Lulu spun, turned to Alexei. “I don’t need anything from you. I need to work, and having someone hanging over me isn’t exactly helpful. Plus, the clients aren’t going to want some random guy hanging around.”
“Someone is stalking Elisa,” Connor said. “And the AAM thinks she killed Blake. They’d probably be happy to take you instead, and use you for leverage. Let’s not take the chance. He won’t get in your way.”
Lulu snorted. “He is in my way by his very existence.”
“That hurts me right here,” Alexei said dryly, mimicking pulling a knife from his chest. “Magic would be handy. And without it, weapons.”
Lulu’s eyes flashed with temper. “I’m not using magic. You’re insufferable.”
“You’re stubborn.”
“I have work. And I’m not going back on a contract because goddamned vampires are fighting again.” Her hands were clenched into fists, her teeth bared.
“Take him or stay here,” I said. “Your life is worth more to me than your anger.”
She grumbled, exhaled loudly. And for a brief moment, I knew how my mother felt when I was a teenager.
“And you’re going to be late if you don’t get moving,” Connor said.
She made a little scream. Then pulled the cap from the juice bottle and drank, throat bobbing, until she’d finished nearly half of it.
Alexei watched her with avaricious eyes.
When she stopped, she ran the back of her hand across her mouth, recapped the bottle. “Hangry,” she said, when she’d returned it to the fridge. “Still pissed at all three of you, but at least I won’t be hangry anymore.”
Connor smiled thinly. “We’ll take whatever miracle we can get.”
* * *
* * *
Connor had arranged a driver for me—We protect each other, I thought again—just as he’d arranged protection for Lulu. That might have felt stifling, but he hadn’t demanded I stay in the town house. Probably knew that would have resulted in more angry words, as it wasn’t the right thing for me.
I climbed into the front seat of the SUV, found Daniel at the wheel. He wore a dark V-neck sweater and slacks today, his dark hair pushed behind his ears. “Good evening.”
I felt a pulse of guilt that I’d inconvenienced yet another person. “I guess you lost another bet?”
“You need security,” he said. “And I need to learn the city.”
“And do a favor for an Apex candidate.”
“Vampires are strategic. But also, yes. Where shall I take you?”
“To the Ombuds’ office, please. You know the address?”
“I do.” He pulled into the street and turned on the radio. The song that emerged was slow and seductive.
Connor trusted me a lot, I thought with a smile, and relaxed into the seat for the ride.
* * *
* * *
We stopped for pastries at a diner not far from the brick factory, a place where Theo and I had grabbed truly atrocious coffee a dozen times while investigating. The memory clutched at my heart—and strengthened my resolve. I had to finish this. Deal with the AAM and get back to work.
There were no vampires lurking over the doughnuts, and no sign of the AAM in the small parking lot outside the guarded gate at the brick factory; and in the unlikely event they’d been invited inside, someone would have told me.
“Thank you for the ride,” I said, as I slid from the car.
“Would you like me to stay?” he asked.
“No, thank you. I’ll get a ride back. And if he asks, yes, I’ll be careful.”
His smile was wide now. “I’ll tell him you said so. Good luck,” he said, and he waited until I’d made it through the gate. I waved back, watched as he drove off toward one of his rendezvous.
The parking lot was empty but for a white sedan. No sign of the AAM or its member vampires. Stupid enough to loiter