Isabelle was grumpy even as Ricky showed her to her room. “Mija, come, it’s actually not so bad. The view is extraordinary.” His heavily accented voice carried down the hall while he carried her things against her wishes. But it wasn’t because she was a girl, it was because it’s what he did.
Ant’s eyes followed her down the hall, but he stayed with us. “You keep adding people to the list I need to protect we are going to need more body guards.” Ant said as if there wasn’t a whole city of supernatural creatures chomping at the bit to step between a bullet and me. Which was highly fucking weird.
Alex was chuckling but I just shrugged, “Utilize the dragons and the lone wolves too. The vampires get the night shift easily enough. No need to draw in day walkers.”
Ryan met us down the hall with a pile of paperwork. “Priestess Milano sent this over while you shifted. She didn’t think sending it with Isabelle would be good since her daughter was disgruntled so she sent it to Allison.”
In the blonde’s hand was another stack of papers. “With the council here we’ve seen an influx of vampires, Nox. Brawls and such happening in places they shouldn’t, we are also getting missing persons reports of vamps snatched up off the streets. Some gone missing. Word has it that there is a new player in town.”
“Brandon’s people?”
Ryan nodded, “That’s my theory and Cari’s as well. We are policing as we can, but the Venatori seem quiet. CCB too, it’s like everyone is turning a blind eye to what’s going down. It can’t be that quiet.”
“Or it could be magic.” Alex said.
“Someone who knows the city shushing things. I know someone who can do it. I didn’t think his radius was quite so large as a whole city though.”
“Do you think this person has a reason?” I asked.
Alex shrugged. “He always has a reason for doing things. Usually they are for him, but he sometimes uses his powers for good.” But Alex didn’t sound very sure of that.
“Do you think he’d stop if asked?”
“No,” Alex shook his head. “But I might be able to get him to.”
“How so? If asking won’t work.”
Alex answered me by looking down. But he said nothing, “He’s who hired you isn’t he?” I asked.
Alex nodded. “Yeah, his name is Poet Rhemus, and he hired me to spy on you. Among other things over the years.”
“Why would he listen to you?” Ant asked, “If you are just a lackey.”
“He owes me a favor.”
“You’d waste that favor on this?” I asked.
Alex shrugged. I put my hand on his shoulder, “No, you don’t need to do that. This isn’t worth that.” I said.
“But I could help.” Alex looked up at me with anger and fustration.
“You can. But we don’t need the Venatori or the CCB in this. It’s better if they stay out of it. Let him keep this quiet. We’ll handle it.” I smiled at Alex, “We. Will. Not me. We, as in you and me.”
“And the rest of your fucking followers.” Alex growled but there was no venom in his words. He was just being annoyed at the fact that I was saving the world.
“When this is done, we’ll all take a scheduled undistrubable vacation.” I said to Alex as I grabbed both handfuls of paper from Ryan and headed off back to our room. I had work to do but I also needed the soft scent of Alex and comfort and to let go of all the feelings. I didn’t think work would happen when I stepped into the room, but I would at least put on a good show as I walked down the hall to our room.
I was about to climb on to the bed but Alex grabbed the papers from my hands and set them on the corner of the dresser before he grabbed my hand. “Have you had a shower since you woke up?”
I shook my head. “No. But I have things to do, a shower is the…”
Alex interrupted me with a kiss and dragged me into our adjoining bathroom and shut the door behind me. “Now I’d prefer a bath after all of the shit you’ve had to deal with, but we got what we got.” Alex turned on the hot water and then rummaged through the medicine cabinet.
I watched as he searched for something but couldn’t find it, the counter top was getting full of this and that but not what he was looking for, “Fully fucking stocked my ass.” Alex grumbled.
“What are you looking for?” I asked Alex before he started throwing things.
“You smell like magic and sex and if you are going to work you can’t smell so ripe.” Alex grinned playfully at me.
“I have some essential oils in the box under the bed.” Alex looked at me curiously,
“For what?”
“For sex and massages.” I said.
“And how come I didn’t know about them?” Alex asked as he headed out to the bedroom.
“You never asked.” I said following Alex but stopped in the bathroom door to watch Alex as he opened the box because that wasn’t all that was in there.
Alex pulled the box out and he flipped the lid and it thuncked to the floor with utter silence as Alex took it all in. “Okay, pretty boy, a little kinky here, but why isn’t this locked up?”
“It is, you just have access to it.”
“Magic?” Alex said grabbing a few vials and closing the box without any other comments. “Oh I have comments pretty boy, we’ll play later. Right now we have a shower to take.”
“I expected something more,” I said.
“Get naked now.” Alex said spinning me around and shoving me in the bathroom.
The Mind of Nox 