“It doesn’t work that way, Hunter. He’s unarmed, he’s surrendered.”
The redhead stumbled toward me, and I grabbed him by his neck to straighten him, squeezing much harder than needed. “And you’ve got plenty to tell me, don’t you?”
He clutched his swollen face. “I’ll tell you whatever you need to know, Detective. And thank you, thank you.” His voice softened, the words slithering into my ear. The fuzziness to my thoughts returned, surging back and forth. “You know, the prince brutalized me. He should be arrested too.”
My jaguar spiked a claw into my guts that shook me awake.
Crack! I walloped him with a left jab, sinking him to the ground like a sack of rotten potatoes and opening a cut beneath his eye.
Damn. Shouldn’t have done that. But he was using his powers on me again. It was self-preservation.
I dragged him back to his feet. “I’ll see you’re in a jumpsuit andshackles soon enough. Now quit with the magic, or I’ll hand you over to your prince.”
That wasn’t enough for Hunter. “He’ll use his magic and lawyer his way out if you take him in. Give him to me, Dagger. I’m not fucking around here. I’ll make him tell me—”
Floodlights clanked and dazzled, bathing the whole orchard in a painful flare.
A battalion of cops surged in, shotguns and sidearms drawn, along with Bryce and the grizzly fuck-ups. Bryce’s wide eyes sought out Serenity as he hovered just inside the protective security ring. His shoulders loosened in relief after a quick scan of her body. A bunch of rubbernecking guests followed. Gruffly nudging his way through the crowd to stand at the front was Chief Morgan. Broad and balding with a side serving of stress wrinkles, he took in the scene and sighed hard. “Pierce, please elaborate. And by God, make it good.”
“Sorry for spoiling the party, sir, but this Fae’s under arrest. I suspect he’s been abusing ancient Fae magic for criminal—”
“You suspect? Do you have hard evidence?”
Not really…
The Fae swayed forward, sagging in my hold and reaching out a supplicating palm to the chief. “Exactly! What charge? What have I done? Chief Morgan, please, this is preposterous, inhumane. Please, look at my face. I’ve been tortured. He has a gun in my back even as we speak.”
“Pierce, put your piece away.”
“But sir, I—”
“You waved that thing around in the hotel on your way out here, scared people half to death. Now put it away, goddammit, or you’re suspended!”
I holstered my Colt, and the Fae effortlessly wrenched free of my grip. With considerable force. Fucking weasel was playing the damsel in distress. And why hadn’t he used any ethereal armor orother magical weapons to protect himself? I got the overwhelming feeling I was a pawn on a chess board.
The Fae walked forward toward the crowd, nursing his bruises for all to see. The chief looked close, scrutinizing and tutting. “Who did that to you, Mr. Winterborn? Pierce, was that you?”
The prince opened his mouth, but I cut in. There was no point in both of us getting in the shit. “It was. But with good reason. As I say, I felt the influence of magic. A compulsion. Prince Osric assures me that’s this Fae’s power. I warned him to stop once. It was necessary force to remain clearheaded.”
“Liar!” The redheaded Fae, who was apparently called Winterborn, shouted at the top of his voice, scowling hard at me. Full of renewed bravery now he had Morgan’s attention. “They all assaulted me, this so-called professor turned into a monster and tried to bloody eat me!”
The prof shook his head, his voice shaky as Ceci wrapped the navy tux jacket firmer, rubbing his arms to warm him. “That’s not what happened. He was taking Miss Dawson, the lady in the rose dress, to the bottom of this place. I think I saw two figures waiting in the darkness, maybe a glimpse of red eyes.”
Vamps. It didn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure out which ones either.Fuck.
But there was no evidence to hand to my chief, of course. Apart from the hotel side, the entire high-walled orchard—stretching a good half mile to the bottom—was empty except for grass and apple trees.
The chief approached Serenity with a softened affect. “Young lady, did Mr. Winterborn harm you or… violate your person in any way?”
She sighed, still rubbing her eyes. “Not in a way I can prove. I think he messed with my mind, but it’s all a blur.”
Morgan sighed. “Mr. Winterborn, you have the department’s apology for the premature detainment and your injures”—he raiseda finger when the Fae opened his mouth to gush—“but if another case of suspected unconsented compulsion magic ever crosses my desk again with your name on it, I’ll make something stick. Consider this an official warning.” He smoothed his tie, and a sour expression pulled on his face. “Of course, I’m obliged to ask ifyouwish to file charges against Detective Pierce and this other gentleman”—he pointed to Aaron who was now getting helped to his feet by Prince Osric and Seb—“for the violence you’ve suffered?”
The Fae’s smile was smug and words oily as he paused, staring, before clearing his throat, brushing off his jacket and saying in a genteel voice, “No, that won’t be necessary.” His eyes glinted. “I am, as anyone who knows me well will tell you, a very forgiving and peaceful person, and we all make mistakes, from time to time. I’m just glad it’s all over.” He wagged his finger across my friends’ side of the orchard. “Just let this be a lesson to you all about overreacting to innocent activities. Next time, I may have to press full charges.”
Ah man, that fucking news reporter, the ice bitch, came shoving through the crowd. She coddled and comforted the fire-haired fuck stick. “My love, what have they done to you? Your face, you’ve been mauled.”
“Just an incident with a local cop.” Winterborn’s eyes went to me.
