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I was selective with who I invited, I had too many items I wanted to keep away from prying eyes.
She was also the first woman I didn’t immediately fuck and drink from—or drink, fuck and kill—in hundreds of years. I would have, but I was confounded by her nerve. She was driven by something deep inside herself, and she did not give a shit what anyone thought—least of all me.
* * *
An hour after I sent her spirit back to her body, my driver brought me to downtown Manhattan to a restaurant named Fleur de Luna.
The appointment had been made a while ago, before I’d gotten sidetracked by an unexpected trip. Thankfully, my friend was willing to accommodate me and reschedule our meeting.
As I stepped out of the car, I felt a stirring in the atmosphere, a gentle nudge of intuition that warned me to take extra caution, be aware. There wasn’t anything that stood out, precisely. It would have been a waste of energy to single something or someone out as the establishment catered to all kinds of beings.
Before I went inside, I scanned the street, but nothing in particular caught my attention. I made sure my heart rate was still modulated because nothing attracted an opportunist faster than an accelerated pulse.
Demons, vampires such as I, and humans frequented the restaurant. The code of conduct was loose enough to make the place highly appealing and frequently busy. It was a private, favorite watering hole with elegant decor designed to lower inhibitions through dim lighting, lush seating, and secret alcoves. Most of the staff were demons, which made it all the better. The species had plenty to hide and didn’t object to much of anything that happened around them.
Josiah was sitting at his usual table, his hair shining under the recessed lighting. Being half demon and half vampire, his senses were highly attuned, and he greeted me as he turned his head. “Kiam,” he said, giving me a small smile.
Rumor had it that when he first left his own Realm, the Second, he struggled with sensory overload. He would never admit it, but I had my ways of retrieving information. Despite his heightened sensitivity, I relaxed more around him than most and considered him a close friend.
“Josiah,” I said, taking a seat on a cushioned chair.
A bottle of blood and wine mixture was delivered while I perused the unscripted menu. As I scanned the heads of women I assumed were available, my thoughts kept straying to an inquisitive blonde, so I redirected my attention.
“Are you going back to Canada again?” I asked. The last time I’d seen him, we’d been at a benefit dinner in Rhode Island. Given his position as a donor and CEO, he was expected to attend. Me, I had other priorities for being there.
“Perhaps,” he replied. “There is much to do, here. Thank you, by the way, for that information. We discovered multiple cells and have been eliminating them. Only one individual, a young woman, escaped our teams’ first attempts but you were instrumental in helping us locate her.”
His pharmaceutical company had created breakthrough medicines, and one of them was being counterfeited at an unprecedented rate. I had access to several types of software that were critical in acquiring information that couldn’t be caught any other way and Ipomoea paid handsomely. “Happy to be of assistance,” I said.
He took a sip of his beverage and set the glass down, one of his many rings dinging against the glass. “The Kakians are useful assassins, and Della appreciates having me around more.”
The Kakians were commonly used as hitmen by vampires and higher classes of demons, although I’d never utilized them. I did my own work and had no need to.
He eyed me for a moment; his coal black irises attempting to bore a hole in my head. “Was the benefit dinner successful for you?”
He was fishing for information. “Yes, you could say so. It was an interesting night.” I wasn’t going to tell him anything.
“Excellent.” His smile spread into the tiniest of smirks.
There was a question I needed to ask, and I didn’t want to as it would instigate his curiosity even further. But at this point, I didn’t have a choice. “Has Alastair indicated he would return?”
During the time I’d spent in Canada, I’d gotten to know Alastair a bit. My friendship with Josiah was much closer, and I doubted I’d ever go back. There was no reason to, not without raising suspicion.
He furrowed his brows and set his cup down. “Not that I recall. He and Devane are happy up there. Why?”
“I am looking to expand my collection of esoteric books. Devane has a gift for acquiring such items.” Alastair’s wife had become infamous in supernatural circles for her uncanny talents.
He nodded. “She does. It is rather impressive for a human. What is it you are looking for?”
“Nothing that concerns you.” Whatever she had, I was sure I could find something similar elsewhere.
Over the years, I had learned to modulate my physiological, mental, and emotional responses to the point I was almost completely unreadable by anyone. This was one of those times I was grateful for developing the ability.
He was very strong, although I’d dealt with much stronger before. I could feel his energy poking and prodding, attempting to uncover my secret.
I grinned at him, and he pressed his lips together and leaned back in his seat, lifting his glass in a mock toast before lightly shaking his head. I trusted him. But not enough to risk everything. I wanted to say it was bad enough that I’d taught him plenty of magic, but he’d grown on me, and I had a lot of respect for him.
A pretty blonde with nearly waist length hair sauntered by, eyeing me with interest. I snagged her hand, glancing at Josiah. He gave me an almost imperceptible nod. It was good etiquette to make sure your company was comfortable when you indulged in a fresh meal.
