Page 7 of First Snow
Arttu shrugs. “That’s Annikki Hurme. She’s the club’s manager.”
“She’s a cutie,” Tuulia says wistfully.
“And you’re a slag.”
“Yup.” Tuulia grins, her eyes never leaving the screen. “Ah, she’s from Rovaniemi.”
“Can you research your love interest in your free time? I need to know about Faeling.”
“Then you aren’t interested in the fact that Miss Hurme is not only a yoga teacher and a club manager, but also served in the military and currently has the rank of avänrikkiof the reserve?”
Arttu hums. “You starting to see why I think they’re shady?”
“Because she served?”
“Because Faeling runs his business with ex-military and former police officers.”
“Do you really believe that he runs a criminal empire from his sex club? Sounds ridiculously clichéd.”
“I still didn’t ask for your criminal assessment. Are you going to see what you can find about him or not?"
Tuulia rolls her eyes. “I’ll see what I can do. But don’t expect too much.”
“Fine,” Arttu relents.
He’s grasping at straws, and he knows it, but he’s sure something is wrong with Faeling. And he can’t withhold justice from three families just because the authorities are too pig-headed to see what’s right in front of them.
Chapter 3
Jareth
Annikkisitsonhisdesk, balancing a tablet on her knees while she goes through his appointments for the day.
“Thorfinn has announced himself today. I guess he’s bringing his new boyfriend,” she says, grinning into her cup of coffee.
“I don’t think he’s here to introduce his new sub,” Jareth mumbles, still scanning the papers he’s been working on. He wonders what the Icelander’s motivation for his visit is. Thorfinn has been evasive on the phone, but Jareth is pretty sure that he’s here on matters regarding the Kingdom Beyond. They both can sense the other’s power, but they haven’t breached the subject of the occult as if by mutual agreement. It’s the same thing with Finn’s brother, Dagur, who has also visitedThe Worship. What a strange family.
Annikki shrugs. “By the way, thekeijuwas here again.”
Jareth looks up in surprise. “The fairy? Are you sure?”
“She took the same human form she had last time she was here. She asked for a job. I turned her down.”
“Good.” Jareth runs a hand through his hair. A fairy obsessed with him is just what he needs on top of the increase in magical activity in the city. And now Thorfinn is visiting. A man who has the ancient power of his homeland drumming in his veins loud enough for Jareth to hear. Taking an educated guess, Jareth supposes that he’s neither here to talk to him about his job as a consulting swordsman, nor about offering his infamousshibaridemonstrations again.
“We should take precautions to keep thekeijuaway from the club,” Annikki says, steering Jareth’s thoughts back to their fairy problem.
“Easier said than done,” Jareth grumbles. “We’ll have to hire a witch if we want to keep her out properly.”
“Can’t you weave a little spell and be done with it?” Annikki asks, waving her hand at him in a ridiculous little gesture she probably thinks indicates spellcasting.
Jareth snorts. “I could kill her. That’s definitely going to keep her away.”
“You’re not funny. Fine, I’ll see if I can find someone who dares to engage a bone fairy. Maybe we can preserve some magical wildlife.”
His second in command slips from his desk and gathers her things. When she opens the office door, Jareth can feel Thorfinn’s presence even before he hears him greeting Annikki.
“Troll-Burster is here, boss,” Annikki calls over her shoulder.