by Dannika Dark
Flynn took the key fob out of Crawford’s pocket and tossed it in the driver’s seat before shutting off the power. After he closed the doors, he rejoined me.
“Did you see everything?” I asked.
He handed me my mask and folded his arms. “I couldn’t see what you were doing. I almost turned around, but I wanted to make sure you were safe. I thought it was just a light exchange. I didn’t know all that was going on,” he said, jerking his chin at the rear window. “When you got out, I couldn’t hear what you were saying, but I could tell you weren’t up for the task.”
“What gave it away? The twenty-three-inch sword?”
Flynn lifted his shirt on the side and scratched several red bumps on his flank. “Bloodsucking mosquitoes,” he murmured.
That suddenly reminded me of the fang marks I’d left on Crawford’s neck. Maybe the blade had sliced across the puncture marks. Would anyone notice? Would anyone care?
“Do you trust this cleaner guy?” I asked.
“Gal,” he said. “She’s a professional. Doesn’t ask questions.”
“How do you know her?”
“I shagged her once.”
“I’m surprised you’re not the one who owes her a favor.”
“We all take something from a relationship. Some of us are just more willing to admit what we want. Simone might pretend she hates me, but it’s all an act. She knew what I wanted in exchange for a little companionship. And I’m an excellent companion in the sack. When I didn’t want more, she resented me for it. That wasn’t in the agreement, but women are always changing their minds. I have aspirations for that smashingly handsome Chitah.”
I hopped down and decided to take my leave. “If you don’t need me here, I’m heading back to work. Thanks for helping me out.”
“Just a moment, love. Do you think I hide bodies out of the goodness of my heart?”
I turned on my heel to face him. “I’m not doing you any sexual favors.”
Flynn threw back his head and laughed. After wiping his teary eyes, he regained his composure. “That’s a first. I’m always the one who performs the favors, but that’s not what interests me. In fact, I’m keen on the idea that we met for a reason.”
I put on the mask and adjusted it. “Just tell me what the hell you want.”
“You didn’t drive off with this man for kicks.” Flynn nodded at the envelope I was still holding. “How much is in there?”
“Thirty large.”
Flynn jerked his head back. “That’s all?”
“If you want this money—”
“That’s not what I’m getting at. Remember I mentioned earlier about side hustles? I might have just the one for you, but I want a cut. Call it… a finder’s fee.”
I didn’t have the patience for this nonsense. I could still smell Crawford’s aftershave. It had transferred to my hair and face during our scuffle in the car. Eager to wash it out, I walked away.
“Have you ever fought professionally?”
I stopped dead in my tracks. Did he just ask what I think he asked?
“You see, I have this side business where I get paid for referrals. But few have your obvious talents. I think you’ll do very well, and I’d like a small cut of that. Call it payback for tonight. I think that’s fair, don’t you?”
I slowly turned. “What kind of fighting?”
Flynn closed the distance between us and lowered his voice. “They call it cage fights, but it’s more sophisticated than that. It’s not against anyone’s will. The fighters are handsomely rewarded. I don’t even see why it’s illegal if everyone is paid.”
“How did you get involved in something like that?”
He stuffed his hands in his jean pockets. “I don’t exactly have any talents outside of the obvious. Arranged relationships aren’t as lucrative as they might seem.”
“Aren’t you afraid of getting caught? It’s illegal.”
“I have certain feelings about that. This isn’t like the days of slavery when Shifters were thrown into the pits. In fact, I don’t recruit Shifters at all. They just happen to have an opening for a female Mage, and I can’t think of a better candidate. It’s good money, Robin. Enough that you won’t even miss my cut.”
What was a nice guy like Flynn doing recruiting women for cage fights? Didn’t he realize that the higher authority could execute him for his involvement? Then again, money drove people in our world to do the unthinkable. Unless you wanted to work for the rest of your long life, hoarding as much money and property as possible was the only way to secure a good future.
“I don’t make this offer to just anyone,” he said, dipping his chin. “But the way I see it, you’re searching for more money. You’ve got the skills, and I’ve got the connections. They have confidentiality rules, but once you’re involved, you’ll obviously keep them. You’re free to come and go as you like. You only fight on the nights you’re requested, and I can arrange someone to fill in for you at the club.”
“Simone wouldn’t raise a stink about it?”
Flynn snorted and leaned against the car. “That’s more tips in her pocket. You needn’t worry. I’ve got that woman wrapped around my finger.”
“Doesn’t look like it to me.”
“She’s my queen. Simone is the only woman who ever made me think twice about settling down, and she knows it. That’s why she didn’t take a promotion working at another club for more money. She’s sticking around in hopes that I’ll straighten out my act. But that’s not what a wise man taught me.”
“And who was that? Don Juan?”
Flynn winked. “More like Dionysus. So what’ll it be, love? Getting into the car with strangers and performing insidious acts in back alleys for a wad of cash, or working a job that utilizes your given talents? You’ve got moves I’ve never seen, and you’re not afraid of a fight. If you tell me to sod off, I’ll respectfully walk away. But keep in mind I need assurance that you won’t reveal my secret.”
“Meaning you’ll have a Vamp scrub my memories.”
He winked. “I’ll make sure they do it right.”
“How much?”
“Six figures to start, and that’s after my share. There’s a betting pool, so I don’t know how they go about figuring everyone’s worth, but that’s a lot of money for one job.”
I twisted my mouth and looked at the ground as if mulling it over. This was no amateur affair. They must have been betting with insane amounts of money in order to offer girls that kind of pay. I kicked a pebble, and it skittered across the concrete. “I can’t say no to that kind of money. I’m in.”
“Smashing!” He reached out to grip my shoulder and then snapped his hand back. Flynn gave me a wry grin as if to say he remembered my warning about grabbing me. “I’ll get in touch with my contact tonight. He’ll want to meet with you and go over details.” Flynn grew serious and wagged his finger at me. “Do not tell anyone. Not a single soul. In fact, don’t let anyone at the club know you have a second job. Not unless you want the Regulators sniffing around.”
“Don’t worry, Flynn. I don’t have any urge to spend the rest of my life in jail.”
A car rolled up behind me, and the headlights flooded the dark space.
Flynn scratched his tummy. “Did Crawford give you a business card or anything else I should know about?”
“I’ll burn it.”
He flicked his eyes down to the envelope.
“I’ll drop this off at my place before going back to work.”
“Get rid of it,” he warned me. “That kind of money is cursed.” Flynn shuddered before stepping away. “Run along now. I’ll take care of the rest.”
The cleaner stayed inside her car while I headed off. When I passed an alley about a block away, I set the envelope of money inside the tent of a homeless man.
Chapter 18
Instead of returning to the White Owl, I headed back to the hotel. Now that I had my connection, it left me with mixed feelings. When the bust went
down, I would have no choice but to report Flynn. He seemed like a regular guy who just needed the money.
I left a message with the club manager, informing her that the owner had sent me on a special errand that would take the rest of the night. I knew she’d relay it to Houdini, and he could decide if he wanted us in his club anymore. He’d only given me two hours, but Houdini needed a taste of his own medicine. He worried that showing me favoritism would cause his employees to break more rules. It sounded to me like someone needed a little chaos in his rigid structure.
After towel drying my hair and putting on a pair of sweatpants and a tank top, I sat on the bathroom floor. I had thrown up twice, but my stomach had already absorbed most of the blood. Crawford’s dark light had a more caustic effect than his blood, however. It tangled with my own and made me sick in ways I couldn’t articulate. It felt like insects were crawling beneath my skin and devouring me from the inside out. When the chills came on, I sat against the wall and hugged my knees to my chest. It always took a day or two for another Mage’s light to leave my system. The darker the light, the worse the energy hangover. It lived inside every cell of my body and invaded me like a virus.
When a knock sounded at the door, it took every ounce of energy to stand up and answer.
Blue glanced around before she forced her way in and shut the door. “Are you okay?”
I returned to the bathroom and slumped to the floor. “You wouldn’t happen to have a bottle of tequila, would you?”
She sat across from me with her back to the sink. I could always tell when Blue had come out of a shift. Her brown hair was long and silken, but even more so when she changed back to human form. No tangles, shiny, and perfectly straight.
Meanwhile, I looked like something the cat spit up. I drew up my knees, the pain bone-deep.
Blue sat cross-legged and studied me. “I saw everything.”
I pursed my lips. Not much I could add in my defense to killing a man in cold blood.
Her blue eyes narrowed as she looked away. “I could have stopped you.”
“Viktor won’t blame you.”
“Of course he won’t. I’m not telling him what happened.”
My jaw slackened. “What?”
She shook her head. “I saw the video. No matter what reasons we give him, he won’t support what you did. It’s not because he wouldn’t have wanted justice, but he has rules that keep our operation running. We only have permission to kill declared outlaws or in self-defense. Now that the car is gone, along with the phone and video, we don’t even have evidence to justify your actions. But I know what my animal saw. She has sharp eyesight. It’s abhorrent, and I would have done it myself. It’s not what he wanted to do with you—it’s what he did to those children.”
That took me by surprise. Blue was loyal to the core, and keeping this from Viktor jeopardized her standing with Keystone. Especially if that Crawford guy turned out to be important and someone opened an investigation that led back to the group.
“I’ve got a promising lead,” I said, switching topics.
“Is that so?”
“That guy who helped clean up the mess—he made me an offer. Pass the word to Claude. If Flynn gets cold feet, maybe Claude can get some info out of him. He’s got a crush on our boy. Tell Wyatt to keep a closer eye on my tracker from now on.”
“I will.” She wrung her hands. “After you left the scene, I called the house to tell them it was a false alarm. You sat behind those buildings for a long time, and I was afraid Wyatt would send Shepherd to check it out.”
“Thanks.”
“Did you learn anything about the fighting ring?”
“It sounds like a legit operation. It’s still illegal, but nobody’s kidnapping these girls and forcing them to fight. In fact, they’re paying them a shitload of money. Life-changing money.”
Blue’s lip curled, and she sat back with one knee bent. “It doesn’t matter if they make it legit. Cage fighting has a bloody and dark history among Shifters. We don’t like it. Even if other Breeds are in the ring and they’re doing it freely, it’s a mockery to what we suffered. This isn’t comparable to boxing or any of those human sports. It has deep ties to slavery, and wealthy people are profiting off disadvantaged people in less powerful positions. Don’t let them dress it up for you. Just remember that those girls wouldn’t be dead if they hadn’t gotten involved.” Her eyes flicked up. “You be careful.”
“What’ll happen to Flynn?”
She shrugged. “Who knows and who cares?”
“He’s a nice guy.”
“Who’s committing a crime.”
“Like what I did tonight?”
“That’s different.” She pulled her hair away from her collar. “He’s recruiting hapless women to put their bodies and their lives in danger so that others can make money off them. You killed a monster.”
“But it’s still a crime.”
“Look, it’s not about who’s nice and who’s not. You have to draw the line somewhere. What if your buddy was stealing children and selling them to loving couples? It’s still wrong. I see what you’re getting at, but you came from the human world where things were black and white. Our world is grey.” She stood up and dusted off her pants. “Don’t worry, Raven. I’ll cover for you. If there’s one crime I won’t let you go down for, it’s murdering a child abuser. There’s a special hell for people who hurt kids.”
“Is there a special place in hell for people like us?”
She rested her palms on the sink behind her. “Maybe.”
My head thumped against the wall as I reclined it. “I wish Christian was here.”
“He’s on assignment.”
“Doing what?”
Blue bit her thumbnail. “Maybe I should just leave it at that. Viktor wants you focused on the job.”
“Is it dangerous?”
She nodded.
I stood up and blocked the doorway. “Tell me.”
“He was assigned to guard that woman,” Blue said with obvious disdain. “The one who works for the higher authority.”
“Lenore?”
“That’s her. Anyhow, I guess she’s in some kind of danger or else Viktor wouldn’t have assigned him to guard her. That’s not what we do.”
“Is someone trying to kill her?”
“I guess so.”
Admittedly, that filled me with relish.
I flipped off the bathroom light and went into the bedroom. After switching on the lamp, I sat on the bed and stared at my reflection in the TV. I didn’t like the idea of Christian dying to save that woman, but thinking about it would only distract me from my job. Flynn would be putting me in touch with his contact, and I needed to keep my head in the game.
“I’m going back home.” Blue lingered in the entryway. “I’ll update Viktor with the offer you got. Anything else you want me to relay?”
I lowered my head, tears stinging my eyes. “This is so fucking hard. The stuff that goes on inside the club gets under your skin.”
Blue sat down next to me and bumped shoulders. “I know. Trust me, I know. But you’ve got to shut it off. The longer assignments will get to you. That’s why Viktor bought the Keystone mansion. He wanted to give us a retreat—a place where we could leave all this behind, away from the misery and the stink of the city. That’s why he doesn’t want televisions all over the house. We see enough murder and corruption as it is; we don’t need to invite it into our bedroom.” Blue gave my knee a light squeeze. “I know this isn’t the real you talking. It’s all that blood or whatever you took from him. The real Raven is tough. She wears knives in her boot heels and calls bullshit when she sees it.”
I smiled and wiped my eyes.
“I don’t like Vamps,” she went on. “But you’re not half bad.”
“Quit while you’re ahead.”
Blue chuckled softly. “Did I ever tell you about your terrible taste in men?”
“Oh, fuck off.”
She clapped m
e on the shoulder. “There she is.” Blue stood up and sighed. “I’ll track you as best I can. Try not to get yourself killed.”
“Thanks for the pep talk.”
“It’s the least I can do.”
“For what?”
“For killing the Shifter asshole that did this to me.” She gently pulled the hood over her head, and it framed her beautiful face. “Get some sleep. You’re gonna need it.”
Chapter 19
Instead of flying back to the mansion, Blue took a cab. She kept a bag of clothes on the hotel roof, just in case she needed to perform a task on foot. After witnessing last night’s murder, she was too wired up to shift, so she sent Wyatt a message to meet her outside and pay the driver. As soon as she entered the mansion, she hung her phone on the winged statue by the door and headed to the gathering room.
She was exhausted—it wasn’t easy staying awake all night. Most Shifters black out during their shift, but Blue had the special ability to remain conscious the entire time. Even though her falcon knew to follow Raven, Blue couldn’t chance missing out on important details that her animal wouldn’t understand.
Like that video. Just thinking about it made her sick to her stomach.
Despite her exhaustion, it took time to wind down after a long night of surveillance. She entered the gathering room and poured herself a generous glass of red wine at the liquor cabinet. It was predawn, and the colorful windows barely captured the light. Her eyes steered up to the floor-to-ceiling bookshelf as she drank her wine. One glass wouldn’t be enough to induce sleep, so she gulped down the drink and poured another.
“I saved you a plate of our dinner last night,” Niko said.
Blue set the bottle down and then joined him on the leather sofa. It felt good to sit down, but her circadian rhythm was screwed up, and it was difficult to think about sleeping when the sun was on the rise.
Niko clasped his hands in his lap. “Would you like me to heat it up?”