by Lisa Emme
“Mine!” Lucy clutched at the phone in her hand. “Mine, mine, mine.”
“Yes, it’s yours.” Tess held up her hands trying to placate Lucy. “I just want to see it. You can still hold it. Just hold it up so I can see it.”
Lucy warily held up the phone. It was a smartphone in a hot pink case. The screen had been smashed like someone had stepped on it. Tess and I exchanged a glance.
“Can I see the back of your phone?” I asked Lucy, cautiously coming to stand a little closer.
Lucy flipped the phone over, holding it and gesturing like she was Vanna White. “My phone. Mine.”
“Yes. It’s a lovely phone.” It was. Only it used to be Holly’s. “Where did you get it?”
Lucy’s face became totally shut down. She didn’t want to talk to us anymore. “No. No, no, no.”
Tess huffed out a breath in frustration. “This is getting us nowhere.”
“Ladies,” Isaac’s voice startled us, “sorry to interrupt.” Lucy froze, like a deer caught in the headlights.
“Geez Isaac. How long have you been standing there? You scared the shit out of us.”
“I apologize. I sensed a change in your emotions, you’re upset.”
“You sensed?” What was he talking about?
Isaac looked a little uncomfortable. “It’s a side effect of last night. I seem to be able to sense your emotions, the strong ones, at least.”
“And you’re just telling me this now?” Unbelievable! What else had I managed to screw up I wonder?
“Guys?” Tess interrupted, concern in her voice. “Something’s wrong with…” She pointed at Lucy who appeared to be completely frozen, standing there, staring like she was a wax figure.
“Oh crap! Is she having a stroke or something?” I asked. I stepped closer to her and waved my hand in front of her unblinking eyes.
“I’m afraid that’s my fault as well,” Isaac replied. “I didn’t want to frighten her further.”
“You can do that? Just freeze her in place like that?” Tess was aghast.
“Using glamour, yes.” Isaac shrugged like it was no big deal. I suppose to him, it wasn’t, especially for someone that hunted humans for dinner.
“But how is that going to help us?” I wondered aloud.
“I can try and read her memories of the last day,” Isaac answered matter-of-factly, as if it was a normal occurrence.
“Will it hurt her?” I frowned. I really wanted to know what Lucy was babbling about, but I didn’t want to do anything to damage her any further than she already seemed to be.
“Not to worry. She will feel nothing and will be unaware it happened.”
“In that case, do it. Please,” I added, hopefully making it a request rather than an order.
Isaac approached Lucy, a look of compassion on his face. He placed his hands on either side of her head, at her temples. “Be at peace, little sister. Close your eyes.” Lucy’s eyes fluttered closed. “Think back to yesterday when you saw Holly. You remember Holly.” Lucy started to nod. “Yes, that’s right. Just think back to when you last saw Holly.”
A few minutes later, Lucy, whose name turned out to be Joanne, was on her way back down the alley with the entire bag of sandwiches hidden in her cart. Isaac had learned everything we needed to know. Unfortunately, it wasn’t good. Joanne had seen Holly yesterday, right before a familiar white van arrived to round up more of the homeless. The men in the van had been to the area before, promising jobs, beds and food. They had taken a van load, including our friend the pacing ghost. None of the men or women that went with the men in the van ever returned, but Joanne had seen several of their spirits lingering in the area, including the pacing man. When the van had arrived yesterday, Holly and her outreach partner, Oksana, questioned the men. The men had gotten angry and forced both Oksana and Holly and everyone else already in the van to go with them at gunpoint. During the scuffle, Holly’s phone had been thrown to the ground and one of the men had stomped on it. Joanne picked it up after the van had pulled away.
“What could they want with them?” Tess asked.
Isaac shook his head. “Joanne did not have that information.”
I was getting a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. “I have a very bad feeling about this. We need to get home.”
“Why? What are you thinking?” Tess asked anxiously. I shook my head. I didn’t want to put words to my suspicions until I checked something out.
Chapter Twenty
My suspicions, unfortunately, proved right. When we arrived back at the firehall, I went straight to the computer and asked Bryce to replay the security video one more time. I watched it again with Isaac, paying close attention to the victim. The man was dressed poorly, his clothes worn. When the point came in the video when the blindfold was removed, Isaac nodded. “Yes, you are correct,” he said, confirming my fears. “That is one of the men that Joanne saw being enticed into the white van.”
“We have to call Nash,” Tess stopped her pacing and looked at me. “People are being kidnapped right off the street and then murdered. The police will have to help us now.”
“And tell them what?” I wondered. “We don’t have any proof. Unless you think they will consider a vampire mind-meld with a bag lady proof?”
“That’s why we have to tell Nash. He’ll believe us.” Tess flopped down on the sofa beside me. She put her head on my shoulder. “What if we’re too late?”
“No. We can’t think like that. We’re not too late. We’ll find her.” I gave her a hug, trying not to think the worst myself. I didn’t want to face the thought that Holly might already be dead, murdered to help create DiCastro’s zombie army. “We just have to find DiCastro. We don’t need the police when we have Bryce.” As far as I was concerned, it was true. We already had Bryce searching for the van’s registration in the DMV database as well as doing a property search for any buildings listed under the name DiCastro or any variant of the name.
“You just want to avoid Nash.” Tess said with a scowl, folding her arms across her chest.
“So what if I do? We don’t need him bossing us around,” I replied belligerently. I was probably a bit harsh with Tess, mainly because I was angry at myself for the way the thought of seeing Nash again made me feel.
“Methinks the lady doth protest too much,” Isaac mused.
“Shut up, you,” I growled at him. I hadn’t forgotten the fact that he could read my emotions, which, when it came to Nash, were a mess. I certainly didn’t need Isaac interpreting them for me. I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. “Look, when we find where Holly has been taken, we’ll get the police involved. Until then, I really don’t think there is anything they’ll do that we can’t, if they even do anything at all. It hasn’t been 48 hours yet. They probably wouldn’t even let us file a missing persons report.” I gave Tess another comforting hug. “We’re going to find her,” I promised.
“Okay.” Tess hugged me back tightly. “I’m just really worried about her.”
“I know. Me too.” I took a deep breath. “Okay then. You and Bryce keep checking for real estate that could be DiCastro’s. I have an errand I have to run.”
“An errand? Now?”
“Yeah. That phone call earlier was the Magister. I’ve been summoned.”
Tess turned to look at Isaac. “And you’re just going to let her go back there? I thought you were supposed to be looking after her safety.”
Isaac cocked an eyebrow. “I am.”
Tess frowned. “So what you aren’t saying is that it would be more dangerous for her not to go?”
Isaac shrugged. “Salvador gets what he wants one way or another. The safer road is to not antagonize him.”
“Great. Let’s go and get this stupid renegotiation done then.” I started to pull on my jacket.
Tess looked at me critica
lly. “You’re going to go see him like that?”
“What’s wrong with what I have on?” I wore my favourite boot cut jeans, a t-shirt and hoodie. I had wrapped a fringed scarf around my neck and was pulling on my light brown, bomber style leather jacket to keep away the cold. The evening air can be pretty nippy here in mid-October. “I’m done with dressing up for him.”
***
I know what you are going to think. I should just stop making statements like that, the kind that tempt fate. Why else would I find myself dressed in that same Alexander McQueen dress that I had turned down the night before? I admit it was getting a little tiresome to have to keep eating my words. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
When we arrived at Dante’s, Isaac and I were shown upstairs to the balcony overlooking the club. Salvador was already there and when we entered the room he waved his hand and the vampires and other hangers-on slunk away leaving us alone with him.
“My dear Miss Russo, Isaac. Come in, come in.” Salvador smiled and patted the seat beside him. “Please my dear, have a seat.”
After a slight hesitation, I sat down on the seat Salvador had indicated, trying to maintain as much distance between us as possible. Isaac took up watch, standing behind me.
“Magister,” I said by way of greeting.
“Please, Salvador, you must call me Salvador. And I will call you Angharad. Afterall, we will be seeing so much more of each other in the future.” He gestured and the waiter came over with a bottle of champagne. He poured two glasses then retreated out of sight again.
“About that –”
“Please drink,” Salvador interrupted. He handed me a champagne glass then lifted his own. “Salut! To our new relationship.” He reached over and clinked his glass against mine.
“Our relationship?” I sat dumbfounded, my champagne untouched. “What relationship?”
“Why, our burgeoning friendship, of course,” Salvador replied, feigning surprise. “A friendship that will only continue to grow at our weekly dinners over the next, shall we say, year?”
“A year! Wait a minute. The deal was one dinner. One time.” I set my champagne glass down.
“Yes, however that deal is no longer on the table, as you did not live up to the terms of our agreement.” Salvador held up a finger stalling my protests. “But as I said, I am willing to renegotiate the terms.”
“Fine, but six months. I will meet you once a week, for dinner, for six months.” I couldn’t lose the firehall, if I had to eat a meal every week with Salvador for six months, so be it.
Salvador appeared to give it some thought and then smiled. “Nine months,” he countered.
I chewed my lip. I’m sure most people would think I was crazy for even negotiating with the Magister. Usually, you just do what he tells you or face the consequences, but for some reason or another, Salvador was playing this game, so I’d play too. “Nine months, but if you have to cancel a dinner or I show up and for some reason dinner is interrupted, it still counts as the one for that week. If I have to cancel, I’ll make it up.” I thought for a moment. “And, you won’t expect me to dress up like one of your bimbettes. I’ll wear what I feel is appropriate.”
“My bimbettes?” Salvador smiled. “Ah, yes.” He looked at me pointedly. “That will not be a problem. However, I do reserve the right to present you with the occasional gift, which you will accept.”
I huffed out a little breath. “Fine. Deal?”
“One more thing,” Salvador added. “I will from time to time require your presence or your assistance in matters pertaining to your particular talents. This you will also do for me.”
Isaac shifted position behind me. Now we were getting to what Salvador really wanted.
I thought for a moment then replied, “No.” It was my turn to put up my hand to stall Salvador. “I won’t negotiate when I don’t know the specifics of what you might ask me to do. But, I will stipulate that I will be open to providing assistance or attending other, uh, events, as mutually agreed upon at the time. However, these will count towards my dinner date balance and I reserve the right to say no.”
Salvador smiled again and sat back in his seat which only put me more on edge. My mind reeled. Did I cover all the bases? I thought I had. Hopefully I wasn’t going to live to regret this deal, or worse, die because of it.
“I will accept those terms.” Salvador signalled and the waiter refilled his glass. “We will drink to seal the bargain.” He raised his glass and I followed suit. Salvador clinked his glass to mine and we drank. The champagne was probably the most expensive I had ever tasted, but it turned to bitter acid in my mouth with Salvador’s next words.
“Now you best hurry. Simeen will see you get dressed.”
“Excuse me?” I spluttered.
“You cannot attend the parley dressed like a college co-ed.”
“Parley? What parley?”
“Surely you do not want to miss my meeting with Levy DiCastro?” Salvador looked at me pointedly.
And that’s how I found myself being dressed and coiffed and painted like some sort of fashion model Barbie doll by an insolent Simeen, the domanatrix. My life had definitely veered off into the land of strange.
***
With one last blast of hairspray, Simeen announced I was ready. “Wow,” I said when she turned the chair so I could look at myself in the mirror. I hardly recognized myself. She had applied make-up in such a way that it accentuated my eyes and cheekbones, but looked like I was really wearing no make-up at all. She even managed to tame my usually tousled, short hair into something resembling a hairstyle.
She shrugged and replied with a sneer, “I could only do so much with what I had.” She picked up a beautiful crystal bracelet and snapped it on my wrist. “You will wear this. Now get dressed.” She turned and stalked out of the room, stopping in the doorway to add, “Wait here for your escort. Do not roam around the halls on your own.” She pulled the door shut behind her, leaving me alone.
I scrambled out of my remaining clothes and pulled on the gorgeous McQueen dress. Its charcoal silk chiffon was almost weightless and floated around me like the smoke it was patterned after. The bodice had built in support so luckily I didn’t have to worry about finding a strapless bra. I was just struggling to get the zipper up, when there was a knock at the door.
I shuffled across the room holding the dress together at the back so that I didn’t have a wardrobe malfunction. I assumed it would be Isaac come to escort me to whatever we were calling this shindig, but when I opened the door Nash stood there, an impatient look on his face. For a moment, we both stood and looked at each other in surprise. I barely recognized him, dressed as he was in a slim-fit, dark charcoal suit. It fit him perfectly with just a hint of cuff showing at the end of each sleeve. His shirt and tie were also the same shade of charcoal and the lapels of his jacket had a satin finish, giving him a formal appearance. He looked at me with his piercing green eyes and suddenly I felt self-conscious.
“O-oh, it’s you,” I stammered, backing away from the door to let him in. “I guess I was expecting Isaac.”
Nash stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him. “No, you’re stuck with me. DiCastro knows Isaac and it would only draw his attention to you if you were seen with him.”
“What’s going on Nash? Why is DiCastro coming here? Why is Salvador just letting him walk in here after everything he has done?” Simeen had refused to even talk to me, let alone answer any of my questions. With Nash’s arrival, I couldn’t seem to keep myself from babbling them all out. “He has Holly. I’m sure of it. We shouldn’t be dressing up to greet him, we should be grabbing him and getting him to tell us what he has done with all the people he’s kidnapped.” The worry and anger I felt were apparent in my voice.
Nash took a step towards me and reached out to me reassuringly. “I kn
ow about Holly. Tess told me what you found out. Damn vampire politics. DiCastro invoked the right to parley and Salvador granted it. There’s nothing we can do to him right now. But I promise you, once it’s over, all bets are off. We’ll stop DiCastro and we’ll do everything we can to get Holly back safely.”
Nash’s hand on my bare arm felt warm, making my skin tingle. We stood for a moment like that, until I remembered I was standing there with my dress unzipped. I blushed and turned my back to Nash. “Can you help me? The zipper is stuck.”
Nash’s fingers brushed against my bare shoulder as he pulled the zip up the last few inches. When the zipper reached the top, he dipped his head towards my neck and inhaled deeply. I jumped away, turning to look at him.
“Why do you keep sniffing me like that?” I asked
“I…” Nash look embarrassed.
“You did that when we first met too,” I continued on, ignoring Nash’s stammering.
Nash looked uncomfortable for a moment as if weighing whether to answer or not. Finally, he huffed out a breath and then said, “My wolf likes the way you smell.”
“What?” I stepped further away from him. “I don’t smell.” I fought the urge to lift my arm and check.
Nash put out his hand to stop me. “That came out wrong. Of course you don’t smell. I mean your scent. My wolf is attracted to your scent.”
“I’m really not sure if that sounds any better.” I frowned at Nash. “So your wolf is attracted to me, but not you?”
Nash ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up, which only made him look sexier. “No, it’s not that. I do find you attractive. And aggravating and stubborn and –”
“Okay, okay. I get the picture.” I turned away from Nash.
Nash reached out and grabbed my arm, spinning me back to face him. “No, I don’t think you do.” He pulled me close and looked down at me. He grasped my chin, tilting my face up to his. “If I’ve come across as overbearing, it’s because my wolf just wants to protect you.”