Page 14

Chapter 14

G ordon, as a relatively young vampire who predominantly invested in collectibles, always found the way the much older ones of his kind lived quite extraordinary. The accumulation of wealth was very much the norm for any decently competent vampire after a century or so, and Maxim’s fancy, multi-story building was not unlike the castles or large estates other vampires liked to cultivate.

The surprisingly vibrant community of people who lived in 43 Ruthaven had at first surprised Gordon, but he had long since gotten used to seeing both supernaturals and humans in Morgan’s Bar and Restaurant. In a way, Maxim’s house was like a court of old, open to a select group and thriving with their attention.

What Gordon hadn’t seen there before was a young werewolf being directed to mix colorful alcoholic drinks by the Lar behind the bar, and so he stared for a moment.

The Lar in question noticed, gave him an acerbic look back, and pointed at a corner table around which Heath, Maxim, and Adler sat like cheerless co-conspirators despite their very brightly decorated cocktail glasses.

Gordon walked over to them. The moment his eyes met Adler’s, the wolf stood and pulled out a chair for Gordon. Naturally, his wolf used the opportunity to make Gordon’s lips tingle with a kiss, and the arms Adler wrapped around Gordon felt him over as if to make sure he was all there and accounted for.

“Hi.”

“Hello, detective.”

Maxim cooed. “Aw, aren’t they cute? Heath, darling, look how cute my crime-solving duo is. If I were one of those very needy parental units, I would mention as a casual aside that I should like to see my own child blushing with such lust and happiness.”

Heath sucked on his straw, noisily exploring the bottom of his glass for any dregs left in there. “If you weren’t speaking in hypotheticals, I’d go talk to a Realtor first thing in the morning. Maybe I should do that anyway, look at a few apartments, just in case.”

Adler ran his fingers over the base of Gordon’s head before they sat, both keeping their mouths shut.

Maxim looked at Heath with big green eyes. “Darling, do you mean to suggest you and I move into a bachelor flat together? For a season I could see it, perhaps, but without Bryan? And the bar Lar? Oh, we would have to take one of them with us I think.” He heaved one of his more dramatic sighs. “But of course if you are set on a change of scenery, I shall find my old steamer trunk and have it ready by the morrow. If you find a three-bedroom place, I think it wisest if we bunk together. Oh! I’ll sing you that lullaby you used to love so much! Do you recall when you fell off your rocking horse and cried and cried and would only be consoled by me singing it?”

Heath’s face reddened. He looked at Gordon and Adler with narrowed eyes, pointed at his parental unit.

“You get to leave, but I have to stay here. I have this all day every day.”

Maxim cleared his throat. “Darling, you drank. I’ll watch over you all night as well. We both know you get drunk faster than a sailor in a tub of rum.”

Heath looked at his father. “Why do you always have to make it weird, old bat?”

“I did not. I thought of matelotage, that old concept of free pirate marriage, hoping that perhaps a sailor would rock your boat, as they say.”

Heath bared his teeth. “Normal people who want to date other people don’t fucking want a meddlesome father thrown in the mix.”

Maxim looked at Adler. “Meddlesome father? Detective, do you know who he’s talking about?”

“Uhm…” Adler looked down, something Gordon recognized as evasive werewolf behavior.

Gordon took Adler’s hand. “This one is mine, Maxim. You’ll have to leave him out of…whatever you two have.”

“What we two have? What we fucking have?!” Heath was wide-eyed, maybe slightly panicked. Possibly tipsy.

Maxim, using his vampire speed, cupped his son’s cheek before Heath could push him off.

“Darling, everyone senses the strength of our bond, the parental care and love, for my darling boy, my little dove.”

“I bet I inherited the lacking drinking abilities you like to remind me of from you!”

Maxim gasped, clasping his chest. “How dare you. I gave you Gallic blood. Our people stood with Vercingetorix. They were raised on mead and wine.”

“Hah. I don’t think so. Gordon, tell him.”

“No, thank you. You know, Adler and I can wait for you at the bar.”

Before they had a chance to extricate themselves from the father and son bonding, a shadow fell over their table, and Gordon turned. He recognized Bryan, the door person and main Lar of 43 Ruthaven.

“Apologies for interrupting. Heath, you had a phone call in your office. I have them on hold for you.” He held out a phone to Heath.

“Fuck, fine. Can’t even plan my move in peace here.”

Heath took the phone and walked off to take his call outside the bar.

Bryan looked at Maxim. “I don’t like it when you do that. I don’t want anyone to move out.” Someone hissed under his breath, and Gordon turned to see Clement give Bryan a dirty look. “Well, he can move out whenever he likes. But I don’t want family to leave, Maxim.”

And Adler, either moved or just rattled, put his arm around Gordon’s shoulder. Not going to lie, but this feels nice.

“Oh, don’t worry, Bryan. Heath is a good boy, and he would never leave us.” He leaned toward Bryan. “Still, we must make sure he knows how much he would be missed.”

Adler huffed. “Alphas do this too when they don’t want someone to leave the pack.”

“I feel distinctly uncomfortable to be included in this conversation too,” Gordon said.

Bryan looked at them. “Don’t. You are always welcome to sleep over.”

I don’t know how Lares work, but was that a threat? Or was he trying to be nice?

Bryan turned his attention back to Maxim. “Don’t upset him. I don’t like it.”

With that, he walked off.

Maxim grinned at them. “Being me isn’t easy. But Gordon, just before you joined us, we were talking about how wonderful it is for Adler to be able to deduce your mood from your hair color.”

Gordon cocked his head. “That’s not how hair dye works.”

Adler on his right gave him a quizzical look but said nothing. Instead, he lowered his gaze, evading again.

Wait. Is my mate saying I change my hair color when I change my mood?

Maxim looked at Gordon and absentmindedly twirled the end of his braid. “Your locks shimmer with the calmest blue and the brightest hue of hot white passion, so I propose that your dye job should henceforth be called confession.”

Heath came back. “Ha! Made the old bat drop another rhyme, Gordon?”

Gordon rolled his eyes. On his right, Mil was walking up to them, a tray with a cocktail on it. Behind her, Clement carried a second tray loaded with more drinks for their table.

The little wolf looked at Gordon. “Hi. Clement said I should make you a Mai Tai.” She put the tall glass with the orange umbrella with red swirls down in front of Gordon.

Clement served the others. “Everyone loves a Mai Tai.” The bar Lar gave Gordon a sharp look, daring him to complain.

Instead, Gordon took a sip. “Well, thank you. And this Mai Tai is excellent. Did you make it yourself?”

Mil nodded, brushing her head against his shoulder, weirdly, and was off again, Clement close behind her.

Adler leaned over. “That’s just telling you she likes you. It’s a wolf thing.”

“I hope she put more gin in my refill,” Heath mumbled.

Maxim spun to stare at his son. “Darling, are you ill? Did your phone call make you ill?”

“I’m ignoring you is what I am,” Heath said. “Plus, if we are going to be talking about this whole shitshow again to catch Gordon up, I’ll need this.”

“Talking about what?” Gordon asked. “The murders? I mean, you have my preliminary report.”

Maxim leaned close. “Those, yes. And the conspiracy.”

Gordon nodded. “Yeah, I thought you three looked suspicious. What are we planning? Take down the Forum’s bureaucracy?”

Adler cleared his throat. “Not what he means, sweetheart. This is serious. It’s about Pearson.”

Gordon gaped at his mate. “You’re joking?”

“Have some more rum,” Maxim said. “Because we are very much serious.”

Gordon knew he didn’t know much, but he knew to be wary when the world’s most ridiculous vampire hunter’s voice suddenly turned icy and his gaze blade sharp.