"Seriously, though, the sun'll be down in about fifteen minutes. I'll head out immediately."
"I'm holding down the fort, Custer. Don't worry."
"Thanks, Bull. See you in a bit."
Talon hung up and waited until he could feel the tingling on his skin that always alerted him that the sun was gone and it was safe to leave.
It was about forty-five minutes after dark when Sunshine asked Vane to walk the short distance around the corner to the Coke stand and get her something to drink.
He balked, but she finally convinced him that she would still be in full sight and wouldn't wander off until he returned.
As soon as he got in line, she heard Selena's low whistle.
"Now that man looks scary with a capital S. He has serial killer written all over him."
Sunshine turned to see an extremely tall, dark-haired man rounding the corner. The horses that lined Decatur Street snorted and pranced uneasily as he passed by them.
It was as if they sensed something evil about him.
He looked so incredibly sinister that her stomach drew tight. "Should I call Vane back?"
"I don't know." Selena got up from her card table and moved to stand beside Sunshine. "If he makes a move on you, I'll grab him and you scream."
"Okay. Maybe he'll just keep on walking right past us."
He didn't.
He glanced at her cart as he came even with it, then paused.
Sunshine's gaze fell to the vicious-looking silver claws on his left hand.
He didn't speak a word as he approached her cart. She swallowed and instinctively moved closer to Selena. The man would be incredibly handsome if he didn't look so ferocious.
She exchanged nervous looks with Selena.
His dark, deadly gaze was focused on the bowls she had fashioned after a Greek design she'd seen in a museum catalog. With a gentleness she wouldn't have thought him capable of, he ran his hand over a red-figured bowl.
A flash of longing darkened his eyes, as if the design brought back some bittersweet memory for him. "You make these?"
She actually flinched as his intense black gaze met hers. He had a deep, provocative voice that was so heavily accented, it took her a minute to understand his question. "I do."
"Nice work."
She couldn't have been more stunned had he taken a gun out and shot her. "Thanks."
When he reached into his pocket, she braced herself to scream for Vane until she realized he was just pulling out his wallet. "How much?"
"What are you doing here?"
She looked past the man to see Talon approaching. His long, angry predatorial strides brought him to her side. Fast.
"None of your friggin' business, Celt," the stranger growled.
"Get away from Sunshine, Zarek, or I swear I'll put you down."
Zarek tucked his wallet back in his pocket and turned to face Talon. "Try it, Celt, and I'll have your heart in my fist."
Talon lunged and shoved him back.
Zarek swung at him, but Talon ducked and shoved him again.
Vane came out of nowhere to break them apart. "Hey, hey, hey!" he snarled at Talon, forcing him away from Zarek. "What is this about?"
"I better not ever catch you around her, Zarek. I mean it."
Zarek flipped him off with his claw, then turned around and stalked angrily toward the Presbytere building.
Sunshine was terrified as she saw the wild look on Talon's face. He really looked like he could kill someone.
"Talon?"
"Stay back," Vane warned. "You okay, Celt?"
Talon couldn't respond. All he could feel was the rising fury inside him. The demanding, hot need he had to rip Zarek to pieces.
The moment he had seen Zarek, his mind had flashed back to Zarek in the alley with his victim.
God help the man if he ever attacked Sunshine that way.
He'd kill him regardless of the consequences.
Without comment, Talon pulled Sunshine against him and held her there. He fisted his hand in her hair, inhaled her warm patchouli scent, and just reveled in the peace he felt while holding her.
"You were supposed to be watching her, Vane," he snarled at the Were-Hunter.
"It was just Zarek, Celt. Calm down. He wasn't doing anything but looking at her dishes."
"He could have hurt her."
"But he didn't."
"Yeah, and you're damn lucky for that."
Zarek was still fuming as he made his way down Pirate's Alley.
When was he going to learn? Every time he had tried to help someone, it had always turned around and bit him on his ass.
He'd recognized the woman the minute he'd seen her and was wondering why Talon had left her unprotected.
He clenched his teem. "Fine. Let her die."
What did he care anyway?
As he neared the end of die alley, he stopped. A foreign, cold sensation ran over him. It was one he hadn't felt since the night he'd crossed over from human to Dark-Hunter.
"Zarek."
He turned to see none other than Dionysus before him. The Greek god had his short brown hair impeccably combed. He wore a dark tweed jacket over a navy turtle-neck and looked like some kind of high-paid corporate raider.
"If you're going to blast me, Dionysus, have at it."
Dionysus laughed. "Please call me Dion. Dionysus is just so passe."
Zarek stiffened as the god neared him. The power of the being was undeniable and it caused the air around him to sizzle. "Why are you speaking to me?"
Dionysus indicated the Pedestrian Mall with his thumb. "I overheard your little exchange with Talon. I was thinking we could make a deal, you and I."
Zarek scoffed at the very idea. "That would be like making a pact with Lucifer."
"Yes, but I don't smell like sulfur. And I happen to dress better. Luc always looks like a pimp." He offered Zarek a cigarette. "Go ahead, have one. It's even your brand."
Zarek took him up on it and eyed him suspiciously as he lit the cigarette. "So what's the pact?"
"Simple. I have a boy in town who is doing some favors for me. You ran into him last night. The one who looks like your boss."
"Yeah, I know the bastard. I owe him too."
"I know. It was unfortunate that the two of you met like that. But if you can put aside your anger, I think you'll like my deal a lot better."
"And that is?"
"My boy needs a few things. Now we could kill you, but I'm thinking a man of your 'special' abilities and skills would be better on our side than drifting through eternity as a disembodied Shade." Dionysus paused.
"Keep talking."
"All I need is for you to not hunt. Go home like Acheron wants and stay there until Mardi Gras. During my celebration, Styxx will be in touch. Help him with the final preparations and I will give you what you want most."
"And what do I want most?"
"An end to your suffering."
Zarek had to give the god credit, he knew what to offer, all right. "You're not trying to trick me, are you?"
"I swear by the river Styx that if you assist us, I will put you out of your pain. Completely. No tricks. No loopholes. One blast and you're beyond even death."
"And if I don't?"
Dionysus smiled evilly. "Hades has a nice corner of Tartarus waiting for you."
Zarek took a drag on his cigarette and laughed darkly. "Like that scares me. What's he going to do? Tear the flesh off my body? Break my bones? Better yet, why not hold me down and stomp on me until I bleed or make me shovel shit? Oh wait, been there, done that, and got the videotape."
Dionysus's green eyes blazed. "I can't believe Artemis lets you live."
"I can't believe you're a god with no better threat than that. But don't worry," he said as Dionysus looked like he was ready to strike. "I hate these assholes anyway and couldn't care less how many of them you turn into Shades."
The god calmed down instantly.
"I take it you know my cell number?" Zarek asked.
Dionysus nodded. "We'll be in touch."
"Fine. I'll see you Tuesday."
At Talon's insistence, Sunshine packed up her cart and let the men wheel it back toward her art gallery. But as they started away, she stopped them.
"What are you doing?" Talon asked as she opened up the small side door on her cart.
"Nothing."
He frowned at her as she pulled out the bowl Zarek had been looking at. She handed it to Vane. "Would you mind taking this to Zarek for me?"
Talon was aghast. "What are you, insane?"
"No, Talon. That man is in a lot of pain. I think he could use an act of kindness from someone."
Vane scoffed. "What he could use is a good butt-kicking."
"Vane, please." Sunshine urged him to take it.
He did, grudgingly. "Okay, but if he throws it at me, I'm going to want some compensation."
She kissed him on the cheek.
"Lame compensation, but in the presence of Talon, I'll settle for it."
Vane took the bowl and headed off down the street.
She turned back to Talon who was still frowning. "Zarek will slam it against a wall and break it the first chance he gets."
"I don't think so. Even if he does, I can always make another one."
He helped her lock up her cart and then led her back out to the street. "You have such a generous heart."
"That's what they tell me. So, shall we go hunt for Styxx?"
"Hell, no. I'm not going to chance you getting hurt."
She growled at him. "Listen, my grandmother said something to me this afternoon. She told me to follow my heart tonight. I don't know what she meant by that, but I trust her. She is an extraordinary psychic. Everything she has told me has come true."
"Look, Sunshine, I can't help what she said. I just know that I'm not willing to let anything happen to you. When Nynia died, I was so lost and cold, and I haven't been warm since. Not until I felt your hands on me. The only way I've been able to cope without you is to bury what I feel, but I can't seem to do that anymore. When I'm with you all I can do is feel and need."
"That's how I am too."
"So where does that leave us?"
"I don't know, Talon. I wish I did."
Talon put his arm over her shoulder as they walked back toward the square. He noticed other couples around them.
How he wished they could be a normal, happy couple with no worries other than a mortgage payment.
But it wasn't meant to be.
Camulus was playing with both of them and Sunshine was going to get hurt.
Talon only knew one real way to protect both of them.
"So where are we going?" Sunshine asked.
"We're going to see a god about a miracle."