Lupi 06 - Blood Magic

kept his attention on that meeting. Maybe it had fed his uneasiness. How could he tell?
    It didn't matter, he decided. If his feelings were murky, his actions were right. He wasn't acting like a jealous man, so -
    "I guess it doesn't matter, then, that Cody said my ring was a big KEEP OFF sign."
    "Good."
    Lily tipped her head to one side. "Oh?"
    "You're thinking I'm jealous."
    One corner of her mouth tipped up. "Yeah, I am."
    "I'm not - at least, it's similar to jealousy, I suppose, but I know you wouldn't act on whatever feelings you have, but - " He stopped. Ran a hand over his hair. "Dammit, Lily. He matters to you. I can hear it in your voice."
    Deliberately she took his hand, her eyes steady on his. "Lots of people matter to me. I'm not in love with them. I am in love with you. Cody... I guess what you were hearing was unfinished business. He and I ended things badly, and that left all these messy regrets hanging around. Regrets about the way I handled things, not about us breaking up. How could I regret that? I've got you now."
    A small, dark place inside Rule opened up, releasing a heaviness he didn't name. That lump of darkness met air, turned to mist, and evaporated. A smile spread over his face. The hand he held wore his ring. He ran his thumb over it. "And I have you."
    "You're sounding pretty possessive there."
    And she sounded pretty amused. He didn't care.
    Beck chose that interesting moment to join them. He glanced at their joined hands, then spoke to Lily as if Rule wasn't there. "I've got an APB out for Javier. I can't figure this out. It isn't his style, setting us up that way."
    "I imagine he got one of those 'can't refuse' type of offers." She glanced at Rule, including him. "Just before I came here I got a tip from someone who knows what he's talking about. Our perp's taken over two small gangs and wants more. According to my source, he wants to run all criminal operations in San Diego. I'm betting these clowns are from one of the gangs he's already co-opted."
    "I don't know, Lily," Beck said. "These particular scum are Soldados. They're a small gang, yeah, but they're vicious, ambitious, and territorial, and their leader is Cruz Montoya. He wouldn't hand control over to some newcomer."
    "If he refused, he's probably dead. We're not dealing with the usual sort of perps, Cody. If... Looks like the detective's here. I need to talk to - no, hell, I'd better get that." She dug out her phone.
    Rule recognized the ringtone. "Wouldn't Ruben still be in the air?" He seemed to remember that Brooks's flight was to land around ten.
    She nodded, touching the answer link. "Lily Yu here."
    Rule heard Brooks's voice clearly. "Lily, your family is in grave and immediate danger. That's all I know, but I am completely sure of it."

 
    THIRTY-FOUR

    Lily commandeered a patrol car. Beck's vehicle was half a mile's hike away, Rule's was blocked by two patrol cars and an ambulance, and she wasn't waiting.
    She might not have gotten away with that if the detective who'd pulled up just as Ruben called had been someone other than T.J. He told the patrol officer to quit whining and give her the damned keys.
    Beck insisted on going along. It made for a crowded front seat - but since the backseat was essentially a small, mobile prison, neither Rule nor Beck was eager to ride there.
    Lily hits the lights, the siren, and the accelerator. Rule tried calling everyone he had a number for - Julia and Edward Yu, Susan, Beth. Nothing got through.
    Before they were halfway there, the city went crazy.
    The first call on the police radio concerned Godzilla. It was quickly followed by shots fired; a brawl at Walmart; giant ants; more shots fired; people running naked and screaming along a busy street... all in the general vicinity of Edward and Julia Yu's home. When the first fire bloomed, opening its hungry orange petals on the roof of a home a block from their destination, they were still two miles away, but they saw the sudden glow.
    Lily's knuckles were white on the steering wheel as she took the exit ramp at high speed. "Grandmother knew this would happen. She knew."
    "You're right. She was expecting this, so she's prepared." Rule tensed and drew hard on the mantles. "Shit."
    "Hell and damnation!" Beck leaned across Rule, grabbing for the wheel. Rule shoved him back.
    "What is it?" Lily demanded.
    "I just saw a demon like the one who ripped me open in Dis. I don't know what the deputy saw."
    "People." Beck swallowed. "Dead