Page 85 of Drift

“Just in case you’re daft enough to leave it on a bus, right?” said Martin, and Ray snorted at the mistrust. Didn’t seem he knew about the secondary tracking device.

“But why risk anyone trying to take it?” That came off Jan as he came over.

“Yeah.” Martin went in close to Simon. “You explain why. And I suggest you lead with sapper. Because that’s what you’re doing, hm? You’re using him to track his location. See who he runs to.”

Simon held his look and didn’t back down. “Feeder,” he said evenly. “The whole point to tonight was to allow them in, then to track and trace. So I track. I trace. And I do it my way, using the tech they’re used to passing around the street.”

“Hm. You worked with them taking tech in mind. Clever you.” Martin went in breath-to-breath close. “But that’s you using my blood.” He gave such a cold smile. “And if he takes any damage outside those gates, you and me: we’ll play games for the rest of your natural born life.” He tapped his head. “Your wired system against mine.”

“Ease down.” Gray came in, tugging Martin back, then he rested back on Ray. “Get a call through to Raif. We get a location, we’re going to need his turf knowledge.” A look came Light’s way. “Go. Make sure Jude and these ‘pips’ got off the premises.”

Chapter 26

STREET LEVEL

Unable to take a breath, calves and stomach pulling in ways it left him doubling, Drift slumped down the brick wall lining the larger-than-life rundown townhouse behind him. Moonlight lifted high above the row of houses opposite, but the chill that had his fingers ceasing up didn’t register, nor the ice that soaked through from the concrete pathway to his ass.

He’d run, but his head hurt too much to try and fight through how he’d found a safe way home.

Giving a groan, he folded his arms across his knees and dropped his head down. The grip around the phone he’d stolen hurt, but he hid it in the crook of his arm, not ready to acknowledge it beyond being something he held on to.

“Fuck.” It’s all he had as he eased back against the wall and hit the back of his head off its hardness a few times. “Fuck, fuck-fuck—”

“Hey, hey-hey.” The whisper came low and fast, but so did the darkened shape that seemed to shift around the wall like a ghost caught in a breeze. Warm hands cupped his jaw, forcing a look onto a Witch’s necklace loose around a slender neck, then West’s eyes were all he could see. “Where the hell have you been?”

The words came out snarled and the grip to his jaw hurt before West came in close, her breath warming his cheek as she rested her head hard against his.

“What have I said about keeping me fucking waiting, Drift?”

He tried to speak, to fight through the debris in his head and find ways to talk over why it hurt to, but all he had was shivering with how close West’s blue eyes seem silver in the near-morning moonlight. How close they shone to his own and that bloke’s silver eyes and….

He groaned, and West pulled back, at first frowning, then rubbing at his hand.

“Just how long have you been running, baby?” She cupped his hand and blew hot air into it before glancing up to the townhouse. “C’mon. Let’s get you in.” She stroked at his cheek. “Then we talk if you want to, okay?”

She got up and pulled him to his feet, and he rubbed at his head as she tugged him around the back of the townhouse. Broken glass crunched underfoot, and she winced back his way as they reached the back door. A soft creak met her touch as she opened it, but no flick of light came on, just her pause to listen to the kitchen and the darkness from the rooms ahead.

“Okay.” West nodded his way, seeming satisfied, and he looked down at how she hadn’t let her hold on his hand drop. “We—”

A huge bulk shadowed the hallway, its fold of arms stopping West as she spoke.

“Christ, Leon.” She snapped a teatowel from the back of a chair and threw it at him. “Get another hobby that don’t involve you playing night stalker.”

A chuckle came from the doorway. “You walk louder than a monkey on a bed of nuts, Westie.”

“I’ll bloody monkey walk over your nuts if you don’t move.”

Leon snorted. “Kind of my job tonight, you know, me not letting you nut-walkers back in after curfew.” He still blocked the doorway. West still hadn’t moved to try and push past him. Neither did Drift as a look came his way. “Might have bloody known it’d be you…”

Not glancing away, Leon started to let out a whistle, but West shifted so fast, covering his mouth.

“Give us a break.” She kept her hand on his mouth. “Please. At least til morning’. I’ll get you a few vapes for it.”

Leon tried to pull away, tried to catch West’s wrist and take the grip off. “Hm—”

“Please.” She brushed a hand at his cheek. “Whistlin’ Dixie for Jackson is only gonna piss him off this late. He loves his beauty sleep… needs it even.”

A light came on in the hallway.

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