Page 38 of A Subtle Scar
I wasn’t, not anywhere near. But I was going to keep calm. I always kept calm. And professional.
I said, “I’m working, and you two cannot be in here.”
Charon looked back at the door to the evidence unit. “We could always help. Detective Rice, was it? I think we met briefly at Lionel’s birthday celebration. I assure you, Hermes and I are happy to assist in this human investigation. Especially if we can help you find human criminals and protect humans from getting hurt.”
“Yes,” Hermes said. “We don’t want all those human criminals running around and doing…criminal things.”
Rice looked at them, and fuck, I could feel what was coming, could feel it like the onset of a headache after coffee withdrawal.
“Rice—”
“Chandler, so long as you make sure my chain of evidence isn’t messed with, so long as you make sure they don’t contaminate anything, I’m fine with that. Fuck, great, even. After how Lucy saved the day at the beach and everything else, I’m happy to have them.”
“Oh! Yeah, that story about the revenants at the beach…wow.” Sherry said. “Wish I’d been there. I mean, I wouldn’t have wanted to have beenthere, but it must’ve been a once in a career kind of thing.”
“A bad thing,” Rice said.
“Oh, very bad. Epic, but in a bad way.”
“Hmm, Ms. Macallan, are you saying I’m not epic enough for you?” Hermes said, all flirty.
“Nope, not doing that. Kindly back off, Hermes,” I said.
And the immortal turned a beaming smile on me. “You don’t have to be jealous, baby. I’m all yours.” He pushed his chest out and ran a hand through his hair.
“As am I,” Charon piped in.
Hermes took a deep breath. “Yes. And he’s got nicer hair. It’s very shiny.”
Charon pushed his black tresses back behind a shoulder. “Thank you. Hermes is of course an excellent teleporter, especially with company.”
What were they doing? Was Candid Camera a thing they did with immortals? Was there an immortal version of Candid Camera?
“Oh, gods. You three are cute, but hot cute. Not like Lucy and Nelly. They’re like sweet Thai chili sauce, and you guys are hot barbecue sauce with three types of spicy pepper.”
“Ms. Macallan, you flatter us,” Charon said. “Would your appreciation allow me to ask you where you get your clothing tailored?”
Sherry shrugged. “I make most of my clothes myself. It’s easier when you’re tiny and have a fashion sense but don’t want to shop in the kids’ section.”
“Okay, wonderful. Small talk over and done,” Rice said. She had her boss voice turned up all the way. “Chandler, you handle the double immortal package. Macallan, I’m going in there for the evidence pertaining to my most recent case, accompanied by Chandler, and I know the rules.”
“Awesome, will sign you all in,” Sherry said and added a mock salute.
“Yes, awesome,” Hermes said and held out his arm to me. “Shall we, baby?”
Kill me now. “Just shut up and do what I tell you to,” I told them and walked past them ignoring Hermes’s arm.
“Hmm, you had some powerful magic done here not all that long ago, and not the human kind,” Charon said as we walked into the lab area through a swing door on the right. “The echoes of it still linger.”
“Smells like fancy vinegar,” Hermes added. “Or like those vinegar reductions you can do for a nice meal.”
Rice’s brows went up as the doors swung shut behind us. “Don’t know what cleaning products you’re smelling, but if you’re feeling anything, it’s either Hawkes or one of those artifacts.”
Hermes whistled, and Charon tapped his chin as we walked along several empty workstations. “That makes sense. I wonder whether Lucy knew straight away. Hermes, do you know whether Lucy knew from the start?”
“The Dragon Mother said he had no idea when she called me last year to tell me she was moving here,” Hermes said, his brow furrowing.
“Oh, you two know Tiamat? She’s a badass, but sweet. I love her,” Rice said.
