Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

We checked Noreen Greene into the hotel, and gave Madame Matase subtle instructions to keep an eye on her. After checking that I was still breathing and hadn’t died in the past few moments, Victor took his new obsession—the Gideon Cain file—into the conference room with instructions to be left alone, where he began to pour over it, leaving me and Zee to sit in the depressingly empty bar.

“I miss Tom,” I said, after a few minutes of silence. Even the jukebox was quiet, and that was rarely quiet for long.

“Yeah.” Zee nodded and sighed hard. “He was borderline in-fuckin’-sane, and a drug dealer, but who isn’t in this town?”

“You know, back in Agatha’s workshop, there were these smoky beings in jars,” I said, recalling the moments before I’d been stabbed. “Agatha had one attack me, but I saw its eyes and its heart wasn’t in it. They reminded me of when Tom Collins appeared in Agatha’s aquarium lab—kind of solid but not solid. They had the same strange glow. Do you think they were djinn too?”

“It would fit, right? I mean, Cain has others do all his bad shit for him. So someone took Tom Collins from his home, wiped his memory, and shoved him in an AI bartender unit for pick- up later. There’s no way Mr. Evil Sorcerer is going to dirty up his thick fingers with that shit.”

“You think Agatha did it?” I asked.

“I don’t know... maybe. She was into trading body parts. But she’s dead now so...” He slumped against the bar and sighed with his whole body. “Who am I gonna get my fix from now?”

The bar lights flickered. Just a little blip—a blink, and they were back.

“Did we pay the electric bill?” I wondered aloud.

“If you gotta ask me then imma say no.”

“I’m sure Madame Matase?—”

The lights cut out altogether, but the jukebox glowed its neon hues, and with a clunk-click, began playing “The Only Way is Up” by Yazz—another track I had no idea was in its library. Did they even use records in that era?

“You’re hearing this, right?” Zee asked, his face barely visible in the gloom, and only lit by the jukebox’s candy colors. “I’m not fuckin’ high from whatever Tom put in my drink?”

He hadn’t had a drink. We’d been at the hospital all day.

The lights blazed back on. Which is more to say they sort of blinked into hazy existence from old bulbs, and buzzed like they might explode or cut off again.

Which was weird. Even for us.

“Gremlins?” I wondered.

“They fix shit now, they don’t break it.”

Zee pushed to his feet and ambled toward the jukebox. The track cut off, the jukebox clacked mechanically, and another track began to play—“Don’t Leave Me This Way . ” I got to my feet too, just as the lights flickered. “Hold on...” Poking my head out the bar door, everything seemed normal in the foyer, and Madame Matase confirmed the lights were all fine. Whatever was happening, it was isolated to the bar.

I joined Zee at the jukebox just as it began to play “Don’t You Forget About Me . ”

“It’s possessed,” he said. “These tracks aren’t even in its library. Look, it’s not even picking up a record. It’s riffing.”

“Eighties classics?” Victor asked, pushing through the bar door. He must have heard the weirdness from the foyer.

“Of course you’d know the era.” Zee rolled his eyes.

“I Want to Break Free” by Queen was up next.

The jukebox was only playing snippets of songs, not even the whole tracks... almost as though it was trying to communicate.

“What has it played so far?” Victor asked.

I recited the list.

“The first one was ‘The Only Way is Up?’” Victor asked.

“Yeah . . .”

The jukebox clunked and the opening of that same track began to play a second time, as though it could hear us.

The lights went out.

“Look up,” Victor said.

I did. Neon words glowed, scrawled across the ceiling in some kind of pen.

Gone to Cain’s mansion.

Don’t fuck up my bar.

Wait for my signal.

Tom.

Wait... Tom had allowed Sebastien to take him?

“Oh my fuck, our bartender is a genius.” Green neon light illuminated Zee’s grin. “He planned it.”

Victor nodded. “It does appear that way.”

The lights blazed back on.

“If Tom gets into Cain’s electrics from inside his home,” Victor mused aloud. “There’s no limit to the chaos he might cause.”

“Like a pissed-off virus made of sass and spite,” Zee agreed.

We’d already seen how formidable Tom could be when unleashed from behind the bar. Even restrained as an AI, Tom was smart, quick, and potentially brutal. And he had a motive. “Do you think he’s gone there because Gideon Cain stole his life?”

“Oh, for sure.” Zee nodded.

“In all likelihood, yes,” Victor said. “He listened to us for hours and would dispense advice, some of it unwanted. However, there has always been a contemplative part to him that few saw. If he spotted an opportunity to get revenge, he would take it.”

And that opportunity was Sebastien.

“Wow.” Zee huffed a laugh, impressed. “I am never going to bitch about his prices again.”

“This could be our opportunity too.” Victor ambled behind the bar, taking the place of temporary barman like he had when Tom Collins had gone AWOL before. “If Tom is able to create enough disarray, there’s a chance we may be able to get inside Cain’s home undetected.” He casually grabbed the whiskey bottle and poured me a shot, then set about making Zee some kind of fancy iced drink in a tall, thin glass.

Zee took the drink, wet his lips with it and brightened. “You are full of surprises.” And now the pair of them were on the same track. “Vampires are made for sneaky shit.” His gaze locked on Victor. “Creep in like the slippery shadow daddy you are, find Adam’s bead, sneak out again and nobody has to know. I’ll be there with Shareen if shit does go sideways. I am liking this plan... Adam?”

Hunger for vengeance made Zee’s eyes shine. Victor’s too.

“You’ll only be able to get it if Gideon isn’t wearing it,” I said. It was good seeing them bonding over battle plans, but the risks involved in going to Gideon Cain’s mansion were many. “If he’s going to take it off, it’ll be when he’s sleeping.”

Victor nodded. “Then we’ll need to locate his bedroom suite.”

There was no stopping them. The plan had formed, and they were doing this.

“What about wards?” I asked. “You can’t wear both rings at the same time, and there will be wards.”

“I do not intend to harm Gideon Cain... not this night,” Victor said. “I merely mean to take back what is rightfully yours, Adam. And should there be anti-theft wards, well, it is not stealing when the item does not belong to him. As Tom Collins often reminded us, wards have loopholes.”

“We just gotta wait for Tom’s go-ahead.” Zee plucked his phone from his pocket. “Gah, no signal. Wait here, I’ll check it down the street.” He poofed out of the bar, leaving me sipping spicy whiskey as Victor fixed himself a cup of Irish tea.

“It’s a long shot,” I said after mulling over their crazy plan.

“Perhaps. But with Tom’s help, it may succeed. Having a djinn masquerading as an AI inside the building’s electrics gives us the upper hand. Couple Tom’s presence with an invisibility ring, and we have a chance. Gideon Cain may not see us coming.”

“Did you just make a joke?”

“Unlikely.” He smiled.

“You know, you rarely smile when Zee is around.”

“Where’s the mystery if I did?”

I chuckled into my whiskey then rubbed my sore shoulder.

“How are you feeling?”

“About the plan? I don’t like it.” There were too many unknowns. But mostly, I didn’t like that they’d be going without me. The last few days and my hospital stay had proven I was terrible at being human, though.

“I meant generally.”

“Oh, I’m okay. Tired. Grumpy. Maybe a tiny bit scared? Stopping Cain is a long shot.”

“You know what else is a long shot?” Victor’s soft voice had me looking up from the golden swirl of whiskey in my glass to find his gaze sympathetic and his smile gentle. “A vampire falling in love with an incubus and a human of questionable origins.”

My own smile had a mind of its own and grew, despite the nerves writhing inside me. “That does seem unlikely.”

“Yet, it’s true.” He reached across the bar. Firm fingers gathered mine and gently squeezed. “Amazing things can and do happen. It is time for you to be restored to your full glory.”

I still wasn’t sure what my full glory meant in a human city like San Francisco. “You can’t go up against Cain, Victor, especially if he’s found a way to use my power.” I didn’t want to say the words, but Cain would kill him. “Will you promise me at the first sign of trouble, you and Zee will get out of there? Don’t fight him.”

He held my gaze, sensing the importance of his answer. “I have no intention of ending things at Gideon’s hands. If the plan appears unlikely to succeed, I will indeed call it off.”

“Are you and Zee going to be alright together?”

“Zodiac and I are...” A whole array of emotions briefly flickered across his face, but eventually settled on a soft, peaceful smile. “We may not agree on many things?—”

“On anything.”

He bowed his head. “On most things. But when it comes to the matter of saving you, we have never been more united.”

They’d be formidable—Vampire and demon—an impossible duo. But they were also both stubborn, and might go too far. I couldn’t lose them, not even to maybe save the world. I squeezed Victor’s hand in mine. “Give me your word you’ll come back.”

“You have it. My word, my heart, and my battered soul, for all it is worth.”

“Alright.” They had Tom too, and I already knew he was an unforgiving, potion-wielding badass. “Go get Tom and my power back.”

Zee poofed back into the bar. “He-llo, we are cookin’.” He showed me the text message on his phone that read: Cain mansion is open to the public. Like taking candy from a baby. Leave a generous tip on the bar. “Let’s go.” Zee’s gaze fell to my hand in Victor’s and his face softened. He squeezed my unharmed shoulder, then slammed a kiss on my forehead. “Stay here. Be safe. Shadow Daddy and the Best Fuckin’ Demon have got this.”

“I will stay right here,” I said, showing them my whiskey.

Zee ushered Victor into motion, and they made for the door together, discussing where to park the Love Wagon , what weapons to take, and the best method of getting blood out of clothing.

It was good that they were getting along so well, but we’d always done everything together—the three of us. We were stronger as three. But right now, feeling like a fragile glass ornament, I was more of a hindrance than a help.

The hotel fell quiet around me, the bar even more so. No customers. No bartender.

I wasn’t the only one missing my heart. The hotel was hollow too.

I needed to get my power back.

It had to happen, right? Else what was the point of the prophecy? My heart was supposed to save the world... or doom it. Hm, that last option wasn’t great. If Gideon Cain found a way to tap into my power, he’d definitely doom us all.

But this wasn’t just about me.

Victor and Zee really were out there, trying to save my power and the world—like true heroes.

“Erm, Adam, darling?” Madame Matase poked her head around the bar door. “You should see this.”

What was it now? A rampaging werewolf in the yard, pixies in the pipes? Maybe Princess Daisy wanted a room? I chuckled to myself, meandered around the vacant tables, and pushed through the bar door, entering the lobby.

A line of Lost Ones stretched from the front desk and out the main doors. They waited patiently, bags at their sides. Trolls, fae, I even spotted Abe—the werewolf who had helped us dispatch Victor’s wife—and some demons from Razorsedge. Why were they all here?

“Uh... Madame Matase?” Scooting up to her side behind the desk, I rubbed the back of my neck and plastered a confident grin on my face. “What’s going on?”

“It seems our resident reporter ran a story on Gideon Cain, exposing some of his less savory dealings. Mrs Greene mentioned the SOS Hotel was the only safe sanctuary . Now, all these people want to stay,” she said, looking up with big dark eyes.

“All of them?” I squeaked. Noreen had acted fast .

She nodded, smiled tightly too. “Darling, do we have enough rooms?”

I had no idea, but we’d squeeze them in somewhere. “Oh, I’m sure we can work something out.” I was going to need Claymore’s help with the bags, and some of the kitchen staff, and maybe even Chef étrange—he had multiple arms for multiple bags. We’d find a way. We could do this. We were ready. This was the night we’d been preparing for. The SOS Hotel was on the map!

“Everyone!” I clapped my hands together, getting the attention of our new guests. “Welcome to the SOS Hotel. Please be patient as we get you all checked in.”

“We’re safe here, right?” one of the fae near the front of the line asked.

“Oh yes, very safe. Our wards cover all the hotel grounds.” And a whole lot more.

Smiling faces stretched back through the line. Noreen’s article had them spooked, and rightly so. Gideon’s act was beginning to crumble, just like mine had. Now we’d see his true colors.

But in the meantime, I had one important job to do: make sure everyone under our roof felt safe.