.”
Scowling, I ran a hand over Ivy’s baby grand. There were at least six open bags of chips and pretzels on it, tantalizing me with salt and carbs. “This is between myself and Constance. The more people are involved, the more people will be hurt. Not getting hurt is the point.”
“True, but that includes you.” David put his hat on, clearly ready to go. “The Weres and vamps are frustrated,” he said. “I don’t know how long I can keep distracting the more fed-up packs with chaining rats to flagpoles.” He gave me a fond grin when I looked up, adding, “Why do you think there are so many people here? Finding a place to sleep isn’t that hard. They’re here because they want to help. Either you use them in a way that won’t get them hurt, or they will escalate their own actions until they do get hurt.”
Be the subrosa, echoed in my thoughts as I spun on a slow heel to look at the refugees. Furtive, expectant glances met mine between the soft talk and sudden bursts of laughter. I could feel the tension they were hiding behind the apparent cheerfulness, the anger. I could see it on the news and in the street. I’d get no help from the demons, that was obvious, but I didn’t need them to prove to Constance that even without the backing of the I.S. I was stronger, more resilient, and had a longer reach than her, a reach that was not only in resources or power, but also in the simple ability to get large and small things done. If I couldn’t impress her with that, I’d be playing her game of “let’s see what will piss Rachel off” until she killed me. The problem was, all she saw was a witch-born demon living in a broken church. I had to get her away from the I.S. to where my skills would work.
“I need Pike,” I said, the beginnings of an idea drifting about the folds of my brain.
“Constance’s scion?” David asked, suddenly uneasy. “Ah . . . are you sure? I was thinking more along the lines of staging a howl-in or maybe a transportation strike.”
My back to the piano, I reached for my phone. “Pike.”
David took his hat off again. “Um, abducting Pike might buy Zack a day or two, but it’s more likely that blackmail will convince her to find your family.”
I stifled a flash of anger. If she touches Trent or his girls . . . “I’m not abducting him. I just want to talk,” I said with a false lightness. “He’s her gatekeeper, and if I’m to have any chance of getting Constance outside of her I.S. turtle shell, I need to convince him it’s in her best interests to do so.” Where are you? I mused as I ran through my list of contacts to find Zack’s number. If anyone had Zack’s phone, it would be Pike. “Though if I find out she’s hurt Zack, I will carve my initials into his forehead before I send him home.” I hit the connect icon and smiled at David. It felt good to have a plan.
“Mmmm.” He sounded worried.
“She’s been listening to Landon,” I said, remembering the elf’s look of horror when Constance drew a smile on Joni’s face. “Landon still thinks he lost control of the dewar because I was lucky. I’m going to have to force a face-to-face where I can use my witchy—hang on a sec. I want to talk to you before you go,” I added when the call went through.