by Izzy Shows
"I think I have one," he said, having been on his fourth file while I was still on my second. I'd like to say he was better at the police work side of things than me, but the truth was that I had little interest in going through these files now that I had seen how horrible they were. They had pictures of the bodies found and write ups that were incredibly detailed.
Which made sense, because police had to cover every angle, but it didn't change the fact that I did not enjoy going through it.
"Let me see," I said, holding out my hand. He passed the file to me, and I opened it.
Rebecca Thompson, twenty-five, died of natural causes. She had been found in an alley with no one around to question. That fit the bill nicely, but it was going to be just as hard as all the others had been to try and track down. An alley wouldn't have much in the way of clues, as we had discovered back on the vampire case, but at least it was a lead.
She had been found just last night too.
"Maybe we should check out the body," I said, looking up at him from the file.
"Why on Earth would you want to do that?" Shock was written on his face. He knew as well as I did that I attached to victim's too easily.
"Maybe I can..." I was about to suggest that I use the spell I had used on a victim of the vampire's killing spree last summer, but it was obvious to me why that was a bad idea. For one, the body was safely in the mortuary, where there were video cameras. Granted, they would fry as soon as I started working my magic, but they would still capture the lead up to the spell.
Couldn't risk that becoming common knowledge. Besides, what would it tell me? It would only show me what form the succubus had taken when she had attacked Rebecca. I wouldn't be able to identify her, and though I could transmit the thought to Jakub, there was no saying that he would be able to see what her actual form looked like through the veil of two sets of memories.
Not to mention that spell would put me out of commission for the rest of the day. Nah. Not worth it.
"OK, you're right, we don't need to go to the mortuary to check her out. There's no real point in it. Listen, I'm going to go over some of this with one of the community members I'm working with before we go any further, OK?" I didn't want to mention who I was working with, or bring him into it any more than he already was.
"Sure. Let me know when you need me, OK?"
"Sure," I said, smiling. Hopefully, I wouldn't.
21
The sun was beginning to set when Mal and I waited outside the strip club we'd first gone to the other day. I had called Jakub in and he had wanted to start there for some reason, even though it was in the middle. According to him, it had the highest likelihood of retaining any possible hits for him to go with. I found myself doubting it, as I assumed strip clubs wiped down their surfaces on a regular basis—or at least, I hoped they did. We'd had to wait until much later in the day to get started, he had been busy with something or other that I hadn't asked about.
And now we were still waiting on him to show up.
"Is there any particular way I should behave once he gets here?" I turned to Mal as I spoke, who had been keeping quiet up until that point. Having only fought the night prior, we hadn't had an opportunity to discuss anything about it, assuming either of us wanted to.
I expected things to get even more awkward before they got any better.
He shuffled his feet, looking down at the ground and raising a hand to scratch at the back of his neck.
"Are you going to get mad at me?" He lifted his golden eyes up to meet my own, apprehension clear in them.
"I promise I won't," I said with a smile. I understood why he needed to treat me differently in front of Jakub, even if I didn't like it. I knew that it was a necessity to keep me safe, and I would just have to keep telling myself that none of it was a reflection on how he felt about things. That was harder to do than it sounded, but I was determined.
"It would do a world of good if you would actually appear to have some fear of me. Not cowering, obviously, but a healthy amount of respect would do. Try not to say the first thing that comes to your mind, to Jakub or to me. Your treatment of Jakub is an extension of how you view me. When you talk back to him, it means that you feel comfortable talking back to me, which shouldn't be a thing."
"Isn't it a little late for some of this? I've already snipped at you. Too late for me to start doffing my cap or tugging my forelock at you." I nearly said ‘Master’ but I didn’t want to put ideas in his head.
"Which can easily be forgotten or waved away as you feeling poorly the night before. Trust me when I say this is not to save my reputation—I don't need to worry about what a little incubus says behind my back—but I don't want demons coming after you because they don't respect the bond we have."
I arched an eyebrow at that. Bond? We had a bond now?
He glowered at me, understanding. "If you have something catty to say and you simply cannot stand not giving voice to it, please do so telepathically."
I frowned, unsure if that was something I wanted to do. It would mean leaving my shields altered for the rest of the evening, as we went from the club to Serenity, and then to the alley where Rebecca had been found. It wasn't that setting my shields to allow Mal access would be difficult, it wouldn't be difficult even to only allow him access, but it would be tricky to give him access only to speak to me. I didn't want him to be privy to my thoughts, and continued access of that nature was...well, difficult.
Jakub's car pulled in right then, and I altered my shields immediately.
“Fine. But only because I need to be able to tell you when you're being an arsehole.”
“Ah, I wouldn't have it any other way.”
He smiled at me, and I felt a wave of comfort wash over me. Because if I could stay in contact with him like this while we were with Jakub, it meant that I could have the reassurance I needed that he didn't feel like I was an object he owned.
Jakub got out of his car and walked over to us, a smile on his face. I felt the immediate jolt of energy when our eyes met, the interest piquing inside of me, and consciously worked to control it.
I felt Mal's annoyance, then, and realised that our emotions were going to transmit across this link that we had created. I had to fight not to chuckle—he didn't like the way I reacted to the incubus, no matter how contrived the reaction was.
“Calm down.”
“Stop looking at him like you want to jump his bones.”
“What if we did it together?”
It was too easy to tease him, and I delighted in the way his eyes widened at the thought.
"How goes it with you lot?"
"We've been waiting on you," Mal said. "So, we could be better."
"My apologies. I had business that could not wait."
“He was feeding,” Mal thought.
I frowned at that. “Are you saying that to dissuade my false interest in him, or are you being serious?”
“Why can't it be both?”
I rolled my shoulders back to hide the shrug that I'd started before I realised it. I didn't like the idea of Jakub feeding, I realised, even though I had to have known that he was just like the other succubi and incubi. It was just …distasteful.
“They can feed without killing,” he said, as if to make it better.
I appreciated that, at least.
"Shall we?" Mal tilted his head to the club's doors, and with a nod of assent, Jakub walked forward.
Mal and I followed behind. I was having a hard time keeping my mouth shut, but I figured it was better to do that then to talk. Mal had wanted me to treat him and Jakub with respect, and I wasn't entirely certain what that entailed. I hadn't intentionally been disrespectful, I had just treated them like I had every other person in my life, but apparently, that wasn't what I was supposed to do.
I had to be afraid of them. I had to remember that.
There was only one girl behind the counter today, a redhead that we hadn't seen the last time we'd been there. She perked
up as soon as she saw both men, her eyes not landing on me for even a minute. She seemed to be having a hard time deciding who to stare at, which was comical to me.
"Oh, hello!" She fluttered her eyelashes, having finally decided to focus her attention on Jakub, leaning forward on the counter to display ample cleavage.
“Haha, you didn't win that competition.” I managed not to look at Mal when I sent him that thought, and simultaneously didn't change my expression at all. It was hard, because I wanted to laugh.
“Hush.” I could feel his own amusement, though, so I knew he hadn't taken any of it personally.
Hard to compete with a sex demon, I suppose.
Jakub stepped forward to speak to the girl in hushed tones, I couldn't make out what he was saying, but before I knew it he was walking into the club and waving an impatient hand for the two of us to hurry along.
I arched an eyebrow at Mal when Jakub's back was turned to us, but didn't say anything.
Jakub made a bee line for one of the private room's, where Sara’s body had turned up. I figured he had learned the specific location from the girl at the counter, but I didn't know how he would have picked up all that information so quickly. If it was this easy for him to get information and get into places, I might want to keep him around.
“Don't even think about it,” Mal said, sounding almost upset at the idea.
“Hey, back off, I didn't invite you into my thoughts.”
“You were broadcasting too loudly. If you don't want me to know what you're thinking, I suggest you work harder to keep it silent. He's not sticking around any more than we need him to, for this specific purpose.”
I glanced at Jakub, made sure his back was still to us, and pouted at Mal.
Jakub waited until we had followed him in, and then drew the curtain shut. I was nervous that someone would come in and interrupt us, but he didn't seem to care.
"This is where she was found," he said, gesturing at the couch where the customer would sit if they were to receive a private dance.
"What are you hoping to glean from it?" I tried to keep my voice as meek as possible, as if I was nervous around him instead of annoyed that he was taking so long.
He cast a curious look at me before turning his attention back to the couch.
"I am going to see if there are any remnants of energy here," he said.
I started to point out that I could read energy, but stopped myself just as I opened my mouth.
"It's a different style of reading than you would be able to do. The Kin are attuned to energy in a way that no one else can hope to be," he said, sounding rather proud of himself.
When he knelt in front of the couch I allowed myself the moment to roll my eyes.
“You're lucky I'm not allowed to talk, or else I'd tell this guy what a complete idiot he's being.”
“I thought this was what you brought him in for. Would you like to get rid of him? I would be only too happy to do so.”
“Oh, shut up. If he can read better than I can, then of course I want him here. I just wish he wasn't being such an arsehole about it.”
I watched Jakub work, trying to see what he was doing, but I couldn't make anything out. To me, it just looked like he was kneeling in front of the couch and giving it a very stern look, as if that would get it to tell him everything that had transpired there.
This must be what it's like for others to watch me do magic, I realised. If you didn't know what someone was doing, it must look foolish, fake even.
“I didn't say you can’t talk.” Mal's voice entered my mind then, and I could sense his apprehension. He was afraid that he had hurt me again. I shouldn't feel relieved by that, but I was. I needed to know that he cared about how I felt.
Which was ridiculous, because as he said, he was Fallen. He shouldn't care about how a mere mortal feels, he should treat me as an idiotic little plaything and nothing more, and I shouldn't expect anything else from him. I knew that, on some level, and yet I did. I expected him to treat me like an equal, no matter how ridiculous that notion was.
“I know you didn't, but you did say I had to be more respectful. And you know how hard that is for me.”
I do. I got the distinct impression of a smile from him, but when I looked at him he was staring down at Jakub with a bored expression on his face. “I thought perhaps you would be able to do that and still talk, my apologies.”
“I don't know how to be around you and not tell you when you're being an idiot. And I think that's good for you to hear. You shouldn't be surrounded by people who are afraid to tell you the truth.”
“You're right. Which is why I appreciate your company. And to think, you spent a year and a half avoiding me. What wonders you could have worked on my big head if you hadn't.”
I had to bite my lip to keep from giggling at the mental image he had given me.
Jakub stood then, wiping his hands on his pants. "There was not a lot to get, but I have gathered what energy remained."
“What did he learn?” I sent Mal the question so that he could interpret for me. I didn't know what would be considered impertinent and what wouldn't, so I felt it was safe to let Mal do most of the talking.
"And what did you learn?" Mal managed to sound bored even as he asked the question.
Jakub looked at the two of us for a long moment, frowning, having expected me to say something I guess. I cast my gaze down at the floor to appear as though I was feeling uncomfortable surrounded by two demons, all the while working not to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.
I mean, I had often sparred with Mal, and occasionally took him by surprise. There was little doubt in my mind that I could take this guy if I needed to, and here I was, supposed to be cowed by him.
Yeah, right. Some Hunter.
But I remembered what Mal had said, about protecting me, and I reminded myself that it was better for my infamy to die on the vine rather than for it to grow. It wouldn't do me any favours to have to deal with people recognising me and avoiding me, or hunting me down. Better to be nobody, and a scared nobody, than to be someone worth thinking about in this situation.
"I wasn't able to glean the identity of the succubus from this energy, but I am able to confirm that she has indeed lost control of herself. The style of her feeding was erratic, and to me it indicates an addiction rather than young age."
I cleared my throat, looking up again. Both men immediately turned their attention to me, Jakub's gaze curious and Mal's concerned.
"How does that happen?" My voice wavered, as if I were afraid to ask the question.
I could put on a show when I needed to.
"Addiction?" Jakub frowned at me. "It's easy enough. Some energies are...they...I suppose, in your terms, they taste better than others. The energy of magic users is a delicacy, because there are so many different flavours, and because the power it affords you is immense. So much more than your average human. To most of us it is...again, in your terms, dessert. Something that you wouldn't feed on regularly, but something that you look forward to. Certainly, not something you would gorge yourself on. But it seems that this succubus has fed on so many, that I would suppose the taste of any other energy would be foul to her now."
I swallowed nervously, and that reaction was very real. I nodded my head, taking in the information.
"OK. Well. Let's keep going, then," I said, gesturing behind me towards the curtain. "If you're finished." I added hastily.
His eyes narrowed as he looked at me, and I knew he was trying to figure me out, but he let it go without saying anything. He just nodded his head and walked out ahead of me.
I glanced at Mal. “Did I do a good job?”
“Perfect.”
22
"This is ridiculously hard," I said to Mal as we pulled up to Serenity.
"What is?"
"Pretending I'm even a little afraid of you," I said.
"Really? You don't have an ounce of fear when you're around me?"
I glanced ov
er at him as I parked the car, his head was tilted to the side and he had an eyebrow raised.
"Is that so weird?"
Mal wasn't a scary person. Sure, when I had first met him I had been cautious around him, and it was the reaction he was aiming for here, but I just didn't feel that way anymore. We had developed a repertoire and a sense of camaraderie that eliminated any potential for nerves around him. Mostly, I ignored any flirtation on his part and enjoyed his company.
"For a mortal to be around a Fallen and not fear for their safety? Yes, that is odd." He drummed his fingers absentmindedly on his thigh. "I would expect you to be at least worried about what I would do around you, whether you were safe in my presence."
"Well, I don't trust you, if that helps. Not as far as I can throw you. But I'm not afraid you're going to eat me or anything."
He chuckled. "I suppose that'll do. We only have a little while longer to put up with this, so try not to snip at me, hm?"
I rolled my eyes. "I'll give it my best shot."
We clambered out of the car. Jakub was waiting, leaning against his car, just a few spaces away from us.
"Ready?" He nodded his head towards the building.
I shoved my hands into my jacket pockets, nodding. It was getting easier to appear meek and mild around the demon, which was a little concerning. I didn't want it to become a habit, even though that was what I had to aim for.
"Let's go," Mal said.
Together, we walked into the club. Things were in full swing here, the club packed with various bodies writhing together to the beat of music I didn't recognise. I felt the same overwhelming sense of energy when I stepped inside, my immediate reaction being that I wanted to get out of there as soon as was possible.
I shoved down the feeling as best I could, fisting my hands in my pockets so that my nails dug into my palms. Pain had always been my ally in getting my brain to focus on the task at hand, and it did not disappoint me now.
"Do you know where the murder happened?" Jakub turned to face me when he spoke, his eyes catching mine and refusing to let go.