Page 54 of Rites of Passage

A man with a white cat in his arms bumped into Mae as they crossed the ballroom. He murmured an apology and hurried off. She stared after him.

“Everything okay?” Nikolai asked gruffly.

“Yeah.”

A cool breeze washed over Vlad when he parted the curtains at the far end of the function room. He stepped out onto a balcony overlooking the city. Goosebumps broke out across his skin. He turned to give his jacket to Mae, only to find Nikolai already draping his across her shoulders. Given what he was about to tell them, he decided to let that irritating fact slide.

“Thanks.” Mae pulled the material closer, her wary gaze locked on Vlad.

He could see the dark foreboding growing in her eyes. Brimstone shifted closer to the witch, as if he sensed this too.

“Are you finally going to tell us why you came to the apartment the night the ghouls turned up?” Mae asked quietly.

Nikolai gave her a startled look.

Vlad frowned faintly.So, she knew something was going on.

He turned his back on them and gripped the balustrade with white-knuckled fingers, angry with himself for the news he was about to give her. The news he’d just heard from his uncle. He’d thought he’d have more time to prepare Mae for what was to come. But it seemed the powers that be weren’t having any of it.

An anxious rumble left Tarang. The tiger paced the balcony and brushed against his thigh. Vlad petted his familiar’s head distractedly before twisting to look at Mae and Nikolai.

“I don’t know how to put this any other way, so I’m just gonna say it like it is,” he said gruffly. “The Russian mob wants you.”

Mae paled. Nikolai drew a sharp breath.

Brimstone bared his teeth in a low growl.

“What?” Nikolai finally said in a dangerous tone.

Vlad blew out a frustrated sigh and raked his hair with his hands.

“Someone recorded what happened at the waterfront,” he said bitterly. “The video’s been circulating among theBratvashere and in Europe. The syndicate my uncle answers to has expressed a strong interest in…hiring your services.”

Mae swallowed. She finally found her voice. “They want to hire me?”

Vlad clenched his jaw. “Yes.”

“To do what? Party tricks?!”

Shock was giving way to outrage and fear.

Vlad’s heart twisted. “I’m sorry, Mae. This is all my fault. If I hadn’t associated with you, you wouldn’t have come to their attention.”

He dug his nails into his palms.

Mae watched him wordlessly, a storm of emotions flitting across her beautiful face. She took a shuddering breath, walked over, and took his hand.

“Don’t say that. Dozens of people would have died had you not helped us.” She stared into Vlad’s eyes, resolve replacing the anger tightening her features. “I don’t regret meeting you. None of us does. We’ll find a solution to this. Together.”

Vlad’s chest tightened, relief rendering him weak.

“They’re scared your alliance with Mae will make theBlack Devilsthe strongest crime syndicate in the world,” Nikolai said sourly. “That must be it, right?”

Vlad nodded grimly, not surprised the sorcerer had caught on to the real reason Moscow wanted Mae. He looked at the witch. “My uncle would like to meet with you. A representative of the main syndicate arrived in the country tonight. We weren’t expecting him to come this soon. He’ll be at the meeting too.”

Mae steeled herself. “When?”

“As soon as we get back to New York.”

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