Levi looked at Tanner, his brow creased. “I could tell that you wanted to, but I didn’t think your demon would go for that. Or that Devon would, for that matter.”
“Your hound likes her?” Keenan asked him.
Tanner made a face. “It finds her tolerable.”
Keenan snickered. “Coming from your demon, that’s undying love.”
“On a completely different topic,” began Knox, “we need to discuss the matter of Harry’s death.”
“I visited the crime scene with Larkin after you headed to Jolene’s house last night,” said Keenan, eyes dulling. “I’ve seen a lot of bad shit in my time. I’ve been responsible for a lot of bad shit. But what happened to Harry? That wasn’t just cruel, it was sick.”
Larkin nodded. “Especially with the way the killer posed him like he was a damn doll or something. The killer was most likely one of Sloan’s sentinels.”
“Most likely,” Tanner agreed, eyes dancing from Larkin to Keenan. “Do you either of you know if any of them has the ability to alter or cloak their scent?”
Keenan shook his head.
Larkin pursed her lips. “I’m not sure. I’ll ask around and see if anyone knows, but we have to bear in mind that most demons don’t make all their abilities public knowledge.”
True, but … “If we don’t check, we won’t know. So, what else is on the agenda for today?”
They spent some time discussing what needed to be done—including making important calls, investigating complaints made by business owners within the Underground, and chewing a certain demon’s ass out for starting a bar fight that resulted in a whole lot of damage. Said demon would also be expected to cover the costs of those damages.
Tanner looked at Larkin. “I can give Harper a ride home from work, as usual. But the evening is going to be a busy one for me. If she needs to go anywhere—”
“I’ll take her,” Larkin assured him.
“Do you need one of us to go with you to see Maddox?” asked Keenan.
“It’s best if you don’t. A group would look confrontational.” Tanner pushed out of his chair. “I’ll get going. Call if you need anything.”
“Before you head out,” Larkin began as he walked away, “there’s something you should know.”
Pausing, Tanner glanced at her over his shoulder and saw that she was staring out of the window. “What?”
“Well, Eleanor’s waiting for you near the entrance of the combat circle.”
Tanner swore under his breath. He did not have the time, patience, or inclination to deal with her. But then, he never did.
Leaving Knox’s office, he descended the stairwell of the small building and yeah, there she was. She gave him a bright smile that lit up her face and could probably stop traffic. There was no denying that Eleanor Owens was astoundingly beautiful. Violet eyes. High cheekbones. Long, silky auburn hair. Sensual mouth. Hourglass figure. He’d soon realized that she wielded that beauty like a weapon. Used it to charm, manipulate, and disarm people. It often worked.
“Tanner, I’ve been waiting for you.” Her expression molded into one of mock reprimand as she playfully tutted. “You didn’t answer my calls.”
“I had nothing to say. Still don’t.”
Her smile didn’t falter at his flat tone. “Let’s take a walk.”
Tanner blocked her arm when she tried to link it through his. “There’s nothing for you here, Eleanor. Go.”
Her eyes hardened. “Why are you being so stubborn? I come from a long line of strong, powerful hellhounds. My family would make good allies. I wouldn’t refuse you access to your child or—”
“Eleanor, you already gave me this speech. It made no difference the first time you said it, and it’s not going to change things now either.”
“You can’t honestly tell me that you don’t have any inclination to start your own line. You’re an alpha hellhound who’s centuries old, for God’s sake. I’d wonder if maybe you were gay, but I’ve heard enough rumors about you from women—all good, by the way—to tell me that isn’t the case. Is there another woman in the picture?”
“I’m not gay or in a relationship. I’m just not interested.”
“What about your hound? Surely it wants to start its own line.”
“It doesn’t.”
“Given your age, I find that hard to believe.”
He shrugged. “Believe whatever you want—it doesn’t change the facts.”
She sighed. “Look, I’ll be going into heat again in exactly three weeks—”
“Then you’d better find yourself a male you think is a worthy father for your child. That male isn’t me.” With that, Tanner skirted past her and stalked off.