Nell opened the door and came out. They had been waiting to use any more severe methods of getting information from the mage until Dominic had spoken to them. “He’s ready. Do you want backup?”

“No.” He moved past her and into the room, pausing until he heard the locks engage again.

The mage they’d taken into custody two nights before sat on a bunk, head hung.

“You tried to kill my woman.”

“You need to turn me over to the cops. You can’t hold me here.”

Dominic took four steps and drove his fist into the mage’s face. The force of it sent him sprawling to the floor.

“I don’t have to do anything, as it happens. Human cops have nothing to do with this. We take care of our own.”

“I don’t have to talk to you.”

Dominic kicked him, hard. Twice, in case it needed to be underlined.

“I don’t have to stop beating you down either. You see, we have a problem.” Dominic moved away and sat on the chair near the door. “Let’s go back to the beginning, all right? I’m Dominic Bright. My woman runs this clan. She’s the one your dead friend shot. And you are?”

The mage glared through a swelling eye.

Dominic kept looking until the mage broke eye contact. “Tim Ifill. You can’t hold me here! I demand to be turned over to the proper authorities.”

“I don’t give a shiny fucking penny what you want, Tim. I’m in charge here, not you. I hear tell you were in Gloria’s little gang for at least seven months. Where you from originally?”

When he didn’t get an answer, Dominic got up and cuffed Tim upside his head, leaving him on the floor again.

“Don’t bother getting up. We’ll be playing this game until you’re ready to talk or until you have no ability to talk. I’ve had it. I’m happy to break other things if I have to. Two days we’ve been reasonably accommodating with you. Time’s up.”

“Accommodating! You broke my nose!”

“But I didn’t shoot you in the head, which is what I’d really like to do.”

“The other one tried the tough act, too.” Tim sneered.

“I have to hand it to you, I figured you’d be smarter. I’m amazed you got this far being so stupid. Until right now, we’ve been trying nonlethal methods to get you to talk. I’m bored with that. Meriel is bored with that. And she’s recovering from being shot so she’s extra grumpy.” He heaved a sigh.

“As it happens, I don’t think I need to punch you anymore. Though it’d please me just because. So, you can tell me what I want to know, or I can get it myself.”

“Go ahead and try,” the mage taunted, giving Dominic all the permission he needed.

He used the spell Arel had shown him earlier. The hunter from Rodas had told him it might take some practice, but Meriel was sure he wouldn’t have any problem.

And he didn’t. He walked right into the mage’s head and looked around.

“You’re from Cleveland. Long way from home.” He shuffled through Tim’s mind and found what he needed and then disconnected.

They weren’t as organized as Gloria had claimed. But there were other cells and they’d begun to network and divide up territory. That was the most frightening thing. Like a pack of hyenas. “You’re a lazy, lazy person.”

“You’re not supposed to do that! You’re supposed to stay out of my head.”

“Is that what she told you? Or what Cyrus told you? It’s true, you know, that we’re supposed to not take over people’s will the way I just did.” He shrugged. “It’s also not all right to kidnap people and torture them by stealing their magick and then killing them. How many witches have you harmed? I’ll get over my breaking of our rules. You gave me permission anyway.”

“I didn’t kill any of those witches! I can draw from them without killing. I never killed anyone.”

“I was just in your head, Tim. It’s a silly thing to lie to someone who’s seen your memories.”

“It was an accident the first time. The second one got away.”

“She did. Her name is Kendra de La Vega. She’s been very helpful with the information about you. I’d love to chat with her ex-husband, but I get the feeling her present husband will find him first. And then he can’t talk to anyone.”

He stood again and Tim winced. Good.

“Here’s how it works. We’re done with being taken advantage of. We’ve declared a war on you and your kind. Only we don’t have to steal magick. We’re born with it. We are not victims and you made a mistake thinking we’d stand for this. They burned us. They drowned us. They stoned us and put us in mental institutions. We will never allow it again.”

“What are you going to do with me? What have you done with the others?”

“They’re dead. And if you don’t want to join them, you’ll help in our attempts to find your friend Cyrus. Maybe we’ll let you leave.”

“You can’t do this!” He got up and rushed at Dominic, meaning to knock him down.

Dominic stood aside, grabbing the back of the mage’s shirt and tossing him back to his bed.

“I can do lots of things, Tim. If you want to find out just what that means, you keep pushing. I’d advise you not to test me anymore. I don’t like you. I don’t think you reserve to be alive. It’s up to you. I’m happy either way.”

He rapped on the door and Nell let him out.

“Do you want ice for your hand?” She motioned to his bloodied knuckles.

“No, I’m going to wash up and go back to Meriel. Abe is in charge, but you know how Meriel is, she’s probably faxing and ordering people around already.”

Nell grinned. “You can’t keep her down.”

“No.” He sobered. “I know you heard what went on in there. We’ve got a problem. This Cyrus is powerful. He only turned a few years ago so he’s not as far gone. It was his idea to hook up with the human separatists. He’s the one who recruited the mages and created their little group.”

She took notes while he explained what Tim had in his head. There were good dates and times. And sadly, a list of those witches they’d harmed.

He wrote down several names. “These are the witches they’ve killed. We’ll need to find their people to tell them what’s happened. Meriel wants to call a meeting with the other clans and covens and whoever else wants to attend to fill them in on this issue. I made her promise to wait until tomorrow. If I’m around, I can help.”

Nell nodded, taking the paper. “We hit the safe house the human told us about. I don’t think Cyrus went back there though. Gage is going through everything we took. I’ll report to Meriel when I get home.”

“Don’t overdo.” He touched her belly briefly. “Meriel wanted me to remind you.”

“She’s one to talk. I’m pregnant, not recovering from a gunshot.”

“Tim is going to start jonesing for a fix very soon. Don’t take your attention from him.”

“He can’t draw in here. Magic won’t work. Arel is giving me a primer on how to make these facilities more mage-proof.”

“Thank you for letting us stay in your home. I keep meaning to say that and then something else happens and I forget.”

She rolled her eyes. “Of course. Meriel is my sister in every way but biological. I’d do anything for her. And thank you for helping William.”

Just a week before, he and Simon had come to an agreement with William Emery. William would run the human part of the club.

“Helping him? He’s helped me. Just having him around has lessened my workload considerably. And he’s a smart man. He’s got great ideas and a lot of experience running nightclubs. I think this will work out well. Despite all the mage stuff, the rest is good.” He bent to kiss her cheek. “I’ll see you later.”

“Definitely.”

He went outside, taking a deep breath of the evening air and pushing away all the ugliness. He had a woman to get home to.