“Um, yeah. Usually.”
“I want this guy, Kitty. Help me get him.”
“Can you handle him? Can you really handle him?”
“A trunk full of stakes and holy water says I can,” she said. “I’ve been doing my homework.”
“You have no idea what you’re getting into,” Ben said.
“I’m looking forward to finding out,” she said.
My phone chose that opportune moment to ring. Again. It couldn’t possibly be anything good.
“What!” I said.
“I’d like a word with you, Katherine. We need to end this, before we see another bloodbath.” Arturo, as refined as ever. My skin pricked; the hair on my neck prickled. Where was he? And what was he doing? How badly were we all screwed this time?
I hoped my voice didn’t shake too badly. “A word with me? Why not Rick?”
“You’ll see. I want to deal with you and you alone.”
“I think this is a trick. I think it’s a trap. No, I won’t do it.”
“Oh, you’ll come speak with me.”
I laughed. “I will?”
“Yes. Because I’m standing next to your mother’s hospital bed.”
The phone clicked off.
A sickly, hot/cold fever washed over me, and my gut melted into my feet. My lips went numb. I couldn’t feel anything. I leaned back against the headrest.
“Kitty?” Ben said. “What’s wrong?”
“What is it?” Hardin echoed.
My voice didn’t work. This was Rick’s fault, I wanted to scream. Wanted to growl. Wolf started thrashing—pack was in danger. My human pack, but still. Had to run, had to fight. I swallowed, counted, coiled the fear deep inside. Kept it together.
“Kitty,” Ben said in a low voice, drawing me back to myself. His hand clamped over my arm, a steadying pressure.
“That was Arturo.” I gest
ured with my still-on phone. My hand was shaking. “He’s got my mom.”
The pause only lasted a beat. “Do you know where?” Hardin said. She had her radio in her hand.
I nodded and told her the hospital. “She just had surgery.”
Hardin was talking into her radio, calling for backup.
“Ben, we have to go help my mom,” I said, and at the same time more thoughts slammed into me. More implications. This wasn’t an accident. This was a setup. “Arturo knows Rick’ll go after Obsidian. It’s a trap.”
Quickly I dialed Rick’s number. It rang. And rang, and rang. “Shit.”
“I’ll go,” Ben said. “I’ll get to Obsidian to help Rick. You go with Hardin to the hospital.”
I looked at Hardin. “Is that okay?”