The Night Beat, From the Necropolis Enforcement Files (55 page)

“Well done.” The voice came from the heavens. I’d only heard it a few times, in my mind, mostly.

Those beings who recognized the voice knelt or bowed their heads, and yanked those who didn’t recognize the voice into similar positions. Jude and I didn’t bow. We knew it wasn’t expected.

“Thanks, Yahweh. To protect and serve and all that.”

Lightning went around me, but it didn’t hurt. It was Yahweh’s way of hugging. He didn’t manifest in a physical body as a rule. But that was fine. I thought of him as lightning anyway, even though he was much more than that.

Then the lighting was gone, just like the chasm and the minions, and we were left standing on a street in the bad part of town. Just us, all of Prosaic City’s Night Beat cops, a handful of other humans, and hundreds of undeads.

“What’s your cleanup plan?” I asked Jude.

“The usual. Memory wipes for the human side, as appropriate. Strong lectures for those who need to retain the memories. Subtle ‘thanks for helping and here’s the spell you were supposedly under’ messages to the minor minions who like the status quo enough to have risked their unlives to help us tonight.”

“Routine.”

Jude kissed my forehead. “You were all anyone could have hoped for and more.” He sighed. “They’ll be back, you know. Either Adlet will win or the Adversary will. Or they’ll combine.”

“They can’t combine. That’s why the plan worked, all the way along. Because I’m the Child of the Adversary and a werewolf, my kind is poison to the Adversary. That’s why they want me with them in the Depths, to break that weakness. But it’ll never happen.”

He smiled. “I know.” Jude looked over my shoulder. “He’s not as jealous as your latest ex, but he’s not as cool about it as he’s going to pretend to be.”

“Ralph?”

“Yeah, your mate.”

“Am I making a mistake? I mean, undoubtedly not on the same level as the mistake with Jack, but still, I’d like some kind of clue. I think I deserve it.”

Jude chuckled. “While I’m not a prophet, he does rub off the more you’re around him.”

“So Magdalena and Miriam said.”

“I think, out of all your choices, this is the one most likely to be right for you. I wouldn’t expect it to be all smooth sailing, mind you, but I give it very good odds for success.”

“I’ll take it.” I leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

“I won’t be at the Sanctuary Center any more.”

I shook my head. “You can be. You can let me know where you are, too. I can handle it now.”

“You’re sure?” He looked hopeful.

“Yeah, I am. It doesn’t…hurt…to see you any more. Besides, Ken shouldn’t be the only ex I go whining to when I have a relationship problem.”

“Oh, good. Can’t wait. Maybe I’ll still hide.” Jude grinned. “He’s getting really impatient, and since patience is truly one of his virtues, I’d suggest you trot on over and reassure your mate that you’re still a monogamous wolf, and that I’m not the being you’re doing monogamy with any more.”

I kissed his cheek again and did as he said. I wasn’t stupid. Ralph was sitting on his haunches, and he had the worried and annoyed expression going. I figured I was going to see that a lot, too. “You okay?”

“Never better. I think we have another hospital overload situation, but I don’t think anyone on our side dusted.”

“Glad those prayers worked.”

The rest of our team gathered around us. I saw a variety of undeads and some humans being loaded into the available vehicles, heading for the hospitals without a doubt.

“I saw Bobby and the others,” Sexy Cindy said. “When all that lightning was going on. Because they tried to help us, they were forgiven. At least as far as I could tell.”

Freddy nodded. “They’d been resurrected to fight, but you wouldn’t have spotted them, Victoria, because they were focused on the humans. But they wouldn’t attack, and in fact tried to keep the fallen angels away from their families.”

“Even the hookers were protecting their pimp,” Sexy Cindy said. “Go figure.”

“Whatever works.” My wrist-com went live. “Yes?”

“Agent Wolfe, how goes it?”

“I think we won, Count. At least for right now.”

“Excellent news.”

There was something in the tone of his voice. “And that’s excellent news because?”

“Your police chief asked me to pass this along. We have a situation in Prosaic City’s religious quarter. Seems small and human-created, but one never knows, does one?”

I took a deep breath. “All available personnel who aren’t badly injured will head on out, Count.”

“Not necessary. I understand the Reverend Johnson has donated his car to the Prosaic City undercover unit. I’d suggest just a small team until events are known.”

“Gotcha. Over and out.” I looked around. “Who’s up for it?”

Sexy Cindy, Freddy, and Benny, still holding tight to the bag, all raised their hands. Ralph put up his paw.

“I think our vamps need some medical attention,” Sexy Cindy shared.

“Amanda and Ken do, though they’re waiting until they get all the humans taken care of,” Maurice said, landing behind Freddy. “But I’m in perfect shape. Fallen angels, ha! They’re not so tough.”

“Good to know. You’ll do aerial support?”

“Vicki, I live to serve.”

I shrugged. “Then, let’s roll out and do what we do best.”

“Drive in a terrifying manner?” Benny asked.

“Avert the end of the worlds?” Ralph suggested.

“Bring order out of chaos?” Freddy offered.

Sexy Cindy snorted. “Dudes, we kick icky butt and take unpronounceable names.”

I smiled. “Isn’t she the greatest? And, she’s right. Per the boss, duty shift’s not over. So, let’s head out to protect and serve.

Chapter 74

I was running, but not too fast. I didn’t want to get away, after all. But not too slowly, either -- I didn’t get to frolic in wolf form all that often that I wanted it to end immediately.

After a few more minutes Ralph landed on my back and we rolled around. There was a lot of foliage, and the smells were nice, all earthy and natural. We were playing, wrestling, nipping, that sort of thing. Nothing too rough, nothing remotely threatening.

He rolled me onto my stomach. “Give up?” he growled in my ear. The sexy-growl. The one that made me pant for all the right reasons.

“Mmmm, maybe.” I stretched out and Ralph rolled onto his back next to me.

“It’s nice to be here, instead of the park.”

“Yeah. Benny really needs this place tenanted and I can’t complain about the size of the yard or the privacy.” I nuzzled his ear. “Think we can afford it?”

“Well, I’m never living where you had sex with Wagner, and I think we’ve removed all traces of Nero here. Besides, the Estates were affected badly by the last big attack. The Count thinks it might be a good idea for us to base out of here. So, yeah, I think we should see about affording it.”

“The neighbors are nice. Not nosy.”

“And we have a personal relationship with the Reverend, too.” Ralph snorted. “Though I like Helen a lot more.”

“Oh, Jeremiah Johnson’s not so bad, once you get past the stuffed-shirtedness.”

“Yeah. I have to admit that the itchy werewolf suit bothers me a lot more than Johnson does. And I hate having to spend at least half my existence now in human form.”

“Not my fault I needed a new partner on Night Beat.”

“Explain how you ended up with three of them, then?”

“Well, Sexy Cindy’s a natural, and until Freddy shows that gray zombie look, he’s invaluable. Covers us for the three different undeads rule even while on Prosaic City P.D. business. Besides, you’re job is to protect me, so I don’t know why you’re complaining.”

“The suit itches, remember?”

I nudged him. “But you’re not wearing the suit now.”

Ralph changed to human and grinned at me. “True enough.”

I rolled onto my back as I went to human, too. “Not trying for puppies today?” I was almost disappointed. Ralph had introduced me to a lot of new things, including that there was nothing better than having sex with another werewolf, in all three forms.

He stroked my hair. “Not today. Well, not this moment. How about that?”

I was already familiar with his stamina. “Not a problem.” The afternoon was young, after all, and we didn’t go on duty again for another night. Ralph rolled on top of me and I sighed. “Does unlife get any better than this?”

Ralph kissed me. “Not that I’ve found in over four centuries.”

“Makes eternity seem too short.”

He grinned. “I’ll do my best to make all parts of it last forever.”

There was an old saying, and I’d found it was true -- once you went werewolf, you never went back. I was a weregirl in love and it finally felt right. What the next nights would bring I didn’t know, but I figured unlife was a journey, not a destination. And come what may, I was going to enjoy the ride -- in the donated S-Class, with my mate and our pack along for the wild ride. Unlife truly didn’t get any better than this.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks, oohs and aahs to Lisa Dovichi, Mary Fiore, Cherry Weiner, and Veronica Cook for their usual above and beyond. Thanks also to Helen King, and authors Marsheila Rockwell, Kris Tualla, Amber Scott, and Jordan Summers, for tons of help and support.

Much love to my family for encouraging me to always go for it in everything I do, but especially in my writing career.

Last but not least, a big thanks to my fans around the world who’ve been asking (for quite a while now) when I’d tackle the undead. This one’s for all of you.

About the Author