The guard went back to the intercom and relayed the message. There was no response, but a few minutes later, a maid opened the door. “Follow me.”
He did and the woman led him to the mayor’s office. Lola sat at her desk. Hector sat on the far couch, playing some kind of holographic handheld game. Creek nodded. “Mayor. This will be quick.”
“Take all the time you like. I enjoy listening to apologies.”
“I’m not here to apologize.”
She frowned. “Then you’d better be here because you’ve finally brought me the information on Chief Vernadetto that I asked for.” Nothing about her demeanor was friendly. She didn’t even bother putting on her human face.
“No.” He’d gotten a file from the KM, but he had no intention of handing anything over to Lola. He’d hoped she’d forgotten about it actually. The chief had never been a problem for him or the KM and the way Creek saw it, the man already had enough trouble with Lola as the mayor. “You may have already heard, but there was a murder this evening.”
He watched her closely. If she had a pulse, it would have been much easier to use that as a gauge. “Victim was male, thirty-six years old. Died from puncture wounds on his neck and the lack of blood in his system.”
No reaction out of her. Hector muttered something in Spanish, but Creek was pretty sure it was directed at his game since his eyes had never left the action. Finally, she pursed her mouth. “A vampire. I get it. What do you want from me? I’m sure the police are doing everything they can.”
He leaned on her desk, closing the gap between them to a slim twelve inches. “Did you kill that man?”
“Now you have two things to apologize for.” Her eyes went hard silver. “Get the hell out of my office.”
He didn’t move. “Is that a no on the murder then?”
“Yes, that’s a no. Now get out.” She got up and he backed away. “Tell your people I’m done dealing with the Kubai Mata, you understand? They’ve brought nothing good to this city. Nothing.”
With a wave over his shoulder, he walked out. “You won’t have to see me again.” She wouldn’t need to. Not with Octavian in place.
Fi slipped into nice jeans, a funky off-the-shoulder sweater, and heels. Casual, but not the grungy casual she preferred. She left a message with Isaiah to let Doc know where she was, then took the elevator to the VIP level of Bar Nine.
Remo stood on the landing, waiting.
“Did you change your mind?” Even if he had decided to go out after all, she wasn’t going with him. She had boundaries, and that would be crossing a big one.
“No.” A mix of anger and disgust crossed his face. “They won’t let me into your booth. They don’t believe me.”
“Don’t feel so bad. They wouldn’t even let me in the building a few weeks ago.” She jerked her head toward the lounge. “Come on.”
The waitstaff stared openly as she walked in with Remo. She scowled at them. “I’m not sure why you denied entrance to one of your council members, but I’m going to assume it was an accident and won’t be repeated again.”
A round of nodding and mumbled agreements answered her. She walked past them to her reserved booth, sliding halfway around as Remo took the other side.
“Impressive,” he said.
She shrugged. “I don’t like that kind of nonsense.” She gazed at the patrons in the VIP section, watching them slant their eyes and sneak peeks at her and Remo. She had the sinking feeling this was going to start rumors. Great. More to deal with.
A server came to take their order. She chose bottled water. Remo ordered coffee. Interesting. She’d expected him to drink. They sat in silence until the drinks came, which was so quick, Fi knew the staff was trying to get back on her good side. The server opened her water and poured it into a chilled glass for her. Oh yeah, definitely trying to make nice.
After adding an unnatural amount of sugar to his coffee, Remo stared out at the crowd, studying them just like she was. “What do you think they’re thinking about us sitting here together?”
“Nothing good,” Fi answered quickly. “Sorry. That came out too fast.”
He laughed a little. “No, I’m sure you’re right.”
A woman in zebra-striped heels and a red dress openly flirted with Remo. Fi tipped her glass toward the woman. “That one especially.”
“Do you know her?” He raised his coffee cup to the woman, who smiled brightly in response.
“Nope. I don’t really know many of the pride members.” Her hand strayed to the open neckline of her sweater. She hadn’t exactly tried to make friends, but part of that was not knowing whom to trust.
“What’s that?”
She peered into the crowd. “What?”
“No, that.” He pointed at her. “Around your neck.”
She looked at him and realized the cord holding the vial of sand was dangling from her hand. Without thinking about it, she’d wound the thin leather around her finger. She dropped it back beneath her sweater. “Nothing.”
“It can’t be nothing or you wouldn’t wear it.”
“It’s just a memento.”
“Of what?”
“Of nothing.”
“You wouldn’t need to be reminded of nothing.”
The phrase
“Sand from the…” The slackening of his mouth told her the moment he understood. The twist of anger and sorrow in his eyes upset her, but it left his gaze as quickly as it had entered, replaced by something much darker. He held his hand out. “I’d like to have that.”
“No.” She sat back in her seat. “It means a lot to me.”
“I bet it does.” He pushed his cup away. “I should go.”
“You asked,” Fi said, but he was already walking away. She sighed and bounced her head against the padded booth. Exactly what she hadn’t wanted to happen had just happened. She’d made a bad situation worse.
Chapter Eleven
You sure about this?”
Chrysabelle met Jerem’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “I’m wearing my body armor, you’re coming with me, and I’m fully loaded.” Besides her two sacres, she had a set of short blades. The daggers Mal had given her right before they’d gone into the Dominus ball. “I need to see him.”
Jerem hadn’t been her driver long, but it was clear the bear varcolai took his job seriously. “You know the risk.”
“There shouldn’t be any. Dominic told me Mal would be incapacitated.”
He stared back at her. “And if he’s not?”
If Mal was awake and attacked her, she’d kill him. If it came to that. “Like I said, body armor, you’re coming with me, and I’m fully loaded.” Jerem shot her a look that said he didn’t believe she had it in her to take Mal down. Maybe she didn’t, but she wouldn’t know that until the situation arrived. Jerem also didn’t know she had a child to protect.
He nodded. “We should go on foot from here then. Luciano didn’t park any closer and he’s undetectable.”
They walked in silence the rest of the way to the freighter, communicating only with hand gestures and
