Page 119 of All Souls Near & Nigh
Quetzalcoatl shrugged. “Santa Muerte will follow her worshippers, not the Dominion Sect. She has gone south, at Áltsé Hashké’s request. He does not want her in his lands.”
“How long will that last?” Jono asked.
“A few weeks. A few centuries. Who knows? Death goes where she likes.”
“And your brother?”
“Ah. A little more complicated, as all families are. He has left New York City, but the Omacatl Cartel can’t be carved out of these streets. I’m sure Tezcatlipoca will find his way back at some point.”
Patrick shared a look with Jono before shrugging. “Maybe by that point we’ll all be dead. Either way, not our problem.”
Quetzalcoatl ran his hand over the top of the car. Power scraped against Patrick’s magic before receding as quickly as it had arrived. “I will do what I can to make sure you don’t have to worry about the case. It’s the least I owe my cousin for my brother’s transgression against a soul debt he never owned.”
“He comes after Patrick again and I’ll let Fenrir tear him to pieces,” Jono promised.
Hermes smirked. “So feisty. I’ll remember to bring popcorn.”
The immortals disappeared, slipping through the veil as if they were never there. Patrick waved a hand at his car, taking down the ward that had hidden the damage accrued from jaguars. The metal, once shredded by powerful claws, was now whole, and the paint job had returned to a pristine black.
“That was nice of him,” Sage said dubiously.
“I’d rather submit a claim to the insurance company and let my premiums rise. I hate owing gods anything,” Patrick grumbled.
“I’m hungry,” Wade whined as he rifled through three stolen wallets. “Can we eat?”
Patrick snatched the wallets out of his hands, checking the identification inside. Each license matched the face of a werewolf Estelle had brought with her. “Goddamn it. I can’t take you anywhere.”
Wade held up a wad of cash. “Lunch is on me.”
“With stolen money.”
Jono took the wallets from Patrick and chucked them at the far end of the alleyway. No one watched where they landed. “Lunch sounds great. I’m famished.”
“Fine. All of you get in.”
Everyone climbed into the Mustang and buckled up before Patrick started the engine. He took a moment to look at everyone, this pack of family he never thought he’d get to have, much less keep. Nothing was ever certain, least of all war, and Patrick knew all too well what could be lost in the shadow of conflict.
“Ready?” Jono asked, arching an eyebrow.
Patrick put the car into reverse and hit the gas pedal. “Yeah.”
Jono’s hand settled on his thigh, his touch warm and heavy andthere. Patrick let it ground him, refusing to pull away. Sometimes peace could be found in the chaos of a life unconstrained from the walls people built. Jono, Sage, and Wade were a weakness, he knew that, but one Patrick was determined to fight for.
No matter what.
