"I take it back. She's a completely psychotic bitch."
"Janie," Malcolm said again. "My patience wears thin."
He moved close enough that she could feel his hot breath on the back of her neck. She cringed.
"Just a sec, Malcolm. I'm having sister issues." She looked at Barkley. "What do you mean she's a bitch?"
"Psychoticbitch. She got me back to her hotel room and attacked me."
"With a knife? A gun?"
"Her body. She tried to molest me."
She rolled her eyes. "There's no time for games, Barkley. She's in danger. What the hell?"
"I know! I tried to get her to pack her things, but she's completely out of control. She obviously doesn't know I'm practically alpha wolf. That means that women are not supposed to throw me on the bed and have their way with me. It takes away from my manliness."
"I don't have time for this, Barkley." Her stomach was now completely in knots.
His shoulders slumped. "And then I turned wolf. Just—poof—dissolved into it without any warning at all. I realized right then and there that I turn wolf when I can't handle a situation. I'm like a turtle who retreats into his shell when he's threatened. Only my shell has fur."
"Werewolves are also on my list, along with hunters and vampires," Malcolm said ominously and then glanced at his watch. "Wrap this up, Janie. Now."
She grabbed Barkley's shirt and shoved him up against a Crazy-Sevens slot machine. "Where is Angela now?"
His eyes widened and he pointed. "Over at the tables. She wanted to gamble some more before we left town."
Janie let him go and turned around in a circle, scanning the area.
There she was. Angela's red hair was very distinct—enough that she could spot her from a fair distance.
"This could not be worse," she said, mostly to herself. "You've got to get her out of here right now.
There's no time to waste."
He shook his head. "She told me to stay out of her way." He showed her his arm, which had scratch marks on it. "The woman has very sharp nails. Did I mention that I hate her with a fiery passion? And it's not even the hate/love deal where you hate each other and then want to do it like rabbits when you're not fighting. This is just the hate. I know she's your sister, but she is pure evil."
Janie's jaw tensed, and then she turned around in Lenny's direction and waved him back over. He'd been eyeing the craps table.
"You changed your mind?" he said. "The Boss should be here any minute."
"I need you to listen to me very carefully, Lenny."
"Um. Okay. What is it?"
She put a hand on his shoulder and pointed in the direction of her sister. "See her? The one with the red hair?"
He nodded.
"That's my sister."
His eyebrows raised. "Really? You finally found her?"
"Yeah. You know what I told you the Boss said he would do to her?"
He nodded gravely.
"You need to get her out of here right now and make sure she's safe. Do you understand?"
"But what if—?"
She shook her head. "There can't be any buts." Her eyes stung. "Protect her, Lenny. For me. Please."
Lenny nodded. "I'll take care of it. Of her. I promise."
"Thank you. Now go. Do it now."
"Okay." He turned away.
"Oh, and one more thing, Lenny?"
He turned back. "Uh-huh?"
"She won't know who you are. She doesn't know who I am. She'll probably think you're trying to kidnap her, and she'll make a big scene. Can you handle that?"
His brow furrowed. "Well, it does sound a bit challenging." He brightened. "I can handle her. She's little."
Then he took off.
She shook her head. Had to love the big guy. He sure knew how to take orders well, be they hunting down a rampant werewolf or babysitting a kid sister.
She glanced at Barkley.
He let out a long, dejected-sounding sigh. "I'm sorry I couldn't help."
"Yeah, me too."
Swallowing past the large lump of anxiety in her throat, she turned her back on him and without another word, and she and Malcolm made their way to where they were to meet Quinn in five short minutes.
The first time Quinn ever met Gideon Chase, the leader of the vampire hunters, was when he'd been twenty years old, a fresh-faced young hunter with only a couple of shaky kills under his belt. Gideon was five years older and already close to taking over his father's empire of old money and sharp stakes.
Quinn's first impression had been that Gideon was a really cool guy. Somebody he'd like hanging out with, grabbing a couple of beers. Somebody, despite his riches, he would be willing to fight side by side with.
That impression had been short-lived.
They'd gone hunting together. They'd found a nest—a resting place where vampires gathered together for safety and social purposes. Quinn wanted to observe only and return with backup.