Page 38 of Black Bird

“What time was that?”

Wren twitched her mouth and narrowed her eyes. “Maybe about 9:00?”

“Has she seemed sick? Throwing up, loss of appetite … any more fainting spells or anything?”

She paused again, rolling the stool back and stared at the detective for a moment. “She doesn’t seem sick … just … different. She’s changed. I’m not sure how to explain it. I’m struggling with it, to be honest. I don’t know this side of her, detective.” Wren wasn’t sure how much else she should say, but decided it was worth letting someone know about. “If I’m being honest, I’ve never seen something as fucked up as that thing was on her neck. When I was little, my aunt’s little mutt got ahold of my leg. That was a small dog, but she made quick work of tearing a hole in it. I might have been like nine or ten … and it took months to heal up.” She watched Kane’s face change, just the slightest bit. “I can tell it still hurts her a little, but when’s the last time you saw something that bad heal up that fast?”

Kane slid off the doorway and stared down at the floor. “I haven’t.” Wren wasn’t born yesterday. She knew he was fishing for something. She decided she would too.

“Are you asking me about all this for the case?” She paused and he looked up. “Or for you?” Kane glanced over to the biker who was doing his best not to look interested. Wren didn’t take her eyes off him, and when he looked back at her she saw her answer. “Look, I’m not stupid. I know you’ve got a job to do, and this is a delicate thing, okay? But when all thisis over … just promise me you won’t hurt her. Sarah’s been through the ringer, dude. In all the years I’ve known her, the only two things she’s ever wanted was to figure out what happened to her mom, and to be invisible. It at least makes me feel a little better knowing there’s somebody else watching out for her. But if you hurt her …” Wren pointed the tattoo gun at him. “I’ll chop your dick off, cop.”

The biker cleared his throat and adjusted the seat of his jeans and Kane smiled at her. “I swore to protect, Miss Vintorri. That’s all I wanna do.” He laid a card on her counter by the doorway. “You can call or text that number if you need me, or if you can think of anything else. It doesn’t matter what time.” He smirked at her and put his hands back into his pockets as he slipped out the door. Wren watched him when he crossed the parlor, and something caught his attention at the glass counter. He stopped and asked Leigh, the pink-haired receptionist, how much it was. She couldn’t hear much else, but he pulled out his wallet and she wrapped up a small figurine, taking his card and checking him out. Wren half expected him to buy body jewelry. This was a surprise.

“I’ll be right back.” Wren muttered to her client, ignoring his grumbling as she sat down the gun and pulled her gloves off. Kane left before she could make it across the shop, and she watched him through the glass as he threw a leg over his motorcycle and pulled his helmet on. She stepped up to the counter and peered inside. “What’d he get?”

Leigh filed the receipt and glanced out the window as Kane pulled onto the street. “Just a raven figurine. The one that was sitting on the skull.”

Wren crossed her arms and leaned against the counter. “Interesting.”

He didn’t know why or how he ended up here at 6:00. He usually stayed as far away from this place as possible. Every fiber of him wanted to confront Dahlia and demand that she tell him the truth about what he’d learned from Nick Specter when he nearly had the prick pissing his pants at EverLife earlier today. Athan knew that walking into the tavern any earlier would raise suspicion as to how he was able to be out during the day, and he wasn’t here to have that conversation. As far as he knew, no one other than Rhaena was aware that he’d been the one that left Sarah out in the alley. Everything about what he’d done was so stupid.Hewas stupid. Especially when everything that was transpiring around this mistake was second to the fact that all he could think about was her. He’d never felt anything stronger in his immortal life. He supposed that was the real reason why he came.

A smooth, familiar voice rang out from behind the bar, and Athan smiled to himself as he lit a cigarette and slid a stool out. Tony emerged from the doorway just behind, a keg held out in front of him as he pausedhis singing. “Hey, man.” He couldn’t help but notice that his pale face turned another shade lighter beneath his cap.

“How’s life, Tony?” Athan asked, dragging on his cigarette. Tony set down the keg and nodded toward the empty room, his friendly smirk gracing his face.

“Quiet today.” He smiled, shaking Athan’s offered hand. “I don’t mean to come off rude, but what the hell are you doing here?” He snorted.

“I need a drink, friend. Having a day.”

“You sure this is the place you wanna be getting a drink?” Tony asked warily, pity flashing in his eyes. “I’d think you’d wanna be anywhere but here.”

“Anywhere but here doesn’t know what we are, Tony. As much as I hate this fucking place … it’s the only place I don’t have to hide it.”

Tony stilled and slowly nodded his head, grabbing a short glass and cleaning it with his towel. “I gotcha. That kinda day.” Athan took a long hit, smoke curling from his nose as he nodded back. “Let’s fix it.” Tony smiled, turning and pulling a bottle of whiskey from the top shelf and filling the glass up nearly to the brim. “You wanna talk about it?”

“Look, just know … I don’t like people,” Athan said, swallowing a mouthful of amber liquid.

“No shit, Kane.” Tony scoffed, pouring a shot for himself. “We all know that.”

“I don’t discuss personal business with anyone. So, if I confide in you … then I’m sure you understand there’s a slight chance you’re not one of those people I wanna decapitate. Right?” Tony laughed into his glass in response.

“It’s a dame.”

“It is …” Athan confirmed, pulling on his cigarette.

“The one from the club that night?” Something tugged in his middle, and he felt overwhelmed with the need to protect her. Tony must have sensed it and the bartender swallowed hard.

“What do you know? And how?” He could hear his own voice change. Lowered to a tone that promised a swift death.

“Whadd’ya mean? She came to the bar asking about you when you left that night. I assumed you were talking about her.”

“What?” Athan drew his brows and Tony nodded.

“She asked about you. Wanted to know if you were a regular. Is she the one that’s got you all worked up?” They both drank from their glass and Athan felt twice as shitty now. He softly nodded. “She was a sweet one. Not like the scavengers that come in here lookin’ for trouble.”

“Have you ever had somebody consume you like this? I mean, she’s off-limits. Truth be told, I want no part of a relationship. I’m enough to handle just on my own, but … fuck.”

“I sleep around.” Tony shrugged, chuckling. “I try not to get attached to anybody. There’s no point in it. Nobody in the coven really interests me, and being with a human is only gonna result in hurting them … you know … in more ways than one.”

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