Smoke and Shadows by Tanya Huff Page A

around the apartment. Arra had turned out to be the middle-aged woman with the coffee who’d seen behind the masks that night on the street. He wasn’t exactly surprised. He could smell two cats in the bedroom, judged by their heart rate that they were asleep. “All right.”
    â€œAll right what?” she snapped.
    â€œAs I’m sure you’re aware, my kind are very territorial. Tony is mine.”
    About to protest, Tony bit back the words. This was, after all, why he’d wanted Henry with him. To lean on the wizard. To act as metaphysical muscle. The whole Tony is mine thing was just a lever. At least he hoped it was because they’d settled that when he left.
    â€œYou put your mark on him and I can’t have that.” He was at her side between one heartbeat and the next. Tony was almost used to the way Henry could move when he had to; Arra had no frame of reference and she paled.
    â€œIf you kill me, I can’t help you with the shadow.”
    â€œYou’ve already said you won’t help.”
    Her nostrils flared. “You could try and convince me.” His hands cupped her head in an almost loverlike fashion. “I don’t want to.”
    Tony couldn’t see Henry’s face, but he could see the sudden realization on Arra’s that this was Death standing in her apartment. Not an abstract death sometime in the future, but a flesh and blood and immediate death. Even knowing that Henry would no more follow through on this particular threat than he would feed on fear, Tony’s skin crawled.
    Lee had been out in the city, ridden by shadow, for over two hours. They didn’t have time to be subtle.
    â€œAll right! I’ll do what I can.”
    Death lingered.
    â€œHenry.”
    Henry turned slowly, the Hunger still very close to the surface. He hadn’t fed the night before and having allowed so much of the Hunter to rise, he would have to feed tonight. He fought for focus as Tony stepped forward, understanding in his eyes, and murmured, “The moment Lee’s free of shadow.” No need to be more specific, his blood spoke for him.
    â€œWhy wait? Go now. Eat, drink . . . or rather just drink and be merry.” Arra looked from the Nightwalker to Tony and sagged back against the cushions in defeat. “Or not. Just a suggestion.”

Five
    â€œS O, TONY. . .”Arra settled back into the couch cushions and crossed her legs, her posture suggesting that while Henry may have shaken her confidence he had by no means destroyed it. “. . . just what is it you and your friend . . .” Her eyes flickered left to where Henry stood; the motion involuntary. “. . . expect me to do?”
    Tony couldn’t believe she was asking. “Find Lee and get that thing out of him!”
    â€œYou know, you’re really overreacting,” she sighed.
    â€œI’m overreacting?” He wanted to grab her and shake her until she admitted that Lee was in danger. Until she agreed to do something about it. “There’s a dark wizard from another world sending shadows through some kind of gate to gather information. Yesterday, one of those shadows killed someone, and today one of them took over Lee Nicholas and sent him off into the city acting way out of character. And I’m over reacting?”
    â€œWell, I’d have to say you’re underreacting about the wizard, but given your friends . . .” Another corner-of-the-eye glance at Henry “. . . that’s hardly surprising. You’re over reacting . . .” She matched his emphasis. “. . . about Mr. Nicholas. You don’t need to go looking for him—and I certainly don’t—because the shadow will return to the gate approximately twelve hours after it came through.”
    â€œWhat?” Tony froze in place and stared down at her, searching for another lie. “It’ll bring Lee back to the gate and just leave