Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

They met Ella on the street across from the office building where the Boston Night Court's human servants acted as their proxy during business hours. The building overlooked the water, and Wade could smell the saltiness of the sea on the air. It made him want fish and chips.

He squinted up at the building, shielding his eyes from the sun with one hand. "What kind of business does a vampire like Abby Boy run?"

"Who knows? We don't pry. We just try to steer clear of his territory and guard our own," Ella said.

"It's got to be a shell company of some sort."

"You seem awfully interested in how Abhartach makes his money."

Wade scowled. "I'm just curious if it's through drugs or trafficking or white-collar crime. I'm not above snitching to the government."

"It doesn't matter. His human servants will never disclose proprietary information."

"You sound like a lawyer."

Ella shrugged. "I was going to be one before I got mauled and became infected with the werevirus. But the law isn't going to help us with Niall, so let's deal with the human servants and figure out if their master is still running around free."

She gestured at the three god pack werecreatures who had arrived with her for this unexpected visit. Everyone's wolf-bright amber eyes were hidden behind sunglasses, and while they didn't look like they could probably bench-press a car, Wade knew looks could be deceiving.

Ella stalked her way across the street, her pack following her. Wade and the selkies straggled after them. They signed in at the front security desk, though Wade only put down his initials. Then they took the elevator up to the twelfth floor, stepping off it into a hallway that held quite a few suites.

"We want Sanguine Associates," Ella said, already turning left.

Wade shrugged and followed her, content to let her take the lead on this little trip—right up until he got a whiff of a scent that was all too annoyingly familiar.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," he growled.

Riordan glanced over at him. "What's wrong?"

"A blast from the past."

"Good or bad?" Donal asked.

Wade didn't answer and pushed his way to the front of their little group without using his elbows, but just barely. Ella made a surprised sound, which he ignored, lengthening his stride to reach the office they were heading to first. He gripped the knob and pushed the door open, stepping inside, practically vibrating with indignation.

"What are you doing here?" Wade demanded, pointing his finger at the visitor who'd reached the business first and who apparently wasn't alone.

Carmen turned away from the pair of fae she was facing off against in front of a reception desk manned by a pale-faced human servant. She looked at them, and her lips curved in a sultry smile. Naheed, one of Lucien's favored human servants, stood at her side in bodyguard mode. "I could ask the same of you."

The succubus was gorgeous in a way that always creeped Wade out. Carmen's glamour never worked on him, but he'd been told it was too perfect, every curve of her body meant to play off her sexual nature. Her true self was still beautiful, black horns curving back over her skull and the riot of black curls that fell to her waist. One horn was broken in half, the damage attained during the Battle of Samhain. She'd covered it with a silver cap inlaid with rubies. The dark red pupils in her brown eyes would always mark her as other, the same way as Wade's reptilian pupils would if he showed them. The sexual desire Carmen almost always exuded to some degree to entice men and women and anyone else into her bed always made his nose itch.

"We thought you'd left the country."

"My Night Court's business is no longer yours."

"Yeah? It's gonna be if you're trying to take over the Boston Night Court. Where's your uglier half?"

"Watch your mouth, or I will take offense." Carmen tilted her head, placing one hand on her hip as she eyed him, her gaze tracking to the others who joined him in the reception area like a party none of them were invited to. "These aren't members of your pack."

"Nope, and they're not yours to mess around with. Try, and I will eat you."

"I do so like being eaten," Carmen purred.

Wade rolled his eyes because of course she'd make anything sexual. "Take the threat for what it is."

"My, how you've grown. Your threats are meaningless, and there is nothing tying your pack to my Night Court any longer."

"I didn't come here for you. I came to speak with Abby Boy about a problem."

Carmen reached up and playfully tapped her index finger against her chin. "Is it the same one these oh-so-generous fae have come to discuss and swear they mean no harm about?"

Her smile remained, but her gaze grew cold as she turned to focus on the fae, dismissing Wade and his little group. He wasn't offended, only because he knew Carmen believed everyone was beneath her and Lucien.

Wade crossed his arms over his chest, scowling at her before directing his ire at the two fae who were staring down their noses at everyone. "Are you with Lady Caith?"

"As the Lady Carmen said, it's not your business," the fae with rose-pink hair said.

" Carmen ?" Riordan exclaimed, echoed by Donal and Saoirse.

Wade glanced at the selkies, wincing at their horrified expressions, which told him they probably knew who Carmen was and who she worked for. "She's no lady."

Carmen placed one hand on her ample chest, smirking at him. "I'm wounded."

"Clearly not enough." Wade jerked his thumb at the fae he didn't like. "They're causing problems in Boston."

"That is no concern of mine."

"It is if you're friendly with Abby Boy. Niall's gunning for his territory." The fae glared at him, and Wade smiled back, showing off his teeth. It was too late now to hide his presence in Boston from Niall or that he was working with Riordan's clan and Ella's god pack now that these two fae had seen him. "Tell me I'm wrong?"

"We are here to discuss a private matter with the master vampire of the Boston Night Court," the second fae said evenly.

Wade caught Carmen's gaze and raised an eyebrow. "Territory fight."

Carmen focused on the fae, the coyness gone from her expression, replaced by a predatory intent Wade remembered all too well from the times he'd had to fight by her side. "Is that so?"

The fae probably thought they could've bullied the human servant into doing what they wanted if they could get past the wards Wade sensed in the walls, but there was definitely no bullying their way past Carmen. The fae sized up the problem in front of them and promptly left without another word, clearly choosing to live another day. Wade watched them go, frowning deeply, before he returned his attention to Carmen. "No, seriously, why are you here? Why aren't you in Mexico or some other country? Tell Lucien South America misses him. He can go visit his cartel."

" Lucien ?" Ella squeaked out from behind Wade, finally clueing in on who Carmen's boss was.

"Where's the rest of your misbegotten pack?" Carmen asked, bypassing his question.

"Not here for you to annoy," Wade retorted.

"A pity." Carmen's gaze slid from him to everyone standing behind him. "Who are your friends?"

"What's it to you?"

Carmen smiled, nothing about it nice. Nope, Wade hadn't missed dealing with her at all. "You're here for Abhartach."

Wade made a face. "So?"

"We consider him an acquaintance."

Which, for Lucien, was probably as close to an ally as he'd get among vampires. It also meant that Niall would probably regret targeting Abhartach. Wade knew Lucien always considered territory fights and murder a good time.

Wait a minute.

Wade steepled his fingers together beneath his chin, eyeing Carmen contemplatively. "We need an introduction to Abby Boy."

"I'm not the one you should be asking."

"But you and Lucien could vouch for us."

"And why would we do that?"

"Because you both like money."

Wade made a mental note to apologize to Sage and Marek's personal accountant for the money he was about to drop. It would be worth it if it got their little group an audience with the master vampire of Boston's Night Court—even more if they managed to convince the blood-sucking asshole to fight against Niall with them. He was pretty certain if they offered up Niall's territory to Abhartach, then the master vampire would maybe strike up a bargain. It would piss off Lady Caith, but oh well. She'd be the one who would have to deal with the Boston Night Court on her doorstep, not Riordan and his clan.

Carmen hummed thoughtfully. "It's that important to you to see him?"

"Does it matter?"

She tossed back her head and laughed. "No. We'll escort you to Abhartach for a price. His proxy will see to it you're on the list to be seen tomorrow night."

Wade sighed heavily and pulled out his phone. "I was hoping it'd be tonight, but fine. What's your price?"

"Five hundred."

"Please tell me there are no commas involved with that number."

"Oh, fledgling. You know us better than that. Five hundred thousand. I'll give you the wire number when you're ready."

Ella grabbed him by the wrist, leaning in close with a fierce frown. "Wade, no."

"It's fine," Wade promised. He knew how not to make bargains these days, and he definitely knew how to deal with Carmen—pay for her next season's wardrobe and give her someone to kill and she'd be happy.

"Doubly enjoyable for us, as I know it will annoy Patrick," Carmen drawled.

Wade contained his wince. That was so very true, and Patrick was going to yell at him the second he got finished with his trial and whatever new case the SOA wanted his expertise for. "Just give me your wire number."

Like Patrick and Jono, Wade had access to a bank account Sage had set up for the four of them outside the one used for pack tithes. Last he checked, it had a little over two million dollars in it, meant to be used for situations like this. Marek had funded quite a bit of their needs during the nearly two years of lead-up to the Battle of Samhain, and Sage had simply continued that after they got married.

Wade never hurt for money, but he really only used it to buy snacks. The half a million dollars he was wiring to Carmen was going to be flagged and notifications sent off to their accounting people. As soon as he was done with the transfer, he shot off a text in the four-person group chat that was at the top of his list of ongoing text messages.

That money transfer was from me. Don't worry about it.

He shouldn't have been surprised that Jono ended up calling. Wade frowned down at his phone before swiping to end the call and sending another text.

Seriously. Don't worry. I'm fine.

Answer your damn mobile.

Jono called again, and Wade knew better than to ignore it this time, so he answered. "Heeey, so?—"

"What the bloody hell do you need half a million dollars for?" Jono demanded.

"Not anything illegal!" Wade paused. "Mostly."

"Try again, mate. What is going on in Boston?"

"Nothing I can't handle."

"That's not an answer."

"The wolf sounds annoyed," Carmen mused. "I see some things haven't changed."

Wade made a cutting gesture across his throat with one hand, but it was too late because Jono had clearly heard her. Jono's side of the line went quiet for two seconds before he snarled, "Is that Carmen ?"

"No?" Wade replied, unable to help the uplift in his voice that turned his answer into a question.

" Wade ."

"Okay, okay, look. There's a fae running around taking leaders of the preternatural and supernatural communities up here hostage in exchange for control over territory and more people. We have a lead, and Carmen just happened to be in the same location."

"We? Who is we?"

"Uh, Ella? Dire to the Boston god pack. And Riordan. He's a selkie." Wade glared at Carmen as he kept talking, annoyed by the way she just kept smirking. "We need to talk to an Irish vampire who doesn't even have a phone. Who doesn't have a phone in this day and age? I bet he doesn't even have a computer?—"

"Wade."

"Yeah, okay. Anyway, he might be a target, and Carmen says she and Lucien consider him a friend?—"

"Acquaintance," Carmen corrected.

"Coming from you and Lucien, that's like best friend material," Wade shot back before refocusing on his conversation with Jono. "Look, Jono. I have it under control. I'll call if I need anything."

"I'm going to send some of the others up to you," Jono said.

"I can handle this. Don't send anyone. Ella won't appreciate that, and I already warned Carmen I'd eat her if she does anything funny."

"You can try," Carmen said. "Tell Patrick we said hello, wolf."

"And we're saying goodbye," Wade said hastily before Jono got any more pissed off. "I'll call you later. Promise. Bye!"

He ended the call and shoved the phone back into his pocket. Carmen smirked at him before half turning to talk to the human servant manning the front desk. "Tell Abhartach we're bringing guests tomorrow night."

"I will inform our master of your request when he wakes," the other woman said.

"It's not a request. He'll understand that." Carmen turned to eye Wade before smirking at him again. "We'll see you at Abhartach's absinthe bar after sunset tomorrow night. Naheed will give you the address. As always, a pleasure doing business with you."

Wade crossed his arms over his chest and scowled at her. "Fine. We'll be there. You better not stand us up."

Carmen sauntered out of the office. Naheed paused only long enough to tell Wade the address of the bar before following after her charge. Riordan came to stand beside him, his arm brushing against Wade's, the touch drawing most of his attention.

"How are you on a first-name basis with Lucien and Carmen?" Riordan asked, staring at the door Carmen had left out of.

"It's a long story and one better told over lunch."

"Then let's get out of here. I think lunch is a good idea," Ella said. She peered around Wade at the human servant. "Apologies for the disruption. We'll be leaving now."

She was polite, all Southern manners, even if she wasn't deferential. Wade hadn't even thought to apologize, but Sage probably would have. Maybe. "Yeah, thanks."

"Never say thank you," Riordan said with a pained expression before snagging Wade by the elbow and hustling him out of the office.

"She's not fae," Wade protested.

"But Niall's people were here, and we don't know for how long or what they were discussing with Carmen before we arrived. So, never say thank you."

"My mama wouldn't stand for that," Ella said from behind them.

They all left the office, and Wade wasn't surprised to see that Carmen and Naheed were nowhere to be found. Neither were the fae. He chewed on his bottom lip, walking with the others back to the elevator. He wasn't sure what Niall would do once he found out Ella and Riordan had found some help, but hopefully, he would make a mistake.

They made it to the street, but rather than head for where they'd parked, Ella walked off in the opposite direction. "We're getting tacos."

Wade immediately perked up. "I love tacos!"

"I think you love any kind of food," Saoirse said.

"Yes," Wade agreed heatedly. "So long as it isn't demon-flavored."

Riordan just stared at him in disbelief for several steps before shaking his head. "So you eat things. Carmen called you fledgling. What exactly are you?"

"Hungry."

Wade didn't miss the way Riordan shared a look with Donal and Saoirse, but the other man didn't press the issue, which he thought was nice. Ella snorted delicately but clearly wasn't going to give up whatever information she thought she had on him. She determinedly led the way two blocks over, past a bunch of office workers out on their lunch breaks, to a restaurant that had indoor and outdoor seating and smelled like grilled meat.

They weren't the only ones in line, but their orders were probably going to back up everyone else's behind them. Ella and her pack members each got a dozen tacos, while Riordan and his siblings stuck with half a dozen Baja fish ones. Wade smiled at the person manning the register when he finally reached her and rattled off his order.

Her finger hovered over the screen of her register as she stared at him. "Three dozen tacos?"

"Yup," Wade said. "And a soda."

"Is this a catering order?"

"Nope. All for me."

She didn't look like she believed him, but she dutifully took down his order, and he paid it, taking the little number stand and to-go cup with him over to the soda machine. He poured himself a Coke and then headed through the doors that led to the outside patio and the table the others had claimed. Ella and her pack members still wore their sunglasses, hiding their eyes.

The spot next to Riordan had been left open at the end, and Wade promptly took it, swinging his legs over the bench. The restaurant tables all had benches rather than chairs, lending itself to a more parklike feel than a stuffy place to eat. The colorful paper cut-out flags that looped overhead from a high pergola fluttered in the sluggish breeze.

Saoirse, sitting on the other side of Riordan, craned her head around to eye him. "Are you really going to eat all those tacos you ordered?"

"Yes," Ella and Riordan answered for him in unison, the pair sharing an exasperated look over the table.

Wade laughed. "I'm not sharing if that's what you're asking."

"No," Saoirse said. "I'm just trying to figure out where you put it all."

"That's a question even my pack can't answer."

Truthfully, Wade was just always hungry. He knew it had to do with mass—shifted or not—and his true form. Whatever inherent ability allowed him to shift from dragon to human and back again didn't mean he had a human-sized need when it came to food. He was a growing dragon, as Patrick liked to sigh over every time he had to pay the credit card bill.

Ella leaned forward, peering at Wade over the top of her sunglasses. When she spoke, her voice was barely louder than a whisper to account for the people around them, but Wade heard her clearly anyway. Besides, he'd have warned her if he smelled any kind of threat. Mostly, it was just mundane humans on their lunch breaks. "I won't have my pack owing you. We can't afford half a million dollars for what amounts to an entrance fee to a bar."

"You don't have a debt with us. We hate those," Wade said seriously, thinking about Patrick's soul debt, which had been the catalyst for everything they'd all gone through. "This is a no-strings-attached payment I'm handling to help all of you. We need to know if Abby Boy has been taken or targeted, and if he's still around, I want to try to convince him to go after Niall."

"Ambitious," Donal said from the other side of Saoirse.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend. My pack and I have played this game before, and it usually works out."

"Usually isn't always," Riordan said, shifting on the bench. His thigh pressed up against Wade's and stayed there, his touch warm through both their jeans. Wade had to squash the urge to lean into the touch, a little panicky way deep down that he'd even thought about wanting it in the first place.

"Uh," Wade said, trying to find his train of thought again. "I mean, we still won?"

Riordan snorted, but there wasn't any judgment in his eyes or his smile. And he had a really nice smile.

Wade wanted to keep him.

Hoarding tendencies were the worst sometimes.

"Abhartach can't be trusted," Ella said.

Wade rolled his eyes. "I know that . I'm not asking you to trust him. But if we have Niall focusing on the problem of a pissed-off master vampire, that gives us time to search for where your alphas are being kept and where Saoirse's skin might be."

Ella sat back, frowning thoughtfully. "I suppose divide and conquer is as good of a plan as we can hope for."

" Thank you. Oh, I think our tacos are coming."

Wade watched hopefully as a few servers weaved through the tables over to theirs, holding plates of tacos set in little stands with three V-shaped dips in them to hold them in place. Wade shoved his soda cup to the side to make room, watching happily as three plates were set down in front of him.

"The rest of your order is coming," the server said.

"Great." Wade piled up the taco stands on one plate. "You can take those back so there's room for the rest."

The smell of street tacos had his mouth watering, and Wade promptly picked up one and ate it in two bites. They were overflowing with meat, onions, and cilantro, but that wasn't a problem for him. Once he had his entire order, he methodically ate his way through the tacos at a pace the others didn't even try to keep up with. Even though he had ordered more than the others, he still finished before them, licking grease off his fingers instead of using a napkin.

He was thinking about maybe getting back in the line to order another couple of tacos when Riordan passed over his last Baja fish taco, dressing dripping out the end from the slaw. "Here. Eat this if you're still hungry."

Wade grinned at him. "Thanks!"

He took the Baja fish taco and promptly devoured it, then started on demolishing the communal chips and salsa bowls everyone else was ignoring in the center of the table.

"Those fae will most likely tell Niall that I've managed to find help despite the spell on me and the others. The same goes for you as well, Riordan. Niall will know by tonight you've got help," Ella said.

"Will you leave your territory to keep him from finding you?" Wade asked.

Ella shook her head. "No. We still need to be available for other packs under our protection."

"I'd send the kin into the sea, but Lady Caith didn't lie about something residing in the deep," Riordan said slowly.

Wade paused in picking up a chip, looking at him. "Oh?"

"There's a danger in the ocean. She's right about that. It feels off." Riordan paused, frowning slightly. "It sounds off."

"I can't help you in the sea. But if you don't think it's safe for your people, and you don't want them to stay here, you can always send them out of Boston. Do you have any place they can go to ground at?"

"Bolt holes here in Boston. Salem, maybe, as a last resort, but I still think that's too close to Niall's reach."

"If you're worried about anyone in particular, send them to New York City. My pack can see to their safety until we fix this problem."

"We aren't werecreatures."

"Neither is Patrick. I'd like to see Niall try to go up against my alphas."

It'd be a bloodbath, and none of it would come from Patrick or Jono. Niall would have to be phenomenally stupid to fight the New York City god pack. They had a reputation for a reason these days. It's what had made the five boroughs safer, actually, after the Battle of Samhain. Most of the alliances they'd brokered still held, and the divide between groups within the preternatural and supernatural communities were definitely narrowed these days or gone completely.

"We'll see," Riordan said, promising nothing. Which was fine with Wade. The offer was out there, and that was all that mattered.

"If we're going to that bar tomorrow night, we'll need to figure out a plan beyond one enemy against the other. I don't trust who will be getting us inside," Ella said.

"We can go back to my hotel room. I have plenty of space. I doubt Niall knows where I'm staying," Wade said.

"Yet," Saoirse muttered from down the table.

"He'll probably try to figure out who you are. That puts you in danger," Riordan said.

Wade shrugged. "He can try, and then I'll just eat him."

Ella crumpled up her napkin and drank the rest of her beer in two long swallows. "Will your hotel room even fit all of us?"

"It's the penthouse in the Ritz-Carlton. If we get hungry, I can have the chef make us snacks and send them up."

Ella stared at him for a moment before shaking her head. "All right, let's go."

They left their empty plates on the table and made their way out of the restaurant. Wade thought Riordan would stick with his siblings but was pleased when the other man decided to ride with him again. It eased the twitchiness he got whenever Riordan was out of sight, which had been maybe twice today. He'd known the selkie for less than twenty-four hours, and already Wade didn't want him to be beyond arm's reach.

Maybe it was a dragon thing he didn't yet know about, this desire to keep Riordan close. It was similar to the way he always liked being with his pack and knowing where they were, but different in that none of them had ever made him itch to curl close to Riordan and just hold on.

Just keep him.

Wade got behind the steering wheel and watched Riordan get settled in the front passenger seat. Without his jacket on and in just a T-shirt, it was easy to see how muscular he was. Wade found himself staring at Riordan's shoulders and forearms as he buckled up, noticing there were freckles on his skin there too.

"Something on my shirt?" Riordan asked.

Wade blinked and shook his head, wrenching his gaze away. "Uh, no. Just thinking."

About you. About how I think I want to kiss you.

Ooh, maybe time to call his therapist.

He started the car and backed out of the parking spot, keeping his eyes on the mirrors rather than meeting Riordan's gaze, which he could feel staring at him.

"Thank you, by the way, for helping us. I can't speak for Ella, but my clan appreciates it."

"Sure. I wasn't going to walk away from this once I knew what was going on."

"Other people would."

Wade snorted. "I'm not other people."

"Yeah, I'm starting to see that." Riordan sounded quietly thankful, and his scent, when Wade breathed it in, was salt-tinged relief threaded through with the cologne he wore.

Without thinking about what he was doing, Wade reached over and patted Riordan on the knee. "We'll free Casey and Harper, and we'll get your sister's sealskin back. I promise."

Riordan's fingers wrapped around Wade's wrist before he could pull away, grip gentle, warm fingertips resting right against his now-pounding pulse. "You shouldn't make bargains with fae."

"Bargains don't work on me," Wade managed to get out in a voice that wasn't strangled. Ha. Go him. "And I'll do whatever I want if it'll keep you and the others safe."

Riordan said nothing to that, but neither did he let go of Wade, shifting his grip to fold his fingers around Wade's and hold his hand for the entire drive back to the hotel.

Wade was just glad he didn't crash the car.