Page 29

Chapter 28

G ordon leaned against Adler, surprised at the easy comfort of it. “Where are we going?”

Maxim’s eyes found his, their green illuminated by lights reflected from the car behind them. “So excited for field work after that first taste, Gordon? And may I say, you look a delight. So much better than the scrubs.”

Adler took a deep breath, but there wasn’t any more growling from him.

Maxim chuckled.

Over the car’s system, Heath said, “Winter Valley, a middle-class motel. With that description, this was actually easy.”

Maxim cooed. “Oh, darling, you did so well. I shall bring you a lollipop as a treat when I return.”

Gordon wasn’t sure exactly what the noise on the other end of the call was, and he was distracted by how fast Maxim was going. Adler, apparently noticing, moved closer.

“You annoying—you know what, no. I’m not biting, Maxim.”

“But you could, darling. We have donors for that.”

Heath heaved a sigh. “Dr. Jackson was alive last time she was caught on camera. She looked shaken but unhurt.”

Adler nodded. “Let’s keep it that way.”

“Such is the goal of this hunt,” Maxim said.

Gordon nodded. “Yeah. I don’t want this killer to deliver me another…let’s keep it that way.” He leaned against Adler and reached for the werewolf’s hand.

Heath disconnected the call from his end, saying he was going to make sure they weren’t stopped by overeager cops.

Winter Valley was in the New Amsterdam area, but it wasn’t a short drive. Gordon personally would have been fine to spend it in the quiet back seat with Adler next to him, but the vampire hunter in the front seat had different ideas.

“Gordon, did you know,” Maxim began, “that werewolves are considered hypoallergenic? Almost no shedding.

“I’m not allergic. And that’s a little rude.”

“People who think they’re allergic really only make it up,” Adler mumbled.

Maxim groaned. “People peopling are the most annoying. By the way, Adler, doesn’t the alpha’s second-in-command’s spouse usually get to mind the pack’s pups during the full moon? Gordon guarding pups while you gaze to the moon and howl with Willa is something I would pay top gossip to see, so will you consider inviting me?”

“Seriously, Maxim. Sweetheart, there is no such rule, so you don’t have to worry. Not that the pups are unruly. I mean some, but generally…” Adler shrugged.

Spouse? Did he say spouse? I’m ignoring that if he’s ignoring it. “I saw them try to fight swans.”

“Always a stupid idea,” Adler said.

“Evil creatures, swans. It’s why the Romans ate them.” Maxim tapped the steering wheel. “Adler, dear, do you suppose I should be referring to Gordon as ‘Omega Gordon’ going forward? Is that still the appropriate title?”

Adler’s nostrils flared. “That stuff isn’t even scientific. It’s fiction. Gordon, sweetheart, no one is going to call you anything weird, I promise. The pack will be really glad to meet you. They’ll like you.”

Gordon sighed. “Are we there yet?”

“Almost, sweetheart,” Adler said.

“Have I mentioned how delightful it is to see you’re already at endearments? It is quite delightful, quite delightful indeed.”

“Shut up, Maxim,” Adler and Gordon said in chorus.

Adler would have preferred to approach the human holed up in the motel with more police officers at his side. Which is a wolf thing, Adler considered as Maxim parked his car a good distance away from their target, the Roadflower Motel. Unlike so many movie clichés, the neon sign in front of the motel—featuring a shiny flower in red and orange—was in good working order, nothing ominous about it.

Still, no backup. Then again, Maxim was plenty useful, even if that was less obvious the more the vampire talked and rhymed as he talked. I have no idea how Heath manages with him.

“Let’s get this done.” All humor was washed clear of Maxim’s voice, and he opened his door, Adler following suit and taking Gordon’s hand so the vampire got out on his side.

“Your plan?” Adler asked as they crossed the street to the side of the motel, walking behind conveniently overgrown hedges and crabapple trees that hid their approach while streetlamps cast their shadows like mixed omens.

“In through the front and move fast. Take her alive unless we can’t.”

Adler snorted. “Hunters.”

“I am that. Though you certainly look happy to be apprehending a criminal.”

“That’s my job,” Adler said, then eyed Gordon. “Gordon, if you want, it’s okay for you to stay behind and wait for us.”

Gordon cocked his head. “No, I should come along in case Dr. Jackson needs medical attention. And in the movies, if you stay behind, you get killed for sure.”

Maxim chuckled. “This is the way to keep your wolf lover riled, Gordon. There are few creatures more protective of their own than a werewolf.”

“Like I need protecting. That’s what you’re for, isn’t it?” Gordon indicated Maxim’s swords.

Adler’s grin deepened.

Maxim shrugged. “Of course. And about that, I think the first thing to do is figure out our human’s room.”

“Right,” Adler said, his eyes picking out the signage as they rounded the hedge. “Reception is there. Let’s go.”

When they walked into the motel’s reception area, Gordon realized he had never actually stayed in one. Hotels, sure, and plenty of them over the years. But motels by the roadside, not so much. As a result, this was all new and underwhelming.

Brochures faded from daylight exposure sat on the counter alongside a hula doll. The furniture looked cheap, and the reception counter’s plywood was cracked in one corner. I’m sure I didn’t miss much staying in decent hotels.

An older human was behind the counter. That hair is atrocious. When he was young and human himself, Gordon had started out with bottle dyes as well, had even ventured to blond once, just like this human. Yet the woman’s hairspray hair looked like the whipped cream top of a vanilla milkshake, and Gordon had never quite wanted that look for himself. Vanilla milkshakes really weren’t a vampire thing, after all.

“Hello,” Maxim purred, drawing the woman’s eyes up from a romance novel she was reading. Seriously, Moonlight Cherries? Why’s the guy on the cover wearing a red bow tie? Bow ties fell out of fashion even before I was born. And is that guy levitating a feather? I prefer the most recent Kawaii Demon Hunter to this any day.

The woman’s annoyed attitude changed when she saw Maxim in his sleek black outfit. She smiled at the hunter, giving him all her attention.

Maxim wasted no time and pulled the human into compulsion swiftly. Gordon knew the telltale signs, the smoothing of features, the faraway look. The Forum had classes that gave examples of the effects of compulsion, and since Gordon focused on forensics and research, he had always paid close attention, even though compulsion with the kind of instantaneous submission Maxim could render was not as widespread as some vampire conspiracy theorists liked to post on dark web forums. And standard Forum protocol is to veer away from the topic of compulsion altogether, especially when in human company. I wonder what Adler thinks about compulsion.

After all, werewolves were the only other supernatural creatures that could be pulled into compulsion in some cases. As Gordon watched the human close her novel, he wondered whether that was part of the reason vampire and werewolf unions were considered likely to fail: the threat of manipulation.

Adler, as if he’d sensed Gordon’s unease, reached for his hand and squeezed. It was as if the wolf wanted to say, Don’t worry, I am here, and I’m not going anywhere.

My wolf, Gordon thought, and squeezed Adler’s fingers back. They broke apart, because this was work, and no one needed Maxim’s iambic commentary about handholding while trying to extricate a hostage from a violent murderer.

“You love to read paranormal novels I see,” said Maxim to the human, and Gordon noted that he recognized the book as such. Maybe that’s where he gets some of his lines. It would make sense. Gordon started imagining Maxim sitting at a desk with only a reading lamp on, totally engrossed in a smutty, fangy novel and taking notes.

“Yes,” the human said.

“Very distracting, I am sure. But please tell me about your guests. A woman in particular.” He pulled out his phone, showed her a photo.

“Yes. She is here.”

“Where?”

“Room 17,” the human said. “She seemed angry.”

“How very helpful of you,” Maxim said. “But that is all we will be needing. Now, I think you should go back to that novel, and not let anything distract you, at least for the next twenty minutes. Nothing you hear, nothing you see. Just lose yourself in your story.”

The woman nodded, which sent her milkshake hair bobbing.

Maxim turned while she picked the book back up and resumed reading. “Gentlemen. Normally I would suggest one of us knocks on the door, but none of us are the kind of inconspicuous that would be helpful in this situation given that two of us look like the vampires we are, and you, Adler, do look like all the clichés of the cop wolf.”

Adler looked at himself. “Thanks?”

“Anytime. Given that,” Maxim said, shrugging. “How would you feel about breaking down the door, Adler, so I can rush in?”

Adler sighed. “I know you can break down doors yourself easy enough, but thanks for including me in your masterplan.”

Maxim clicked his tongue. “And here I was, trying to make you look good in front of Gordon. Careful, detective. Save your huffing for room 17.”

Gordon tried to hide his chuckle, but he wasn’t sure he succeeded. Watching Maxim irritate Adler, and Adler getting irritated, flustered, well. It was sweet, adorable even, not a word commonly associated with werewolves.

“We should get this over with,” Gordon said.

“Right, you look too horny for comfort, doctor.” Maxim sauntered outside.

Adler followed but stopped to brush a kiss across Gordon’s lips. “The worst thing is, he’s right. About you looking too horny. I like you looking like that, sweetheart, but I want to be able to do something about it.”

To which Gordon knew not what to say. If Adler had meant to make Gordon’s knees tremble, there wasn’t a more elegant way to do it, nor a simpler one.