Page 30 of Veiled Justice (The Other Detective #1)

Notifying families of a loved one’s death was the worst thing about my job and it slayed me every time. Nothing else came close to touching that moment where I shattered their lives forever.

Alice’s parents were no exception and their grief was raw and palpable. I excused myself as quickly as possible to get back to hunting. My night wasn’t over yet; the Nocturne Circle was calling my name.

I pulled on some low-heeled court shoes that I could run in and picked up the clutch bag again – complete with extendable baton.

The club wasn’t far away, so after I’d looked up the address I walked into town.

The building had no sign outside, just a symbol of three intertwined S’s.

If I hadn’t seen it on their website, I wouldn’t have known what it was.

I felt the wards designed to keep out Common realmers press on me as I approached; this club was only for the magical denizens of the Other.

I walked towards it with a confidence that promptly faltered when I recalled that this was a gentlemen’s club and I was a lady. Luckily, providence was shining down on me, because just about to enter the door ahead of me was none other than Krieg. I’d have recognised those broad shoulders anywhere.

He was wearing jeans and a tight black shirt that had several buttons unfastened, exposing a swathe of muscled chest that I tried hard not to ogle at. He was also wearing a hat to hide his tusks; he was here incognito, too.

‘Robbie!’ I called.

He turned and a smile instantly lifted his lips as he saw me. ‘There you are, baby.’ I ruthlessly quashed the tingle I felt at the term of endearment that slipped from his lips.

Krieg crossed the distance between us. For a moment I thought he might kiss me but instead he swept his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into the club.

The bouncers let me pass without comment.

Thank goodness he’d played along; I’d ask him later what he was doing here but I suspected that, like me, he had the Nocturne Circle on his radar.

For a King, he certainly thought like a cop – though I doubted he’d welcome the comparison.

I’d anticipated a darkened room and loud music and I hadn’t been wholly wrong, except there wasn’t just one room but seven radiating from the circular antechamber. Each room had a name over the entrance in neon lights: Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride.

Sins: that was the word that Katz had stopped Squiggins from saying: sex, secrets and sins. The three S’s insignia now made sense – it must be the club’s unofficial motto.

I looked up at the pink sign for Lust and shot a look at Krieg. ‘Ready?’ We would need to explore all seven rooms so it would be better to start with the most embarrassing. Especially if I was right about the mate thing, which I absolutely was not thinking about.

He looked at the pink sign. ‘Definitely not.’ But his arm slipped from my shoulders to take a proprietary hold on my waist and we walked in.

The first thing I noted was the heat – and I quickly realised why it was so warm.

Lust contained exactly what you’d expect from a room with that title.

Beds, sofas and swings occupied a space filled with everything from naked monogamous couples to sprawling groups where I struggled to identify which limb belonged to whom.

One wall was covered by shelves, each one laden with sex toys. Clearly visible cleansing runes were painted over the area, rather than the far more expensive invisible ones, so that everyone knew the toys were clean and ready to use.

As we moved further in, we reached an area that was specifically for all things BDSM. Unconsciously I moved a little closer to Krieg; I did not want to get invited to participate. Day 659 meant that I had probably all but regrown my hymen and this was not the place to experiment.

Krieg’s fingers squeezed my waist lightly, seeking to reassure me but thrilling me instead.

My heart was beating too fast and my breathing was too shallow.

This was painfully awkward; whether or not I was aroused mentally, my body had responded primitively to the sight of all of those writhing limbs. There was a reason porn was a thing.

We took a casual turn around the room searching for anyone who’d been at either of the parties. Seeing no one, we left as quickly as we could. I felt overheated and uncomfortable – and I really didn’t want to discuss what we’d seen in there.

By silent agreement, we didn’t speak when we were out in the cooler anteroom.

When Krieg looked at me, his silver eyes flashed with an intensity that brought the simmering heat coiling in my belly to a raging inferno.

The tension between us was palpable, and when I licked my lips nervously his eyes followed my every movement.

I tried not to think of all of that fierce, predatory energy focused on me.

We needed to act like a couple so, difficult as it was, I took his hand. If it was possible, his eyes darkened further at my touch. Swallowing hard, I tugged him forward and we plunged into the next room that was marked Gluttony in neon orange.

There was much more light in here so that guests could see the excessive amounts of food and drink. A huge bar lined the room with a posse of dryads behind it serving everything from shots to wine to botanical cocktails.

The rest of the room was set up as a dining hall, but instead of chairs lining the food-laden tables there were chaise longues for the guests to lie on as they stuffed themselves.

Perhaps some people had recently moved from Lust to Gluttony because there were plenty of them licking mousse or melted chocolate from their companions’ skin.

Dryad waiters and waitresses were moving around carrying heavy trays of delicacies to their fainéant guests. There was a whole ham on the table near me and I regretted not bringing Loki; my carnivorous caladrius would have been in heaven.

My stomach gave a slight growl, which Krieg either heard or felt. ‘Best blend in,’ he murmured against my hair and led us across the room to an unoccupied chaise longue. As we lay down together I wished my heart wasn’t pounding so hard and that the room didn’t suddenly feel as hot as Lust had.

‘What can I get you, sir?’ the dryad server asked the incognito king.

‘What do you have?’ Krieg asked.

The server smiled indulgently. ‘First time, sir? We have anything you want.’

‘Anything?’ I repeated dubiously.

‘Anything.’

I said the first thing that came to mind. ‘Then I’ll have a Dr Pepper and an apple crumble with custard.’

‘Of course. And for you, sir?’

‘A pint of Trapper’s Hat and a cheese board.’

‘Excellent.’ The dryad moved away.

I looked around the room as casually as I could, but once again I didn’t recognise anyone.

Krieg was lying next to me so his muscular thigh was pressing against my lace-clad leg.

The warmth radiating from him was distracting as hell.

Even with the smell of food all around us I could still make out his scent: leather, spice and sandalwood.

‘Here we are!’ The server reappeared followed by a floating tray. It was entirely too reminiscent of the Carnforths’ party; I suspected Louisa had shamelessly copied the idea, though she’d delivered it with far less panache.

We accepted our food and drink. ‘Hey,’ I asked the waitress before she could leave. ‘Do you know Alice Rose?’

She brightened. ‘Sure! She’s working a private party tonight. I am so jealous of the tips she’ll be getting!’ She sighed enviously.

‘Do you know why she was chosen in particular?’

She shrugged. ‘I think virtually everyone applied to do the job – the Carnforths pay well.’

‘Better than the Squiggins’?’ I pried.

She pressed her lips together. ‘I won’t speak ill of my employers. Do let me know if you need anything else!’ she said faux-brightly then stalked away to put an end to my questioning. Dammit: I hated being undercover.

I opened my can of Dr Pepper, took a slow sip and gave a happy sigh as the bubbly liquid slid down my throat.

‘I’m actually jealous of that can,’ Krieg murmured.

I held his gaze as I lifted the can to my lips again. There shouldn’t have been anything sexy about taking a sip of Dr P but somehow there was.

His eyes darkened. ‘You’re playing with fire, Wise.’

I was, and I knew it. Whatever was between us couldn’t – and wouldn’t – end well.

All the more reason to enjoy it whilst it lasted.