The new Crow had her hand on the doorknob when Erin suddenly announced, “You killed your dog.”

Everyone in the room froze, Kera spinning around to look across the room at her pit bull, who had been quietly sitting in the corner while her owner got fixed up. Vig immediately straightened up, his eyes wide and locking with Tessa’s.

“What are you talking about?” Kera demanded.

“Kera, just go,” Tessa pushed.

“Brodie is right there. She’s fine.”

“Yeah,” Erin shot back. “Fifty pounds heavier and stronger. With all her teeth.”

“So?”

“When you said you wouldn’t join the Crows without your dog, that left Skuld with only one option. In order to bring your dog with you, she had to kill her first and then bring her back. She only chooses from the dead. So yeah,” Erin taunted, “you killed your dog. Dog killer.”

Kera dove at Erin, her towel dropping to the ground as she wrapped her hands around Erin’s throat.

Erin fought back by slamming her ice pack against Kera’s jaw.

Tessa caught hold of Erin while Vig grabbed Kera. They both pulled back as the two women threw punches and tried to bite each other. It wasn’t even a proper fight at this point. It was just a brawl between women, one topless.

All that was missing was the liquor and frat boys.

“Take her!” Tessa ordered Vig when he managed to get Kera away from Erin. “Just get her out of here!”

He walked out the door, the once dead and now alive Brodie immediately following.

And, as soon as Kera left the room, Erin immediately stopped struggling.

Tessa released her and walked around to stand in front of the Crow who’d been part of her team since the day she’d arrived.

“Was that bit of information really necessary?” Tessa asked.

“Depends on your definition of necessary.”

“What is wrong with you, Erin?”

“I don’t know. She just pissed me off when all I was trying to do was help her out.”

“She fell out of a window because of you.”

“She survived!”

“That’s not—” Tessa stopped, shook her head. There was no point in arguing with Erin when she got like this. It seemed the woman had come out of her mother’s Irish-Catholic womb contrary. Rumor was that during the baptism, baby-Erin didn’t cry once, but she did slap the attending priest’s face. Twice.

“Even worse than her falling out the window . . . is that you embarrassed her in front of a guy she really likes.”

“Again, trying to help.”

“How is that helpful?”

Erin shrugged. “She’s got good tits. And now he knows she’s got good tits. And real ones. Notfake.”

The worst part about all that . . . Tessa knew Erin was dead serious.

Vig managed to hold on to Kera until they were halfway down the hall. That’s when she pulled herself away, arms flailing, and turned to face him.

Vig leaned back a bit, afraid she was going to turn that dangerous wrath on him, but instead, she asked, “Is what she said true?”

“Kera—”

“Is what she said true?”

Vig had never learned to lie, so he didn’t bother. “Probably. The thing you must remember when it comes to the gods . . . there’s always a price. There’s always a sacrifice.”

Kera swallowed, stepped back, her eyes on Vig. Then she crouched down and Brodie ran into her arms. That’s when Vig realized Kera was crying as she hugged her dog.

He really had no idea what to do then. He wasn’t used to crying.

Yardley King, a Crow for the last three years, was walking down the hall, still wet from the pool, a towel over her shoulder, a tiny bikini barely covering her body. She stopped when she reached them, her gaze moving from Kera and Brodie to Vig.

“What’s going on?” she finally asked.

“I killed my dog,” Kera sobbed.

Eyes wide, Yardley looked at Vig and he mouthed, Erin told her.

Yardley immediately crouched beside Kera, putting one arm around her shoulders. “Oh sweetie, don’t feel bad. You didn’t know. And Brodie’s been so happy here. She’s like our mascot now.”

“I didn’t know.”

“Of course you didn’t know! No one thought for a second you knew. That’s why no one said anything,” she muttered, big blue eyes rolling.

Kera glanced up at Yardley, looked back at Brodie, and then her head snapped up again. “You’re . . . you’re Yardley King.”

“I am! Are you a fan?”

“Isn’t everyone a fan of yours?” Kera wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “I heard on the radio this morning, your latest movie is number one at the box office.”

“I know.” Yardley’s grin was blinding. “And it’s fabulous! I’m going to make so much money.” She leaned in and whispered, “I got a piece of the backend.” She giggled. “I love my agent. She’s the best! And a Crow. Her name’s Betty. You will love her.”

Kera’s eye twitched the slightest bit. “You’re quieter in your movies.”

“I know. I always play the murderous psychopath, which is so funny, because I’m naturally perky and happy. And I get emotional at the drop of a hat. Sweetie,” she said, her hand on Kera’s shoulder, “is there a reason you’re not wearing a shirt?”