Wolf Ties (A Rue Darrow Novel Book 2) Read Free Page A

that.”
    Before he responded, a police siren cut through the air, and we both stopped walking. Soon a squad car turned the corner. The line of traffic ahead of it parted to get out of the way. Rather than continue on, the car rolled to a stop and double-parked alongside us. By then I already knew Violet drove the vehicle.
    She cut the siren and climbed out of the car dressed in her usual uniform. Her gaze sought mine and then slid to Silvano, and her jaw tightened. I sensed an increase in her ire just at the sight of him. “I need to speak to you, Rue.”
    “Sure.” I waited for the werewolf cop to reach me. “Is there a problem?”
    Violet ignored me and scowled at Silvano. “Why are you with him ?”
    My eyebrows rose. “Why shouldn’t I be?”
    Silvano stood with his hands linked behind his back in an obvious effort to appear calm. He was anything but. From the moment Violet appeared, he’d gone tense, and the dislike between the two could have illuminated a whole city with its energy.
    “Are you insinuating I’m not good company to keep?” Silvano asked Violet.
    “Not good period,” Violet shot back. “It’s just a matter of time before we catch you on the crimes you’re committing.”
    “And then what?” Silvano didn’t appear worried. “Will you haul me before a judge to convict me? A human judge and jury?”
    “You still have to abide by the laws!”
    Silvano laughed, a cold sound that echoed on the night, and he raked Violet from head to foot. “Laws made by humans don’t interest me. Just because you choose to rub shoulders with them, pretending to be a policeman is no concern of mine.”
    “Pretending!” She growled low in her throat and stepped closer to him. “We’ll see who’s pretending when you’re behind bars.”
    He gazed at her shaking his head. “You actually believe that. They cannot govern us. Can’t you see?”
    “They far outnumber us,” she shot back, “and you’d be better off realizing all your stupid activities won’t stay under cover of darkness for long. I’m going to see to that, and tell me. Which one of us can survive in the day?”
    Silvano ground his teeth. “They have one use, and even you can’t deny that.”
    I bristled because I knew what he meant. Humans were for food, and while the werewolves didn’t eat humans during a full moon, it wasn’t impossible either. Or so I had heard. Silvano’s sentiments, though true in a way, offended me. I accepted the fact that all nonhumans didn’t see the world as I did, but this was still one more reason I hesitated to join Silvano’s coven.
    Violet scoffed. “This isn’t about them having what you need to survive, and you know it.”
    “You’re a hypocrite, officer,” Silvano bit out. “You throw aside your laws whenever it suits you.”
    “To keep our secret. I’ve never deliberately broken the law like you.”
    Silvano shrugged. “Whatever lets you sleep at night.”
    Violet swore. I glanced around to see that we were gathering a small crowd. So far, Silvano and Violet’s conversation was too low for humans to hear, but her anger increased the more she argued with Silvano. The contest of wills had to end.
    “You two need to stop this,” I said. “We’re gathering attention. Was there a reason you found us, Violet, or did you just want to take this opportunity to bully Silvano?”
    Both of them objected to my choice of words, which I found amusing, but they backed off from each other. Violet turned to me. “I need to talk to you, Rue—alone. Come with me.”
    I wouldn’t hold my breath if I had any for a “please” at this point, so I agreed. “Silvano, can we pick our conversation up some other time? I’m sorry. This sounds serious.”
    “Of course. I’m always at your service. All you have to do is call me, and I’ll be there for you.” The sweet words came across as sour after what he had said earlier, but I did my best not to condemn him. After all, I had done some things I