Page 20

If I was going to take everything Wesley said at face value, then we could definitely use his help, and he ours. But he was a vampire, and there was a reason why Razorsedge didn’t ever allow vampires in and why Zee disliked them so much—vampires generally weren’t nice people. But neither were dragons. “I think we can help each other.”

“Really?” His face brightened.

“Yeah. We’ve noticed a few . . . unusual things too, and then something was left in our room . . .” I fished into my pocket and carefully eased out the key, just enough so that he could see but nobody else could.

“What’s that?”

“It was in our room. There’s a riddle, and we think whatever is happening here has something to do with whatever this key opens.”

“Do you think maybe it has something to do with Eddie?”

“Yeah, maybe. Some other strange things have happened⁠—”

“Hello my favorite human, and who is this?” Zee asked, draping his arm over my shoulders.

“Zee, this is Wesley.”

Wesley thrust out his hand and smiled. “Hey there.”

“Hey yourself.” Zee took his hand and gave it a quick shake, then stiffened. His sparkly eyes narrowed. “Vampire, huh? You work here?”

“No, just . . . uhm . . . just came for a drink actually. You want one?”

Zee’s eyes narrowed to even thinner slits. His tail rattled. This was about to go as well as I’d expected.

“Zee, Wesley has some concerns about this hotel like we do,” I said, without saying it too loud. The barman may have been listening in, although he was busy at the other end of the bar for now.

“Sure, I’ll get a drink if you’re buying,” Zee agreed, then dropped onto the stool on Wesley’s opposite side. “Vampire, huh?”

“Oh uh, yeah.” Wesley glanced between us, now sitting in the middle.

“Kitten, the vampire diversity box has already been ticked for our Scooby gang,” Zee said in his sing-song voice that came with an undercurrent of warning tone.

“Wesley is a local, he lives in town, and his friend has gone missing while staying in this hotel . . . in our room. I think he can help, and we can help him maybe.”

Zee side-eyed the pair of us. It was like when he’d met Victor all over again. Zee didn’t trust vampires, and probably never would. “If I were a real demon, then I’d have a problem with you.” He pointed at Wesley. “But as I’m only role-playing one, I guess I can make it work. Just so you know, if you pull any funny sucker shit, a real demon would probably have to kill you.”

Wesley paled and coughed an alarmed laugh. “What?”

Oh dear. “He’s uh . . . he’s just getting into the role, aren’t’ you Zee?”

“Sure, it’s all pretend,” he sang, then narrowed his eyes on Wesley again. “Until it isn’t.” He smiled. “I’m just messin’ with you,” he sang again. “Or am I?” Deadly serious, then a chuckle. “Who fuckin’ knows?!” Zee laughed, then cut off and narrowed his eyes again.

“Is this because of the wars?” Wesley asked us both. “I wasn’t a vampire then. I got turned a few years back. You know, when the vampires came out as real and ran that recruitment drive?”

“The one the government shut down?”

“Yeah, well, that was after I drank the Kool-Aid. I’ve got nothing to do with the old world. Hey, I even like demons.” Wesley grinned at Zodiac.

“Then we’ll get along just fine,” Zee crooned.

It was pretty clear Zee’s loose smile and the twinkle in his eye could very quickly turn vicious. He’d lashed out at Victor not long after they’d met, although Victor had provoked him too. With Zee and Victor getting along these days, I’d forgotten they were natural enemies.

“Adam. Zodiac.” Victor’s deeply delicious voice interrupted our discussion. He strode over, stopping beside me, then took a longer look at Wesley.

Wesley’s eyes grew, his mouth fell open, and he stared at Victor in stunned silence. “Oh my gosh, are you . . . No. Are you? What . . . No. Are you?”

“You’ll have to be more specific.”