Chapter Twenty-One

Two birds, one sledgehammer

 

“Just think about it,” he called, his voice full of laughter, as I exited the room. The mayor was having a good time.

I, however, was not.

“Trinity?” Al asked quietly, walking at my side.

“He scared me,” I admitted.

“Don’t beat yourself up,” he said. “He’s the master of the city. He’d have to be a little scary.”

“He was stuffing his depravity down my throat, and I was choking on it.” I blew out a quick breath and tried to laugh. “I was scared by the mayor.”

It should have been laughable. It wasn’t.

“He’s going to try to take you, Trinity,” Al said, almost gently, as though he thought I’d burst into tears if he weren’t careful. “If he gets the chance. He wants that control.”

“I know.” I bit my lip and then turned, my eyes narrowing as Delaney and Crawford walked out of the office. I straightened my spine and schooled my features, hoping no one could see my worry.

Crawford gave me a nod as he, the mayor, and the mayor’s muscle strode by us. Delaney didn’t so much as glance at me. “He doesn’t believe us about the rifters. He doesn’t care about the demons. He’ll never retract those regulations. There was no purpose to this meeting,” I murmured, watching them go.

“There was,” Al disagreed.

I glanced at him. “Yeah? What?”

“He wanted to give you a choice, and he wanted to get your measure. And now he knows you better than he did. He’ll act accordingly.”

“How do you know what’s in the mayor’s swollen head?”

He smiled. “Because I know the mayor.”

“The way Crawford knows Jade Noel?”

“Oh, no. Not like that. Jade and Crawford have worked together. They’re acquaintances.”

“And you and the mayor are what? Friends?” I scoffed. “Family?” And then I threw my hands in the air. “And how do you know what’s between Frank and Jade?”

I drew a few glances with my loud attempt to blow off some nervous energy and frustration, but neither Al nor I cared.

“Jade has been my best friend since I was fourteen years old.” His eyes crinkled as he grinned. “She was the one who recommended me to Rhys as his…” He shrugged. “His human assistant.”

“Most of the time I feel like I don’t know any of you.”

“You don’t have to know what we’ve done to know how we make you feel. You know who to trust. You know who has your back.”

“Does Crawford have my back?” I asked him, without meaning to. “Can we trust him, Al?”

He was silent for a few seconds, thinking. “The captain is a good man,” he said, finally. “But he is not without his faults, Trinity. So I guess it depends. Will he help you, protect you, date you? Yeah. He will.”

I felt heat climbing my cheeks and looked away. “Can the supernats trust him? That’s what I’m asking.”

“I’m not psychic. I’m just good at what I do. And one of the things I do is read people.”

“And…”

“And the captain is a good man.”

I sighed. “All right. I guess that’s all I’m getting.”

“That’s all I know.” But as I turned to walk away, he took my arm. “You need protection. It’s not good for you to come into the city alone. Not now. Call me when you need company. Anytime, for any reason.”

I squeezed his hand. “Thanks, Alejandro.”

“What are you going to do now?” As he walked me to my car, Jade Noel fell in behind us, as silent as a shadow.

“I’m going to start talking to the media,” I replied. “And to the humans. I want to point out that the supernaturals are helping, that they can wrap this city up in protection and peace. The humans just have to let them.”

“All you’re doing is proving to them that you’ll come running when they beckon,” Jade said.

“I’m not bringing the supernaturals here tonight,” I told her. “I’m not bringing my hunters here. If the mayor won’t change his rules, we’re not going to protect him and his city.”

Jade laughed. “He knows you won’t stay in Bay Town while innocent humans are being attacked, Sinclair. We all know that.”

There was that contempt again.

And the sad thing was, she was probably right. Could I stay put while dozens of humans were slaughtered by the very creatures I was meant to kill?

As badly as I might want to, could I deny Crawford when he called for help?

Yeah…no.

Probably not.

“Change won’t happen without some sacrifices,” Jade said. “The humans need to pressure Delaney, and they won’t do that if we rush in to save them every time they’re in trouble.”

“Rifters aren’t just trouble,” I said, fed up. “They’ll rip this city apart and turn every human inside it. Do you want that to happen, Jade?”

I wouldn’t really know what I was going to do until I did it. I wanted freedom for the supernaturals. But I wasn’t sure I could allow innocents to die to get it.

“You’re doing this now?” Al asked me as I got into my car.

“There won’t be a better time.”

He traded a long look with Jade, who sighed and shrugged. “All right.”

“We’ll tag along,” Al said.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I know, but if we don’t, Rhys will kick my ass.”

Jade climbed into the front with me. “And as I said, I need to be more visible. Two birds, one sledgehammer.”

“Speaking of hammer,” Al said, from the back, “Where’s Amanda today?”

I began calling my men as Al and Jade chatted, and the only one of them who answered was Shane.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yes. I’m with Al and Jade Noel. We’re going to go tell the humans how awesome the supernats are, and then I’ll be home. We still have to do the hie potion.”

“Might have to do it tomorrow night,” he said. “Some of the ingredients aren’t exactly easy to get.”

“Are you having trouble?” Shane had to get the ashes of a burned human. I imagined him at a funeral home, trying to burgle a crematory.

“Not enough to worry,” he replied. “Just might take a little longer. I’ll see you at home, baby hunter.”

“Wait,” I said, before he could hang up. “Have you heard from Clayton?”

“Yeah. He and Leo are already back home. No sign of the demon.”

“Thanks,” I murmured, and cut the connection. At least I didn’t have to worry about Shane, Clayton, or Leo. Angus and Rhys were still on my mind, but in the end, I sent them each a text and let it go.

With a sense of urgency, I spent the next few hours talking to every human who would listen. I spoke with reporters. I got on TV, YouTube, the radio.

Both Alejandro and Jade followed me around, my grimly silent bodyguards, and things went relatively well.

Until they didn’t.

I stood on the steps of the courthouse, speaking to the crowd that had gathered, happy to have microphones shoved into my face. I’d picked up a few reporters and some curious followers throughout the day. They walked the city with me, some patting me on the back, when Al and Jade allowed them to get close enough, some of them yelling threats from a safe distance.

When Crawford got word of my actions sent a couple of cops to follow me as well, along with a text telling me not to overstay my welcome.

The city is fragile and volatile right now. The mayor is furious. Don’t hang around, Trinity. It’s not safe. Go home.

I didn’t reply.

“I know you’re afraid,” I told the crowd. “We can help you. The supernaturals want to be your protectors—but they can’t do that if you allow the mayor, the police, and groups of thugs to continue abusing, oppressing, and enslaving them.”

“Not all of us want to see the supernaturals abused,” a man in the crowd replied. “Some of us fight right alongside you for equality. Our voices might not be heard, but we are here. Protect us, Trinity. We’ll help you.”

He was almost immediately attacked by a couple of men behind him, and the fight was on. Police waded into the crowd to break it up, but in seconds, the mob was out of control.

Crawford called me two minutes later. “Get the hell out of there, Sinclair, before you’re arrested for inciting a riot. Go home.”

Maybe my day of entreaties did some good. The humans were scared and hurting. I wanted them to see they had choices. It was a start.

“Call the mayor,” I said, as I’d said all day. TV would pick it up, even if the milling, fighting crowd didn’t. And then I walked away. I hoped they’d aggravate the shit out of him.

I dropped Al and Jade off at his car, and then I went home. It had been a long day, and I needed to touch base with my men. The potion loomed, and despite Angus’s reassurances, I was worried. I didn’t want him to carve off a piece of his flesh to make some damn anti-demon potion. He’d been hurt too much as it was.

And the rifters. It might not be that night, or the next night, or even the next. But the rifters were coming. They were coming, and maybe we were going to die. Maybe trying to convince the mayor not to leash the supernats didn’t even matter. Because maybe the rifters would kill his vile ass.

Clayton called when I was halfway home. “When I returned,” he said, “Angus asked Leo to follow him into Willow-Wisp to take his flesh donation. Leo just returned without Angus.”

And I knew. Immediately, I knew.

“Angus is in trouble,” I said calmly, though my heart was beating out of my chest.

“Yes. He needs you.”

“Leo?”

“He is back in the cemetery. I’ll meet you there.”

Angus was in trouble, and I felt it in my bones.

I didn’t draw a breath all the way to Bay Town.