Page 15 of The Demon's Fire
“We’re here, Bounty.” Kole slammed Skyler’s bags onto the floor.
A tall woman floated from her desk chair, sauntering toward them, unconcerned with the commander’s blustering voice and probably having listened to their entire conversation. “I know you’re here. I heard everything, including your stomping through the corridor.” She tapped a bright red nail on her chin, studying Kole’s torn clothing and injuries. “Earth doesn’t agree with you.” She sniffed the air. “Demon blood. Yours. And bullet holes. There must be a story there. If only I cared.”
The woman approached Skyler, holding out a hand. “So nice to meet you, Chief Legal Officer Maxwell. I’m Commander Kole’s executive assistant, Bounty.”
Skyler studied the woman’s shapely legs, trim hips, more than ample breasts, smokey eyes, pouty mouth, and blonde hair. Instead of grasping her palm, Skyler bobbed her chin in a slight nod. “Nice to meet you, too. Could I have a cup of coffee, please?”
A smirk grew into a wide smile on Kole’s face as his gaze pinged from Skyler to a narrow-eyed Bounty.
His assistant asked in a syrupy voice, “Sugar? Cream?”
“Black will be fine. Your office, Commander? I don’t want to spend a lot of time here. We have a busy schedule.”
Bounty arched an eyebrow at Kole.
“In here.” He led the way, heading straight to his desk where he flung himself into a massive chair. “Where’s Rein?” he shouted into the outer office.
“He’s covering for you in a meeting Director Alarik called. Said he hoped it didn’t take too long.” Bounty sashayed into Kole’s office with a cup of coffee. She offered it to Skyler. “Vampires have sharp hearing. Nonetheless, the commander insists on yelling at me as if I am deaf.”
“You forgot mine.” Kole grinned at his assistant.
“No, I didn’t. It’s in the pot. Where you left it and where it’s likely to stay until you get off your misogynistic ass to pour it.” Bounty returned a charming smile.
Skyler ignored the exchange, sipping her coffee.
Ah. The jolt of caffeine is perfect.
Bounty’s head twisted toward the outer office, her brows scrunched together. “There’s a fight in the gym.”
“I’ll be back.” Kole flew out of his chair, quick for such a big, solid man.
Skyler tapped her watch, a hint he should hurry.
Kole frowned, muttering under his breath while he rushed from the room.
****
Inhis Alliance office, Cal leaned back in his chair, feet propped on the edge of his desk, ear to the phone, while he arranged the final details of the agreement for a security gig. “We’ll have plenty of protection there as per your contract. Our principal agents near the stage will be working in conjunction with the police. Our operatives will station themselves backstage as well. Don’t forget, D Monz has personal bodyguards assigned to him also. In addition, we’ll have plants among the crowd, keeping a finger on the pulse of the audience. Uniformed security will wander the aisles to handle miscreants.” He looked up. “Just a moment.” Cal palmed the speaker when Laurie stood in his doorway.
“Alarik, Scath’s director of the Ministry of Well Being, is on the phone.”
“For me or Skyler?”
“You.”
Cal jacked his feet off the desk. “I gotta go. I’ll get back to ya.”
Nodding, he signaled for Laurie to put the call through. The bigwigs from Scath never called him. They talked to the board or the CLO.
“What can I do for you, Director Alarik?” Cal held the phone between his cheek and shoulder while he logged info into his computer, noting the date, the caller, the contents.
He stopped typing, shooting straighter in his chair. “The board referred you to me?”
Things are looking sunnier.
“I’ll check the legalities and draw up medical releases for all Alliance employees.”
Cal resumed typing into his computer. “I don’t foresee problems. Everyone at the Alliance understands their unique ancestry. Some know who is in their family tree. The breed and so on. Many don’t. So let me be sure I’ve got this straight. Each employee needs at least one blood test. Maybe two.”
