bloodshot
eyes, could I? Surely
Two of the guards stared past me as if I were beneath their notice. I felt my jaw clench, and had to
force myself not to grind my teeth. I didn’t know either of them, which surprised me. I’m fairly wel
connected in the industry. I’ve worked with most of the independents at one time or another, and most
of them have come to respect my abilities and treat me as an equal. I’d have bet half of what I was
making that they were pissed because I was a woman. I’ve dealt with the prejudice before. You’d think
I’d be used to it.
You’d be wrong.
Bob’s soft cough drew everyone’s attention while I was shaking hands with the third guard. He was
clean … or at least
“We checked the perimeter. There was evidence it had been broken by a demonic presence. Ms.
Graves put together a temporary patch, but we need to contact the authorities.”
He said my name as if he’d never met me before tonight. I might have said something, but he gave
me a quel ing look. He was probably right. The prince didn’t seem the type to appreciate socializing
among the staff, and it wouldn’t do to have the other guards pissed at
The prince’s eyes narrowed, and he gave me a long, assessing look. “My people contacted the
authorities while you were on your way up.” He turned to one of the nearest retainers, a short, square
man with blunt features and smal dark eyes. “Jean Paul, take Josef downstairs and deal with Ms.
Graves’s ‘patch.’”
The two men hustled off, not looking particularly happy. Then again, they didn’t seem the sort to be
happy about much of anything. Maybe they were paid to be surly. In which case, Josef deserved a
bonus.
Prince Rezza stared at me, trying to judge my reaction. I tried to keep it neutral but failed. His
expression darkened. “It’s being dealt with. Satisfied?” His tone was chal enging.
Not real y. I’d be more satisfied when some of the militant religious were on scene. But saying that
would just piss him off more. So would forcibly touching him. It might even create an international
incident. We’d already started off on the wrong foot, so I kept my mouth shut and gave a curt nod.
“Good.”
2
The prince hadn’t wanted to get entangled with the authorities. So we left before they arrived. I didn’t
like it. Since I was the one who’d discovered the breach, I was pretty sure they’d want to talk to me, not
Jean Paul. But it was made very clear that arguing would cost me the job. So I settled for leaving a
business card with my cel number in case they wanted to cal , along with an offer to give a statement
the next day.
So, with minimal delay we had started the prince’s night on the town. Now, at 3:00 A.M., my shift was
half-over. Thus far there had been no signs of assassins, demons, or real y much of anything. Good.
Even better, I’d managed to stay professional. That had been harder than I’d thought. The prince was
impeccably bred, ridiculously wealthy scum. I hadn’t quite been reduced to counting the minutes til I
could be away from him, but I was coming close.
We were settled in at our fourth “strip club.” I’d thought we’d reached the bottom of the barrel hours
ago. I’d been overly optimistic. Apparently things can always get worse. Even the dim lighting couldn’t
disguise that the place was filthy. The “dancers” had a desperation about them, the kind of fear you
could almost smel in the air. Their bodies were scrawny, except for one or two who’d invested in the
kind of plastic surgery that made Dol y Parton’s figure seem positively understated. None of them could
afford even the cheapest beauty charms to enhance their looks magical y, so al they had to work with
was their own assets, and most of them had been living hard for too long. They looked rough.
The theme of this place had something to do with “pussycats.” I was able to deduce this not only
because of the sign out front but also because the dancers wore cat ear headbands. The headbands
were nearly their entire costumes, along with G-strings and jewelry. The G-strings were a formality so
that liquor could be served. Pay enough for one of the private rooms and they could disappear just like
magic. Il egal as hel , of course, but I suppose that was the point. The prince was slumming, and he
seemed to be working at finding the skankiest spots in the area. Doing a damned fine job of it, too.
Honestly, were I him, I’d be worried about catching something antibiotic-resistant. Of course he was
too far gone to think of that sort of thing. He’d been imbibing various substances to excess since
before I came on shift and was blasted out of his frigging mind. Woe to his people if he wound up their
king.
I’d thought hiring me had been for publicity. But we hadn’t gone anywhere he was likely to meet
paparazzi. So maybe I actual y had been hired on the strength of my reputation. Whatever. If the
opportunity came up to work for him again, I’d be saying no.
Bob was the only other guard who showed me any kind of respect. The other two just ignored me. I
could live with that, so long as they did their jobs. Unfortunately, only one was. So, three of us stood
alert for danger, ignoring what was going on behind us. Bob was to my right. Beyond him was the
biggest, blackest man I’d ever seen, with skin like polished ebony. He was built like a refrigerator—an
slow. Instead, he could move with the sudden grace of a hunting cat. I’d seen it when one of the
bouncers made a wrong move. Blinding speed and utter ruthlessness.
I didn’t know his name. We’d finish tonight’s job and I’d never see him again. Wouldn’t break my
heart, either.
The fourth “guard” was practical y useless. At the prince’s demand he was taking pictures with an
expensive digital camera. He was young, and green enough that he’d acceded to the prince’s wishes.
Stupid. If anything went wrong, he’d be shit out of luck. The rest of us insisted on actual y doing our job.
At least as wel as we could under the circumstances.
An attorney once told me that my business contract had more restrictive clauses than some major
motion picture deals. I told him I’d learned from past experience.
If His Royal
anything else, I wasn’t liable. I protected him from violence. Period. End of story. My own morals would
