be working undercover. He can provide backup if something goes wrong. It is better to work in teams.”
Christian cleared his throat to draw attention to the obvious fact that he was my partner.
Viktor shrugged at him. “They have a no Vampires policy. What can I do? Vampires are known to cause trouble in such clubs by charming the workers to do their bidding.”
“Apparently they’re not banned in all clubs,” I said, smiling at Christian. “Isn’t that right, honeybun?”
Viktor put his hands on his hips. “It is very important that you do not show anyone your Vampire side. They are looking for a Mage, so keep your fangs out of sight.”
“Got it.”
“Do whatever it takes to stand out and show your strength,” he continued. “Wyatt, I want you to put a device on Raven that follows her every move. She’s prohibited from going anywhere but the hotel and club unless she is invited. If she travels through the human district, monitor any security cameras and document vehicles, plates, and faces. Any place she goes, research who owns those properties. This will require twenty-four-hour surveillance on your part.”
“I can just call and let him know if I’m going out for a bite,” I suggested.
“Nyet. Your phone stays here. I cannot risk the wrong person accessing your contact list or overhearing your call. We will do this right. Claude will relay any messages. And do not go wandering. It will make Wyatt’s job difficult if he is researching property records when you are only going out for ice cream.”
“So if someone approaches me with an offer, I relay that to Claude and then you guys bust him?”
Viktor shook his head. “Suspicion or names are not enough for such a prestigious case. We must go deep enough to get into the fights.”
My jaw slackened. “You want me to fight?”
“I do not want you involved in actual fighting, but we need to know who is running the operation. You must be certain of that, because the person who approaches you might not be who we want. I want locations. I want names. I want the identity of everyone involved, including customers. You must get close enough to see the fights. We cannot rely on hearsay. If we have insufficient evidence, they go free and we lose our chance. To fail would mean losing the confidence of the higher authority. We have just enough evidence to build a solid case, so it is up to us to uncover this crime ring.”
I waited for Christian’s rebuttal, but he quietly listened with everyone else.
“Shepherd, I want you in the club as a customer, but not every night. It is important that we do not reveal our cover.”
“Blow our cover,” Gem said. She was never rude about correcting Viktor, and he seemed to appreciate it since she had helped him fine-tune his English over the years.
“Talk to bystanders,” he went on. “Express interest in watching a girl fight. Portray yourself as a wealthy man, but do not wear a suit. This would make you stand out. You can use your gifts to read people and find suspects.”
Shepherd stood up, his arms hanging at his sides like dead limbs. “You want me to go into a sex club with my gloves off? Fuck that.”
“Who else can sense a liar except for Claude? He will be doing his own undercover work by talking to customers to see what their fantasies are.”
Claude shuddered.
“Touch their glasses,” Viktor instructed him. “Or the table. Whatever it is you do. We must narrow down suspects. Anyone you find curious, find out their name. Wyatt will search for a criminal record. We must be cautious. If too many of us are together in one place, someone might make a connection. We go as a group to bars.”
“Not lately,” Wyatt complained. “Seems like forever since we had a good time.”
“Niko is still recovering.” Viktor rubbed his neck as if he’d slept on it wrong. “I want him on a mandatory vacation for at least three more weeks.”
“I can help,” Niko insisted. “I can read light.”
“You only just woke up from a long coma.” Viktor walked back to the weight bench but remained standing. “It will take time for you to fully recover. Your body is still weak.”
“I don’t need muscles to read light,” he countered. “I’ve been working in the gym every day and eating twice my calories. It won’t be long.”
“That is rule,” Viktor said, putting his foot down. “I have been fair to each of you