by Kaye Draper
I glanced at the man at my side, who I was now fairly certain was a freaking crime lord. When I do something, I never do it half-assed.
"I'm looking for a missing human," I said, taking a swig of my beer. "I think a kappa is involved. But I have no clue why. The only thing I can think is maybe he got in over his head in debt and needed to raise money fast. Like, oh say, if he lost a shit-ton of money at a notorious local casino owned by a guy who just screams 'shady business.'" And yeah, monitoring who accessed police information about you might just raise some suspicions, asshole.
His eyes tightened at the corners. He wasn't used to slights, even little bitty ones like what I had just thrown down. "My businesses are all entirely above board, I assure you, Miss Lionheart."
I met those creepy eyes and noted a bit of red around the dark irises. Fuck me, I was going to get murdered in the middle of a crowded club. "That's sure what the police think," I soldiered on as if I was on my last brain cell.
He was silent for a moment. "Because it's true."
I waved a hand, as if his criminal activity was none of my concern. "I just want to know about the kappa. Make sure I have the right guy—and a name or a confirmed motive might help."
He sipped his drink like it was water, no reaction on that perfectly chiseled, and creepy as fuck, face. "Thousands of people frequent my businesses every day. I can't be expected to know all of them by name."
"It seems like you would know a kappa who owes you so much cash he's selling people to get it." I paused and cocked my head, clearly developing a death wish. Sometimes my mouth operated without my brain's consent. "Unless...you're getting a cut of his sales or something?"
He smiled at me. It wasn't a nice expression. "I don't need to stoop to such vulgar means to make a living, Miss Lionheart."
Unlike you, his expression said. I glared daggers at him. The asshole was lying about something or hiding something. I could sense it. My gryphon senses were tingling. Half-truths. Something hidden.
"You know who it is. Even if you aren't involved, you know the guy. You've been to this club with him."
He wrinkled his nose. "Gryphons are so...challenging. So haughty and sure of their little superpowers. Maybe you're interpreting things wrong, little lion cub."
I crossed my arms. "Then how about you tell me the truth."
White waved at the stoic Bobby again. "What was that kappa's name? The one who wanted a payment plan for his debts at the casino?"
Bobby looked thoughtful for a moment. "Fairbanks, sir. Marvin? Or Marty or something like that."
"Ah, yes," White said, in a kindly voice, completely disregarding the fact he had just told me he didn't know the guy like five minutes ago. "Mervin Fairbanks. Got a little in over his head. Unfortunately, it happens from time to time. We try to be fair with our payback plan. If you find him, perhaps recommend some counseling for that gambling problem of his."
I stood. "Thanks." I left off the "fucker," out of respect for my own life.
"Gryphon girl?" White called after me. I turned to look back at those creepy red eyes set in that perfect lie of a body. "Maybe you should turn him in to the police and let the rest sort itself out, hmm? Let the real detectives do their jobs, instead of playing dress up. It's dangerous out there, you know."
I turned my back on him, ignoring his deep laughter as I crossed the club to the bar. That had been a very thinly veiled threat. Well fuck.
Oisin turned his emerald gaze on me, ignoring the advances of a gorgeous woman who was practically crawling across the bar to get to him. "That looked intense. Any luck?"
"I got a name. Wanna come over tomorrow?" I tried to be vague in case anyone was listening in.
Oisin smiled, his eyes warming. "Anytime, love. I could come tonight, if you want."
I rolled my eyes. "You know what I meant."
He shrugged, flipping his long braid over his shoulder so he could wipe down the bar. "And you know what I meant. No reason we can't both get what we want."
I shook my head at his lack of priorities. But my traitor of a body responded with hard nipples and a flush of heat between my legs. "Whatever."
I was walking a dangerous line here. My addiction to one small fae was just as unhealthy as Mervin Fairbank's gambling problem. I was in way over my head.
Chapter 12
Oisin was at my door bright and early the next morning. I blinked blearily at the vision of him standing at my threshold in skinny jeans and an honest to the Gods silk vest. I think there were even...I squinted. Yep. Those were flowers embroidered on the thing. And he managed to somehow not look ridiculous. He was even wearing wingtips. "What time is it?"
He swept his emerald gaze down my body and back up again, taking in my faded, cropped tank top and baggy pajama bottoms. "Time for you to buy some lingerie."
I sighed and turned away, ignoring him while he let himself in. There were more important things to attend to. Like coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. And sugar.
"Should I make you breakfast?" he asked, lounging against the counter while I got the coffee going.
I turned to stare at him with a horrified expression. "Why would you do that? What awful thing have I ever done to you?"
He laughed and ruffled my hair in passing, helping himself to a glass of orange juice and rifling around in my fridge like he lived here. "It just seemed like something a lover would do. For you, darling Gesa, I would at least attempt it."
I smiled at him, irritated at how dopey I was starting to feel when he was around. A few orgasms and shared lack of social conformity and I thought we were soul mates. Gods. Forcing my stupid face to stop grinning like an idiot, I got out cereal and milk. "It's the thought that counts, I'm sure," I said dryly.
He shrugged and went to put bread in the toaster. "Some men cook. Other men reserve their talents for more important things." He waggled his eyebrows for emphasis, just in case I missed the innuendo.
I rolled my eyes and started spooning sugary kids' cereal into my mouth. I was not graceful or feminine at the best of times. And the buttcrack of dawn was not the best of times, not by a long stretch.
"Did that name I gave you last night mean anything," I said around bites of sugary mush. "Mervin Fairbanks? I wish we knew more, but at least we were right—the kappa got himself into debt with the crime boss."
Oisin chuckled. "Crime boss? You make it sound like something out of a bad movie. Why are you so dead set against White?"
I glared. "Because I can smell lies and smarminess a mile away. He donates to charities and has all this...publicity, but something is rotten."
Oisin just shrugged, leaning his elbows on the counter to watch me, all lithe grace and unconscious allure. It was like fae were born to seduce with the slightest of gestures, and they damned well knew it. He could look hot taking out the garbage or cleaning the toilet. You know, if someone like Oisin ever deigned to do something so mundane as cleaning.
"Are you even paying attention, Gesa?" I focused on his twinkling eyes and his mischievous smile. "No, you weren't. Too busy ogling my beauty. You are so easy to read." He waved an elegant hand. "No, no. Do go on, drink in the wonder before you."
I growled and focused on my cereal instead of choking him. Because, yeah, he wasn't wrong. "I'm sure you were saying something deep."
He laughed, twinkling and light. It was so wrong for that sound to come out of someone so evil. "Not really," he answered. "I said 'so what.' I expected you to go all raging gryphon on me."
I stared at him. "So what?"
"Yes, like that. Shall we continue?" He made a get-on-with-it gesture. "So what if the guy who runs a bunch of big money businesses isn't all he seems to be? Who is? You think the mayor or the police chief are shining examples of integrity? Do you even know what kind of a bubble you live in?"
I went to the sink to rinse out my bowl, trying not to let my rage show. I knew very well that people in powerful positions weren't all they pretended to be. The mayor and his son back home had
demonstrated that to me, vividly. "So, you just assume everyone in the world is corrupt, and that's okay with you?" I asked.
He huffed, coming to wrap his arms around me from behind, laying his head against my back, the lean, whipcord strength of him plastered against me. "Not everyone. There are some people like you. Naively honest and good. But you're the exception, sweetheart. Not the rule. And the others...well, they make strong, upright creatures like you their prime targets."
I took a deep breath to rile at him, then deflated. "How old are you, Oisin?"
He stroked my abs with one hand, the rest of him hidden from me. "Old enough that none of it surprises me anymore. The world is what it is. We just have to find our fun where we can, while we can."
There was a sadness to his voice that I really didn't like. But he distracted me. His stroking fingers moved lower, dipping beneath my waistband. "You know," I sighed, "we are supposed to be looking for stinky kappa right now."
His hand stroked lower as the other one rose to cup my breast, weighing and kneading, making me aware of the heaviness there. It was erotic, seeing his pretty hands on me from this angle. Sharp teeth found my shoulder and I held out a few more seconds, pretending I didn't want to play. But honestly? I could drown in him, lose my mind to his sweet fae temptations forever and not care. Just like a stupid, besotted human in a fairytale.
I reached up behind me and caught a handful of red silk and fire. Tugging his hair, I pulled him around so I could reach that dangerous mouth. "You know, I might need more than coffee to wake me up enough to go chasing baddies."
He sank into me, pressing his lush lips to mine, alternating sharp hints of teeth with that wicked tongue. "I thought you might." He grinned. "You taste like Fruit Loops," he breathed on a chuckle.
I grinned back. "And you taste like we should be naked. With just a hint of stop talking."
A liquid laugh followed that, as he used his lithe body to push me toward the bedroom.
It was several hours later before we made it to the part where I did actual work. Or, you know, upright work. My little fae was demanding.
Once we were dressed and Oisin could focus long enough, he told me why he had come to my place so early. "I spent last night scrying."
I arched an eyebrow. "Aww... poor baby. No need to cry. We'll get the guy."
He was not amused.
"Scrying," I tried again. "Like mages do?"
He huffed. "Yes, like stupid, bumbling mages. But better."
I left that little outburst alone for the time being. "I didn't know fae could do that sort of magic."
He flipped his hair out of his face and gave me a haughty look that would have been very intimidating—if I hadn't just seen the face he made when he orgasmed. Kind of ruined the effect.
I cleared my throat and tried to focus on hunting.
"Anyway," he said dryly. "I have a general idea of the kappa's location. He seemed to be moving around a bit last night, but he settled down early this morning. I can lead you to the area."
I stared at him. "You could have located him this entire time?"
He shrugged and glared at the floor. "No, of course not. I needed his name."
Ahh. And that right there? That was why a smart person didn't ever give their real name to a strange fae. That old adage about names having power and all that mumbo-jumbo? That shit was real.
We were about to leave when I darted back into my bedroom to grab my phone. It was still on vibrate, since I didn't like being woken up by spam e-mails and calls telling me I had inherited money from a relative I didn't have. And I had been too preoccupied with Oisin to turn it on until now. I glanced at it as I went to put it in my pocket and noticed a red light blinking in the corner of the screen.
Moving to the living room, where Oisin was impatiently waiting, I woke up the phone to see I had a missed call from Concord. We probably didn't need any intel he had now. I clicked the screen off and went to shove it into my pocket again.
"Wait." Oisin grabbed my wrist. "I think you should look at that."
I frowned at him. "What?"
He nodded toward the phone. "Whatever you just frowned at a second ago. It feels like...battle."
I blinked at him. "Ooookay," I breathed. Fae were so damned weird. It was kind of adorable, when he wasn't freaking me the fuck out.
I listened to the voicemail. If I was a human, it would have sounded like nothing but strange sounds and static. I had to listen a couple of times to make it out. Then my blood froze.
"It's Concord," a voice breathed from far away, over the noise of shifting fabric and dirt on stone. "By water. He has them in shipping containers. I think—"
There was shuffling, a meaty thud and a grunt. The sound of a phone hitting concrete. A pained, wheezing sound and a crunch were followed by dead silence and the message ended.
"Motherfucker," I breathed.
Oisin nodded, then pulled me out the door. "Come on." His voice was low, devoid of fear or urgency. But it was terrifying somehow. I checked to make sure I had my gun and knife securely strapped on my waist and ankle.
"Wonder if kappa make good soup...like turtles?" I said as we hit the street, dodging people going about their afternoon errands, oblivious to the fact that nearby, people were suffering.
Oisin smiled at me, all teeth and glinting eyes. "No. But they aren't too bad roasted in their own shell. Like oysters."
I choked. I hadn't been serious. Gods.
But I didn't question it. Much like Oisin's fae nature, my gryphon self was ready to move on from one form of fun to the next. Mating urge satiated. Now we hunt.
Chapter 13
It was almost too cliché to be true, but then, most real crimes are. And the Gods know I'm not anyone's idea of a storybook gryphon hero on a grand adventure. Oisin and I rolled up to the old warehouse by the Big Iron river as if we were just out for a casual, if fast-paced stroll.
"I sense pain and fear," my fae bloodhound commented in a whisper like the wind through leaves. I turned to him as he pulled a pair of narrow, curved swords out of thin air.
He spun them in twin pinwheels of death, all deadly grace and beauty, giving me a leer. "You're drooling, Gesa."
Even at a time like this, he was teasing me. I kind of loved that about him.
Wait. No, no I didn't.
"Where the hell did those even come from?" I hissed, leaving my own weapons holstered for now, in favor of the talons I extended from my fingertips.
He winked. "They go where they like, but they always come when I call."
I shook my head. Fae.
The blades cast a faint bluish glow as he paced alongside me, and the hint of magic danced across my own aura. "Hey," I said softly. "It's just one little kappa but...don't get dead, okay?"
His face softened for just a moment, then that smirk fell into place. "Why Gesa, it's almost as if you care."
I snorted. "I just don't want to do the paperwork involved if the police find dead bodies."
I could smell a hint of that nasty, swampy cabbage scent that indicated a kappa had been here recently. The side door of the warehouse creaked when I pushed it open, and I winced. So much for the element of surprise. I eased around the door, eagle eyes scanning the scene. Nothing moved.
A couple of shipping containers were lined up at the back of the open area, near the loading doors. Not many of these old buildings along the water were used for shipping anymore. Most of them had been turned into hippy-dippy things like art studios or micro-breweries. Some old boxes and crates littered the open floorspace, but for the most part the place looked unused. A trail wound its way from the door to the shipping containers. Strange little footprints and a wide mark, like a kappa had dragged something across the floor...a trussed-up human, maybe?
I followed the trail, alert but hopeful. It seemed the kappa had moved on again, leaving the warehouse unprotected. If I strained my senses, I could hear heartbeats. Although, a couple of them sounded a bit...off.
I glanced up at the dirt-smudged windows high above, noting the fading light. We had spent way too much of the day in bed. Fall was edging toward winter, and the days were getting shorter. But maybe it would work in our favor. We could get the humans out of here without being seen. Then I would call the cops and report it. I wasn't going to let the victims sit around waiting for the police to get here and sort it out. The kappa could move the humans at any time—maybe send a shipping container off across Lake Superior to Canada—and we'd lose them again.
We had almost reached the first container when I tripped. I stumbled, but didn't go down, foot aching from the tingle of the magic tripwire I'd just activated. "Donkeyfucker!" That stung.
A wet, burbling growl followed my bumbling, as two massive frog-like creatures with elongated, canine-esque snouts hopped out from between the containers. Swamp dogs. So, the kappa wasn't stupid enough to leave his captives unguarded after all.
I flexed my talons. This was going to suck.
One of the gross things hopped toward me, covering ten feet in one leap. The other headed toward Oisin. "They spit acid," I said calmly, as I sidestepped a fountain of rancid spit. "And that hide is thicker than it looks."
Oisin hummed merrily and I heard the whistle and thunk of a blade.
Fine. He had it handled.
Meanwhile, a long, sticky, barbed tongue hit me in the shoulder, tearing through my leather jacket and raising welts on my skin. "Damn it, I love this jacket, asshole."
I swiped a hand at the swampy guard, severing the tongue. The thing made a loud rumble-croak sound and swiped a wide-fingered paw at me, the froggy digit tipped with needle-sharp claws. I ducked and rolled, coming up behind it. Unfortunately, I rolled through its slime trail. I stood, wiping ooze off my hands.
This. This right here was why I'd never have my mom's fashion sense. I'd ruin a thousand-dollar wardrobe in a week, tops.