THE CRISP MORNING AIR has a fresh undertone of petrichor from the storm that raged throughout the evening. The car is quiet. Not awkwardly, but there is a heaviness in the silence that only grows as they pass the buildings in a blur.

The south side of the city's downtown is coming to life in the early hours, with businesses opening. People mill along the cracked sidewalks, going about their lives.

He's split their forces. It's easier to think of it that way. Like, this is all a game. And he's moving his pieces on a board. They only have five days to win.

Club Dionysus. Alma Sinclair. He has information that could lead to Azrael's downfall. The bug might have told one of his closest about his whereabouts, and that club is where he spent almost all his time. He's certainly caused his coven a load of trouble. There's a good chance another vampire is eager to give him up to loosen Gabriel's noose that's tightening around their necks every day that passes and Alma's not found.

Sending Lucas to bash some heads was a given. The tension that Kenneth was giving off was tangible this morning while they drank coffee and came up with their plan. There's a good chance it would have come to blows if Lucas wasn't smart enough to stay out of the bear's path like he had.

Nyx was the next obvious choice. She's prone to outbursts, as shown when she started a fistfight with Kenneth and threatened to kill them all the moment they refused to give her information.

And giving the Bureau agents that are hunting them something to chew on before they decide the deal is too one-sided is the safer move, even if they risk betrayal, especially when Lucas is a fugitive.

Fortunately, Lucas has been on the run for years and has safe houses that are untraceable. This morning, he'd made Asha comfortable in one that he'd not told them of the location for obvious reasons.

Thoughts of Lucas ache Reid's heart in a way he's not proud of. He got exactly what he wanted—for the man to back off. Except he'd awoken with a pounding headache and a churning in his stomach that hasn't abated since he'd dragged himself inside, sopping wet last night.

Then there's Hannah. She wasn't opposed to being part of the secondary team. But the decision was more difficult with her. Not just because Kenneth was ready to burn the house down with his scary, glowing eyes when Reid suggested she go with the second force to question the Sinclair vampires at the club. Hannah shut him down quickly. She was going, and that was that.

Reid has to admit that he didn't want to let her out of his sight. The mere thought left a shake in his fingers.

He's begun to notice that his possessive whispers extend to some more than others, for reasons he can't explain. Kenneth is the worst. Reid needs him close to take a full breath. Even now, Reid has his bent arm resting on the middle console of the car, casually keeping his elbow grazing Kenneth's side. The contact keeps the darker thoughts away and relaxes his tension.

Hannah is tied with Kiernan, whom he's obsessed with keeping in his peripheral vision. Rowan spikes an intense urge to protect. And Lucas, well, he's different. The man makes Reid feel subservient in a way that scares him a little.

It's terribly tiring.

It would have been intelligent to send a vampire along to a vampire club, but Kiernan wasn't an option. He has orders to keep Reid alive, and a loyal dog always obeys. If only he got it through his head that his master has changed.

He'll learn, the whispers purr.

They're on their way to play with the Southside werewolves. Henrik and his daughter, Colby Smaltran. Reid has to be present because he's going to call on the wolf leader's sense of loyalty for saving his daughter a few nights ago. Then, they'll question Colby about her kidnapped best friend, Francine Teller, and find out what they can about the whereabouts of Rowan's missing compatriot, Presley.

Easy enough and most certainly will go sideways. Like always. They'll meet up afterwards to compare injuries.

They drive past a red-bricked building with a rusty metal sign that reads South Gatland.

The glass of the passenger window has drips of collected perspiration, and Reid stares at his fingertip, tracing lines through the dew. "They might eat us alive," he says calmly. "Or we'll be forced to participate in a crazy wolf orgy."

He doesn't look at the others, hearing their delightful reactions with his heightened hearing. From the driver's seat, he can hear Kenneth's heart hasten. Behind the passenger seat, Rowan stifles her adorable giggle, and on the other side, boring Kiernan gives nothing because he's no fun.

After a moment, Kiernan says coldly, "They'll just as likely torture us. After the bombing, they'll loathe the sight of vampires, especially our coven. The risk of suffering their reprisal while in their territory and under the mercy of their laws isn't worth whatever we might garner from them."

Reid shifts in his seat and gives Kiernan's cold expression a wide smile. "You're scared?"

"Wary," Kiernan returns placidly, averting his gaze.

To Reid's annoyance, the vampire's back in his regular clothing, black slacks, and a dark, silken shirt that's probably more expensive than Reid's car. He's even wearing a suede jacket that fits. He should have stayed in that engulfing sweater; he was more likeable.

Kiernan had a taste of freedom this morning to do whatever a century-old vampire does by himself for a few hours with his cell phone and car keys returned, shopping most likely, before returning to his cage. This time somewhat willingly, and Reid can't deny that he was ecstatic when Kiernan stomped through that door, appearing downright miserable, but back where he belongs.

"He's right," Kenneth says, keeping his green eyes on the road. His hands tighten on the steering wheel. "The werewolves could be allies when we have to kick Azrael's ass. Then, we won't have to rely on vampires. Fucking tired of all of you."

Reid didn't expect that, and he's left blinking dumbly at Kenneth's profile. He'd thought he was about to have a whole mess of trouble when Kenneth agreed with Kiernan's risk assessment.

When Kenneth glances away from the road at Reid's lack of reply, Reid smiles brightly and feels giddy when Kenneth's green eyes roll his way before returning to the windshield.

Reid whispers, awed, "You agree with me?"

"Sometimes you have good ideas," Kenneth admits tiredly. His fingers slide along the steering wheel as he pulls the car down a side street. "Don't let it go to your head. I still think you're a moron."

There's a subtle graze of a touch on his arm. Rowan's shifted forward in her seat, and Reid smiles down at her fingers that subtly dance over his jacket with just enough pressure for him to feel her presence. "Your shoulder," she says softly.

Her concern warms his heart and gives him a burst of emotion he's not familiar with—maybe comfort.

She continues, "It looked pretty bad last night."

Reid presses his cheek against his seat. He's careful when he takes her hand in his to keep his hold loose enough for her to not feel trapped. He can hear her heart hasten, but she doesn't retake her arm. He yearns to kiss her again. "Don't worry." He risks rubbing his thumb over her inner wrist and the pulse point there, making her shiver. "Kenneth made it all better. He was very generous."

Kenneth looks away from the road to give Reid a fiery glare. And if the man wasn't flushing a delightful pink, Reid might not have dared his slow-rising smile and cheeky wink.

There's certainly a curse on Kenneth's parting lips, but then he's averting his gaze back to the road and tightening his grip on the steering wheel, the scrunch of leather almost louder than his rapidly beating heart.

The whispers that have been hard to ignore since last night with Lucas, but he'd managed to snuff, begin to grow louder and louder. Like a soft rain pattering pavement, only to become a torrential downpour in mere seconds. They scream at him that he has too many vulnerabilities, and it's only a matter of time until Azrael amasses his cult on a counterattack.

Reid could effortlessly have Kenneth forget his will to fight for a while. Kenneth would be safe. There would be no reason for them to be apart—for them to be used against each other.

"Hey," Kenneth says, dragging Reid from the dark chasm he'd been falling into. "What's wrong?"

Reid blinks to life. The car has stopped. Rowan's soft hand is no longer holding his. He realizes in horror that he'd been staring at Kenneth, lost in his deranged thoughts, long enough for them to reach their destination.

His eyes slant to the back of the vehicle, and Kiernan is staring at him with a grim expression.

Hush, Reid conveys with a glare.

When Reid looks back to Kenneth, who has his phone in his hand, mid-text. The man's face is etched with concern, unaware that he's in real danger if Reid ever acts on those dark whispers that seem to only grow louder by the day. But Reid can stay in the light if those green eyes are guiding him through the smog.

Reid smiles brightly. "I was just thinking."

Kenneth snorts, his relief obvious when his shoulders seem to lose their tension, and returns to finishing his message to Hannah. He's been texting her sporadically; he's worried about her. It's in the morning, however, when vampires prefer to sleep. She'd probably be in more trouble coming with them.

Once he's stuffed his phone back into his pocket, Kenneth reaches into his unzipped jacket to do his familiar diligence of checking his weaponry. They're all armed.

Although not all of them are going to do much with a loaded pistol, Kenneth can do quite a lot; he never misses. Kiernan loaded his with the boredom of a man who's held many in his lifetime. Reid can shoot, but he's still an amateur. Rowan was very excited to be given a gun, adorably so, which doesn't bode well for her chances in a firefight.

Something in the back seat catches Kenneth's gaze, and his eyes grow wide. "What are you doing?" He pitches over the console before Reid can take in whatever is making the man angry.

Kenneth is back with a gun in hand; that's presumably Rowan's because she's complaining in a soft tone that she didn't do anything wrong. "Don't point the barrel at yourself, for fuck sake."

"I didn't," Rowan complains. "I was fixing the holster."

Seat belt off, Reid shifts and smiles at the sight of Rowan's pouting face. She's in Hannah's clothing, which means she's ironically wearing a dark purple t-shirt with a satirical bat in a top hat. She had to roll the bottom of her borrowed jeans due to her shorter height, and at the sight, Reid seriously contemplated locking her away forever.

And he nearly did when she'd put on his leather jacket and had to fix the cuffs as well.

He might die from a heart attack from what this woman does to him before that inevitable blade cuts his neck.

At Reid's curious glance to the driver's seat, Kenneth snaps at Rowan angrily, "You had it on your lap. Keep the barrel pointed elsewhere."

Reid understands, as does the entire vehicle, because a heavy silence settles. Rowan had the gun on her lap, and the barrel must have been pointing at her stomach. There's nothing wrong with Kenneth's anger; that's gun basics. Don't point it at yourself, even if you have the safety on, but there's more to his outburst.

Surprisingly, Rowan says, "You all know." She takes in a deep, calming breath. "There's nothing I can do. It's done. It's going to happen. I've chosen to be happy." 

She gives Kiernan a careful smile and receives only a cold glare in response. Then she looks at Reid with dry, green eyes full of resolve. "If not, he wins."

Reid takes in her pretty smile and feels a swell of pride in his heart for her stubbornness. He doesn't know if he could remain steady on his feet like her if he suffered that torment. She's carrying the child of her torturer, and she's somehow retained that beautiful flame of life in her eyes. She's strong. Stronger than him.

Rowan's shoulders rise with quickening breaths. "I always wanted to be a mother. Not like this...but..."

Kenneth stares ahead. He looks like he's debating throwing himself through the windshield to escape. He's amazing at killing, but he's boyishly horrid at any conversation that takes on deeper emotions. Not that Reid is any better; he's blinking at Rowan, trying to come up with the impossible words that'll make this better for her.

Reid's immensely relieved when Kiernan says, "You'll have protection." 

The vampire stares at Rowan's stomach with cold detachment, but through their bond, he can't hide the nervousness he's feeling while obviously focusing on the flutter of life that's becoming apparent now that Reid knows it's there.

Then, Kiernan ruins everything. "It will be a Kimberk in blood."

Reid cringes. He doesn't want to think about that ever. Apparently, Rowan doesn't either, because she pales significantly and refuses to meet Reid's eyes, looking down at her lap and worrying her fingers.

Rowan asks softly, "You can..."

"Yes," Reid says before Kiernan can open his mouth and mess everything up again.

Kenneth looks at Reid sharply. "That's fucking weird. You can tell she's pregnant? No way."

Reid shrugs. "I guess, yeah." He can't explain it, just that he's positive. He nearly laughs, positive. He'd kissed her last night and had her close; then, he'd been sure.

"How?"

"Intuition."

Kenneth shifts to glare at Kiernan, and when the vampire nods with reluctance, Kenneth turns back and mutters, "That's fucking weird."

Reid's thinking this over pensively when a giggle from the backseat draws their attention. Rowan's covering her mouth and laughing with pink cheeks. She's beautiful.

He smiles, and his eyes burn, but he resists giving in to sorrow.

Rowan says to Kenneth softly, "There are stories... I used to be scared of you."

Kenneth narrows his eyes. "You still should be."

"I am," Rowan says with a smile on her face. "Very scary."

When Kenneth snorts and looks off, obviously trying to hide the twitch on his lips, Reid is stuck staring into Rowan's green eyes, dumbstruck. And when her gaze finds his and her pink lips rise higher, his heart beats faster, leaving a damning ache in his chest and a loud ringing in his ears.

The dark whispers are faint, but the want he has for her is almost overwhelming. Whatever humanness he has left yearns for this strange woman.

He wonders if she knows how bright she is?

There's a deep sadness that weighs on his heart when looking at her, because he knows that kind of beauty doesn't last in this world, and if it's not him, that's going to dim her light, it's someone worse.

Reid smiles. "Ready?"

"Yes," Rowan replies softly.

Because he can't help himself, Reid asks sweetly, "We're probably going to die. Want to wait in the car?"

"Not a chance." Rowan's pink lips rise into a pretty grin. "It'll be a great story."

They only make it onto the sidewalk and catch a glimpse of their destination before they're waylaid by Kiernan's sudden blink back to aliveness after falling deathly silent.

Kiernan grasps Reid's wrist, stopping him mid-step. "Don't risk their ire." His eyes are serious in a way that demands attention. "They'll act like civilized men, but they're animals. They'll kill you and send your body back to Gabriel."

Rowan says, "I've known a werewolf for my whole life. He's my best friend. He's never once tried to pee on my furniture." She's smiling fondly, her green eyes warm with whatever memory is flitting through her pretty head. "Except that one time..."

"They're assholes," Kenneth mutters.

"No," Rowan says. "They aren't."

Kenneth returns gruffly, "They are."

"No!"

"Shut up."

Rowan giggles. "No."

Kenneth looks hilariously taken aback. He's definitely debating squashing her.

Reid feels a foolish pang in his gut of jealousy that Rowan is so taken with this werewolf to fight with Kenneth verbally when he's glaring deeply like that.

He focuses on Kiernan and says calmly, "I'll be on my best behavior. We need them to like us."

He pats Kiernan's cheek and rubs the skin there with his thumb to childishly stake his claim that he's holding the dog's leash. He stops when he can feel through their bond that the initial comfort from the touch shifts to wariness.

Reid smiles. "Trust me. I won't mess it up. Okay?"