Kami flicked her gaze to the beast currently devouring a bag of pretzels. “I don’t suppose your favor involves three heads and an Olympic-Sized pool of acidic slobber.”
I clasped my hands in front of me. “Speaking of funny stories…”
Kami raised a hand. “Save it. She’s cute. I’ll take her.”
“I owe you one.” I whistled and Trio trotted over to us. “Trio, this is your new friend, Kami. She’s going to take good care of you.”
Kami grunted. “Don’t expect a warm bed and hot food. London only means that I’ll introduce you to some other friendly critters who know where the good hunting is and you can roam the streets together.”
There was safety in numbers even for a beast like Trio. At the very least it would save her from getting commandeered by a man like Fergal again.
“Now that the dog’s sorted, I’ll see you all later.”
Minka frowned. “Where are you going?”
“I have to drop off the booty to our client so we get paid and then I have a meeting.”
Minka glanced at her desk. “I don’t have anything on the schedule.”
“Because I didn’t tell you about it.”
Minka moaned her exasperation. “That’s not how we do things, London.”
“No, but it’s how I do things.” The meeting had been scheduled by Mack Quaid, a knight from one of the more acceptable banners.
“You need to tell me when you’re moonlighting so I can make a note of it.” Moonlighting was permissible under the rules, but Minka was overly obsessed with documentation in my opinion.
“I don’t know yet if I am. Depends on the job.”
Minka fixed me with an insistent stare. “But you’ll let me know as soon as you decide?”
“Of course.”
“She’s lying,” Kami said, flashing me a mischievous smile. Payback for ditching her with Trio, it seemed.
I smiled back. “Briar, I think Kami’s in more pain than she’s letting on. You might want to have her strip down and take a hot bath whether she wants to or not. She can be her own worst enemy.”
Kami detested baths. For Kami, baths were akin to stewing in your own filth.
Briar headed toward Kami with a determined set of her jaw. “Stop putting on a brave face and let me heal you. It’s one of my strengths, remember?”
“Oh, I remember,” Kami replied. “I’m still recovering from yesterday’s healing session.”
Winking at Kami, I gave Trio a final pat on all three heads and exited the Circus.
There were dive bars in the city and then there was Hole, which was a pretty apt description. The owner was a portly werewolf named George who stored a cache of weapons under the counter behind a red and white gingham curtain.
Ask me how I know.
George lifted his chin in greeting. He knew better than to call anyone’s name across the room. Nobody came here to be greeted like a member of the family. They came here to drink and stay lost. I came here to meet the clients sent to me by Mack.
I barely made it through the door when I felt the back of my neck tingle. A quick scan of the room told me which one he was. Terrific. George had seated a vampire in the booth where I was supposed to meet my client. I didn’t blame George for letting him sit there. Nobody wanted to make trouble with a vampire. It was too easy to get your pub shut down for some bullshit violation.
All the other high-backed booths were taken and I needed the privacy. I’d have to tread carefully.
I sauntered over to the booth to greet the hooded figure who sat hunched over the table. A half-filled glass of whisky rested close to his hand. Hole was a cheap place and whisky was one of the most expensive offerings on the nonexistent menu.
“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this booth is taken. There are plenty of stools at the bar and I have it on good authority that George doesn’t bite.”
“All shifters bite. It’s a matter of when, not if,” the hooded figure responded in a deep, surprisingly smooth voice.
I slid into the seat across from him and folded my hands on the table. “That’s a pretty bold assertion—and pretty rude considering you’re sitting in George’s pub.”
My gaze raked over him, trying to get a read on the mysterious stranger. I didn’t want to push too hard and cause a scene. He reeked of danger the way the underground tunnels reeked of stale fear.
“Listen, I’m supposed to meet a client here and if he sees you and I chatting away like old friends, he’s going to find someone else to hire, which would be bad for business.”
“Business? Are you a lady of the night?”
I snorted. “Haven’t you heard? There’s an eternal eclipse. We’re all ladies of the night now.”
“And I’m your client.” He slipped off the hood and two green eyes shone back at me, hard and bright like two emeralds. Dark blond hair covered his head in soft waves. His face had the kind of rugged handsomeness that drew the attention of everyone with functional eyesight. Even now, with his hood lowered, I felt the eyes of every patron on us. On him. They weren’t staring at a vampire in a place he didn’t belong. They were staring at the finest male specimen they’d ever seen. Like me, they were equal parts terrified and awestruck.
I sat perfectly still and tried not to react. I’d never seen a vampire in Hole before, which was one of the reasons I preferred this place, but there was a first time for everything.
I maintained a casual air. “As I said, you’ve got the wrong booth.”
“And as I said, I’m your client.”
There was no way a vampire wanted to hire someone like me. This had to be a mistake.
“Who sent you?”
His mouth quirked, drawing my attention to it. With lips like his, you barely noticed the fangs.
“I assure you, I’m quite certain you’re the one I’m meant to meet.”
I allowed a lazy smile to caress my lips. “When you say it like that, you make it sound like fate.”
He pinned me with those two glittering gems. “Do you believe in fate?”
The lump in my throat grew larger and harder to swallow. “Tell me who arranged this meeting and we can proceed.”