Underworld Queen by Sharon Hamilton Page B

him.
    Rupert retracted his arm and grinned, his eyes sparkling in their blackness, his breathing clipped short. Jonas felt inspected like a rare piece of meat served to a diner who hadn’t eaten in a week. Blade’s fingers twitched at his sides, finally making their way into fists. The two companions rose to standing position again and put down their drinks.
    Jonas was studying the room, the angles he would have to achieve to slay all three of them. He wasn’t going to look behind him to give away his thoughts, but it concerned him he didn’t know who might have walked into the room. But he would be no use to Audray dead, and he sensed Rupert didn’t care one way or the other.
    He who cares least wins.
    Jonas worked on his emotions and took a couple of deep breaths. The agitation in his stomach dissipated. Rupert wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of being a hothead or a sacrificial lamb for any cause. He was a little smarter than Peter, although clearly they were both cut from the same cloth. Or from the same womb.
    Jonas bent a knee and slanted his stance, putting his hands on his hips like he’d just righted himself after falling off a horse. He used the opportunity to casually look behind him while he spoke. Two strangers blocked the doorway. “For a second there, I thought you said we were related.” Jonas knew it sounded dumber than he thought it would. But Rupert seemed to buy it.
    “Yes. And yes, we are.” The dark-haired angel said it as if he wanted to shout it off the tallest building in Undertown.
    “And what makes you say something as ridiculous as that?”
    “It’s a fact.” Rupert’s eyes smiled even if his lips stayed straight, the color of fresh liver. Jonas could see he was going to keep the conversation short, not volunteer anything, and maybe get him to beg for the answers to the huge question between them.
    I’ve never begged. I never will.
    Jonas looked around him again and laughed out loud. He was clearly outmatched in strength, and the element of surprise was lost. Now that he had something to go home to, he wasn’t looking for a fight.
    But I’m no coward.
    No one else had joined him in the laugh. “God, you boys are so serious. You came all this way to entertain me with this. This all you got?”
    All five of the men came to attention. Jonas saw they were well trained, and moved as one unit. The only thing Jonas liked about the situation was the fact that Rupert obviously didn’t want to talk to him without some serious backup. It meant he was respected, and that was a comfortable feeling.
    “Well, you don’t act like the Red-X fiends running all over Undertown, yet you come here with your little pod, like bullies in the playground. Are we the entertainment here tonight, or did you have some other agenda?” Jonas wasn’t going to come right out and ask. “I mean I’m scared, really fucking scared,” he said as he grinned from ear to ear.
    Rupert made a very slight twitch toward him, but at the last minute appeared to reel himself in. Jonas noted he did have a bit of the hotheadedness Peter had. He liked that he could get under this guy’s skin and twist something.
    “You gonna kill me, like you said you came here to do? Well then, go right ahead. I might be able to take three of you with me, but I doubt I could take the whole pod. Much as I like dancing and all.”
    Rupert looked down and his shoulders softened. “Jonas, I dream of killing you just about every day since I learned of Peter’s death. I hold you responsible. You were bound to protect him, Jonas. As part of the guard, it was your duty.” He bent down and picked up a glass of Apricot and tossed it back. He walked past Jonas, motioning to the two at the doorway to disperse and called back. “I can wait for now. Besides, there’s someone I think you better meet. Come.”
    Outside the Pink Pussycat, the two dark angels walked down the wet cobblestoned streets of Undertown. Rupert’s henchmen stayed a safe