"You owe me a beer," he said.

The zoo animals sounded a little agitated. I wondered if they could scent a Dragon.

"How about best two out of three?" I wasn't ready to give up that easily.

He shrugged. "I'll just win again."

That remark made me want to beat him even more.

"Which Seer did you go to?" Colin asked as a monkey shrieked from inside the zoo.

"Guess we all have our secrets," I said, teasing him back.

During the Tracker meeting, I hadn't mentioned that the Seer Angel and I had visited was a Magi because paranorm leadership wanted to keep the Magi as safe as possible. That included not mentioning them in combination with anything they might have assisted with.

"Fair is fair." He acknowledged me with a nod. Then he said, "What you talked about in the meeting tonight. Do you have any other theories as to what the Seer meant when she warned that we can only kill Zombies, not Sentients and Hosts?"

"Honestly, I have no idea." During the meeting there'd been some speculation based on what other Trackers had seen during attacks they'd fought off, but it was all only speculation.

I'd mentioned that the Seer told us to find a certain Sorcerer in the city and I'd explained that I was attempting to locate him now. I managed to avoid naming him.

There were a few other things I'd kept to Rodan, Angel, and myself because the information seemed too important to release on a broad basis.

That included the fact that I'd located the Sorcerer and hopefully would have a meeting with him tomorrow. For ten thousand dollars I certainly hoped so.

I really did love the painting.

"You didn't mention the Sorcerer Desmond's name to all of the Trackers," Colin said. "Just to the team members."

"It was an executive decision." I tilted my head back and felt the soft fall of snow on my face.

"The fewer who know that detail, the better. Once we have more information, we'll share it with all of our Trackers."

A big cat, possibly a lion, gave a low rumble from inside the zoo.

Colin's amazing burnished gold eyes studied me. "What do you think about Lawan having been missing for a couple of days? Is that why you held back on the Sorcerer's name?"

"She's one reason why we didn't share everything tonight. We need to be careful." We started to walk away from the zoo entrance. "Although she sure seemed like herself tonight." I frowned. "But the day before she went missing she thought someone was watching her."

"Has Rodan considered taking her off duty?" he asked.

"Yes." I thought about the conversation I'd had with him earlier. "But there's no proof, and no reason to. Lawan's twin sister, Malee, did arrive from Thailand like Lawan said. We're just being cautious for now."

Colin nodded. "Cautious is good."

"Let's see what we can locate." I took a deep breath. "We need to see if there's any Zombie activity going on around here." I looked at him. "You've got my back?" Colin gave a nod but didn't say anything. He watched as I stood with my feet shoulder-width apart, my hands at my sides. I took another deep breath and closed my eyes.

I sent out my elemental magic. I couldn't use too much at one time without weakening myself, so I used what would take the least amount of energy. When there was snow, it was one time of the year when I could use my water magic easily to explore.

At the same time I let my water elemental cover the ground through the snow, I released my air magic and sent it searching.

I searched for any imprints of beings that did not belong and for activity that might be wrong.

Behind my eyelids, I saw flashes of people and streets and cars and businesses closed for the night.

Nothing wrong or out of the ordinary.

No Zombies.

The magic I used to search such a large area put a strain on my body and I knew I needed to reel myself back in.

I gasped as I came fully back to myself as if I hadn't been breathing the entire time my essence was traveling with my elemental magic.

"Nothing right now," I said when my gaze met Colin's. "All's quiet for the time being." Snow had started to fall thicker and I noticed Colin shiver. Unlike other Trackers, Colin wasn't wearing leather. He wore jeans and a T-shirt beneath a dark blue jacket that looked warm and comfortable. He'd pushed his long blond hair over his shoulders away from his face, and his nose and cheeks appeared a little ruddy from the chill.

"Dragons can't handle the cold?" I said as I shook off the remnants of the out-of-body experience I always felt when I used my elements to search large areas like I just had.

"Not too crazy about it." Colin smiled. "Since we don't have snow in Otherworld, it's going to take some getting used to. Rodan thinks I should wear black leather that has been spelled for the weather and durability like the rest of the Trackers, but I've never been good at falling in with the crowd."

I leaned down, grabbed a handful of snow, and formed a ball. "Ever been in a snowball fight?" I said right before I nailed him in the face.

Colin sputtered and I scooped up another handful and hit him again.

Then I found out Colin wasn't only fast when it came to racing, but he threw snowballs with the best of them.

We were both covered in snow and laughing by the time he held his hands up and said, "I give up. No more."

"Are you up for something hot to drink? It's got to be better than a cold beer for a shivering Dragon," I said with a grin.

Colin grinned back. "Is there a place nearby where Dragons and Drow can go this time of night?"

"There's a coffee shop owned by a paranorm here in the Bronx." I inclined my head in the direction we needed to go. "On Arthur Avenue." I gave him the address and said, "Best two out of three."

And I was gone.

When I got there I looked around and didn't see Colin. Ha. I'd made it before him.

Then he stepped out of the coffee shop.

Damn. "How-?"

"Come on in," he said. "It's cold out here."

"Sheesh." I followed him inside. "How do you do that?"

"I ordered hot chocolate for both of us." He went up to the Witch at the cash register who only glanced at me with mild curiosity. I was unique in being the only Drow in New York City, but paranorms got used to seeing different types of beings and many seemed almost immune to the surprise of something new. Like a female with amethyst skin and blue hair.

Colin pulled out a wallet and paid while another Witch handed me two large ceramic mugs topped with whipped cream and marshmallows. The mugs were hot to the touch and the contents smelled of rich chocolate.

The cafe was empty save for the Witches, Colin, and me. We went to a round table in the corner and the mugs made a clunking sound as I set them on its surface. I positioned us in a way so that our backs were to the corner we were in, and we could both see the front entrance.

As I sat, I took a sip of hot chocolate and whipped cream. "Yum." Colin settled in his chair and I asked, "What made you decide to become a Tracker?" His long blond hair had fallen over his shoulders as he leaned forward to take his mug. After he took a sip he said, "The Great Guardian asked for me. She thought my skills would come in handy."

"The GG herself asked you?" My jaw dropped. "Or did she do it through Rodan or someone else?"

"The GG?" Colin tilted his head. "Are you talking about the Guardian?"

"Yes." I wiped off whipped cream from the end of my nose. "She came to you?"

"She sent Rodan." He gave a wry grin. "When one is requested by the Guardian, one listens." I shook my head while at the same time saying, "I suppose you're right."

"No supposing about it," he said.

I nodded. "She's something else."

Colin looked at me as if wondering about my remarks and my obvious attitude. "What part of the city do you live in?" he asked instead.

"Upper West Side," I said. "At 104th Street and Central Park West."

"I'm around Sixty-sixth Road in Queens," he said. "I cannot seem to get away from royalty no matter how hard I try." I laughed and he added, "Although I don't mind being around princesses. I don't suppose you have a knight waiting in the wings to rescue you from a Dragon?" Heat crept over my cheeks and I nodded. "His name is Adam." Colin shook his head, his expression pretend-grim. "I haven't eaten human in a long time," he said. "This Adam had best stay out of my way."

Before I could even think of a response or have a reaction of any kind to what Colin had said, I felt a strange sensation creep down my spine. Tingling erupted near my waist where the stone was in the pouch.

A shuffling sound caught my attention and I looked toward the entrance. I frowned as a couple came through the door, neither of them wearing cold weather clothing. Both the male and female met my gaze.

I knew then what the Magi meant about Sentients versus Zombies. The pair I was staring at were not Zombies, but I could sense they were not of any paranorm race that I'd ever come across. I caught their faint unusual odor which was slightly different than Zombies.

They gave me the creeps, that horrible feeling, like grubs wiggling on my skin. Just like the male had in the coffee shop that night with Adam-the male that at the time I'd thought might have been a Vampire.

My fingers brushed the hilt of the dagger by my right hand. I sensed Colin's attention on the beings too, and felt his tension mount.

The male and female came toward us- And then the cafe started to fill with Zombies.

TWENTY-ONE.

Both Witches screamed as Zombies poured into the coffee shop.

Colin and I surged to our feet so fast we knocked our table over. It hit the floor with a crash. Our mugs slammed to the floor. Ceramic shattered. Hot chocolate sprayed in an arc, reaching the legs of the beings coming toward us.

My heart thudded. The keystone burned hot through the pouch of my belt and I felt its heat against my hip.

Colin was suddenly holding a sword. I didn't know where it came from. I had a second to be relieved that a garbage-truck-sized Dragon wasn't filling the place. Would have made it difficult to maneuver well enough to fight.

"I think the first two are Sentients," I said over the moans and groans of the Zombies. There was something different about the smell of the Sentients. Not as bad as the dirty dishwater smell of the Zombies, but not human, either. "I'll take them down first. For now the Zombies are yours."

"I've got them." Colin dodged the two Sentients as I rushed them.

The move confused both of the Sentients for a moment and I used that to my advantage. Since I couldn't kill them, I'd have to find other ways to take care of them.

I felt the dangerous white flash in my eyes right before I slammed my fist into the male's nose and used a knife hand strike against the female's neck at the same time. I used only enough force to stop, not kill.

It wasn't enough.

The female didn't go down and the male leapt for me. I had a fraction of a second to remember the Magi's warning.

"Do not let a stone-bearing Sentient touch you with his hands," she had said as she left. "Lock ...

away."

I didn't know what that last part meant, and I didn't know if these Sentients carried stones, but I didn't want to find out right now.

As the male grabbed at me, I ducked between the pair, hitting my knees. I flung my arms out, striking them behind their knees and caused them both to drop to the floor.

The female shouted and the male cursed. They each rolled away with surprising speed.

As they moved out of the way, three Zombies lunged for me.

I somersaulted backward and was on my feet with the corner behind me. Trapped if I didn't get out of here.

Over their shoulders I saw Colin using his sword and his strength to battle Zombies.

More Zombies were behind the three in front of me and that didn't count the Sentients who were now to the sides.

I drew both Dragon-claw daggers and charged the three Zombies. The one on my left went down as my dagger made a clean slice across his neck and beheaded him.

The middle Zombie stumbled back when I rammed my right dagger into her chest where her heart should be-but when I yanked back, blood didn't cover the dagger.

As I kicked his jaw at just the right angle, the third Zombie's neck snapped, its head twisted at a freakish angle.

The headless Zombie was down, but the one I'd impaled came right back at me again. I heard a crack and a snap and my stomach clenched as the third Zombie's eyes popped open and I saw it had wrenched its broken neck back into place.

And the two Sentients were coming for me, too.

Adrenaline pumped through me and blood rushed in my ears. I had to get out of the corner. I was almost pinned with no place to move to.

Then I saw a stone. A Sentient was holding it. The female.

My heart thudded. I didn't know what it meant for a Sentient to have a stone, but I sure remembered the Magi's warning.

Two remaining Zombies and the two Sentients closed in on me. The female holding the stone said something that sounded like it was spoken in French, but it wasn't French. The other three backed off a little as she came toward me.

I dove to the side, close to the wall, propelling myself beyond the four of them. I slid along the floor, skidding on my shoulder with enough force that I slammed into two more Zombies beyond them.