"Yes." Trey steps between her and the vampire king. "As long as everyone remains on their best behavior."
"I'm sure my vampires will," Frangelico offers with a glint of fang.
"And your pet shifters?" Trey looks at me.
"I have no pets shifters. Only friends and…playmates," Frangelico says.
"Which one is he?" Trey asks, still staring at me.
"A business partner," I offer.
"I'm sure Grizz will also respect the rules of the club, and all its members." Frangelico raises an eyebrow at me.
I hold my hands up. "I got no problems with these wolves." Last I checked, I didn't have a problem with the wolves. It's not my fault the wolves have a problem with me.
"Good," Frangelico claps his hands and Sheridan jumps. Trey puts his hands on her shoulders, steadying her. He leans in and whispers something in her ear. She flushes. Trey turns her and gives her a gentle push towards a free table. He watches her strut away. I have to admit, if I had a mate as fine as Sheridan, I'd watch her coming and going as long as possible, too.
Trey turns back to me and Frangelico. His eyes narrow on me.
"Hey, Grizz," his voice drips bitterness. "You still on to fight Friday?"
"Last I checked, I was still on the schedule." I quit working at the Fight Club as a bouncer a few weeks ago, but fighting is good for my bear.
"Good." Trey shows his teeth in a macabre grin. "We have a special guest ready to fight you. Be ready."
I watch him stride away. He's a big, bad wolf, but not as dangerous as I am. Not alone, anyway. Wolves are never alone. That's always their advantage. Strength of the pack.
"If that's all, I'll head out," I say to Frangelico.
He nods. "You're off bouncer duty the rest of the night. Ask Peter to call in a replacement. In the meantime, I'll make the rounds."
"Right." Time to go on the hunt.
I head to the rope where Augustine tied up his shifter sub, where the white robe she wore lies crumpled on the floor. I pick it up and give it a good sniff. The scent is spicy, with a touch of floral. Fox. Definitely. If I can't track the vampire by his scent, I can at least find the fox.
A few discreet questions later, and I learn the redhead left with Augustine. Her master they called him. Not sure if that means he owns her, or if it's just a game they play, but I plan to find out. I can get his address from the records Frangelico keeps-I'm one of the few people he gives access to. He knows I'll never betray him. I need him too much.
Halfway up the stairs to the main floor, I pause and survey the vast club. Trey and Sheridan have already claimed a table under one of the spotlights. Trey has opened a black duffel bag and is laying out implements. Sheridan stands beside him, her bare skin glowing in a fancy leather harness, swaying a little with excitement.
Trey finishes and turns towards her. He snaps his fingers and she falls to her knees, gazing up at her mate. I don't need to see her face to know that her eyes are shining. Trey's face softens as he looks down at her. Another couple stealing a moment before they engage in the complicated mating dance of submission and dominance. I've seen it a million times before, but somehow it's not as grotesque on shifters. That still doesn't mean I get it.
I climb the rest of the stairs and hit the door with my fist to escape.
Grizz
AUGUSTINE LIVES in a fancy neighborhood in Oro Valley, up against the Catalina Mountain range. I park my motorcycle, climb the wall, and scan the backyard. Huge pool, fancy patio. But beyond the stone bar and grill and deck furniture, there's a regular door. It'll be easy enough to kick it in.
I take a moment to slip past the cameras. No flood lights on the lawn-vampires can see in the dark. Luckily, so can shifters. I hunker down into the bushes and wait.
Vampires are at their strongest at night and I find they're a bit sluggish closer to daybreak. Not Frangelico-he's old enough that he can stay awake until the first ray of dawn. But even his oldest sired are well inside by the dark hour before sunrise.
So I crouch until soft light glows in the sky just beyond the mountains. After taking a swig from my flask, I amble to the back door and let myself in. It's unlocked-you'd have to be crazy to steal from a vampire. Most save all their defenses and booby traps for their sleeping lairs, which is why I want to catch Augustine here awake. He won't expect it. After a life of hunting vampires, I know what brings them down. Hubris. They're the biggest, baddest predator on Earth, and they know it. They don't realize otherwise-until I'm standing over them with a stake.
Of course, I don't have orders to kill Augustine. Just question him. He might live if Frangelico likes his answers. Frangelico hates killing his sired because, according to him, it's difficult to make new ones.
The house is cool, clean, and scented like lemon. I search the rooms, but they're unused. Perfectly decorated but they smell empty. I open the fridge-a few decanters of blood, and a half drunk bottle of wine, but nothing else.
The vampire isn't here. He probably sleeps elsewhere. Unless I want to catch him partying or fully awake, this is a dead end. Not that I expected it to be easy.
Beside the fridge is a bag of dog food. An expensive type-real wild caught meat or something. I take a moment and tune into the scent below the cold stone smell of the vampire. That's when I catch the familiar musk.
Dog. Or something close. Not wolf.
Skin prickling, I head to the tiled pantry. In the corner, a colorful Mexican blanket covers a large structure. A cage.
The monster bear in my chest starts to rumble. Not a growl, but a low soothing sound.