Chapter 9

With just a fewblocks to go, the traffic snarled up. I sat back, and tapped my fingers on my knee. Reynard and I hadn’t spoken since Runo. I’d probably traumatized him, which had not been my intention, since he did appear to want to help. “May I, uh... borrow your phone?”

“My phone?”

“You do have one?”

“You don’t?”

“No, I’ve never really gotten on with them.”

He reached inside his jacket. “How do you stay in touch with family and friends?”

“Well that’s simple, I don’t have any.”

He gave me an odd look, unsure if I was joking.

“I tried calling Zee back at the hotel,” I said, rushing on so I didn’t have to explain my lonely life. “But he’s not answering. I thought I might try again.” Reynard unlocked his sleek phone and handed it over. “Thank you. And I’m sorry again, for earlier. I feel like I’m asking a lot this morning, and we haven’t even reached Cain Developments yet.”

“Adam, if I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t be.”

The weight of his words suggested a deeper meaning, or it could just have been his delicious voice making every word important.

I dialed Zee’s number, but while it had rung when I’d called from the hotel, now it didn’t ring at all, just going straight to Zee’s, “Leave a fabulous message, bitches.” I ended the call and handed the phone back.

“No luck?” Reynard asked.

“No.” I drummed my fingers on my knee again. He was probably fine. It was Zee. Zee was always fine.

“Forgive me for asking, but did something happen between you?”

“No, not really... maybe... it was nothing.” He thought he’d made me horny for him, thought he’d taken advantage of me. Was that enough for him to self-destruct somewhere? I should have gone after him, should have explained it wasn’t possible for him to allure me. But then he’d have asked questions I couldn’t answer.

Reynard was still watching me, waiting for an explanation that wasn’t coming.

“Can you check his socials?”

Reynard had been about to tuck his phone away. He unlocked it again, thumb gliding over the screen. “Any preference?”

“Oh, well, he’s on all of them. Some are more explicit than others?—”

Reynard’s eyes widened. “That warning would have been helpful several seconds ago.” He swiped, swiped again, then again, eyes widening further with each new picture scorching itself into his memory. “There are few occasions when I’ve regretted having a photographic memory—this is surely one of them.”

I snickered. But he looked up, and definitely was not amused. Could this morning get any worse? “Never mind, I’ll look later.”

“Some of these images”—he turned his phone to landscape—“are surprisingly professional.”

Oh, so wait? Reynard was impressed? “He takes his work seriously.”

“This one has over thirteen thousand likes.”

“He feeds on the attention, I’m sure you know that about lust demons.”

Reynard looked up from the screen. “He feeds on social media attention?”

“Yes, it’s not just for fun. Although, he does enjoy it.”

“I had no idea he could feed virtually. That’s... remarkable.”

“He is remarkable.” Most people made the assumption, after meeting him, that he was all about sex, and he admittedly did nothing to dissuade them of that. “When was his last post?”

Reynard’s eyes narrowed, something having caught his attention.

“Lord Reynard?”

“Yes?” He looked up again. “My apologies, what did you ask?”

“When did Zee last post something?”

He cleared his throat and handed the phone over. The video playing on a loop showed Zee approaching the camera, his face out of shot, just his corset-clad torso in focus. He sauntered closer, then raised a length of chain in his fists and snapped its links out. The snap coincided with him losing the corset, revealing his oiled-up skin and the arrow tattoo pointing down his Adonis belt. Candlelight licked over his washboard abs. The money shot was just out of sight, to avoid the image being censored, but Zee knew exactly how to tease his fans, leaving them gasping for more.

And Reynard apparently, who was now studiously looking out the window.

The video was posted two days ago, probably from when he’d returned to Razorsedge. He’d told me he didn’t usually go more than a day between uploads.

“We’ve arrived,” the driver said, pulling the car to the curb.

I handed Reynard’s phone back. Our fingers brushed, and while I smiled, he did not. I was beginning to suspect he regretted joining me on this morning’s adventures. Hopefully, the worst was behind us.

I stepped out into the rain and lifted my gaze up, and up, and up the enormous glass fa?ade of a towering high-rise. One of three enormous buildings thrusting skywards out of downtown San Francisco, like giant swords.

A blast of wind whipped down the street, flapping my jacket and mussing my hair. Reynard emerged from the car too, and his hair rippled like a black flag as we climbed the steps together. Inside, the lobby echoed like a cathedral. Comfy chairs encircled glass coffee tables. Little groups of people gathered around some of the tables, casually chatting. I tagged along with Reynard to the front desk, where he confirmed our arrival, and I was marked down as Reynard’s assistant, since we didn’t want Gideon knowing Adam Vex was here.

A few moments later, a nice young woman escorted us into the elevator, and up to floor twelve, which appeared to be made up of several large, luxurious meeting rooms. After she’d offered us drinks, and made sure we were comfortable, she left, and we waited on the man whose name adorned the building. Gideon Cain. He and I had never officially met. But his actions in trying to buy the hotel out from under me, and his offers thereafter, had made an impression.

Reynard glided to the wall of glass, clasped his hands behind his back, and gazed into the clouds. There wasn’t much to see today, just a murky, grey soup. On a clear day, Gideon could probably see the hotel from this very building.

I ambled about the room, then chose a seat and tried to relax. Reynard looked good against those moody clouds. Like some ancient king, peering down at the ants below him. Perhaps he had been a king in his homeland. Although, a lord was far below even dukes and earls. Still, to arrive here, then become cut off from his life, his family—stranded among humans, potentially forever—that had to be difficult.

My heart did a little hiccup. I coughed. That was quite enough empathy for the vampire.

“Lord Reynard. What an unexpected pleasure.” The substantial man who entered was pushing fifty, but honed by age, not withered from it, with a spray of salt and pepper hair lending him a distinguished air that complemented his gunmetal grey suit. He gave me a careless smile, strode right past, and extended his hand to Reynard.

A smile warmed Reynard’s face, and they shook. “The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Cain.”

It was like looking at a gorilla and a shark smiling at each other, each knowing the other was an apex predator. It felt good, having a shark on my side for once. Even though the gorilla was twice the shark’s size. There was more to power than physical presence, and they both exuded it.

“Color me intrigued,” the property developer said, offering Reynard a seat. They did the typical dance of unbuttoning their jackets and lounging in the posh leather chairs. “When my assistant mentioned your name, I of course cleared my schedule.”

“I am grateful.”

“Do you want a drink? I can have my?—”

“That’s not necessary. It’s only a short visit.”

“Yes, indeed, what can I help you with? Are you looking to invest perhaps? We’d certainly welcome such a distinguished individual as yourself.”

“Invest in Cain Developments?” Reynard gave a soft chuckle. “Goodness, no.” If Reynard saw how Cain bristled, he didn’t show it. “Between you and me, Cain Developments is far too small a venture to warrant my attention.”

“Small?” Cain spluttered. “I see. Yet you invest in that gremlin-infested hotel?”

Reynard’s smile locked on his face. “Interesting you should mention that.”

“It’s the talk of the business community, which you would know, if you were a part of it. I tried to buy that land, did you know?”

“I am aware.”

My heart thudded. So far, Gideon had ignored me, seated off to one side. But at any moment, Reynard would tell Gideon who I was, and I wanted to see his face, to know if he was hiding a guilty conscience. I stood, and inched into the corner of his peripheral vision, with the expanse of grey windows at my back.

“Unfortunately, the article is incorrect. I don’t, in fact, own any stake in the SOS Hotel,” Reynard corrected.

“Is that so?” Gideon leaned back in his chair. “It’s unlike Noreen Greene to publish unsubstantiated gossip.”

“Why did you want the hotel, Mr. Cain?” Reynard urged.

“The land it sits on is worth a fortune. It would have been a steal, if that irritating shit and his demon sidekick hadn’t gotten in my way.”

Reynard’s dark eyes flicked to me, and that was my cue. I stepped forward, extended my hand, and smiled. “Mr. Cain, I’m Adam Vex, the ‘irritating shit’.”

A flicker of shock widened the man’s eyes first. He extended his hand anyway. Thick fingers gripped mine, and a savage blast of static shot up my arm. Warnings exploded in my mind. Run! Get away! I gasped, and yanked my hand back. “What the?—”

“Hello, Adam.” Gideon said, smirking in a wholly satisfied way.

“Adam?” Reynard enquired.

My arm tingled, half numb, half burning. “It’s nothing.” I shook the tingling out. It wasn’t nothing. Gideon Cain was a Lost One wearing powerful glamor, hiding who and what he was. I knew, because I wore the same.

“Why Mr. Vex, you are full of surprises. What are you hiding?” Gideon smirked.

I swallowed, and glanced at Reynard, who was watching the whole exchange far too closely. “Nothing. I’m not hiding anything. What are you hiding? That level of glamor is illegal.”

Cain shrugged. “Indeed, it is.” He leaned forward and fixed his wily eyes on me.

This wasn’t how this meeting was supposed to go. We had to leave. Right now. Before Gideon Cain saw any more of me. Reynard must have sensed something was very wrong. He stood, and buttoned his jacket.

“Leave me and my hotel alone, Cain,” I warned.

Reynard approached. “Adam?—”

“Did you do it?” I asked, sounding a little strained. “Where’s my security guard? What have you done with Claymore?”

“Adam.” Reynard rested his hand on my shoulder and tried to steer me toward the door, but I ducked out from under his touch and loomed over Gideon Cain, still lounging in his chair and smiling up at me like the cat who’d gotten the cream.

Cain knew something. He was definitely connected to all this. “I knew it. You can’t stand losing, can you? I bought the hotel fair and square, and because you lost, you’re going to try and ruin it. Well, you won’t. Do you hear me?”

“Adam,” Reynard warned again. “It’s time we left.”

I panted through my nose as Cain stared back, sitting in quiet, smug satisfaction. What was he? Definitely not human. And now he knew I wasn’t human either.

I’d just given my enemy my trump card.

“I suspect the hotel is the least of your concerns, Adam Vex,” Cain said. “You will sell it to me, it’s just a matter of time. Sell it now, while you’re here, and nobody needs to get hurt.”

I blinked at the brazen threat. “I’ll never sell.”

“Your stubbornness will get your friends killed.”

I thrust a finger in his face and snarled, “Touch anyone under my roof and you’ll see exactly what I’m hiding.”

Cain’s smile grew. “How is your business partner?”

The question landed like a physical blow, and staggered me back a step. “What have you done with Zee? Where is he?!” I flew in, but before I could get my hands on him a surge of vicious, bitter energy split the air between us, and darkness poured forth. It was huge, and impenetrable, and other. I sensed more than saw it. Its poisonous energy plucked at the truth of me, trying to unravel my own powerful glamor, as though it knew that’s where my weakness lay. It might have succeeded too, if Reynard hadn’t knocked me down, taking my place in its grip.

On my knees and pulled from its embrace, I could finally see it, although there wasn’t anything solid to see. The creature, made of lashing darkness, had its tendrils wrapped around Reynard, but he writhed and bucked, his face contorted in vicious rage, and as he pushed at its crushing embrace, a crackling aura of red energy beat off him in waves, pushing the smoky creature back.

Cain merely watched from the chair, unsurprised. On his finger, a signet ring throbbed.

And I knew what he was. A sorcerer. And that shadowbeast, ripped from between the veil, was under his control.

“Enough!” Reynard roared, and a blast of crackling red energy pulsed off him.

The shadowbeast shrank away, unplucking its many limbs from around Reynard one by one.

Reynard’s eyes blazed molten silver as he staggered a few steps away, raining blood-red sparks around him.

Cain clicked his fingers.

The shadowbeast lunged, slammed into Reynard, and shoved him through the windows. I saw it all in horrible slow motion. Glass exploded . . . Reynard reached out, as though to clutch at the frame... and then he was gone.

Wind and rain tore into the conference room, whipping up papers and sucking out the heat in a swirl.

I dashed to the hole, but the grey clouds had swallowed any sign of Reynard.

Cain rose to his feet. “Vampires.” He adjusted his tie. “They always believe they’re the most powerful thing in the room.”

Was he dead? Would he survive a fall like that? I turned, and with the wind tearing at me from behind, I fixed Cain in my sights.

He sauntered over and stopped in front of me. With the broken window at my back, all it would take was a shove, and I’d be gone the same way as Reynard. I watched for it, because if he moved, I’d drag him down with me.

“Understand this. I don’t want you dead, Adam Vex. I just want what is rightfully mine.”

“You will never get it.”

“Sign over the deed and save your demon. Don’t, and he dies. He has three days before he starves to death.” Cain breathed in and glanced over my shoulder, into the swirling grey. “There are two reasons to wear the glamor you wear. Either because you’re prey, or because you have a measure of power that will incite the humans to destroy you. Which is it, Vex?”

“If you hurt Zee?—”

Cain laughed, cutting me off. “They don’t know what you are. It’s best you and I keep it that way.”

He couldn’t know either. Not from a single touch. But he was powerful and he might just figure me out. I’d made a terrible mistake in coming here. I’d underestimated this man, who wasn’t a man at all, but a sorcerer of the highest order.

“Time is ticking on your demon. I’ll assume you can show yourself out.” He left the conference room, so I stood alone, shivering from the cold.

Gideon Cain had won.

For now.