by Paige Orr
Anyone else would have been offended with Annika’s straightforward attitude, but I just found it refreshing. I prefer the way she gets straight to the point instead of beating around the bush, it’s better than the way most people act around me.
“This one is a good bitch. I need you to get me into the Seelie Prince’s house. He has something that my client would like. You know I would just break in if it was anywhere else, it’s not like I don’t have the skills. But his house is bound to be drowning in wards on top of the normal security.”
The silence on the other end of the line stretches on as I unlock my door, pushing it open with my hip and stumbling into my apartment. Pulling the phone away from my ear, I quickly check the screen to make sure the call hasn’t dropped before bringing it back up to my ear and clearing my throat. It’s unusual for Annika to be lost for words, and the fact that she doesn’t even seem to breathe causes apprehension to shoot through me.
“Annika, you still there.”
“Y-Yeah, I’m still here. Sorry, it’s just I thought you said you’re going to steal from the Seelie Prince’s home and I’m sure you’re not that fucking stupid, right?”
“I’m not stupid, I just need the money. I’d rather not end up living on the streets when all I have to do is steal something from a Fae, Prince or not.”
“You’ve officially lost your fucking marbles! That man could chew you up and spit you out, yet you’re happy to go traipsing about his house. Please tell me you’re at least getting paid six figures for risking your life.”
“Of course I am. I might be willing to put my life on the line, but you can bet your ass that I wouldn’t do it for scraps. My client is paying enough for me to live comfortably for a while.”
“At last, you're not completely bonkers. You realize that this is a suicide mission, right? Sure, the wards and security will be a bitch, but the main thing that should have you saying fuck no is being caught by the Prince.”
Even while she berates me for my bad choices, I can hear her fingers flying across her keyboard as she looks into what I need. I stay silent for the moment, not wanting to break her concentration. I throw myself onto my sofa, stretching out to get comfortable for the wait when a black ball of fur lands on my stomach, causing the air to whoosh out of my lungs with an unladylike oomph.
I scowl down at the cute little ball of hate as the cat kneads at my stomach before curling into a ball with a purr. I found Nightmare two years ago when I was on a job to retrieve proof of my client’s husband, balls deep in his secretary. There I was hanging from the side of a seedy hotel with my camera lens pointed at the fat, balding man and his young bimbo secretary when Nightmare leapt at me from the fire escape.
It took everything inside me to hold in my screams as the kitten landed on me, staring creepily into my eyes. After a few minutes of our staring contest, I realized that I wasn’t getting rid of the little creep and turned back to finish the job. It’s fair to say my near-death experience at the hands of a kitten would not stop this bitch from getting paid. When I finally had enough proof for my client, I got the fuck out of there and Nightmare followed me.
After that night I got the privilege of being at the divorce hearing as a witness for my client along with my evidence, and I had a new flatmate. As much as I act as though Nightmare gets on my nerves, it’s nice to have any sort of company so I can’t complain. I bring my free hand down to her, scratching her head and enjoying the feeling of her purrs rumbling against me when Annika finally stops typing.
“You might be in luck. It would seem our little Prince is having a fancy schmancy party tonight, which means all I have to do is get you on the guest list and your good to go. You just need to let me know which alias you want me to use”
“Wait, did you say tonight? How the fuck am I going to attend a party with a bunch of rich snobs when I'm lucky if I have a fucking dress suitable for that type of party in my closet. I’m so fucking screwed”
“Well, I could give you the dress I wore at my covens summer solstice celebrations. Our Coven Mistress would kick my ass if I didn’t dress for the occasion, so it should be fancy enough.”
“You’re a fucking lifesaver, Nika! Is there any way you could whip me up a glamour potion just in case as well, and we can talk about how much I owe you when I come over to pick everything up? You can pick whichever alias you want, I’ll bring a few different things to fit most disguises.”
“Yeah, no problem, you owe me for this one though since I’m working on something else that’s time-sensitive.”
“You’re the best! I’m going to grab a shower and get my shit together so I’ll be over in about an hour. What time does this shindig start?”
“You have a few hours before guests are supposed to arrive, I would get there as close to the start of the party as possible so you can search for what you’re looking for while the host is distracted greeting everyone. I’ll see you when you get here.”
“Thanks again Nika, I’ll see you soon.”
With that, I hung up the phone feeling more optimistic about stealing the necklace than I was when Adelaide told me it was in the Seelie Prince’s possession. I knew this mission would not be easy, but I’m feeling a lot better about it now I have a proper plan in place. I've learned over the years not to rush into a situation without thinking it through properly, that’s usually how someone ends up hurt.
Walking into my bathroom, I start the shower and strip down while I wait for the water to heat up. When the room fills with steam, I step under the water, letting the spray slowly relax my muscles. Something tells me that even if everything goes smoothly, I won't have a moment to myself for a while, and I’ve learned over the years to trust my instincts. I get lost in thought as I go through the motions of washing myself, thinking about the meeting with my newest client.
I look over the document in front of me in mild irritation at seeing it’s another request to find a missing pet. I know that it takes a while to build a name for yourself as a private investigator, but in the last two years, I’ve had no big cases to get my name out there. When I told Adelaide that I planned to open the place up, she was wary about the idea and now I’m starting to see why.
I nearly jump out of my skin when there’s a knock at the door. Clearing my throat, I straighten in my seat, feeling a blush spreading across my cheeks as I call out for the person to enter. A middle-aged man with a receding hairline and his nose so high in the air that I’m surprised he isn’t falling on his ass strolls in with a look of disdain on his sweaty face.
Straight away the man puts me on edge, but trying to stay professional, I offer him a seat. He lowers himself down into the chair across the desk from me, looking around my office with condescension. I don’t want to seem ungrateful for him coming to me for whatever he’s here for, but I don’t appreciate how up himself he is. He could at least try not to show his opinion on his face since he’s here to pay me to do something for him.
I hate people who look down on other people for stupid shit like not having the same amount of money as they do. It’s really not difficult to treat people with the respect they deserve. I’m not saying all rich folks are assholes but if the shoe fits. A tight smile pulls at my lips as I settle back in my chair and take a deep breath before addressing the man.
“Hello, welcome to Crimson Investigations. My name is Melissa Greene, what can I do for you today, sir?”
The man ignores me as he continues to study my office and as time passes I can feel my patience wearing thin. Clients like this are the fucking worst! Unfortunately, I can’t afford to drive a client away by losing my cool with him, so I grit my teeth against what I want to say until he finally speaks.
“The name is Marcus Sullivan and I’m not entirely sure there is anything you can do for me, Miss Greene. I couldn't find much information on you, but I’m hoping that because of that you will be good at keeping quiet about what you’re working on.”
“Of course, my client’s confiden
tiality is really important to me and I don’t speak about my jobs with anyone outside of myself. Even when I’m asking around for information, I’m careful who I ask and I make sure not to let anything slip about who my client is.”
“I’m glad to hear that, Miss Greene. The job I have for you is… sensitive, and it’s a rather private matter. There is an item I’ve been searching for the last few years since my late mother's last attempt at obtaining it went awry, and I’m hoping that maybe you can find it for me. Since it’s such a private matter and I’m sure it won't be simple, I’m willing to pay you handsomely.”
“Well, you can trust me to keep the matter sensitive. Why don’t we start with you telling me some things about the item that you need me to attain and any information you have found before now? We can talk about payment after that.”
I didn’t think that Marcus could look any more shifty, but the way he continues to look around like he’s waiting for something to jump out at him has my nerves on edge.
“Well, from a young age my mother taught me about different artifacts that she liked to collect. She was fascinated with the stories behind them. The thing is, most of the stories she would tell me about them seemed to be like something out of a fantasy novel. When she passed away recently, she left her collection to me along with a note telling me about the one item that she never managed to get her hands on. The Necklace of Harmonica.
She had been searching for years with no luck and hoped that I would continue the search now that she is no longer able to. That’s when I decided to look into the artifact in hopes that I could fulfill her last wish. My search unfortunately hasn’t been very successful, which is why I decided to reach out to a private investigator.
Due to the things I have heard during my research on the item, I knew that I had to find someone who isn’t afraid of danger and who is most likely to keep a low profile in this case which leads me to you. Even though you aren’t the most well-known PI, one of my friends has worked with you before and said that you would be perfect for the job.”
Something about this whole thing doesn’t sit right with me, but I know that I can’t be picky with my clients right now. How dangerous could it be to find him the damn necklace? Even if it is an artifact, the hardest thing about it will probably be getting the owner to hand it over. I take a moment to write down the information that Marcus has given me before turning back to him.
“Well, you’ve come to the right place, Mr. Sullivan. I would be happy to take on your case. I will need you to send me any information you have on the necklace, which will save us both some time. I’m willing to start the search right away as soon as we talk about my fee. I’m sure we can come to an agreement that we are both pleased with.”
Finished with my shower, I quickly dry my hair before throwing on something quick to wear. Not knowing exactly what the dress that Nika is loaning me is going to look like, I decide to pack up all of my makeup and throw a few different wigs in that should suit most of the aliases that Nika uses for me. I suppose that’s one thing I can look forward to tonight. I do love being able to pretend to be someone else, even if it is only for one night.
Chapter Four
Zaphyr
A dark smile spreads across my face as I watch the Seelie bastard that I’ve pinned against the wall with my shadow in the alley beside the bar we were at, struggling for breath. I’ve never understood why they struggle when they know that it's pointless, and with the mood I’m in right now, he’s shit out of luck.
For weeks I’ve searched for even the smallest clue about my missing people with no luck. Then by chance, I overhear this sniveling little fucker talking about missing Fae. I never would have had to hurt him if he had just answered a few of my questions. I know that our people don’t get along, but surely he can understand the severity of a situation like this.
“Look asshole, I’ll let you leave here alive as long as you answer my questions. All I want to know is what you’ve heard about the missing Fae. It’s not a hard question to answer, and all you are doing is making me extremely suspicious that you are indeed involved in the disappearances. I wonder what your king would have to say if I told him about my suspicions.”
I narrow my eyes at him, tightening my hold on his neck, and his face drains of color as he trembles in my hold. The acrid smell of urine reaches my sensitive nose and my face scrunches in disgust at how pathetic the male is. I watch him closely as tears fill his eyes and his mouth opens and closes as he tries to speak.
I click my tongue as I let my hold go, watching as he slides down to the floor, gasping for breath and holding his now bruised throat. I’m not known for being a patient man, and with the stress I’m under right now, I’m even more impatient. So the fact that this little fucker is just sitting there staring at me instead of answering my questions is severely pissing me off. As if he can see how close I am to losing my shit, the Seelie fucker finally starts to speak.
“P-Please, I-I swear I know nothing about any missing Unseelie Fae. I was talking to my friend about a conversation I overheard between Prince Cailean and his advisor about our people who are going missing. He said something about one of our diplomats disappearing as soon as they passed over to Earth from Fairy. That's all I know, I swear to Danu!”
I look over him, deciding whether or not to believe him before finally letting out a frustrated breath and motioning for him to leave. The Seelie wastes no time in getting to his feet and running from the alleyway. Leaning against the alley wall, I let out a resigned sigh before calling out to Morpheous.
In the next instant, he’s standing beside me with a cocky grin on his face like he had been standing there the whole time and despite my shitty mood, I can’t stop the smile from tugging at my lips.
“You’re such a fucking show off Morph, you’re lucky you’re my friend or your little appearing trick could have ended badly for you.”
The sound of Morpheus’s laughter has me chuckling as I watch him from the side of my eye with amusement. I can’t help but remember the way we were in our youth. The day I met Morph we were still both children and my father appointed him to me to be trained as my advisor. When you grow up with someone the way we did, it creates an unbreakable bond. No one understands me the way he does.
“You know me better than that Zaph, life’s too boring without a little mischief. I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. Does this mean we get to have some fun at this party tonight? Usually, I hate when the king delegates these stupid gatherings to us, but now it’s almost too good of a chance to pass up.”
This is why we work so well together. I’m not the most sociable person you could meet, and I hate to waste time having to repeat things that I feel people should already understand. So the fact that he can guess where my mind went with the news of the Seelie experiencing the same issue as us will save us some time.
“Of course, getting into the party won’t be much of an issue, even if it is just a night for all those old fuckers to have a dick measuring contest. The biggest issue will be getting Cailean to talk with us about this bullshit. You know that we don’t get along at the best of times, but it's just not in our nature to reveal something so sensitive to our enemies. Let’s just hope that he can remove his head from his ass for one night.”
Morph doubles over and his face turns red with his laughter. Even after he notices the unimpressed look I throw him, nothing will stop him from being the jokester that he is. Rolling my eyes, I push off the wall, tucking my hands into my pockets and strolling out of the alley. If we’re going to make this stupid party on time, then we need to get changed. I can only hope that tonight won’t be a waste of my time.
8:30 pm
I stand at the sidelines of the room, trying to avoid the power-hungry fuckers who are circling me like sharks who’ve scented blood in the waters around them. I’ve never been more thankful for the buffer that Morph creates around me to keep them at a safe distance. I don’t have the patience for all the politic
s tonight, and I can’t find that bastard Cailean anywhere.
Trust a fucking Seelie to be late to his own party, I swear none of them are taught any of the proper etiquette for these types of situations. I would rather get this over as quickly as possible and get back to my club, but as per usual Cailean and his self-importance are putting a damper on my night.
I do my best to get a lid on my anger, knowing that if there are truly Seelie Fae going missing as well that the daddy’s boy is out of his depth and most likely floundering for answers. That thought is at least enough to lighten my mood slightly as I continue to survey the room. My gaze glides over each of the guests, not taking in anything of importance until I notice a woman at the back of the room doing everything she can to try and blend in with the others around her.
My breath catches as I take in the subtle beauty of her features and I become lost in my head trying to figure out who she is. The guests at these parties are always the same old people, so seeing someone new, who is clearly not Fae has me feeling more than confused.
I can't stop my eyes from slowly traveling down her voluptuous curves and I feel my mouth go dry as I can’t tear my eyes away. My gaze slowly trails back up to her face to take in her plump lips that are painted a sultry red, continuing to her petite nose and angular eyes. Unfortunately, I can't tell which color they are through the contacts she’s wearing.
She couldn't look any more suspicious if she tried, which only seems to pique my interest more as I watch her every move. Not feeling my gaze on her, I watch as she scans the surrounding crowd to make sure no one is paying her any attention before turning on her heel and making her way towards the nearest door.
With my curiosity piqued, I motion to Morph before whispering to him I’ll be back shortly and to keep anyone from following me. After he nods his understanding, I use my shadows to help me slip away from the party to where I last saw the intriguing little vixen heading. Once I'm in the corridor, I catch the sight of her dress as she disappears around the corridor and I quickly follow after her.