AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Speaking of which, Chase is due over for dinner tomorrow night. Cancel for me, would you? Somehow I doubt if we’ll be in the mood to sit around eating spaghetti.” She sighed and sat down on the sofa. “At least it’s comfortable, and the room has a good light and plenty of ventilation, but it’s still a cage.”
Camille kissed her softly on the forehead. “We know . . . we know. But this is for your own protection. If we don’t have to worry about the demon getting at you, we can focus on hunting down and destroying the main hive mother. It won’t be for long.”
“Camille’s right, Kitten.” I stroked her hair. “The less we have to worry about you, the quicker we can get you out of here. Think of it like being kenneled for a night. Speaking of which, did you bring your litter box?”
“Damn it, I knew I forgot something,” she said, her shoulders slumping.
“I’ll get you one,” I said as Camille and I headed for the door. “I’ll be down in a while with a box, some litter, and something hot for you to eat.”
As we shut the door and locked it, Camille turned to me. “I hate this.”
“So do I, but what else can we do? That creepy crawler has her energy signature, and it’s probably trying to track her right now. I just hope it doesn’t openly attack my patrons if it manages to follow her scent here.”
“At least it’s almost closing time, and you won’t have to worry about that till tomorrow. I’ve got to get some sleep,” Camille said as we headed up to the main floor. Luke was gone, and the bar was clean and closed for the night.
Camille yawned. “All right then, I’m going to crash on the cot upstairs, the one in Sabele’s old room.”
I nodded. “I’ve got some things I want to check out, and I’ve got to pick up a litter box for Delilah. Roz, stay here and guard Camille. And be careful, dude. Fingers in the wrong place, and you’ll be nursing a broken nose again, and not from me.”
He snorted. “Hey, my fingers are never in the wrong place. It’s all a matter of timing.” At Camille’s scathing look, he held up his hands. “No problem, the timing isn’t right tonight. You have nothing to worry about.”
“Right,” Camille said, but she grinned and wearily began climbing the stairs to the second floor. “Good night. Menolly, wake me before you head home so I can snag a ride with you.”
I showed them how to set the security system, hoping to hell Roz would mind his manners. Smoky wasn’t above cooking and eating his rivals. Even though the others made light of his threats, I knew him well enough now to know that he meant business when it came to my sister.
Before I left the bar, I called Chase at the FH-CSI building. Since he was sleeping there, he’d pick up.
“Chase? This is Menolly. Listen, I have a couple of quick questions.”
Chase cleared his throat, sounding groggy. “I was sleeping, but sure. Go for it. It’s only . . . what . . . three in the morning.”
I had less than three hours to go before sunrise, which meant I had about two and a half hours before I had to be back to collect Camille and get home to my lair.
“What’s Harold’s address again? I want to run by there and check on things.” I grabbed a pen and pad of paper from behind the counter.
“Why? What are you planning on doing?” Chase sounded suspicious.
I grinned at the phone. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to put the bite on him just yet. I just want to see if I can sense anything going on. I promise, I’ll leave him alive. And with all his blood.”
Chase sighed but put me on hold. When he came back to the phone, he gave me the address. I jotted it down and tore the paper off, sticking it in the pocket of my jeans.
“By the way, Delilah is staying at the bar for now in the panic room. That demon that tried to latch onto her earlier at the club? Well, it tracked her down. When we arrived home, it attacked her again. We managed to drive it off, but we can’t trust that she’ll be okay unless she’s in a place that’s impervious to magic and astral creatures.”
“Motherfucking son of a bitch.” Chase cleared his throat. “So, will she be safe there?”
“Yeah, for now, but listen—we don’t want to advertise her presence here. So if you want to visit her tomorrow, wait till after sunset when I come down to the bar. That way I can let you in without anybody being the wiser. Unless we catch this demon before dinner tomorrow night, consider dinner on hold until later.” I glanced at the clock. “I’m going to take off. I also want to see if my contact is willing to front me a guest invitation to the Clockwork Club.”
After a quick sign-off, I motioned to Roz, who was sitting in a booth, waiting for me to leave so he could lock up. He slid out from the seat and wandered over to the counter.
“I’m heading out.” I swept my braids back from my face. “I shouldn’t be running into trouble, but in case something happens, call Chase. He’ll know where I’ve gone. And also Sassy Branson. Camille can check with her.”
I glanced around the silent room. The Wayfarer had become like a home away from home for me. I loved my job here. Sure, it was a cover, but I got to meet people, I enjoyed the hustle of the bar, and it kept me in the various loops as far as information went.
Roz stopped me, his hand lightly covering my wrist. “A moment before you go. I won’t take long.”
“What is it?” I glanced up at him, at his long, dark, unruly hair that brushed the top of his shoulder blades, at the jet eyes gleaming against his pale skin. His lips were crooked, but in a playful manner, and he gazed at me, searching for something.
“I know you think I’m always just out for sex, and usually I am. I’m an incubus. It’s what I do,” he said.
