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Brody tensed. “No—I’ll do it.”

“Let me,” Tetiana said. “I have my radio out.”

Brody yanked his radio from his belt. “No way. I don’t feel like getting my eardrums blasted tonight.”

“I need to practice if I am to understand this strange tech,” Tetiana said as the duo strolled down the sidewalk.

“Practice on your own time.” Brody turned up a block, leading us north to downtown. “When no innocent shifters are around to be collateral damage.”

“That is very rude of you to say,” Tetiana made a show of sticking her nose up into the air. “I have a charming voice, you know. Because I am a charming person.”

“You? Charming?” Brody scoffed.

“I’m charming enough to distract you.” Tetiana pressed a button on the radio. “TEAM BLOOD LEAVING GOLDSTEIN TO RETURN TO OUR USUAL PATROL ROUTE!”

Brody dropped his radio and slapped his hands over his ears. He shouted gurgled words that were indecipherable, but sounded rather hostile. “Tetiana! How many times have we told you not to shout! Also—you didn’t even press the right button!”

“If I do not shout, it seems unlikely this delicate machine will pick up my voice,” Tetiana said.

“Except no one else shouts to be heard.” Brody glared mutinously at her as he rubbed his ears.

I picked up Brody’s fallen radio and passed it to him.

He paused, then muttered “Thanks,” before taking it. He aimed another barbed glare in Tetiana’s direction before stomping up the street. “Anyway, that was your chance for the night. You are banned from using the radio for the rest of the shift.”

“Awww, come on,” Tetiana ambled after him looking unrepentant. In fact, there was a bounce in her step that wasn’t there before. “It was an accident. I totally didn’t do it on purpose.”

Brody curled his lip at her as she bumped her shoulder into his. “You are a crazy old bat.”

“Nonsense,” Tetiana said. “I’m far too young for that.”

I stayed in the rearguard position, half listening to the werewolf and vampire bicker as we left the more business-y part of Magiford for the shops and restaurants downtown.

We were a couple blocks down from Main Street passing by the new construction zone.

I studied the signs as we walked past trying to figure out what kind of building was going in when I felt my slayer senses uncoil—another vampire had entered my detection area.

I yanked my gun from my shoulder holster. “Vampire,” I called to Brody and Tetiana before I swung around aiming at a splash of shadows just as Ruin emerged from them.

“Good evening, slayer and coworkers,” he said.

I flicked off the safety of my gun.

Behind me, I heard Tetiana and Brody shift into guarding positions.

“Such an unfriendly welcome.” Ruin laughed lowly—his voice raspy as he casually leaned against the pole of a streetlight.

“You expected a parade and friendship bracelets?” I asked.

“No, but I didn’t expect you to pull a gun before I emerged—you are a very well-trained slayer. What is your family lineage?”

I narrowed my eyes and kept my mouth shut and was more than a little insulted he thought I’d fall for such an obvious information grab.

“Run along, vamp,” Brody growled. “You’ve got no friends here.”

“Certainly not,” Ruin agreed. “Thereisthe promise of fun!”

Aw, crap. He’s curious—that’s never good.