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Venus wrapped me in his arms, pulling me close. He patted my back. “Yes, little panther. He is. We’ve talked long and hard. Queen Asteria gave me leave to come back home whenever Zach needed me. I no longer belong to the Pride, either. They’re looking for a new shaman.”
He cupped my chin and gazed into my eyes. “You know, deep in your heart, that he’s not making a rash decision. Zach will have a better life over there with me than he would staying with the Pride.”
I exhaled, slowly. I trusted Venus. He would tell me the truth. He wasn’t one to lie. “Do you need an escort?” I asked, jotting his name down in the book and the purpose of his visit.
He shook his head. “No, I remember my way around. And Zach’s waiting for me. We’ll go back through the portal at Grandmother Coyote’s. I just wanted to deliver his letter first. I was going to leave it here in the bar for you—I didn’t expect you to actually be here.”
I wanted to pour out my troubles to him, to tell him about what we were facing now. Venus the Moon Child seemed to invite confidences, but that wasn’t his job anymore.
“Thank you. I’m glad we had a chance to talk.” I couldn’t just leave things this way. I sought for something else to say, wanting to hold on to Venus. He reminded me of life before it had been totally shot to hell. “Tell Queen Asteria we’re on the track of another spirit seal, would you?”
He nodded. “I shall. I’ll see you…well…sometime in the future, I imagine.” And he headed up the stairs, passing Kendra on the way down.
She gave me a quizzical look, but I shook my head. “I know him. He’s safe.” I accepted the cleaning supplies and—while she babysat Martin and Shade watched Jaycee—I cleaned up the disgusting mess Martin had made of the safe room. That was what we got for keeping a ghoul around. Wilbur’s house had been cluttered and dusty, but it hadn’t smelled bad. I wondered just how he kept it clean around Martin. It seemed like a good question to badger him with once he was out of intensive care.
As I was finishing up, Camille, Trillian, and Smoky showed up. She was walking better. “Where did you guys go?”
“We stopped at Tenzos for some ointment for my burn.”
Tenzos was a new chain store that had sprung up—it was geared toward Supes, containing a variety of common herbal remedies for Weres and Fae alike. Branches had been opening throughout the United States in most of the larger cities.
“Good. You don’t want that getting infected. Let’s get this show on the road. We have to interrogate Jaycee.” I had my doubts about how much the sorceress would talk, but we could always let Menolly loose on her if we needed. Menolly had no compunctions about putting the strong arm on someone when we needed information.
Shade carried Jaycee into the safe room, where we cuffed her to the bedpost. Even if she got loose, she might be able to trash the room but she’d never be able to escape. As I removed the gag from her mouth, she let out what sounded like the words to a magical curse, her eyes gleaming. When nothing happened, she looked confused.
“Not gonna happen, Jaycee. Your magic won’t work in here. Face it, we’ve got you, you’re ours, and you might as well answer some questions.” I straddled a chair, leaning my elbows on the back. “Now, tell us where you guys are holed up this time.”
She let out a choked laugh. “You really think I’m going to talk? What are you, a moron in addition to being one of those stinking Weres?” She wrinkled her nose at me. “I smell cat shit.”
I cocked my head. “You know our sister Menolly’s a vampire. Tonight, she’d be more than happy to come question you, and she’s not always a very nice person.” Intimidation, I could do. Or at least a good semblance.
“You really think I’m going to turn in my partner? You’re stupider than I thought. I’m a Tregart. We know the meaning of loyalty.”
Camille joined me. “Loyalty? You’re so loyal you’d spy on Stacia Bonecrusher for Shadow Wing, wouldn’t you? You were so loyal that you set her up because your boss—Mr. Big and Mighty—thought she was a danger to him.”
At the mention of Shadow Wing, Jaycee blinked. Aha—we were right.
“We know you’re working with Shadow Wing; you might as well tell us the truth.” I stood up and motioned for Camille to stand back.
“If I’m working with Shadow Wing, what makes you think I have any intention of talking to you? I’m not getting out of here alive. I’d be an imbecile to think so. You can do what you like, but I’m not talking.”
Her bluster was real. I could see it in her eyes. She was waiting for us to kill her. Which we’d have to do. We’d never turn her to our side. Even if we did manage to secure her cooperation, we wouldn’t be able to trust that she was telling the truth.
I shoved her back on the bed. “Shade, hold her down while I search her pockets.”
Jaycee struggled, but Shade was too strong for her and I went through all her pockets, searching for anything that might help. I found her wallet and phone, and stepped back.
“No, those are mine—give them back!”
“I don’t think so.” I sat at the table with Camille and we started going through the wallet. “Our demon here has a driver’s license, and her address is printed on it. And it’s not the safe house they used last time.” I jotted down the address.
“Found her smart phone. Let’s see what we have in here…” Camille frowned. “It won’t work.”
“Remember? Most electronics won’t work in this room. Step outside and check it out.” I was still going through the various receipts and cards in Jaycee’s wallet. Camille exited the room.
“Jaycee, I see you spend a lot of time at the Energy Exchange. Care to tell me more about the club?”
“Eat me out, pussycat.” She just glared.
