Lie Down with Dogs

by Hailey Edwards

  I winced, but we kept going until Righty cleared me a path straight to her. Once I got close, she slid into my arms. Her pupils were huge, and her eyes weren’t tracking.

  “Hey.” I patted her cheek. “You okay?”

  Rapid-fire giggles answered me.

  Under my breath, I told Righty, “I need help.”

  “Stay put,” he said. “Daire and I will handle this.”

  To my left, an unseen force knocked partiers aside. A fight broke out between two guys too drunk to do more than slur in each other’s general direction. They shut up fast enough when a buzzer sounded. The crowd gasped as the lights flickered. Squeals and cheers erupted when the patio went dark.

  “I have Mai,” Righty called over the chattering voices. “We need to get moving if we want to be first in line for the elevators.”

  As if on cue, emergency lights popped on, emitting a dull, red glow. I spotted Righty’s leather-clad back and Mai’s limp form hanging from the cradle of his arms a few steps ahead of me. I jogged to get in front of them and wedged open the automatic doors leading into the poolside area.

  A frisson of magic near my left elbow relieved me of the strain, allowing me to cradle Mai’s head to protect her while Righty squeezed through the tight gap made tighter by the swimsuit-clad masses following our lead. Herd mentality indeed.

  “What happened?” I looked to my left. “She was supposed to be schmoozing with the selkies.”

  “We explored the beach first. It took a while for us to locate the pod. They had moved onto another hotel’s property. When the gray men saw her, they asked her to leave. She refused, and the elder was called. She caught the young one’s eye and managed a word with him before we left. The boy agreed to meet her here.” He grunted as the crowd swept us forward. “I left her sitting at the bar with a glass of ginger ale while I performed a perimeter check. I reported to Odhran, and when I returned, I found her like this.”

  Odhran? Righty had a name after all. I filed it away for later. “How long ago was that?”

  He paused to consider. “Ten minutes at most.”

  Ten minutes from sober to shit-faced meant drugs or a spell or both.

  “I assume we have you to thank for the blackout.” I grimaced. “What did you do?”

  “I tripped the breaker.” He grabbed my arm and jerked me toward the elevators. “It’s a quick fix even humans can’t botch.”

  Acting casual, Lefty and I flanked Righty. We stood shoulder-to-shoulder before the chrome doors and waited for the moment we could step onboard and end this. Twenty minutes lapsed, counted down by the glow of my cellphone’s screen, before a hum filled the air and lights flickered on in a burst that left me squinting and folks in the lobby cheering. Being first in line, we hustled into the booth as soon as the elevators got the all-clear and rode it up to our floor.

  Mai earned a few sympathetic looks from partygoers in the crowd. As for the guards, well, there was a reason no one else braved the trip up with us.

  At the door to our room, I growled a curse. “I left my bag.”

  “Here.” A rough, braided handle brushed my hand. Lefty urged, “Take it.”

  I did, and when he released it, the illusion masking my bag vanished. “This was in a locker.”

  “I broke the lock.” He sounded totally fine with that. “They will probably keep your deposit.”

  I didn’t pay one, so if I was blamed for the lock, it would get charged to the room.

  At least that meant it was coming out of Mai’s pocket and not her brother-in-law’s. It would be easier for me to pay damages that way.

  Still, I was impressed Lefty had thought to grab the bag. “You’re good at this.”

  “I know,” he answered in complete seriousness.

  Shaking my head, I palmed the keycard. I never swiped them right on the first try, but when the red light flashed a third time, Righty made an impatient noise and Lefty plucked the card from my fingers. He was poised to try his luck when a chime made us turn. Packed as the scene downstairs had been, I expected cranky guests to pour out and break for their rooms. Instead the elevator doors opened on an empty booth. I inhaled but scented nothing out of the ordinary. Just a whiff of spicy takeout.

  I drew in a longer breath. “Do you remember smelling that on the way up here?”

  Lefty tensed when he noticed my hand had gone automatically to my glove. “No.”

  “Get us in that room,” I said quietly.

  He slid the key through the slit, and of course it worked for him on the first try.

  We hustled inside, and Righty hurried Mai into her chosen room and stretched her across the bed. Lefty locked the door behind us and bolted it. “What did you scent?”

  I explained how the elevator had pulled the same trick on our first night here. Heck, I had tried to order curry chicken takeout because of it. Too bad there were no Indian restaurants on the strip.

  I peered through the peephole, but the hall remained empty.

  Righty reemerged wearing a stiff expression and dusting off his arms. “She’s sleeping.”

  “Good. Keep an eye on her.” I held up a finger and made a beeline for the balcony. “Give me a minute.”

  Righty moved to follow me.

  I wagged the finger. “Alone.”

  His expression pinched. “Stay where I can see you.”

  “Will do.”

  On the balcony, I stood with the room at my back, facing the crashing waves, and pulled out my cell. Mai would smother me in my sleep if she knew, but I hit my first speed-dial combo and waited.

  Shaw answered with my name. “Thierry?”

  “We have a problem.”

  The pleased tenor of his voice hardened. “What’s wrong?”

  “The list is too long.”

  “Okay, we’ll start simple. Where are you?”

  “We’re at the condo—hotel—whatever.”

  “What’s the immediate threat?”

  My mouth fell open. So many options. “My guards say there’s old magic here.”

  “That’s a little broad.” He voiced what I had been thinking. “Can they narrow it down?”

  “They can’t be more specific. It’s just a feeling they have.”

  “Tell me everything.”

  Everything was too big for over the phone, but I gave him the highlights.

  “Are you heading home?” He sounded hopeful I would say yes.

  “I don’t know if that’s wise.” I had a twofold issue here. For one thing, some nebulous evil was hanging out at a condo frequented by humans. As a marshal, my duty was to ascertain whether there was potential for the situation to expose fae to said humans, and to neutralize the threat if I deemed it necessary. The second issue was more personal. Mai wasn’t well. Moving her in her condition wasn’t ideal, but better sick and uncomfortable than dead. “It’s a long drive back to Wink for her.”

  “I’m an hour away.” His tone was firm. “Come to me.”

  I bit my lip to keep from telling him how perfect that sounded. Shaw already held enough power over me. We might not be on the best terms now, but I used to think he was invincible. I once idolized him, and no matter how painful our past might be, I still trusted him absolutely. With my life, if not my heart.

  As soon as he offered his protection, I felt the safety of his arms banding around me.

  “I’ll reserve a room and send you the hotel information,” he continued, not bothering to wait on an answer. “I’ll make some inquiries and see what my contacts can dig up about the Daytona area.”

  I held out for thirty seconds. “Are you going to investigate?”

  “You know the answer.” His voice held a smile. “The question is, are you helping me?”

  I hung up with a quick “Bye” and a matching grin. We really did make a good team.

  While Shaw made his preparations, I made mine. I headed back into the living room and clapped my hands once to get everyone’s attention. “Pack up. We’re leaving for Orland
o.”

  The guards exchanged a long glance before Righty faced me. “That is inadvisable.”

  “No, staying here while Mai recovers is inadvisable.” I anchored my hands on my hips. “We’re leaving.”

  “I cannot allow you to put yourself in danger.” Righty eased between me and the door, and Lefty flanked him. “We should stay the night and depart for Wink in the morning.”

  Diode strolled to my side and sat. “Thierry has decided it is in our best interest to go.” He lifted a paw and licked the delicate claws he unsheathed. “I believe, as she is your princess, you must obey her orders.”

  “Short of physically restraining me, you’re not keeping me here.” I cocked an eyebrow at them. “It’s not safe for Mai, and protecting her is my top priority.”

  Lefty stepped forward, but Righty put a hand on his shoulder. “We will honor your wishes, for now.”

  “That’s all I’m asking for, guys.” I flashed them a smile then nudged Diode with my toe. “Want to help me pack?”

  His ears swiveled toward me. “I would be delighted,” he said dryly.

  With a chuckle, I set off for my room and shut the door behind us.

  He leapt onto the mattress. “What’s bothering you?”

  “Really?” I cast him a look. “You have to ask?”

  “Point taken.” He curled his tail around his front paws. “Was there something specific you wanted with me?”

  “Other than your sparkling company?” I grinned at his moue. “I just wanted to give you a heads up that I’ll be driving us to Orlando in Mai’s car.”

  The skin around his eyes tightened. “Is taking the car necessary?”

  “How else are we supposed to get there?”

  His head swung toward the door. “I might have an idea about that.”

  I straightened and eyed his thoughtful expression warily. “What does that mean?”

  “It means...” he stood and shot his tail straight up in the air, “...I’ll meet you there.”

  After hopping to the floor he strolled to the door, waited for me to open it for him then sashayed into the living room, leaving me to wonder how he was going to manage that, and how on earth he could possibly think I could be a worse driver than Mai.

  Chapter Sixteen

  My palms sweated against the leather steering wheel the entire sixty minutes it took to reach Orlando. For a girl used to driving a hand-me-down, Mai’s car intimidated me. If I dinged my car, so what? No one would notice. Probably not even me. One hairline scratch on her celery-green baby and Mai would throttle me. Then demand I file a posthumous insurance claim.

  “That guy...” Mai slurred. “He...slipped me...somefink.”

  “What guy?” I waited. “The bartender? The selkie? The fae?”

  I could see the gray men drugging and ditching when confronted by a female they couldn’t disarm by flexing their tight abs or flashing their retina-searing smiles. But to do that to Mai? Knowing who I was and what I was capable of? What I would do if she was harmed?

  The old man was smarter than that.

  Left unable to defend herself, drooling from the corner of her mouth and propped up alone at the bar, she had been a sitting duck for any predatory fae still hanging around the hotel. For unscrupulous humans too.

  There was more than one kind of monster. My job had hammered that point home very well, thanks.

  Being a tourist town, Orlando had almost as many hotels as it had red lights. From its perch in a docking station on the dash, my cellphone’s GPS app directed me farther from the main drag and all the mouse-eared tourists toward the outskirts. Hotels here glittered less and slouched comfortably on the curb. This was where the theme-park veterans went to escape the marked-up lodging and themed dining.

  “Turn left and arrive at your destination,” my phone announced proudly.

  I did, and once the car was safely parked, I palmed my cell and stepped out of the car to call Shaw.

  “I saw you pull in,” he said by way of answering.

  “Hello to you too.” My gaze slid over the lit-up windows, wondering which one framed him.

  A whirring sound drew my attention toward a set of automatic doors.

  Shaw strode out of the hotel lobby, paperwork in hand, his gait tight and his shoulders tense. Black jeans encased his legs. His T-shirt wanted to be black but managed navy. Black boots clicked on the pavement when he crossed to me. Copper eyes flashed in the dark. Humidity had stripped his rich mahogany hair of its slight curl, and it hung limp around his ears. The intensity of his scowl made the night cower, but I was smiling.

  He waggled his phone by his ear. “You can hang up now.”

  Never to be outdone, I waggled right back. “After you.”

  He snorted a laugh and disconnected. Feeling magnanimous after my victory, I did the same.

  The car rocked when I braced against it and struck a casual pose. Inside, Mai snuffled.

  Shaw walked right up to me, leaving a foot of space between us. “You scared me.”

  “Hunger makes me cranky too.” I nodded. “No worries. Your food supply is safe and sound.”

  His harsh exhale told me several things he wouldn’t say outright. Mostly that it was late and he was tired, but also that I was the only thing standing between him and his comfy bed.

  Thoughts of Shaw and a bed could derail the swiftest of thinkers, and I wasn’t one.

  His palm hit the car door beside me, and he leaned in close. “I don’t like being scared.”

  “I have a teddy bear you can borrow.” I molded my spine to the metal. “His name is Garlic.”

  A half smile flashed the dimple in his cheek. “Do I want to know?”

  “It’s a perfectly respectable name.” I feigned indignation. “I had a thing for vampires as a kid.”

  Though I hadn’t known I was half-fae back then, I had always been fascinated by things that went bump in the night. Mom had been too. Right up until she realized she had given birth to one of them.

  His gaze slid over every inch of me, assessing. “How’s Mai?”

  I checked on her through the window. “Drowsy. Woozy. Queasy. Not much fun in a car.”

  A flicker of attention on her, then the full weight of his stare settled back on me. “I mixed up a tonic to flush her system of toxins.”

  I traced the door seam behind me. “I appreciate you letting me drag you into this.”

  He rolled his shoulders. “What are friends for?”

  I kicked up the wattage of my smile in answer.

  Friends. Sure. Me and Shaw. Practically BFFs. Buddies who knew how a morning-after kiss tasted. Partners who knew the precise geography of each other’s bodies. Colleagues who knew how much pressure to apply and where to make the other come undone. Two people who knew how to say I love you with a touch.

  Friends. Sure. Why not?

  Shaw’s face dipped closer. “Where are your guards?”

  “They’re probably scouting out the place.” I swallowed. “We didn’t travel together.”

  “Makes sense.” His tone was all too reasonable. “Not like it’s their job to protect you.”

  “I can take care of myself.” I notched my chin higher. “You have the scars to prove it.”

  A twitch of his lips, a flash of that cursed dimple. “You were trained to be a marshal, and you’re a damned good one, but no one could have prepared you for this. Half of Faerie is calling in favors. I heard the bounty on you is up to fifty million dollars for any Seelie who cashes in your head.”

  “Fifty million...?” I felt my eyes go wide. “Tell me you’re joking.”

  He sighed. “You’re joking.”

  I shoved him. “You’re serious?”

  “I’m not sure.” He didn’t budge. “Why don’t you tell me?”

  I leaned forward, resting my forehead on his chest. “Do you think whatever was wielding the old magic Righty sensed was after the bounty?”

  “No.” His breathing hitched. “Old things don’t
care about money.”

  That was a small relief. Or not. I couldn’t decide. Was it better to kick the bucket due to topping some ridiculous hit list or going out as collateral damage for a nebulous entity’s ambiguous purpose?

  Shaw’s hands found their way to my hair and combed through its length. “Where’s Diode?”

  “With the guards, wherever they are.” I straightened before I melted at Shaw’s feet. “Officially, he decided to investigate their method of travel and report back to me on its legalities. Unofficially, the trip to Daytona was his first time riding in a car, and you know how Mai drives. He lost his cat food off the shoulder of I-10 and wasn’t eager for a repeat performance.”

  Shaw let me go but kept a lock of my hair wrapped around his finger. “How do the guards travel?”

  I had a good idea, but he wouldn’t like it. “I’m not sure.”

  He gave a short tug. “Not sure as in you don’t know, or not sure as in I won’t like the answer?”

  “I have my suspicions.” I scuffed my shoe on the pavement. “I haven’t asked outright.”

  “Ah.” He released my hair. “You’re the one who doesn’t want to know.”

  “I can’t change it.” They were acting on orders handed down from above me. “There’s only one way I figure they can do it, and it’s not good.”

  Much like my portal-charmed necklace, personal portals were illegal. They might be rooted here in the mortal realm, but they brushed Faerie’s underbelly to draw on that kind of magic, and it was unacceptable. Seeing my failure to report my suspicions through Shaw’s eyes, I felt the world lurch under my feet.

  First the necklace got a pass “to make things simpler” and now the guards got off easy because “I don’t know”. Weak. Those flimsy excuses wouldn’t have tracked with me pre-princessdom, and they weren’t tracking with Shaw now. He was standing tall in the middle of the road, right where he should be, while I was veering through lanes of oncoming traffic.

  I was so afraid of hearing the answer I wouldn’t even ask them the question.

  Shaw shook his head. “You don’t know what you can change until you dig in and do your damn job.”