Smoke (The Slayer Chronicles Book 1)

by Val St. Crowe

  “And they do make those drinks with them,” I said. “Claw Rushes. Pretty popular in certain kinds of bars these days. So, if Reign had one of them, maybe she did shift. We need to find that out.”

  “You mean, look at her credit card receipts and see if there’s a line-by-line charge for a drink like that?”

  “Well, maybe,” I said. “Or we could just talk to her friends.”

  “Oh,” he said. “Yeah, I suppose we could do that.”

  Seriously. No common sense.

  * * *

  Winter West’s eyes got big when she saw my bow slung over my shoulder. “Um, hi?”

  “I told you to leave it in the car,” said Naelen.

  “And I told you to shove it up your ass,” I said, giving him a sugary sweet smile. I turned back to Winter. “You’re Reign Spencer’s best friend?”

  “I don’t know about best friend,” said Winter. “We’re pretty tight, I guess. Or at least we were, back in high school. These days, we’re kind of hanging with different crowds?”

  I glared at Naelen. “You said this was her best friend.”

  “Sorry,” said Naelen. “You know, I’ve been busy the past few years. I haven’t had a chance to look into everything that Reign’s been up to.”

  “Why are you asking this?” said Winter.

  “Because she’s missing,” I said.

  “She is?” Winter’s eyes got even bigger, something I hadn’t thought possible.

  I clenched my hands into fists. “This is a waste of time. Let’s go stalk her Facebook. Maybe we’ll find someone to talk to there.”

  “I can talk to you,” said Winter. “It’s not like Reign and I hated each other. We were friendly.” She sounded annoyed. “Who the heck are you anyway?”

  “I hired her to get Reign back,” said Naelen. “I think Reign may be trapped in dragon form.”

  “Oh,” said Winter. “Whoa.”

  “Did you happen to see Reign drink a Claw Rush?” I said.

  “Eew, no,” said Winter. “Claw Rushes are so three months ago. No one drinks them anymore.”

  “Really?” I said.

  Winter nodded. “Trust me, Reign wouldn’t be caught dead with one in her hands.”

  “Are you sure of that?” said Naelen.

  “God, how many times do I have to say it?” said Winter. “No freaking way would she let something like that cross her lips. No way.”

  “All right,” I said. “Well, maybe if she was somewhere and she didn’t have an option.”

  “Like where?”

  “I don’t know,” I said, feeling annoyed. “Maybe a party where the host was only making Claw Rushes.”

  “Eew,” said Winter. “If I was at that party, I would leave.”

  “Okay,” I said, sighing. “You know what, thanks and all, but I don’t think you’re going to be much help.”

  Winter put her hands on her hips. “Why are you like obsessed with Reign drinking Claw Rushes?”

  “That’s not important,” I sighed. “Just… it’s probably a good thing that you wouldn’t be caught dead drinking one. And tell your friends not to drink them either. They are not good for dragons.”

  She looked me over. “What do you care?”

  “I care, okay?” I said.

  “If you don’t spend time with Reign much anymore, do you know who might?” said Naelen. “Who is her best friend?”

  Winter shrugged. “I don’t know if she has one. But she does spend a lot of time with Wilder.”

  “Wilder?” I said.

  “Wilder Bradley?” said Naelen. “Of the Pennsylvania Bradleys?”

  “Yeah,” said Winter. “That’s him.”

  “Is he her boyfriend?” I said.

  “Not really,” said Winter. “I mean, we’re way too young for labels like that.”

  “Right,” I said. “Well, thank you for your time.”

  * * *

  “Well, I don’t know if this Wilder guy is worth talking to or not,” I said, getting back in the car with Naelen.

  “He definitely is,” said Naelen.

  “But he’s not even her boyfriend?”

  “That’s typical,” he said. “Why would she bother with a boyfriend? Why get attached when the mating bond is waiting around the next corner to sink its claws into your spine?”

  “Oh,” I said. “Yeah, I guess I forgot about that.” Dragons supposedly had destined mates. They would see their mate and be utterly bonded to that person for life. Love at first sight or something crazy. “That’s a real thing? I thought it was just more dragon bullshit.”

  “It’s a real thing,” said Naelen, inspecting his fingernails.

  “You don’t sound enthused at the prospect.”

  “I don’t have any need for a mate,” he said. “And I like to think that even if I felt that bond, I could be strong enough not to let it rule me entirely.”

  “Oh,” I said. “Sure.”

  He laughed.

  “What?” I said.

  “Nothing,” he said. “It’s only that you don’t know anything about the mating bond, so of course you think I could resist it. Most dragons don’t. They laugh at me when I say I won’t be mated. But I’m determined.”

  “Okay,” I said, shrugging. I didn’t care one way or another.

  “Sorry,” he said. “I suppose that’s more information than you care to know about me.”

  I smiled. “You said it, not me.”

  He made the pinched face again. “Listen, we should talk to Wilder. He might know if she had a Claw Rush.”

  “Maybe she didn’t,” I said. “Have you thought of that?”

  “Of course.” He drew in a slow breath. “But then, I expect she is dead. On a butcher block somewhere, drained of blood.” He flinched.

  “Or… maybe she just ran away,” I said.

  He turned to me sharply. “What?”

  “Don’t dragons ever run away?”

  “She didn’t run away,” said Naelen. “My sister would never run away.”

  I shrugged again. “Okay.”

  “She wouldn’t,” he insisted.

  “Like I said, okay. Where would we find this Wilder guy?”

  “You can’t bring your bow this time,” said Naelen.

  I considered. Maybe it was unlikely we’d find Reign in rogue form with Wilder. “Okay,” I said.

  “Good,” he said.

  “But I don’t want to hear it if she shows up and kills us both, and I have no way to protect us.”

  “Well,” said Naelen, “should that occur, we’ll both be dead, and you won’t be hearing anything.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “No, we broke it off,” said Wilder Bradley, resting in the center of a huge, plush couch in front of a widescreen TV. Some video game was paused and Wilder fiddled with the controller.

  “From what I understand, you weren’t even dating,” I said.

  “Dating?” said Wilder. “What? Like going on dates? Who does that?”

  I rolled my eyes. “You weren’t in a relationship with Reign. At least not according to Winter West.”

  “Well, we weren’t official or anything,” said Wilder, “but we were a thing. Everybody knew we were a thing. She was my girl.”

  Naelen eyed Wilder. “So, where is she, then?”

  “Like I said, we broke it off.”

  “When?” I said.

  “I don’t know. Maybe three weeks ago,” he said.

  “And you haven’t seen her?” I said.

  “I’ve seen her out a few times,” said Wilder. “Bars. Parties. Places. And it’s not like we hate each other. We say hi. We’re polite. I don’t hold anything against her.” His face twisted, and for a second, I thought he was going to cry.

  “What do you mean by that?” I said.

  “Look, why are you here?” said Wilder.

  “Reign’s missing,” said Naelen.

  “Seriously?” Wilder sat up straight, dropping the controller. “Man, I knew t
hat dude was bad news.”

  “What dude?” said Naelen.

  “Okay, well, I didn’t want to say anything, because she’s your sister and all, and I didn’t want to say anything against her, but it’s not like we really broke it off, not exactly. I mean, I’m not upset about it or anything. I don’t care. She can do what she wants. Plenty of other fish in the sea and all that. And I’m fine. I got mad skills with women. I got ladies lining up around the block to hang with me, you know? So, whatever she wants to do—”

  “What are you going on about?” said Naelen, and his voice had gone gravelly and threatening.

  Wilder swallowed. “Uh… well, she started making time with this other guy is all. And she didn’t even tell me. I just show up somewhere, and he’s got his hands all over her ass and—” Wilder broke off when Naelen’s eyes flashed. “Sorry, man,” said Wilder. “I mean, before that, I really liked her. I thought she was a nice girl. I mean, I guess she still is—”

  “Never mind that,” said Naelen. “Who is this guy she was with?”

  “Uh…” Wilder rubbed his face. “Like his name?”

  “Yes, his name,” I said.

  “I think it started with a J. Like Jason or Joey or…” Wilder shook his head. “Man, I’m so over that shit with her, that I can’t even remember that guy’s name.”

  I glared at him. “Bullshit, Wilder.”

  Wilder looked away. “Fine,” he told the controller in a sulky voice. “Joel fucking Stewart, okay. That’s his name. And it’s a gay name, if you ask me. A fucking fairy name. And I think he was even wearing eyeliner. And why Reign would want to be with a douchebag like that instead of me—”

  “Thank you, Wilder,” I interrupted.

  He glanced up at me, and I could see that he was embarrassed at his outburst. “Yeah, you’re welcome. Uh, like I said, I don’t much care what she does.”

  “That’s obvious,” I said dryly.

  * * *

  “Joel Stewart?” I said. “You know who that is?” We were back in Naelen’s car.

  “Sort of. I know the Stewart family,” he said.

  “You dragons all know each other, huh?”

  “Well, there is a definite social circle that most of us travel in, I suppose,” he said. “But I don’t spend a lot of time with other dragons, really, unless it’s for work. Still, you can’t help but pick certain things up.”

  “All right,” I said, “so you have any idea where we can find this Joel?”

  “I think his family has a suite at the Grand,” said Naelen. “We can check there.”

  “Cool,” I said. “Want to tell your driver that?”

  He shot me a bemused look. “Ready to get moving, hmm?”

  “Well, it’s not that I don’t find your company delightful, but…”

  His expression changed, and he leaned up between the seats to have a low-voiced conversation with the driver. When he sat back against the seat, he turned to me. “You know, I don’t think it’s fair of you to be so hostile towards me.”

  I licked my lips. “What?”

  “I understand that you’re bitter about your past, and it sounds as if you’ve had a rough time of it, so that all makes sense to me. But blaming me for being fortunate does nothing to ease your misfortune. Especially considering I’m a person who could help you, but if you keep being so rude, I won’t be very inclined to.”

  I turned away from him. “I don’t need your help.”

  He sighed.

  The car started forward.

  It was quiet.

  “I don’t know what Reign was doing with that Wilder boy,” he muttered suddenly.

  I turned back to look at him. “You didn’t like him?”

  He made a face as if he smelled something bad. “No wonder Reign moved on. I can’t say I blame her. He was so… whiny.”

  I laughed a little. “Yeah, he was in a permanent sulk, right?”

  “Sore loser,” said Naelen.

  “You think this Joel guy is much better?”

  “Guess we’ll see.”

  * * *

  But Joel Stewart wasn’t in the suite at the Grand that his family owned.

  We got the doorman to talk to us after Naelen slipped him a fifty. “Sure,” said the doorman, “he was here a few weeks ago, but he hasn’t been back. He comes and goes.”

  “Did you ever see a girl with him?” asked Naelen.

  “Sure. Lots of girls. Lots of different girls.”

  Naelen’s lip curled.

  Welp, guess this Joel guy wasn’t better than Wilder.

  Naelen took his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through it until he found a picture of Reign.

  I hadn’t seen her before, and she was actually a very pretty girl. She and her brother had the same blue eyes. In the picture, she was all dressed up and beaming at the camera as if it were the best day of her life. In spite of myself, I found myself instantly liking her. Sure, she was rich and entitled, a spoiled dragon, but something about the expression on her face was infectious. She was so happy that it made me want to be happy too. Any one who could be so happy couldn’t be that bad.

  The doorman squinted at it. “Uh… maybe. I think so, yeah.”

  “You think so or you’re sure?” said Naelen.

  “Sorry,” said the doorman.

  Naelen opened his wallet to get more money.

  But the doorman waved him off. “That’s not going to help me remember. I mean, I’ll take it, but I simply can’t be sure.”

  Naelen sighed, putting his wallet away. “Well, thanks anyway.”

  “Sure thing,” said the doorman.

  We went out of the hotel to the curb, where the car was waiting. Naelen opened the door and gestured for me to get in.

  I thought about telling him that I was capable of opening doors myself, but I figured that only sounded petulant, so I climbed inside and heaved out a sigh.

  “What?” said Naelen, getting in next to me.

  “Nothing,” I said.

  “I wonder if Joel’s missing too,” said Naelen. “Maybe he and Reign are in the same place.”

  “If you think I’m going to tranquilize two rogues, you’re insane.”

  “No, the deal is only for Reign,” he said. “But once I find the cure—”

  “There’s no cure,” I said.

  “You don’t know that. No one’s ever even tried to find one, have they?”

  I shook my head. I didn’t want to have this argument again. Let him think what he wanted. I would do my job, and then I would wash my hands of all of this. It was his business, not mine.

  “Well, what should we do now?” he said.

  “I don’t know,” I said. “Where else could Joel be?”

  “I’m really not sure. Maybe at home with his family? But he’s probably old enough to have his own place by now. I couldn’t be sure exactly where that might be.”

  “Then I really don’t know what to tell you.”

  “Really? We’re at a dead end already?” He rubbed his forehead.

  I looked out the window. For some reason, I didn’t like disappointing him. “Well, maybe if we knew who his friends were, we might be able to get them to tell us where he is.”

  “How could we figure that out?”

  “I was talking about looking on social media to figure out your sister’s friends,” I said. “We can try that for Joel.”

  “Oh,” he said. “Well, that sounds good.”

  “Great,” I said. “We’ll both look up some promising leads and then tackle that tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow?”

  “Well, it’s getting late,” I said.

  “Oh,” he said, “I suppose it is. Time to call it a day?”

  “Yeah,” I said.

  He sighed. “All right then.”

  I reached over for the handle to the door, about to get out.

  “Where are you going?”

  “We’re done, aren’t we?”

  “Let me drive you
home,” he said.

  “You’re not actually driving,” I said. “Your driver is.”

  “What’s the difference?” he said.

  I took my hand off the handle. “All right, fine. Drive me home.”

  “Good,” he said. He leaned forward and spoke to the driver again. The car took off.

  We rode in silence for some time.

  Then Naelen spoke up. “Do you have dinner plans this evening?”

  I turned to look at him. “Seriously?”

  “I just thought that if you weren’t busy—”

  “You don’t like me,” I said. “I’m everything you hate.”

  He laughed softly. “You keep saying that, Clarke, but I assure you, nothing could be further from the truth.”

  My heart suddenly started thudding against my rib cage. What was he saying?

  “Would you like to have dinner with me?”

  “Sorry,” I said, out of breath. “I’m busy.” I turned away from him and stared out the window for the rest of the trip.

  CHAPTER SIX

  I scrolled through Joel Stewart’s friends on Facebook. I was sitting in Happy Harry’s, my second Corona in front of me. It was half-empty and my dinner of boneless wings had just been set down in front of me.

  Bar food. Yum.

  I set down the phone to attack the wings. Truthfully, I didn’t think looking through the friend list was the way to go. I’d need to go through his wall posts, see who he’d been interacting with lately. That person would probably know something. Maybe I could get in touch with them on Facebook, maybe not. I’d look at it later. Right now, I was going to eat.

  I cut one of the wings in half with my fork. They weren’t really wings, of course. Boneless wings were really more… nuggets. Whatever the case, they were eighty-times easier to eat than their boned counterpart, and I always ordered them instead. I speared the half-wing with my fork, dipped it first in ranch dressing and then in blue cheese and popped it in my mouth.

  Mmm. Spicy. Creamy. Salty. Wonderful.

  “Hey, Clarke.”

  I nearly choked. I looked up to see that Logan Gray had pulled up the barstool next to mine. Logan was a gargoyle, and we went way back. We’d been in the same foster home as kids. He and I had basically grown up together. Logan was a dragon slayer too, among other things.