Page 50 of Stalk the Dark
Ordell tookme back to the mansion where I grabbed my team and our carriage, then headed back to New Town and the Sangualex offices on Longlier Street—a towering building of glittering sunproof glass and chrome.
The Singers were my backup for Ezekiel, not for Order business. This I could handle.
I strode into the building, my team at my back, our long jackets flapping around our calves. Blessed blades tucked into the holsters at our backs, in full Order gear looking damn dangerous, in my opinion. We’d have looked more impressive with some extra operatives, but this would have to do.
The receptionist, a human woman with a sleek blond bob and startling green eyes, looked up, her mouth parting in awe, and damn if that didn’t feel good.
The illusion of having the upper hand ended as a towering human male stepped into our path, blocking us from reaching the counter.
He looked down at us like we were smudges of turd on his shoes. “Here you are, the patheticragtag operatives who went crying to their mommy because the big boys took their playhouse.”
Whowasthis guy? “You know, I came here with the suspicion that this building was filled with assholes, and you’ve just confirmed it.”
He blinked sharply at me. “You can’t talk to me like that.”
“Why? Is there some rule in the covenant against it? If so, how about we just do the usual and fucking completely disregard it, shall we?”
His eyes narrowed, jaw clenching, and I had no doubt that the next words out of his mouth were going to be less than complimentary, but he wasn’t given the opportunity to air them before another man appeared behind him. Not as tall. Not as bulky but exuding the kind of authority that told me thathewas the guy I needed to be speaking to.
He confirmed it a moment later. “Gunther, back off. They’re here to see me.”
Gunther kept his malicious eyes on me. “I can deal with ’em if you like, boss.”
“No.” That was it. Justno.
No explanation, because heck, he was in charge and didn’t need to give one. If he wasn’t a Sangualex bootlicker, maybe he and I could be friends.
Gunther backed up, his lips curving in a smirk. “Enjoy your newoffices.” He dove back into the hole he’d come out of, and I turned my attention to theother guy, who was watching me with a speculative expression.
“I received the fax a couple of hours ago,” he said. “I have the keys to the building. I’ll walk you over.”
No barbs, no funny looks. Pure professionalism, so it was impossible to tell what his actual feelings were.
“Just give me a moment to grab a jacket.” He ducked back into his office behind the counter.
“Thank fuck that Atlas is on duty today,” Padma said. “He’s the more…sympathetic official.”
Padma had lied to me about calling in to HQ, but I’d had time to ponder her reasons. I couldn’t begin to understand her trauma after losing her people, and even though I didn’t condone her lies, I could sympathize.
I wouldn’t allow it to taint our relationship, especially if I wanted to know where she snuck off to at night. Hopefully she’d confide in me as time went on; if not…well, then I’d just have to tail her.
Atlas returned wrapped in a jacket, a beanie hat pulled down over his mahogany locks.
“Follow me.” He led us back onto the street and took a right. “It’s not far. Three blocks.”
I fell into step beside him. “Why’d you claim it?”
“I didn’t.”
I waited for him to elaborate, and when he didn’t, I pushed. “So who did?”
“Higher up. Kaster Black. He’s the vampire in charge of this division, and your Order building fallswithin our territory, so he claimed it as an extra space of operations.”
“You’re using it?”
“Not exactly.” His mouth turned down.
“What does that mean?”
