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“Why should I, after all the heartache he caused you? Damn it, Ris, he walked away unharmed and unregretful.”>“Not surprising, given that everyone who knows anything is ending up dead.”
He nodded. “I did discuss Logan’s murder with his partners, but other than sussing out who’s handling his estate, I wasn’t able to get anything helpful, either about Logan or Nadler.”
I crossed my arms on the table and leaned forward a little warily. His spicy, woodsmoke scent teased my nostrils, warm and familiar. “Just as well I managed to get something, then, isn’t it?”
He raised his eyebrows. “Like what?”
“Like the names of Nadler’s three heirs.”
“Three heirs? He’s making damn sure we can’t easily track him down again.” He contemplated me for a moment, then added, “How did you manage that feat?”
“I talked to Logan’s ghost.”
He frowned. “I thought it was your mother who could talk to ghosts, not you.”
“On this plane, yes. I talked to him on the astral plane. He died before his time, so he’s stuck there rather than moving on.”
“Huh. The things you learn.” He gave the waitress a cheery smile as she arrived with our drinks. When she’d left, he added, “What are their names? I take it you’re following them up?”
I gave him the three names, then said, “We’ve initiated searches, but haven’t found anything yet.”
“I’ll see if any of my contacts can tell us anything.”
“Good. Also, could you nose around and see if there’s anyone in Melbourne selling transport charms?”
His eyebrows rose. “I may not know much about magic, but even I can tell you those things are rare. And expensive.”
“Yeah. But someone used one recently, and I want to find out where it came from.”
“This related to our quest?”
“Nope.”
“Then am I allowed to know what it’s related to?”
I hesitated. “It’s a Directorate investigation—”
“The vampire drainings.” His voice was grim. “Has to be. Not that we’re allowed to print anything about them, which stinks.”
“I can’t do anything about that.”
“Yeah, I know. I’ll ask around, but don’t expect much.” He took a drink, then licked the froth from his lips, the simple movement raising memories of other things he’d done with his tongue. Desire stirred anew, and the heated spark in his eyes grew. But all he said was, “Now, to my news.”
“And here I was thinking we’d have to dance around it some more.”
He grinned. “I thought about it, but decided to take pity on you. You really do look like crap.”
“Maybe I look that way because people keep saying it,” I grouched, and downed half the glass of beer. Which wasn’t a good thing to do on a practically empty stomach, but I was half were and it wasn’t likely to affect me the same way it would a human. I waved a hand at him. “So, give.”
“I think I may have discovered where the fake Nadler—if he is indeed our dark sorcerer—has his base of operations on West Street.”
West Street being the street where Stane was located, and the area Nadler’s consortium had bought up. But before I could say anything, Azriel popped into existence behind Jak and pressed two fingers against his temple. Jak froze instantly, but no one seemed to find this—or a half-naked, sword-bearing reaper—interesting. Azriel was obviously controlling what everyone saw again.
“What the hell are you doing?” I asked in exasperation.
Azriel raised his eyebrows, though his attention wasn’t really on me, but rather Jak. “Getting the information he holds, of course.”
“And you couldn’t get it the old-fashioned way?” I said. “You know, by actually letting him tell us?”
