My eyes flashed to my friend. Nick was a fox, but his shifter genes came from his father, who was Inuit. I smiled, turning back to the chef. “That’s so interesting. Thank you very much for telling us,” I said. “I apologize for being so brash. I know it’s impolite to ask. My only excuse is that I’m new and very curious. It seems you have some things in common with my friend here. Nick is a fox shifter as well.”
The cook blushed. “I picked up on that. My Kitsune genes have given me a very enhanced sense of smell. I can detect almost any supernatural by their scent alone.”
My eyebrows shot up again.
Nick pushed back his chair and rose, reaching his hand across the table. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Nick Michaels. I look forward to sharing stories. Being a fox in a wolf’s den is a precarious position. I’ve never met another fox before—Kitsune or other.”
The chef leaned over the table and shook Nick’s extended hand, grinning widely. “I’m Lucas Mancini, and I look forward to swapping stories. You are correct, it’s not for the faint of heart.”
Julian cleared his throat.
I glanced up. It was clear the Alpha was trying to contain himself. Lucas should be beneath our notice, and this entire interaction had taken too long. A hybrid wolf was not a true wolf, especially not to a leader like Julian. Lucas’s place was likely at the very bottom of Pack hierarchy.
Lucas didn’t take offense to his Alpha’s interruption. Instead, he smiled, bowing his head graciously before heading into the kitchen to prepare our breakfast.
“Julian,” I said amiably, getting us back on track while popping another piece of delicious croissant into my mouth, “I’d forgotten how absolutely gorgeous your estate is. It’s stunning in every way. You must entertain a lot.” To my mate, I said internally, We have to find a way to bring Lucas into town with us. We need him to sniff out the supe we’re looking for. Try to think of something that doesn’t seem too suspicious. I’ll talk to Nick as soon as I can.
Julian’s demeanor relaxed as he smiled proudly. “Yes, this villa and the grounds around it have been a work in progress for many years. I inherited it all from my father, who failed to keep up with all the needed repairs. These villas were built hundreds of years ago and need a lot of upkeep, especially one of this size. The renovations are finally complete.”
In what I hoped was a casual tone, I changed the subject with, “Are there a lot of supernaturals in the area? I mean, Florence is a big city with old magic. It would only make sense that there is a large population of creatures living here.” I reached for some apricot preserves.
Julian appraised me for a moment, settling back in his chair. “Yes, there are many who live here. Florence is a thriving city, full of magic.”
Judging from how he’d handled seeing Eudoxia, it made sense that he might interact more regularly than my father did with other supernaturals. “Back in the States,” I told him, “we tend to stick to our separate Sects. There isn’t a lot of commingling going on. Is it the same here?”
He shook his head. “No, we Europeans tend to be more relaxed about most things. As I told your friend, I have a lot of contacts. We’ve learned over the years that different species, who have different magic, can be an asset, so we’ve managed to get along for the good of everyone.”
My brother cleared his throat. “Because of that, are there a lot of interspecies couplings? If everyone is hanging around each other, it makes sense that they would be drawn to one another.” Tyler immediately turned red, reaching for his water glass and taking a long draw.
That was very smooth, I told him. Interspecies couplings? Why didn’t you just come out and ask if he was banging a nymph and get it over with?
Julian chuckled. It was the sound of indulgence. “Yes, it does happen. In my opinion, another supernatural is a much better match for a wolf than any human could possibly be.”
I kept my face passive. Humans, as far as I knew, were the only species genetically matched to give birth to a wolf outside of a mated pair. So a supernatural was not a better choice if you wanted to procreate. Fated matches were another thing altogether, but we weren’t talking about those.
Julian smoothly changed the subject. “What are your plans for today? Other than hunting for your missing friends.”
“We’re planning to head into Florence after breakfast,” I said. “Two of our friends, Daniel Walker and Tallulah Talbot, are missing. If they’re near here, we’re hoping some of the supernaturals in town might’ve seen or heard something.” I watched Julian’s face closely to see if either name registered. “Tally is a very powerful witch and Marcy’s aunt.” I inclined my head toward Marcy. “She’s been missing for a while now. It’s baffling, since she’s incredibly powerful. Whoever took her has to be her equal or greater. Either that, or they had help. Whatever the case, we plan to get to the bottom of it, starting in Florence.”
Julian folded his elbows on the table. “It’s strange that your friends have gone missing recently. The city of Florence and the surrounding areas have been in an uproar these last few weeks. I don’t understand it.” He shook his head. “It was fine one day, and then almost like a switch had been flipped, our world changed, fights breaking out, supernaturals going missing. Honestly, it’s threatening my capabilities to keep it under wraps from the humans, since I’m the prominent leader in the area.” He glanced at me pointedly. “Do you know anything about that?”
Julian knew more than he was letting on. But I wasn’t about to get into it with him right now. I would wait and talk face-to-face with my father so we could come up with a plan. My place on the Coalition would create a power rift between Julian and me, as I would technically outrank this Alpha on his own turf. Julian wasn’t a wolf who would stand for that very long.
“I don’t know anything about it. That’s strange—” I was blissfully interrupted as Lucas delivered our food to the table. His cheery demeanor was exactly the distraction I needed.
Marcy picked up on what we were trying to do. “Hey, Lucas, what are some places to see in Florence? While we’re trying to locate some supernaturals to question, we’d love to see the sights.”
“We’re particularly interested in seeing some of the sculptures,” Rourke added, digging into his food. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen any great works of art.”
“Oh,” Lucas answered readily, “then you must to go to the Galleria dell’Accademia. You can’t miss seeing Michelangelo’s masterpiece David with your own eyes. It’s the greatest statue in Italy. There are also great works there by Botticelli, Andrea del Sarto, Alessandro Allori, and others.” It was clear Lucas was an art aficionado. “There are other museums, of course. But the Accademia is my very favorite.”
I made my move. “Would you mind accompanying us? I think it might be easier if we had a guide who knows Florence.” I hoped asking Lucas wouldn’t raise any red flags for Julian. After all, it wasn’t uncommon for a lower-ranked wolf to be a chauffeur. I shot a glance at Julian, who didn’t seem to be paying much attention to the conversation anyway. “Julian, you don’t mind if we steal Lucas away for a few hours, do you?” I asked. “We’d love to head into Florence as soon as possible. We’ll be back before my father’s plane arrives at six.”
Julian blinked. I had a hunch he’d been having a conversation in his mind with someone else. “Yes, that’s fine.” He took his napkin from his lap and crumpled it up, dropping it on his plate as he pushed his chair back. “I have a driver who will take you all, of course. But if you’d like Lucas to accompany you in addition, that’s fine. There are others who can cover his lunch shift.” He stood and gave us a small bow. “Now if you’ll excuse me, some business has come up that I must attend to. I will meet you back here later this afternoon. Enjoy your day.”
As he left the room, Marcy leaned forward. “Was it just me, or was he a little distracted there at the end?”
“He was totally distracted,” I said. “Let’s finish up our meal and head outside. I have to see Eudoxia first, and then I’ll fill you in on what Jeb had to say. We have some business of our own this morning.”