Page 28

Chapter 27

A dler was wolf enough to admit that walking back into the main room of the club and seeing Maxim lounging on a bar stool comforted his beta nature. Maxim was commanding in the extreme, blond braid flawless, the hunter version of resting bitch face severe in its superiority, and the whimpering vampire at Maxim’s feet just serving to elevate Maxim’s rank even further.

Strength is sexy. Adler looked back to make sure Gordon was behind him and shielded by his body. But my mate is hotter than a hunter.

Adler walked on, ignoring the fact that Gordon probably wasn’t all that breakable. Maxim glanced their way, spotted the dealer Adler was shoving ahead of himself.

“Oh, lovebugs! Did you really investigate? So sad.” Maxim made a moue.

The fae bouncer walked into the club even as some of the other patrons left. Most of those were humans, clearly shocked at whatever had happened. Yet others were watching the show that was unfolding in front of them.

“What’s going on here?” the bouncer asked. He didn’t sound pissed off or like action on his part was needed. He merely sounded curious.

Maxim gestured. “I asked this man a question in a perfectly civil way. His choice response was less than civil, and I took offense.”

The bouncer crossed his arms in front of him. “I see.”

Maxim smiled like a shampoo model. “You don’t mind, do you?”

“Nah.”

“Lovely. Now, Adler. You have something for me?”

“Yup. This one might have seen our suspect.”

The dealer was one hundred percent not impressed by the vampiric display of strength in front of him, and when Maxim shifted on his stool to reveal the sheath of what was essentially his work knife, glinting handle so very close to his hand, Adler didn’t have to be a werewolf to smell the fear in the air.

“Dude, I told you everything I know. Come on, you don’t need to do this. I don’t know a single fucking thing!” His eyes darted around wildly. “That one! You ask her. About that creepy lesbian chick that was hitting on you? Tell them!”

Everyone followed the line of the dealer’s pointing finger toward the group of fae that had lit their shots on fire.

One blonde froze with another lit shot halfway to her mouth. “Hey, I don’t know this fucker. I don’t need drugs to have a good time.”

She looked to her companions and gave them a twitchy smile. Adler was pretty sure she was lying about the drugs.

“Miss, no one said you were buying what he stinks of,” Maxim said, sliding off his stool and moving in that graceful silent way big cats have just before they pounce. “But clearly this man is a regular, and if you are as well, you must have talked at some point. Maybe while washing your hands in the bathroom? Hygiene is important.”

Fae were not stupid. Cunning and careless at times, yes, using their illusionary skills to play tricks, also yes. Human teenage dumb, not so much.

Which was why the girl jumped at the way to save face Maxim offered her.

“I might have mentioned to the human that a woman tried to get me to go home with her.” She turned to her companions. “A human woman. Not my type.”

“When?” Maxim’s voice was soft but not without an edge to it. The rest of the club reacted to him, the music the loudest thing in the entire room now.

“Just a few days ago. And I saw her before then. Just walking around, drinking water, and looking at me. She was checking out some other people too. She was creepy. That’s what I told him.”

Maxim walked up to the table. The fae had gotten bottle service. He poured himself a shot. “Would you light it for me?”

The fae hesitated, looked at her buddies, then shrugged and wiggled her fingers near the glass. Flames sprang to life and danced over the drink.

“So pretty. You are good at that.”

She snorted.

“Man, erm, Mr. Vallois. We’re fire fae,” one of her buddies said.

“I gathered, little faelings.” Maxim downed his drink, flame and all. “Cheers. And thank you for your cooperation. The Forum has a form for that. Fill it out and they will give you a single chocolate as a thank you, I believe.” He turned. “Now, you two handsome-looking hunks, you.”

Adler cleared his throat. “This one said something about a minivan.”

He shoved the dealer toward Maxim.

“I don’t know shit!” the human yelled, sweating as he tried to escape Adler’s hold.

Maxim blinked his green eyes and got into the dealer’s personal space fast. Adler had seen him drop compulsion before, but it was always a sight, always made Adler wish he could do the same with any and all of his suspects.

“Tell me everything you know about that creepy woman.” Maxim spoke softly. He didn’t need to command. From what Adler knew, the notorious hunter was ridiculously good at compulsion, able to get you with a sideways glance and even if you met his eyes in a mirror.

The dealer spilled faster than a stuck pig, barely adding anything in terms of details he hadn’t already given to Adler and Gordon.

When he was done, Maxim stepped away from him but took him by the shoulder and pushed him into a seat next to the fire fae.

“Please. This vendor of illegalish goods has had a very trying day. Be nice and let him drink with you, yes? Ask the Forum to give you a bonus chocolate for humanitarian behavior. Tell them I told you to give you one.”

The fae, going by their slack jaws and the furrows showing on their foreheads, didn’t know what to make of that. They froze. So did the dealer. After a hot minute, one of the fae poured him a drink, and he took it with a nod of thanks.

“We can go now,” Maxim said, leading the way.

Adler, having followed his own alpha on similar occasions often enough, made sure to take Gordon by the hand and stay close at Maxim’s heel. Adler didn’t step over the vampire who was still on the floor, rolled into the fetal position and holding his dick, given that Adler hadn’t been the one to take the vampire down. But Maxim did. Such a power move, that.

“Heard you cut off people’s heads, hunter,” the fae bouncer said.

Maxim beamed at him. “Well, not for fun, sweetling.”

“Shame.”

“Goodness, but you are bloodthirsty. I thought I was. On account of the blood drinking. It’s a vampire thing.”

“I like a spectacle.”

Gordon tried walking around Adler, but Adler blocked the not very bulky vampire easily enough.

“Decapitation isn’t a spectacle, you know,” Gordon managed to say over Adler’s shoulder.

Maxim offered the bouncer an apologetic shrug. “That one is young. He will learn.”

The fae grunted and nodded. “Figured. Odd pairing, but the horniness of youth.”

“Oh, shoo, don’t spoil it for them. Adler, Gordon, best cover your ears as we exit. Close your eyes and think of each other’s privates, as it were.”

“’S fine. I need to clean the floor. Bye, kids.” The bouncer turned his attention to the crumpled vampire on said floor.

Adler kept his body between the bouncer’s and Gordon, just in case.

“Those fae are probably really going to the Forum for some chocolate after you told them, and they’re going to bring the dealer along as well for the same reason.” Adler hoped his admiration came through.

Maxim shrugged as they left the club, walking past the pissed-looking humans still standing in line, more anxious to get in now that it appeared something interesting was happening inside.

“There is nothing I can do about that. The best part is, I do believe the Forum still gives out chocolates, but it takes them a few days to process the request on account of the fact they are using paper forms and their own delivery personnel to get them from one office to the other. A harpies’ lair, you must beware.”

Adler liked that explanation even with the rhyming, but Gordon wasn’t as satisfied.

“What was that exactly?” he asked the moment they were outside the club.

“You two did very well. It would have taken me at least another five to ten to find that dealer.” Maxim had parked right in front of the club and now held the door to the back of his car for them.

Adler quickly maneuvered Gordon into the back seat and followed after him. With his vampiric speed, it was barely another second before Maxim was in the driver’s seat. He then dialed, but let the phone connect to the car’s system as he pulled away from the curb.

“What about your driver?” Gordon asked.

“Yeah?” came Heath’s voice over the system. “Did you find those two making out in the bathroom?”

Maxim let out a long aah . “They found me a drug-dealing witness in the bathroom, can you believe that? Gordon askes that you tell the driver to head back.”

“Done. What did you find?”

“Pale blue minivan. License plate unknown.”

“Okay. That might help. I have to cross-reference that. Call you when I have something.” Heath hung up.

Maxim drove well within the speed limit and looked at them through the rearview.

“Back in London, one of the victims was a fire fae. She’d been cast out by her family, but she could call to the fire, and it would come. It’s not a detail that is talked about much, but fae especially remember it. Her grave marker bears a small flame on the back of it though not on the front because she was an outcast.”

“That’s why she hit on that fae.” Gordon looked at Adler.

Adler reached over the vampire to fasten his seat belt. It drew a tiny, surprised gasp from Gordon.

“Thanks.”

“Always, sweetheart.”

Maxim was watching them again, but the mirror cut off his mouth, so all Adler could see were the hunter’s twinkling eyes.

“Fae can have bad reactions to drugs,” Maxim said when Adler reluctantly fastened his own seat belt. “If the fire fae back there had taken anything from that drug-dealing human and the murderer had found her like that, it would have made her easier to handle. A fire fae sober is a challenge to overpower, especially for a human.”

“Easy pickings,” Adler said.

“No.” Gordon clasped his hands in front of him and looked down at them. “She got lucky. And she doesn’t even know how lucky.”

Adler didn’t say anything, but a low growl built in his throat, and he moved as close to Gordon as he could. He didn’t want to touch too much in case it wasn’t wanted, but he ached for it. He needs to come to me this time.

“Yes. Both.” Maxim’s voice didn’t betray much.

The ringing of an incoming call came over the car’s system, and Maxim picked up right away.

“Heath, what do you have for us?”

“An address.”

Adler felt both excitement and focus set in, and then Gordon reached for his hand.

“Thank fuck,” he said.