The Burning Bush (50 page)

I searched around the Enchanted Forest, waving away the mist that swirled around me.
Where are you, Zulu?
As if he heard my thoughts, a masked Zulu appeared in front of me. “Your being alone with Dante wasn’t a part of the plan.”

“What was I supposed to do? It’s not like we really had any official plan besides ‘Go to the ball and kill Dante.’” I moved past Zulu as if I didn’t know him, in case Dante was watching us from afar. “We need to talk somewhere private.”

“Go to the Mixbreed bathroom. It’s in the direction you’re facing. I’ll tell MeShack and Vee to meet us there.” Zulu strolled off in the opposite way.

My heart pounding in my ears, I continued on my path.
There’s no way Zulu lied, right? He had to have sent that message to Dante. Should I even believe anything Dante says?

The very idea of trusting Dante battled with my common sense, but I had to consider what he was saying. After everything that had happened in the past few days, I was done acting in haste. I’d rushed and bombed the blood factory, which had triggered so much suffering. If I’d simply figured out a way to stop the Rebels from bombing it, Cassie and many others would be alive today, the blood factory would still be employing Mixies, and Shango District kids would be in school instead of playing in polluted streets of blood and fire.

I’m thinking everything through from here on out.

The petal-covered ground transformed into a lush white carpet. A hallway materialized right before me. Passing the Pureblood restroom, I spotted a Mixbreed-designated bathroom at the end of the hall with cracked paint covering the door. The light above it had been broken, so the area in front of the door was dark.

Zulu emerged from the shadows and gently clasped my hand. “We’re practically the only Mixbreeds who could afford the ball tickets, so we have some privacy.”

As soon as we stepped in, I removed my hand from his. “Dante said you never tried to compromise.”

“Who cares?” Zulu took off his mask and threw it in a white porcelain sink next to him. “Dante killed Cassie. I don’t care what he has to say.”

“But did you really send him the message?”

“Yes. I had Nona deliver a bag of money containing around a quarter-million dollars, along with a message that I would rebuild his factory.”

Unsnapping my own mask, I shook my head and set it on the edge of the sink. “Dante just told me that Nona’s message was ‘MFE and the Rebels don’t negotiate with blood exploiters,’ and then the Rebels with her killed his men.”

“He’s lying.”

“Dante said the bomb was only supposed to frighten you into giving him his money. It was only supposed to set your living room on fire.”

“I don’t give a fuck what Dante said!” Zulu pointed at me. “And if you say ‘Dante said’ one more fucking time, I’m going to roar.”

“Why would he lie?” I tossed a curled dreadlock out of my face. “He thinks you’re dead, and I’m ruined and desperate. He knows nothing he says will change that.”

Zulu’s blond eyebrows furrowed. “I don’t give a fuck why or what he’s saying. Let’s kill him and move on.”

Positioning my hands on my hips, I searched our magical bond for Zulu’s real feelings. Nothing. He’d gone back to blocking his emotions from me. Releasing an exasperated breath, I went to Zulu and slipped my arms around his waist. “What if Dante is telling the truth?”

“I’m still going to kill him.” Zulu’s eyes turned black. His lips formed an angry line. “Truth or not, Cassie is dead.”

“Yes, but this means Nona and the Rebels are the reason why she’s dead. Plus, they’ve been working to have us and the Vamps kill each other. Why would they want that?”

“I don’t care. I only want Dante gone.” His body hardened under my arms. “It’s just like when you told me about MeShack thinking Mother Earth was Human. None of that matters to me right now.”

“It should.” I laid my head against his chest. The blue silk of his suit felt smooth against my skin. His sandalwood scent drifted from him. Zulu’s heartbeat erratically thumped in my ear.

I gazed up at him. “Baby, we have to start doing more than just killing Supes and blowing up crap. We have to start thinking things through before we act.”

“Why are you even thinking about what Dante’s saying?” Zulu twisted out of my embrace and gently pushed me away.

“Because it seems like we’re all just pawns in a bigger game, including Dante.” I looked at Cassie’s mask, sitting on the edge of the sink, and clenched my fists. “We need to know who’s playing us against each other and why.”

A giggling Vee stumbled into the bathroom, holding four pink, liquored fruits. Frowning, MeShack guided her in with his hand planted against her back. “She’s drunk.”

MeShack seized the fruits before Vee could chomp into them. “You’re done.”

“Don’t tell me what to do. I’m twice your age even though I don’t look it.” Vee tried to take the fruits back, but MeShack tossed the berries in the garbage to his right.

“Why were you with that Vamp by yourself?” MeShack scowled at me as he ignored Vee’s curses.

“You did a great job sticking with Lanore,” Zulu snarled. “I walk away for one minute, and you’re signing autographs and getting phone numbers.”

“I don’t need a babysitter. Anyway something is going on that we need to talk about.”

Zulu went to lock the bathroom door. I took my time and explained everything I’d heard from Dante. After I was done, MeShack growled.

“I bet Mother Earth had Nona changed the message and kept the money.” MeShack snatched off his mask. “And if Nona knew that the Vamp was going to bomb Zulu’s condo, then that’s just fucked up that she took Cassie there and left her for dead.”

Zulu stood there for several seconds. He hadn’t said anything the whole time I was talking. Vee burped.

“What do you think, Zulu?” I centered my attention on him.

“Dante has to be lying.” Zulu shook his head. “I can see Nona turning on MFE after I’m dead because she only had loyalty to me. But to take my sister to her death? I can’t believe that. She had no reason to let Cassie die.”

“A quarter-million dollars is a lot of money and reason. Plus, Mother Earth wanted control of MFE.” I leaned on the edge of one of the porcelain sinks.

“Why would a Human want control of your group?” MeShack asked. Zulu snorted. Vee burst out laughing and covered her mouth with her hands. “What?”

“Mother Earth is not a Human,” Zulu said. “Lanore may listen to you and your nose, but I think you smelled wrong.”

“My nose is never wrong.” MeShack’s fangs protruded from his top and bottom lips. “Mother Earth smells just like the habbies. Besides, have you ever seen her beast?”

“I never tried.” Zulu shrugged.

“I don’t believe you.” MeShack narrowed his eyes at Zulu.

“And I’m bored.” Vee pulled out a bag from under her dress and sat down where she was standing. The sapphire material spread across the floor. “Now I see why Lanore is always up to her neck in crap. She’s in love with violent, crazy men.”

I rolled my eyes.

“You all are ruining a perfectly splendid party with this back and forth who-did-its. I have to admit, fun to watch, but it’s killing my buzz.” Grinning, Vee took out three blue candles, a tiny stone bowl, and a bag of herbs. “Even though it seems we still have our magic, I’m going to give you the potion anyway, just in case there is some sort of consequence for using magic inside the ballroom. Then I’m going to go back into that lovely enchanted forest and eat more yummy fruit while you all sit by these toilets and talk. Maybe I’ll even find me a man while I’m at it. The night is young.”

“Well, Miss Opinionated, what do you think we should do?” I scowled at her.

Vee’s smiling lips lowered into a frown as she gazed at Zulu. “I think your hunky blond should allow himself time to heal. Killing this Vampire is not a priority.”

Then she focused on me. “And you need to get out of this situation. What are you doing messing around with habbies, Vampires, and Rebels? Graduate from college and go to law school like you planned.”

Humming a slow tune, Vee lit the candles in front of her. “The Spirit Reenactment of the Supe-Human War is going to end soon and show when the Supernaturals surrendered to the Human government. Then each Supernatural council’s head is going to do a speech on the benefits of our living in habitats.”

“The usual propaganda,” MeShack grumbled.

“I have my powers. I used them in the ballroom.” I directed my attention to Zulu. He remained quiet, not really looking at anything. “What are you thinking about?”

Vee put the herbs in her bowl and dripped wax over the green leaves, chanting words over and over.

“Didn’t Rivera call us to make sure we weren’t there?” Zulu asked. “Who told him there was going to be a bomb?”

My eyebrows shot up at the reminder. Taking my phone out, I dialed Rivera’s number. The phone rang, and he picked up on the other line.

“What do you want?” Rivera asked. His voice was sharp, but without the usual annoyance.

“How did you know about the bomb in Zulu’s building?”

“Why?”

“Because I’m interested. I’m willing to pay for the information,” I told him.

“No need to pay this time. Your limo guy confessed to the Burning Bush Murders.” Rivera laughed. “I’ve just been promoted. Got ten guys under me.”

“So Ely really did it?”

“Yep. He admitted to killing Onyx and Shelly.”

But Ely didn’t kill Onyx. Maybe he didn’t want Harriet to go to jail. So then Jacobi was right, and Ely does love Harriet.

Rivera continued. “Ely said when the habbies didn’t do anything about Onyx, he figured he’d have to plant a dead Pureblood on Jacobi. He picked Shelly up that night of Jacobi’s art gallery showing, left some drugs in the backseat, and drove around until the poor girl overdosed. Once she died, he placed her dead body in Jacobi’s bed.”

A tremor of horror went through me.
He really hated Jacobi that much? So much that he would just kill an innocent woman?
I noticed Zulu’s eyes following me as I stepped to his side. “The night of the Yemaya bombing, you called to make sure Zulu and I weren’t in the condo. Why?”

“Bottelli paid me to make sure you two weren’t there, said something about doing a scare tactic and that it would involve Zulu’s condo,” Rivera said.

“How long have you been on Bottelli’s payroll?” I demanded.

“Since the whole brawl at Liquid between MFE and his guys. Why? Are you jealous?” Rivera laughed.

“Not really, but thanks anyway.” I was about to hang up the phone when Rivera said, “Lanore?”

“Yes?”

“We both know Zulu isn’t really dead. I checked the brand scanner to make sure.”

I didn’t respond.

“I haven’t said anything to anybody, not even Dante.”

“Why not?” I raised my eyebrows.

“Well, because we’re friends.” Rivera chuckled a little. “The more we work together, the more money I get. I’m thinking we’ll be working together until my habbie service is up.”

I ground my teeth.
You persistent, blackmailing bastard.

I’d threatened him in the habbie station, but I guess he would just hold the fact that Zulu was still alive over my head as long has he wanted. And he still could turn in the evidence that Zulu, Nona, and I were in the blood factory before it blew up.
I’ll get rid of you one day, Rivera
.

“I never did receive my money from Bottelli. He thinks I didn’t follow his orders to make sure Zulu wasn’t in his condo,” Rivera added.

“You won’t be getting any money from me.” I placed my hand on my hip. “Just be happy you knew about the bomb in Yemaya and didn’t wind up getting yourself killed.”

“We all knew about it,” Rivera said in a matter-of-fact voice. “My lieutenant told all of us to stay out of Yemaya, said an intelligence report came through that a bomb was being planted near Yemaya Square. I was going to warn you, anyway. I can’t have my money train dry out, but then Bottelli contacted me for the job, so I figured I could kill two stones with one bird.”

“You mean two birds with one stone,” I corrected. Beads of sweat formed around my forehead brand. “So the Human government knew about the bombing?”

Zulu, Vee, and MeShack all focused their eyes on me.
Dante said he used only a small bomb to destroy Zulu’s living room. Were more bombs planted, and by whom?

“That’s you and the rest of these monsters’ problem. Every one of you thinks that only Supes run this caged city.” Rivera coughed a few times into the phone. “But nothing goes on without the Miami Mayor and some of them rich guys in D.C. knowing about it.”

“So then—”

Rivera hung up.

“Asshole!” I slammed my phone down on the sink.

“What did he say?” Zulu asked.

“Human officials knew about the bombing, and they did nothing to stop it.” I bit my lip until it bled, trying to comprehend what was going on and figure out what to do next.

“The crap just keeps piling up around you, Lanore. You better run before you get too dirty to clean.” Vee stood up, carrying the stone bowl in her hand. Somehow the substance was no longer herbs but a dark liquid. Standing directly in front of me, Vee placed the stone bowl to her lips and drank all of the contents.