Page 133 of Hoofin’ It

“He bit me. I don’t need to be nice.”

She laughed and smiled at me. “You’re grumpy. Put your clothes back on. He’s bribing us with weapons, so forgive him—for now. We can kneecap them both later. It’ll be a date.”

If I counted the ways I loved Marian, I would begin with her adaptability. Her smile and laughter were close to the top of the list. Add in her protectiveness, something I hadn’t known I’d wanted, and I was lost and gratefully so. “All right.”

“I’d have come sooner, but I had preparations of my own to make. Abil Ili, it has been too long, old friend. Where do we stand?”

“We have gone over our target list, although I fear I may have dealt a wound even I cannot heal.” The Babylonian bowed to me. “For that, my apologies. It is a deep pain, knowing friends have turned to foes.”

Ernesto sighed. “How bad?”

“It’s bad,” Marian answered. “At least a quarter of the officers Shane worked with are involved. His former captain appears to be innocent. And it gets worse; another quarter aren’t actively participating, but they’re aware of what’s going on and have done nothing to stop it. Disgusting.”

“And when it comes to something like this, being aware it’s happening is no different from participating.” Ernesto slammed his fist into the table, startling me so much I jumped in my seat. “They willfully ignored the slavery of others.”

“Yes,” Abil Ili confirmed. “The visiting hives are getting into position now. We have confirmation Ricci has arrived, and he has brought Mark O’Conners. They are yours, should you want them.”

Ernesto hissed. “I’ll take O’Conners. That grudge is personal, and I’ll stain my hands by showing him what a truly ancient vampire can do. He’ll experience the worst pain in this world before I weaken him and leave him for the wolves to rip apart.”

I had no doubt he meant my parents, who would do just that; pieces of O’Conners would be scattered over several city blocks by the time the pair of lycanthropes finished with the hitman. “Wear a poncho.”

“A decent human being would be concerned for the victim.”

I looked around the room. “Decent human being? Where?”

Marian scooted her chair closer and kicked me in the ankle. “Shane!”

“You’re an exceptionally sexy human being, so my point stands.”

I liked when Marian blushed, and I smiled at having gotten a reaction out of her.

“And that’s the smug expression of a man who knows he won that round.” Ernesto sat on the table and swung his legs as though he were a younger man. “If you need me for Ricci, I’ll come, but I’ll take out O’Conners first. He doesn’t leave Chicago alive—or in pieces big enough to bother with a bodybag. I’ll take the children with me while you and yours begin the purge. Once we’ve taken care of O’Conners, we’ll rendezvous with you. Text me the location when you have him cornered. Do be careful, Abil Ili. He may be younger than me, but he’s still dangerous.”

“Not dangerous enough,” the Babylonian replied.

I believed him.

While the Chicago Babylonians had mounts, they were not shedu. Instead, we got scaled demented deer with a giant curved bone horn jutting out from under their equine chins. The one nearest to us had a long, pale beard falling down to its broad chest, braided and decorated with sapphire and ruby crystals. A pair of antlers rose from its brow, each prong sharpened to a lethal point. Green, brown, and golden tufts of fur stuck up through the gaps between its scales, and it wore a bejeweled saddle but no bridle. The saddle lacked stirrups, and I could guess at why.

The Babylonians rode into battle with their talons sheathed in steel blades.

“Ernesto?” I swallowed to ease the dryness in my throat.

“What is it, dear boy?”

“What have we done?”

“Nothing yet. And anyway, they started it. We’re just finishing it.”

The demented deer turned its head towards me, opened its mouth, and showed off its curved teeth. Its long, tufted ears twisted back, and the fires of hell burned in its black and red eyes.

“We’re really riding these?”

“These are the kirin. Yes, we are.”

“Kirin?” I’d heard the name before, but it took me a minute to remember why. “Chinese unicorns?”

“No, those are qilin. Qilin are nice Chinese unicorns, guardian spirits. Qilin don’t have much use for vampires. Consider the kirin a rather distant cousin of the qilin. They enjoy getting their hooves dirty for a good cause. They’re tricorns, if you want to get technical about it. The lower horn is for gathering blood and cutting open prey for easier eating. This habit is the source of enmity between the qilin and the kirin; the qilin don’t approve of the consumption of meat.”