* * * *
Asrai was sitting on the counter in my kitchen eating a bologna sandwich. I’d put some cartoon on the TV and angled the screen so that she could see it from her perch in the kitchen. Meanwhile, I sat on the edge of my bed, door open so I could see her, and the cordless phone from the living room clutched in my lap.
I’d just called Sonya and had her talk to the Weres still loitering in the Oracle. According to the information she’d gathered, there were members from at least four different packs. Which meant that I now had four names and four numbers for four Alphas:
Leo Valentine
David Finland
Juliet Baker
Ruthy Jennings
David and Juliet never picked up the phone. Ruthy hung up at the sound of my name. There was only Leo left, and I stared down at the raised buttons of the phone. A part of me expected more disappointment. It was the part that still hoped for some sort of break that had me dialing the number Sonya had found.
The phone rang in my ear, and I found myself watching Asrai as she stared, captivated, at the television. The phone clicked and a male voice filled my ear.
“Hello,” he said. I was expecting to have to listen to another voicemail, so I stayed silent. Waiting for Leo Valentine’s automated message to play out.
“Hello?” the man said again, growing confused at my continued silence.
I mouthed a curse.
I was talking to a real person.
“Mr. Valentine?” I said, hesitant but polite.
“Yes?”
“My name is Phaedra Conners,” I began. He didn’t hang up and I hesitated. None of the Alphas had let me get this far before and I didn’t really have speech prepared.
“Phaedra,” he said, rolling my name like he knew me. “I’d thought I’d hear from you sooner.”
“Sorry to disappoint.”
He laughed. “It’s perfectly all right. You’re only human after all.”
“Yeah. About that.” I pulled my legs beneath me on the bed and wondered how to proceed. Then I decided that my best bet would be to just come right out and say it. “How many of your wolves can you send to help me rescue Gabriel?”
“None.”
“Let’s try that again,” I started, voice growing low and dangerous. “How many of your wolves can you spare to assist the Mate of Gabriel Evans?”
“Oh,” he laughed, clearly pleased. “So the rumors are true. Nice to know that Gabriel has finally settled down.” He laughed again, and his next words were spoken as if he was imparting something confidential. “You do realize that wolves mate for life, don’t you Miss Conners?”
I cleared my throat. I hadn’t thought that part would apply to Gabriel and I, and I didn’t have time now to worry about what it would mean down the road.
“You never answered my question, Leo,” I reminded him, figuring if he could skip the formalities I could too.
“Hmm,” he murmured thoughtfully. “I can give you six.”
“Just six?”
“It’s six or nothing Phaedra,” he said shortly. Then his tone lightened. “Much better than going in alone.”
He was right. Six was better than my measly one.
“Fine,” I snapped. “Have them meet me at the park by nightfall.” I had no idea where to find the facility where Gabriel and I had been kept, but the park seemed to be the common denominator. If nothing else, the wolves I’d be working with tonight should be able to follow Gabriel’s trail.
“Done,” He sounded darkly amused by my demands and I found myself bristling. “Anything else, my dear Phaedra?”
“I’m not your dear anything,” I told him, temper getting the best of me. Then I remembered he was helping me, and grew slightly less hostile. “Thanks though.”
“My pleasure,” Leo purred.
I hung up on him.
One problem down, one more to go.
I looked out at Asrai and saw her rifling through the refrigerator in search of more food.
I thought about how I had to go in there and ask a centuries old Fae if she was emotionally mature enough to stay home alone. If nothing else, the conversation should be an interesting one.