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“I do hope it’s not a finger.”
I grinned at Victor’s joke, and taking the heavy item from inside, I handed the box to him and carefully unwrapped the gift. Polished silver shimmered under Zee’s purple hue. I peeled more of the old rag away, revealing a silver concierge bell just like the one on Larimer’s desk. Perhaps the hotel’s original service bell?
“Remarkable.”
I handed over the bell, and watched as he turned it over in his hands, examining every sculpted curve.
“This is pure silver, Adam.”
“Why would someone hide it under the floor and then write a riddle on a key to find it?”
“It is an intriguing mystery.”
“Do you think the new vampire management are looking for this bell?”
“That is highly likely, but as for what it has to do with trapping guests in this hotel, I do not know.”
“Perhaps it’s just worth a lot of money?”
“Undoubtedly, but I do not think money is their motivation. Perhaps it’s time we reveal who we are.” He lifted his gaze to Zee’s closing crescendo. “So that I might introduce myself in an official capacity to the management.”
Zee closed out to rapturous applause, grinning and glowing like the powerful incubus he was. Seeing that smile, there was no way I could stop him from being himself.
“Hey, are you the Adam Vex?” a guest asked after approaching us.
“Uh . . . yeah?”
“You’re a real dragon, right?” His smile grew, eyes widening.
“Uhm, yes, I am, I guess.”
The young guy thrust out his hand. “You stopped that dick, Cain.”
“Well uhm, not alone,” I said, shaking his hand. “Victor and uh, Zee—”
“This is the coolest thing ever!” He shook Victor’s hand too, and waved over his friends. “Heroes of the City right here!”
It looked as though we were all coming out.
CHAPTER 7
Zee spent the next hour signing body parts and posing for outrageous photos that would end up online as soon as the storm lifted, while Victor and I fielded an endless stream of well-wishers and fans of . . . us? When I’d faced Gideon Cain, it hadn’t occurred to me that eating a villain on live TV would make me famous. I was just some guy who happened to be part of a prophecy, and now all that was over I’d foolishly thought everything would go back to the way it had been before, when nobody spared me a second glance.
I’d been wrong.
We couldn’t hide from being us, so maybe if we played to our strengths instead of trying to hide them, we could figure out what was happening at the Stephanie Hotel and then be on our way before my brother tracked us down.
Once the furor in the bar had died down and the crowds moved off, Zee joined us at our table. It was early evening, and soon the doors to all the guest rooms would probably be locked again. But we had a plan for that.
“Can I ding it?” Zee asked, eyeing the bell like a cat stalking a mouse.
“Uh, no. We don’t want anyone knowing we have it.”
“Are you feeling better, Zodiac?” Victor leaned back, arms crossed, a picture of judgement except for the hint of a smile tugging at one corner of his mouth.
“Yes I am,” Zee said with pride. He’d vanished his wings and dulled his glow after the performance, which probably meant he had himself under control again. It may have been unreasonable of us to ask him to stay in the room while he was fired up.
“What happened to staying in the room?” I asked, keeping my tone light.
