Free Howling Legion (Skinners, Book 2) by Marcus Pelegrimas

slick-looking man in front of the parlor looking in his direction. Since Cole’s back was to a wall and both he and Paige were obviously preoccupied, the man turned and walked back inside.
    “You go in through the front,” Paige said. “Ask for Ace or Stephanie and flash that weapon. One of those should catch a Nymar’s attention. While you lay down the law about those three that were on the wrong side of town, I’ll sneak around back.”
    “By yourself?”
    “Some high-tech security would be the perfect test for this invisibility gunk. I’ll get a look around to see what’s in this place and then jump in if you need help.”
    “If I need help?” Cole asked.
    She patted his arm and nodded confidently. “You can handle yourself.”
    “This may sound stupid, but that place looks like it might be closing. Will I be able to get in through the front door?”
    “Brothels don’t keep bankers’ hours,” Paige replied while giving his cheek a gentle tap. Her fleeting smile displayed an equal mix of affection and pride. That last part caught him by surprise.
    Slipping away from him, Paige jogged into the alley that led from Superior Street to cut between the Blood Parlor and the parking garage. Now that he took a closer look, Cole was stricken by the contrast between those two buildings. While the closest one was a gray, multilevel block, the Blood Parlor was a mix of urban elegance and medieval architecture. Dark brick flowed up into a steeply angled roof and several pointed gables. Sharp rectangular windows looked down over an entrance that looked more like an old sandstone cottage. To complete the ornate mix, several of the lower windows had neon beer signs hanging in them, while one of the upper panes was covered by the stencil of a rose dripping what was probably supposed to be blood onto the sill.
    Once she was in the shadows of the alley, Paige opened the garbage bag that Cole had found in the car a few minutes ago. She pulled out a hooded sweatshirt that matched her sweatpants. At least, it probably matched the pants before it had been covered in a dark, greasy substance. “Anyone out there?” she whispered.
    Since there were only a few people wandering along the street, and none of them were taking any interest in him, Cole replied, “Nope.”
    Paige stuck her hands into the hoodie and pulled it inside out. When she slipped it on over her head, it looked as if a torrent of water flowed from nowhere to wash over her entire torso. Even though Cole had seen the stuff put to use by the shapeshifter who’d used it to bend light around herself, it was even more impressive to see Paige recreate the trick. The stuff shimmered for a few seconds before rendering her all but invisible, leaving a pair of gray sweatpants below a blank spot with a head above it.
    “Watch the upper windows,” she said.
    Cole nodded, but couldn’t help watching her as she pulled the hood up and lowered her head so everything from her waist up was now a mirage. With the speed and agility of someone used to changing in dirty sheds at public pools, she whipped her sweats down, flipped them inside out, and hopped back into them. Seconds later her legs, along with a good portionof her feet, began to fade. The effect wasn’t perfect, but if he hadn’t known she was there, he could easily have mistaken Paige for a ripple of heat coming off the sidewalk.
    Before he became completely entranced by watching the blur in the alley, Cole did what he was supposed to do and checked the upper windows. Most of them were covered by bars on the outside and frilly curtains on the inside. A flickering light from within the place cast just enough light to project a few shadow figures, but none of them stayed still long enough to be of any concern.
    An older man wearing an expensive suit pushed open the door to the Blood Parlor and stepped outside. His arm was draped around a girl dressed in a dark red top with thin straps and tight jeans that rode