Chapter 279

Grace

As we boarded the crowded bus, a knot of unease tightened in my gut. Astarte made a show of being intrigued. She smiled for every photo and seemed genuinely delighted, all the while, she explained her plan.

I promised to help you. PR is important. Having me here will get you attention beyond the States. I don't tend to cross territory lines...

Is that the only reason?

"While we're riding around," Astarte started. "I'd like to get your thoughts... Typically, such a visit would require a gift."

"A gift?"

"Yes, a show of thanks for your hospitality... Given everything going on, would you be opposed to my help with the rebuild?"

I blinked at her. "Help?"

She shrugged. "It would be the work of a few hours to rebuild your headquarters. A gift of fixing something is the best way to solidify a new friendship... A way of saying that I contribute to your life."

My jaw dropped.

Say you graciously accept, Astarte said. This is the public gift of solidarity... My apology is something else.

Apology?

To you and to Charles. I know he tried to extend protections over the whole building. I'm going to have my coven lay them. You are his mate.

Our gazes met.

That means... despite all I have done to you and your people, you and I are family in all but blood.

My heart trembled.

"That would be... gracious, but overkill. I couldn't pay you what that would be worth."

She scoffed. "There is no such thing as favors between friends. And you cannot pay for a good friend. They're priceless."

As she gestured, the train gasped around us. I turned and watched a glimmering barrier go up. Bit by bit, Wolfe Medical started to grow out of the ground. I stared, struck.

Publicly cozying up to Astarte felt like a betrayal, yet as Wolfe Medical took form just the way it had been before the attack, and the weight of the cost and time faded, I could cry.

"I took the liberty of adding some more protections," she said. "I know you spend a lot of time there."

"Thank you."

She just smiled.

Thank you.

The rhythmic whine of the wheels of the train filled the air, punctuated by the cacophony of city life filtering through the windows. Astarte held onto a strap, swaying gently with the train's movements.

Everywhere we went, reporters hovered around us, taking note of what she thought of the local bakery's goods, the coffee, how effortless she walked around in her sky high heels. It felt surreal and if I let myself let go of the fact that she was Alpha Shadow, I would say she was damn fun.

"What is that?" Astarte asked, pointing at City Hall.

"Our final stop unless you want more muffins?"

She grinned and followed me onto the bus. "Not at the moment. Though they were very good." Her eyes softened. "Set... loved blueberry."

I blinked. "Vampires.... can eat regular food?"

She chuckled. "Of course... And he has a very talented tongue."

My face heated and she let out a cackle that was decidedly witch-like. Then, a sudden, unexpected jolt rocked the bus. A collective gasp rippled through the passengers, followed by a wave of panicked murmurs. My phone buzzed to life, the screen screaming with an emergency alert.

Explosion on the West Side. Enforcers on scene.

Relief washed over me momentarily, knowing the Enforcers' swift response had likely contained the damage. However, it was a short-lived feeling.

"Not fireworks," Astarte said staring toward the west.

"No, an explosion."

"Well, we can't stay here," Astarte said as the bus slowed to a stop. I followed her as I answered my phone.

"Alpha Wolfe, we've contained explosion. Nothing was damaged."

"Where did it come from?"

"A grenade. Please stay with Mistress Noir."

I glanced at Astarte as she narrowed her eyes, still watching the rise of smoke.

"We're going to City Hall," Astarte said and took my arm.

"Wait--"

The rest of my sentence died in my throat as Astarte, her eyes gleaming with an unsettling intensity. A swirling doorway of darkness opened and she led me through. It broke over me like air. The air shimmered, distorting the world around us. One moment we were on the street, the next we stood in front of City Hall's doors.

My jaw dropped and she opened the door with a wink.

"I am Mistress Noir for a reason." I entered the building, but it seemed eerily empty. Neith appeared from nowhere, stepping out of the shadows.

"Show off," Neith said and embraced Astarte.

"A good PR move comes with a splash of fun."

Astarted nodded forward. "I believe you should get to your command room, yes?"

I nodded and headed upstairs to my father's office, adrenaline pumping through my veins. An attack, contained or not, was a serious threat. The city needed to be locked down, the Enforcers deployed in full force.

I activated the lockdown procedures and threw off my jacket. Amira and Xavier had rushed over to the newly rebuilt Wolfe Medical building. Most of City Hall's employees were gone, hopefully to the bomb shelters.

Voices crackled through the comms network.

"Seems like we should have come straight here," Astarte drawled, her voice cutting through the tension. "Do you have a link to the magical infrastructure in this office?"

"Of course," I stepped aside and opened up the desk.

She rounded the table and hummed. "Your mother must have called in quite the favor..."

She set her hands on the keyboard and it started to glow and flicker."

The command center dashboard started to rearrange itself. Enforcers appeared as dots on the map. Then, members of the Mooncrest Police. Slowly amap of the city flickered on the central display, areas cordoned off with glowing red circles.

"All clear," someone said.

I took a deep breath and sank down.

"Well, that's part of--"

The lights died, leaving only the dashboard as the source of light in the room.

Astarte cursed and grabbed my arm. "Fuck!"

"What?"

"The anti-portal magic has been activated," Astarte said. "Those fuckers weren't trying to hit anything. They were trying to get you to City Hall."

My stomach plummeted. "Why?"

She looked back at me with a meaningful stare.

"To kill you, Grace."

"But--"

"After my attack, the figured out that City Hall is heavily protected, the seat of the magical infrastructre of Mooncrest. It's like putting you in a barrel and shooting." She snarled. "And it's my fault."

"What?"

She lifted her head. "Witches of my level cannot enter the States with petition for a visa. It's politics. The moment I petitioned they knew I was coming here. Sean knows enough about me to know that I'd be able to bring you here with an Enforcer detail to back us up."

She hissed, fiddling with the controls. The lights turned red and the emergency light started to fill the room. Then, the piercing blare of the City Hall alarms shattered the tense silence. An icy dread settled in my stomach.

"They're here," Astarte said.

"This is Firebird to Eagle, requesting immediate back up to City Hall. We're under siege!" Neith yelled.

Astarte worked the controls. "No bomb is going to go off in the building or beneath it, but guns are a different story altogether."

"Can you restrict it to magical weapons only?" Neith asked. "We have a better chance then."

Astarte nodded.

I heard slamming doors and shouts. She brought up a schematic of the building. There were so many red dots on the lower levels. The deafening blare of the alarms echoed in my ears. A cold fear started to consume me.

Astarte, however, seemed to react with a surge of cold fury. "I stopped them from firing, but that's not going to do shit against their numbers."

Neith's hand fell on my shoulder. "My job is to get you out of here. Staying in here is not an option."

A frantic glance at Astarte confirmed my worst fears. She conjured that spear of darkness from before and headed to the door.

"Get her out of here, Neith. Leave the rest to me."

She opened the door and headed to the door. Neith pulled me the opposite direction. As I stumbled through the darkness after Neith, my heart was in my throat.

Through a blur of corridors and deserted offices, we ran. We reached the door to a secret set of stairs, but it would open. The power was out completely. She tried to pry it open but she was pushed back.

"What does that mean?"

"A code. You try."

I pressed my hand, but it pushed me back. She cursed.

"It's because you've been changed it doesn't recognize you."

She pulled me into a room and tried the window, but it wouldn't open. Then, I heard the sound of voices getting louder. She darted out and shoved me back the way we came.

"Go back to Astarte. I'll hold them here." She conjured a large sword of shadow.

The door of the main stairs buckled with a shriek and groan.

"Go!"

I turned and ran back.