Page 40 of Fangs and Family
‘Yes, he wants to meet in person on Friday. He asked for the appointment to be at the Anchor, but I don’t want Nadolny involved and certainly don’t want to have two Vampire Masters in a club full of sweaty humans. You can have my downtown office, or I will have the eastern warehouse cleared for your use.’ Leszek said, and I frowned. Friday was almost a week away, and the delay seemed excessive for someone who was initially in such a rush to recover his property.
‘If he wants to wait, fine. I have other things to do. I found digital traces of Nina’s brother, but I’ll need a couple of wolves to track him physically. There’s no way Tomasz will help after my last prank at his expense. However, a word from you will….’ I left the sentence unfinished, hoping Leszek would help without making it a formal request.
With that, I constructed a plan of action. I needed to do a more thorough background check on Pawel. Rather than concentrating on his whereabouts, I would need to look into his phone records and full financial history, including all his associates and former employment. I couldn’t stop the twitch in my neck when I considered my newest client and the coincidence of his arrival and business. My gut feeling told me the man looking for the heirloom and Master Vampire who freely hunted on my Seethe’s territory were one and the same person.
‘You two are worse than children, what did you… No, forget I asked. Why do you need the wolves when your Seethe has more than enough manpower to chase down one human?’
‘Because the digital trace puts him in, or very close to, the Kashubian Forest. I might punk their Alpha for a little stress relief, but I respect the pack’s hunting ground. Pawel went off-grid, so rather than someone getting hurt over a misunderstanding, I thought it better to speak to you.’
I had a vague idea where Pawel might be, but after slipping Tomasz a potion that turned his fur pink, I knew he wouldn’t cooperate.
‘I’ll see what I can do. Does Nina know you’re so close to finding him?’
‘She knows I’m looking for him but not that I started before we had an agreement and how close I am to getting him. I didn’t want to give her false hope. There’s no need to tell her until I’m sure it’s him and that the threat to his life is dealt with. Knowing Nina, she’d insist on joining the search and the fight. She’d try to be in charge of everything, endangering not just her idiot brother but also herself. I know keeping her in the dark will most likely bite me in the arse, but I cannot allow her to be hurt,’ I said, and Leszek nodded.
‘Fine, I’ll talk to Tomasz, and I won’t say a word to Sara… but if I’ve learned anything about those two women, I can tell you she will make you regret keeping it a secret, and with Sara’s talent, she’ll know sooner rather than later.’
‘I know, but I can deal with that when it happens. Nina has been attacked already. I can’t believe that motherfucker bit her in a public place, but that only shows he is not above using dirty tricks. I don’t want her to be used as bait or get hurt because she wants to help her brother.’
The laughter from outside was so loud that it interrupted our conversation. Leszek stopped looking at the door of his office and involuntarily smiled.
‘I could die happy hearing her laughing like that. I have not once regretted sharing my spirit with Sara,’ he said, and I nodded, standing up.
‘Let’s join them before they concoct some devious plans to make our lives more difficult.’
We found Sara and Nina standing next to the coffee machine. I watched in amazement as Sara furiously whipped cream with the speed of Stribog’s tempest while Nina stood next to the cup, with a syringe in her hand, measuring out a transparent liquid with scientific precision. The bottle next to her had no labels, yet my woman held it like it contained liquid gold.
‘Please tell me you didn’t steal Michal’s moonshine?’ Leszek’s heavy sigh from beside me held the weight of the world, but when Sara turned to him with a mischievous grin, his mouth widened as he returned the smile.
‘With his permission. He understands we need a calming remedy after hearing your roaring. We were beginning to wonder if we would have to scrub Adam off the wall before he had a chance to show us how to slap a dick on a woman’s head.’
Leszek looked at his wife, confused at Sara’s reference to my argument with Nina.
This woman will be a death of me. They both will, I thought, when he next glanced at me, and it was clear he required an explanation. Ignoring his curiosity, I turned to Nina. At least I now knew why she was being so precise. Michal made a mean plum moonshine. The liquid was transparent like water, almost tasteless, with only a hint of plum blossom scent, and it kicked like a horse. The shifter’s special, tailored to their metabolism, was made from ninety-five percent pure alcohol, and it could poison an average human if taken in large amounts. And our women were mixing it in their drinks.
‘What are you making?’ I asked, and Nina turned to look at me with a mischievous glint in her dark eyes.
‘Homemade Irish Coffee, it will be so yummy.’
Her lips parted, and I saw Nina’s tongue darting along the upper lip, and all I could think of was how perfect it would taste with a droplet of two of her blood.
‘I hope you’re willing to share with a thirsty vampire,’ I suggested, surprising myself with the low growling purr in my voice. The memory of her taste in my mouth left me thirsting for more of her delicious nectar.
Nina tilted her head before slowly sucking her lower lip. There was a dare in her gaze, and I had to slip behind the counter to conceal my bulging erection. If it weren’t for the fact that Leszek and Sara were right there, I would take advantage of her fucking and feeding contract that very second, no questions asked, and perform the task as if my life depended upon it.
I cleared my throat. ‘We will need to go home soon. I have several leads on your brother’s whereabouts to chase down,’ I said, but Sara waved me off.
‘You go, I’m keeping your Obsidian Princess here for the night. We need to catch up, and there’s nothing better than a girlie sleepover from time to time,’ she said, and I saw Leszek’s eyes flash gold. Sara must have noticed it, too, because she waved him off, laughing.
‘Oh, please, you’re a grown man. You can sleep alone once in a millennium,’ she scoffed, and I had to school my face to not burst out laughing. Being amused at Leszek’s expense was a hazardous state to be in as an annoyed Leszek turned in my direction, cursing through clenched teeth.
‘This is your fault, vampire. You owe me big time,’ he said.
Sara walked up behind him, slipping her arms around his body and stroking his chest. Instantly, his anger subsided, replaced by affection as he covered her hands with his own, showing a tenderness that was still surprising from such a dangerous being.
‘I need this, Wolfie. If I could ask a favour, would you mind bringing the patchwork quilt from the attic? You know, the colourful fluffy one Nina likes so much,’ she asked, and I realised how monochrome my apartment was, nothing like the bright explosion of colour in Nina’s home.
Leszek turned his head, kissing Sara’s cheek, so I took that as my cue to leave, standing up and heading for the door.
