cute to own a snakeskin bag that’s special,” I explained, watching his eyes go wide as he rose out of the BMW and stared in horror across the hood. “It’s just the world we live in, Raphael. There're good guys and bad guys. Just a warning, The Jackalope tends to have some bad guys in it. None I need to worry about professionally, but a lot of people who live in the grey area come here for a good time when they’re passing through Phoenix. Shouldn’t be anyone you need to worry about now, either.”
“Okay.” He seemed a little green but nodded.
I led the way to the door and walked in, looking around the bar I hadn’t visited in months, longer than normal. I was still feeling guilty about Paden. People looked up and seemed shocked to see me. I could taste vampires in the air as I licked my lips. They wouldn’t be happy to see me, but I hoped they wouldn’t give me any trouble tonight. There were also fae and werewolves, even a single odd werecat. That last one troubled me. I looked around the room cautiously, wondering what werecat could be roaming through my city, but didn’t catch a glimpse of the scent’s owner. There was a chance the werecat was already gone. Beyond that, I didn’t see Glenn at the bar upstairs. There was a new face, making me a little curious.
“So, upstairs or downstairs?” I asked Raphael, hovering behind my right shoulder. I couldn’t dwell all night on the other supernaturals in the bar. Standing at the door like we were wasn’t a smart decision.
“Downstairs. I know it has more…unsavory people, but up here feels…”
“Exposed?” I finished for him. He nodded, and I understood his problem. He’d spent years and years hiding from everyone and everything. The idea of sitting in a bar and having a drink was a good one, but he wasn’t as comfortable as he probably hoped he would be. “It is. This is where normal people drink and have a good time in an ugly bar.” There was no point keeping my voice down because everything in the room had better-than-human hearing. I led Raphael to the stairs down to the basement, the really fun place in The Jackalope.
“Kaliya, it’s been a while.” Deacon smiled as I came closer. He was a big, burly fae who always stood guard on the door to the downstairs half of the bar, where all the real players drank and talked.
“It has. Deacon, this is Raphael. Raphael, this is Deacon.” I waved a hand between them, pleased when they shook without much trouble.
“Good to meet you,” Deacon smirked. He touched his ear and talked into his mic. “Letting Kaliya down with a plus one. Gird your loins.”
He opened the door and I went in first, knowing if I didn’t show my face before Raphael, there could be a little trouble. I was halfway down the steps when Paden came into view. I stopped, unsure of his reaction to my presence.
“Well, if it isn’t my favorite bounty hunter,” he said softly, opening his arms in greeting.
“I’m a Tribunal Executioner, you know that,” I nearly whispered. When I reached him at the bottom of the stairs, he took my hand and squeezed it.
“You didn’t need to stay away for so long, and you know it. I took my thumps from Sinclair’s people, and they’re all dead now. No harm, no foul.” He pulled me into the open, where everyone could see me, and led me to the bar. “Wife was a little pissed, but she knows I get into some dangerous business. Not the first time I’ve been knocked around and tortured a little.”
I looked at his hands as he talked, glad to see there seemed to be no lasting effects of that torture. They had broken his hands to keep him from calling me until he had healed enough. It had given them a lot of time to get to me and Raphael.
He stopped at the bar, pointing at Henley.
“Give her whatever she wants,” he ordered his bartender before turning back on me. “And you need to tell me if this man is who I think he is.”
“Raphael in the flesh.” I smiled as Paden and Raphael stared at each other. “You know, the one you sent me to look for, and it led to all sorts of bad things.”
“I should have never mentioned it to you,” Paden muttered, reaching out to shake Raphael’s hand.