I opened my arms, but just as Hunter chuckled and started to move into the embrace, Seb charged up to the table, flushed and wide-eyed. “Shit, guys, I really messed up.”
Cecilia, the prince’s mate, ran up at his heels wearing a similar look.
“What’s going on?” My euphoria and vodka fuzziness started fading fast as I realized who was missing from this picture. “Wait, where’s Serenity?”
“Did something happen?” Hunter grasped Seb by his tux lapels, wide eyes scanning his face for answers. “I told you not to let her out your sight.”
Seb shook his head, grimacing. “I’m sorry.”
“It was the fucking bodyguards’ job,” I ground out, watching two of the grizzlies in question finally perk up at our obvious distress, split from the group around the dance floor, and jog toward us. Idiots.
“This guy hypnotized me,” Seb was saying, “some sort of magical trance.”
“What?” Hunter released Seb, brushing a hand down his crumpled suit jacket in an apologetic gesture, brows knitted.
“It’s only just worn off,” Seb said, “and it feels like a godawful hangover. I can’t remember much. This Fae, he—”
“Fae?” Hunter interjected, scanning the crowd over Seb’s head. “What fucking Fae?”
“A redheaded Fae,” Cecilia piped up. “I’m ninety percent sure he’s the one I saw that day Jack 2 was killed. The one who gave that monster his powers.”
That perked me the fuck up. What a doozy of a case that had been. If someone tied to that mess had Serenity… I clenched my fists, feeling my tattoo harden into a steel sleeve. “Just where the fuck were you?” I growled at the lead bodyguard before he could get a word in edgewise.
“At our post,” he harumphed.
“With your thumbs up your asses?” I asked.
“You let Serenity walk off with a Fae stranger!” Hunter thundered. “What’s Bryce paying you for?”
“We’re looking for a vamp,” the guard snapped back. “That guy didn’t smell like the target at all! Andhedidn’t alert us.” He tossed a thumb at Seb. “She looked fine, went willingly.”
“Went where?” I snarled, teeth bared.
“We saw him leading Serenity out into the gardens,” Cecilia answered for the moron. “She didn’t look in her right mind. Osric and Aaron are following to confront him.”
“Red hair? Like flame hair…? Fuck.” Hunter clenched fists at his sides, whole body vibrating like he hated standing still. I knew the feeling. “Can you show us which way they went?” he asked Cecilia.
She shook her head. “I came to the detective straight away. We need to get to the gardens. Right now.”
Seb’s eyes screwed shut, and his palm flew to his temple. “Everyone please, be quiet.”
Fuck was he doing? “Quiet? We need to get out there, let’s—”
Eyes still clamped tight he shouted, “Shut the fuck up!”
I startled, catching Dagger’s equally surprised expression as Seb continued. “She’s talking to me.”
“She’s in a dark place, tons of apple trees. The prince is there, he looks scared. There’s an enormous grizzly. She’s begging for help.”
Ceci’s eyes bulged. “Oh my God. That’s a problem. I need to get there, to calm him.” She gulped hard.
I hammered the blackjack table with my fist, sending my chips jumping and rolling in every direction. “Westen, apple trees? Where?”
“The Colonial Orchard. Straight down the main path to the central fountain, take a hard right just before the fountain. It’s not lit up, but that path’ll lead you right there in a couple of minutes.”
“You morons stay here and alert the boss,” I snapped at the bodyguards. “You’ve already screwed things enough. Now you’re oncrowd control.” I reached round to the small of my back and drew my concealed Colt, chambering a round. “Police, move out of the way!”
Biggest. Fucking. Grizzly. Ever.
