Page 97 of Bishop's Flight
It felt clean. Fresh.
Battle ready.
She knew why her husband had called Carla. Enough quiet hints had been dropped over the years for Brigid to have figured out what Carla could do. And he was right—bringing a tracker on would be helpful. Bringing an experienced fire vampire on would be helpful too.
But this wasn’t their fight; it wasn’t hers either. But Brigid was pretty sure she knew whose fight it was, and the difference between her and Carwyn was that Brigid would be willing to do what it took to bring the fight to Zasha Sokholov.
“Hey, you wanted me to bring you here, I did it. I can’t get in that gate, lady.” The cabdriver looked at her in the rearview mirror. “You getting out or you want me to take you someplace else?”
She grabbed her phone and her backpack. “Here is fine. Thank you for being quiet.”
“No problem.” He looked over his shoulder. “For what it’s worth, I agree with your man. You got a problem, it’s never good to try to go it alone. Strong people aren’t afraid to ask for help, you hear me?”
Brigid smiled. “I hear you. And don’t worry—I’m going to ask for help.”
“Good.” He winked at her. “Good kid. Take care of you, okay?”
“Thanks.” She got out of the car and paused at the gate of Oleg’s housing development to wait for his guards to sense her. She took out her phone and used a stylus to punch in a message to Carwyn.
The bishop is clearing the board.
Brigid waited in the darkness, remembering another night filled with fire and wind.
The blood of Temur remembers who you were!
Zasha had shouted it at Tenzin over a year ago, and the previous night Zasha had mentioned Temur again. Had Temur been Zasha’s mate?
For they shall visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and their children’s children.
This wasn’t about the Ankers; that was a distraction. This wasn’t about Agnes and Rose. It wasn’t about Ivan. It wasn’t about New Orleans. This wasn’t even really about Brigid. This was about the life she’d fallen into, the company she kept, and the connections she’d made.
So it was maybe a little bit about Brigid.
Mika Arakas met her at the iron gate, triggering the exit to allow her into the neighborhood. “Brigid Connor.”
“Mika Arakas.”
“I like the hair.”
“I don’t.” She slung her backpack over her shoulder and walked under the arching trees that lined the streets leading to Oleg’s house. “I need to speak to Oleg.”
“Then I’m assuming that Zasha isn’t dead yet?”
“No, but they will be soon.” She glanced at Mika. “And your boss is going to help me.”
Carwyn showedup at Agnes and Rose’s house just before midnight. Lee and he had packed the van, and Carwyn had noticed what was missing.
A backpack. Her documents. Her favorite pistol.
His woman did know how to pack light.
He nodded to Bernard when the man answered the door. “I need to speak to Lucas.”
The vampire frowned. “The boy is sleeping.”
“It’s important or I wouldn’t ask.” He glanced over his shoulder. “We’re leaving tonight. Since we’re subcontracting under Katya, I’ll let Agnes and her work out whatever business arrangement they agreed to about our fee.”
“Very well, but Lucas is still sleeping.”
