Silver turned toward one of the holes in the wall as the growl of an engine disrupted the relative silence. Headlights cut across the darkness as the car pulled up to the building. Devon looked at the opening on the opposite wall. How far could she get if she took off running?
“Don’t.” Silver grabbed Devon’s upper arm. “I’m not in the mood to chase you.” Instead, Silver led her toward the car.
The driver’s door swung open and an elderly woman exited the car.
“You were supposed to be waiting for me,” Silver snapped.
“You said there would be no bloodshed,” Granny returned.
“I lied.” Silver’s chuckle sent a chill down Devon’s spine. “Cut the lights. This place is supposed to be deserted.”
Granny leaned back into the car and flipped off the headlights. “How are you going to explain Roberto’s death to Milliner and Tias?”
Silver’s gaze shot to Devon. If she was waiting for a reaction she was going to be disappointed. Devon stared at Granny and made damn sure her expression didn’t change. She didn’t understand who these two were or how they fit into the big picture, but Granny had just confirmed their connection to the backers.
“I have no intention of explaining myself to anyone,” Silver said.
“Including me?”
“We don’t have time for this.” Silver started toward the car again, but Granny slammed the door and moved toward them.
“I didn’t agree to murder.” Granny faced off with Silver, fists planted on her well-padded hips. “I want no part of this.”
“Fine. Stay here.” Silver yanked Devon to the side but Granny mirrored the move.
“Leave her here for the cats to find. It’s not too late for us to—”
Silver backhanded the elderly woman, knocking her off her feet.
Devon gasped and twisted her arm out of Silver’s grasp. “What is wrong with you? She’s an old woman.” Devon rushed forward and helped Granny back to her feet.
A blur of gold and black rocketed through one of the openings and slammed into Silver. She cried out, clearly shocked by the sudden attack. Ian flapped his wings, driving Silver backward but unable to force her to the ground.
Silver’s wings appeared with a menacing snap. She countered Ian’s momentum and scratched bloody furrows in his cheek.
“Why aren’t you dead?” he snarled, his tone harsh with lethal promise. He clasped her throat with both hands. “We’ll burn your body this time.”
Granny lunged without warning, wrapping a surprisingly strong arm around Devon’s torso and trapping her arms at her sides. “Raptor, let her go,” she called out as she pressed a knife against Devon’s throat.
Ian froze but didn’t release his hold on Silver’s neck. His hostile gaze swung toward Granny and he said, “Leave now and I won’t kill you. Your sister is already dead.”
Sister? These two were sisters? They looked more like mother and daughter or grandmother and granddaughter. How well did Ian know them?
“Go on, sis.” Silver sounded amused, which made no sense. Ian could snap her neck with one twist of his wrist. “You don’t like it when I misbehave.”
Granny shifted restlessly, the blade no longer flush with Devon’s skin.
Not willing to squander the opportunity, Devon slammed her elbow back into Granny’s ribs as she shoved her knife hand farther away. Granny lunged for her, but Devon swung around and kicked her in the stomach. Granny’s knees buckled and she dropped the knife. Devon kicked the weapon off into the shadows before Granny could reach for it again.
An animalistic growl drew Devon’s attention back to Ian and Silver. They’d broken apart and now circled, each crouched and ready to spring. Ian knocked her sideways with a sudden, vicious swipe of one of his wings. She countered with an equally violent wing-slap.
As they rotated, Devon saw Silver’s face and felt her eyes round. Silver’s forehead bowed with twin horizontal ridges. Her cheekbones jutted and her jaw was now an exaggerated peak. Overly large and flashing with yellow-green light, her eyes dominated her transformed features.
“Think you’re strong enough to take me?” She drove him back with an agile jump kick to the center of his chest. He grunted and stumbled but remained on his feet. “Payne obviously failed.”
Rather than advance, Ian spread his arms and hunched his shoulders. Devon didn’t understand his pose until Therian light burst within his eyes. The shimmer was so bright it distorted his features. His chest heaved and his arms trembled. Then his chest began to glow.
Was he going to…