Page 28 of The Psychic and the Vampire: A Bad Case of Vampire Curiosity

“Stay, Able.” Viktor let a very happy German shepherd into the bedroom. “Stay and keep your master safe,” he added quietly, indicating that Able lay by the bed on the same side as where Ant was currently sleeping. “I won’t be long, but keep him safe.”

Viktor tiptoed out of the bedroom, carefully closing the door, before zapping through the rest of the house and out to the street, pausing just long enough to consider if he was even doing the right thing.

He didn’t want to go. His guts were churning at the thought of leaving his mate unprotected in the house.

But unprotected was a relative term. They were at Ant’s house, having still not decided which one they would live in fulltime.

Ant’s house was fully warded. Viktor had already seen examples of how well those wards could work.

You manipulated him. Yep, there was the guilty feeling he’d expected.

As far as Viktor was concerned, he did what he did for Ant’s benefit.

Ant was already exhausted before Viktor took him to bed.

He had been through an emotional day, and his confusion and inability to process had made those feelings worse.

At least he should sleep, Viktor thought as he started sprinting down the street.

With luck, Viktor wouldn’t have to explain himself before breakfast.

He could’ve taken the car, but Viktor didn’t have the patience to cope with traffic or idiots trying to find one of the limited parking spaces. His only focus was finding Carmine, talking to him, and getting back to the house.

It wasn’t the best idea Viktor had ever had.

Moving out of town would have been better, in his opinion.

Although that would mean uprooting Bridget from her life, too, as Viktor doubted Ant would move without her.

There was a good chance Ant wouldn’t move anyway – he had his community at the Mage Academy, his business…

It all came back to Carmine. Ant wanted proof of Carmine’s criminal activities.

Viktor wasn’t sure Carmine would tell him anything, even after he found him.

But he had to try. The thought of seeing Ant trapped by a selfish asshole who would use his mate the same way he used and discarded everyone else around him was more than Viktor could tolerate.

I could just kill Carmine. I’d be doing the town a favor.

Unfortunately, Viktor already knew Ant wouldn’t approve.

From a “saving my mate” perspective, it was the fastest solution, and one that appealed to his vampire side.

But no, instead Viktor was sneaking out of the bed he’d left his mate sleeping in, tracking the man who wanted something from them and who was taking his sweet-assed time explaining what that was.

Ant didn’t understand the depths of depravity Carmine would go to – for someone so intelligent, his mate was an innocent. Viktor wasn’t. As much as it burned his guts to admit it, Viktor understood Carmine more than Ant ever would - they were a lot alike.

Proof. What proof, though? There was no way Viktor could get Carmine to admit to ordering Carol’s death. It’s not like Carmine was going to just follow Viktor to a secluded alley somewhere, so Viktor could put him in a trance and have him spill his secrets.

Another tempting thought, but Viktor didn’t have that sort of time. If Carmine was forced to tell the truth of every wrong thing he’d ever done in his life… I’d settle for him admitting he had Bains’s and Hammond’s offices bugged.

The main thing – the thing that kept Viktor from sleeping – was that he didn’t know why Carmine wanted Ant in the first place.

Yes, Ant was powerful. He commanded respect through his work ethic and honesty, not fear.

But Ant’s skills were magic-based, and Carmine didn’t believe in that.

He’d said so himself. Although Viktor remembered the magical traps left for them at Carol’s murder scene…

He doesn’t believe in it, but it doesn’t stop him from using it, either.

From the moment Viktor had first seen Ant, he had been struck by how calm, focused, and how very intelligent his mate was. That was well before he knew the succulent taste of Ant’s blood or enjoyed Ant’s body, bringing them both more pleasure than he’d believed possible.

Viktor knew their bond was so much deeper than blood and sex. Ant had a captivating mind. He saw things in such a unique way. And for Viktor, it was like finding a kindred spirit. He didn’t have a lot of time for people, and neither did Ant, but the way they bounced ideas off each other…

Ant understands me when so many others haven’t. I should’ve probably talked to him about this stupid plan before I left the house.

It was too late to second-guess himself now.

Viktor slowed his sprint as he reached the nightlife side of town.

Finding Carmine wasn’t going to be a problem.

Getting straight answers from a dedicated liar was a different case entirely.

One of the keys to dealing with Carmine was making sure that the man didn’t know he was being sought out.

Any meeting would have to be coincidental.

Just the thought of having to set up that sort of situation had Viktor grinding his teeth.

He was on a time crunch, and the clock was ticking.

Once Ant woke up and realized Viktor had gone, he could tune into their bond, and he would know exactly what Viktor was doing.

Viktor needed to get back with something to tell him.

He remembered the shirt incident and how upset Ant had been with him then – all because Viktor hadn’t talked to him.

It’s not too late to go back to Ant.

Pushing open the nearest door, Viktor strode into the nightclub, making a point of not looking around. He was intent on maintaining the facade that he wasn’t looking for Carmine and that any meeting might be purely coincidental.

There was no way Viktor didn’t stand out.

He was taller than most of the patrons and his long coat flapping around his knees gave him a menacing air.

Or maybe that was the scowl on his face.

Either way, people got out of his way. Making his way over to the counter, he held up a hundred dollar bill.

“A bottle of your best whiskey,” he said, “and a single glass.”

The barman did a double take, taking in Viktor’s size and the cash. The cash won out. Of course it would. It was Carmine’s establishment. Taking the bottle and glass offered, Viktor moved to the corner of the counter where he could lean, partially shadowed, but still be seen. And now we wait .

Every thump of his heart was a reminder of another second he was away from Ant. Within half an hour, Viktor was certain he should’ve stayed in bed. He already knew Carmine hadn’t arrived yet, and he wondered if Carmine had moved his favorite meeting place to somewhere else.

But no, just as Viktor was about to leave, Carmine and four other people came in through the front door, making their way to a reserved table behind and to the right of where Viktor was standing.

Carmine noticed him, of course he did, but he didn’t stop, didn’t say anything.

Viktor didn’t expect him to. If Viktor had been there to see Carmine, then he would’ve waited until Carmine was seated at his reserved table, being served and adored by the people who feared him, before approaching him and begging for an audience.

Carmine loved to be perceived as someone important – as if the money he stole and the power he’d inherited made him someone special.

People didn’t reach that sort of status by being nice. Carmine was never nice.

Viktor poured himself another glass of whiskey. It was good stuff, although Viktor had tasted better. But drinking passed the time, and it was one of those sociable actions that changed his status from broody stalker to someone who was just enjoying a quiet drink by himself.

It took ten minutes for Viktor to receive his summons. One of the men Carmine had arrived with hovered just on the edge of Viktor’s peripheral vision.

“Mr. Carmine would like to invite you to join him at his table,” the man said. His suit wasn’t cheap, but the way he was wringing his hands together showed how nervous he was.

“Why would I do that? I’m just enjoying a quiet drink…alone.” Viktor took a swig from his glass.

“It’s a great honor to be invited to Mr. Carmine’s table,” the man said, dropping his voice even lower, which for any other person would make him difficult to hear.

Fortunately, Viktor had the benefit of his vampire senses.

“It wouldn’t be a very good idea to refuse,” the man added.

“Mr. Carmine never gives out invitations lightly.”

Viktor straightened his spine to his full height.

He had been leaning on the counter for quite some time.

He saw the man gulp, as he took in just how big Viktor was.

“Do I look like the type of guy who worries about upsetting anyone?” He picked up his bottle and glass.

“Let’s go and see what your master wants, puppy dog. Hopefully, it won’t take long.”

Reaching the vicinity of the table, Viktor deliberately ignored the seat next to Carmine, clearly left empty for him.

Instead, he filched a chair from a neighboring table, plonked it down, and straddled it, his elbows resting on the back of it, as he poured himself another glass of whiskey.

“Nice evening,” he said, barely nodding in Carmine’s direction.

“Special occasion or just a casual evening out?”

“Viktor, how lovely to see you.” Carmine was using his “company” voice – the deliberately fake tones designed to set Viktor’s teeth on edge. “I was just talking about you and your unusual mate earlier this afternoon. Where is the delightful young man? Don’t tell me that you’ve lost him already?”