Page 14 of The Rogue's Curse

“We’ll arrange a visit,” Julian said. “I don’t want to risk bringing them here.”

“Right away, please,” Misha said. He glanced at his watch. “My office will take care of the expense.”

Olivia nodded and said, “I’ll get on it.”

“Before I sleep tonight,I’ll request that my office sets up a temporary account so you can use our databases. We may be able to help bridge the gap in tracking financial records or phone records that you lost with your police connection,” Misha said.

“Really? That would be great,” Olivia said eagerly. “And if you have any tasks I can help with during the day, please let me know.”

“I will. Thank you,” he said. “I’ve got a list of supplies I need you to get for me. Your witch may be able to provide some, and for the others, I’ll provide a list of appropriate vendors.For now, I need to eat and rest. I’ve been traveling for quite a while without sleeping.”

“I’ll get you to your room,” Olivia said brightly.

The human woman beckoned to him, then led him down the hall and out of the main building. She chatted as they walked, pointing out the brick building that held their infirmary, as well as the building where most of the court’s inner circle lived.

“Everything isn’t perfectly light and soundproof, but we’ve done our best on short notice. This building is where most of the higher-ups live, so it’s a bit nicer,” she said, swiping a card to access a rundown brick building marked with a 1. The interior smelled of fresh paint and a hint of blood, which made his stomach rumble.

“What exactly is your position with the court?” he asked. “It doesn’t seem that Julian has taken on the traditional advisors.”

She glanced back at him, eyes wide. “Not exactly. As for me,I’m not sure I have an official title. On bad days, Julian says I’m his saving grace, but I refuse to let him put that on a nametag.”

He laughed. “I can see why he says that.”

Her cheeks flushed, but she nodded appreciatively. “I try. I started out doing some administrative work for the court because of my sister… It’s a long story. For a while, I was basically Eduardo’s daytime assistant. My partner, Nikko, is a vampire, so I’m part of the family. He’s out hunting tonight, but you’ll probably meet him tomorrow.” Though her voice hadn’t changed, a soft smile spread across her face as she spoke of her partner.

A pang of sorrow struck him. He remembered those days, when merely speaking someone’s name filled him with joy that emanated from his eyes and smile. Swallowing the unexpected lump in his throat, he said, “And your partner chose to stay here instead of following Eduardo?”

She laughed. “You haven’t met him, or you wouldn’t ask. Nikko cares about humans far more than other vampires. He would have stayed even if he was the only one left. He’s stubborn,” she said. On her lips, it sounded like high praise.

The air was filled with a dozen threads of unique scents. He recognized hints of the vampires he’d already met, though he couldn’t help focusing on Paris, with that lovely, strong essence. She took him upstairs and down the carpeted hallway to a room on the corner.

“This place used to be a group home for kids who were taken in by the state,” she said, gesturing broadly. “If we get through this, we’ll redecorate, or so they say.”

The interior of the room was reminiscent of military barracks, with stark white walls and a narrow metal-framed bed. Softening the austere setting was a dark duvet with an assortment of throw pillows, along with a candle, an artificial plant, and a small wooden tray on a nightstand. Someone had tried to give the place the tiniest bit of character, which he appreciated.

“It isn’t much, but—”

“Thank you, Ms. Pierce,” he said gently.

“Olivia. If you want me to call you Misha, you have to call me Olivia,” she said primly.

He chuckled and said, “Olivia. Thank you. Could I trouble you for something to eat?”

“Follow me,” she said. He followed her back into the hall, meandering past several more rooms. From within several of them, he heard quiet voices and the shuffling of clothes and bedcovers that spoke of people going to sleep.

Downstairs was a small, dimly lit kitchen, where the smell of blood in the air made his stomach growl. She opened the stainless-steel refrigerator in the corner. Two shelves held cases of drinks, cream for coffee, and little tubs of yogurt. The rest of the shelves were packed with plastic bags filled with blood.

“An unusual combination,” he remarked. “Greek yogurt?”

She handed him a bag and said, “There are a couple of humans who come here besides me, so we keep a few snacks on hand. You can help yourself to whatever is here, but if we get low on the red stuff, let me know.”

“I will,” he said. “One last thing. Is there somewhere I could get a shower?”

“Yes, but you’ll have to share,” she said apologetically.

Around the corner from the kitchen lay a large communal bathroom. Warm, humid air billowed from the open doors, while water pattered against tile inside.

“There’s a cabinet with towels just inside. Just make sure dirty towels go in the hamper, and someone will get them washed,” she said.

---