The Fabled (9 page)

It didn’t surprise me that she didn’t call
him in to act as her champion. He was more of the type of guy you’d
call in if you needed a computer hacked instead of a wolf killed. I
took his shock as my cue to get the heck out of dodge.

“See ya.” I did a little wave and beat feet.
K shot me a nasty look as I got in my car and drove through the
portal.

As I came out on the other side a thought hit
me. Surely when Marcus told her of his friendship with Roman she
told him how Roman hated her. And just as surely K refused to allow
him to the wedding. Right? She wouldn’t ask me to be in her wedding
knowing Roman would be there too. Knowing my intense hatred for
that man. Right? Right. K was my friend and friends take their
friends feelings into consideration. Although K
was
a little
self-serving. I had better ask her before the wedding. I’m sure
we’ll have to meet up to shop for bridesmaid dresses or something.
I’ll just make sure he’s not going to be there so I don’t have to
see him. That wouldn’t be good at all.

I made it back to the council’s Texas office
in just under an hour. It was good that the council had offices in
every state. Although portals make moving around relatively quick
it’s easier to stay on top of a case if you’re close to where the
crimes are being committed.

As I walked into the office me and Tristan
were sharing he was sitting in front of the computer with his face
practically touching the screen studying a map.

“You’re going to go blind sitting that close
to the screen.”

He turned and looked at me, blinking a few
times to get me into focus. “I was trying to find a pattern between
the routes the missing Vamps took regularly.”

“Did you find any similarities?” I took off
my jacket and sat at the other desk in the room.

“Not really. The only thing in common is that
club.”

“The one you got nothing from?”

“Yeah. That’s the one. Tell me why you were
with K.”

I thought about telling him about the Were
challenge but decided it wasn’t worth him worrying over. “She’s
getting married in two weeks and wants me to be her maid of honor.
She wanted me to meet her future husband.”

“And you went in the middle of an
investigation?”

“She made it sound life or death. She knew I
would come that way. You’ll be getting an invite soon.”

“Great. I love weddings.”

I rolled my eyes. He liked all the available
women at weddings. And the free booze.

“Anyway, tell me about the club.”

He rolled his eyes. “Like I said,
nothing.”

“You got nothing because there was nothing or
because no one wanted to tell you anything.”

“Um, the later.”

“The club owner?”

He nodded.

“The head of security?”

Another nod.

“The bouncers?”

He shrugged. “One seemed friendly enough at
the beginning but once the owner stonewalled me none of the others
would talk.”

“Did the one you talked to seem to know
anything?”

“He said he remembered Elena but didn’t
remember if she came in the night she disappeared and didn’t
remember seeing her with anyone.”

“How big is this club?”

He shrugged again. “I don’t know. Pretty big
I guess. There was a line waiting for it to open by the time I
left.”

“A club like that would have surveillance.
Did you ask for the tapes?”

He looked at me like I was stupid for
asking.

“So let me get this right. You show up, tell
them you’re with the council and investigating some disappearances
and the owner, what, tells you to get lost?”

“Not in so many words but yeah.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Well son. I guess we’ll
just have to try again. You know what they say about perseverance.
If that doesn’t work, I could always throw the owner around until
he decides to see things our way.”

He smiled. “I don’t know. I didn’t meet the
owner but the chief of security. There’s something about her, I’m
not sure what she is but whatever it is, she’s powerful.”

I smiled back. “Good. I haven’t had any real
power in a while and I’m hungry.” I stood up and grabbed my jacket.
“They don’t call me the Thief for nothing.”

I started for the door. “What was the owner’s
name?”

If he was a well-known criminal it would help
me know how to handle him.

Tristan looked at his notes. “Some guy named
Alexander, Roman Alexander.”

I stopped with my hand on the door knob. I
knew it. Between the dreams and the walk down memory lane while
dealing with K and then running into Marcus. I knew it was just a
matter of time before the inevitable happened. Fuck. I really don’t
want to see him again. In fact I would give almost anything to
never have to see that man again.

“Is something wrong?”

“What? Oh, I was just thinking. I haven’t
heard that name in a while.”

“You know him?”

“I used to. A long time ago.” I smiled at
him. “Come on. Let’s go get reacquainted.”

He nodded and I opened the door. To find
Lucian standing on the other side. Why doesn’t it surprise me that
he would want to talk to me before I go to see Roman again?

“Father. What an unexpected surprise. We were
just about to leave so if you’d like I could come by your house
tomorrow.”

He smiled at me. “Now would suit me daughter.
I’m sure my grandson could wait in the car for a few minutes.” He
looked at Tristan.

“Uh, sure. I’ll meet you outside, mom. It was
good to see you, grandfather.”

“As it was a pleasure to see you son. I will
meet with you on Tuesday for training, yes?”

“Yes sir.”

“Very good.” Lucian nodded toward the door
and Tristan didn’t waste any time getting through it.

My father turned to me and smiled. I walked
back to my temporary desk and leaned against the front of it with
my arms crossed.

“Why do you act as though I am going to
reprimand you?”

“That’s not it. It’s because of where I’m
about to go and who I’m about to see that I’m in an ill mood. The
fact that you’re about to give me some advice I don’t really want
is only adding to it.”

His smile grew broader. “And here I thought I
was the one with premonition.”

I tried for a smile but couldn’t manage it.
He walked to the only window in the room and looked out at the
twilight.

“Do you believe in destiny, daughter?”

I thought about it before answering. “To an
extent. I believe people are given limitations but it’s their
choice what they do within those restrictions.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “So you believe if a
Human is born short he could never become a pro basketball
player.”

“Not exactly. I believe if he was born short
with a will of iron he could become whatever he set his mind at.
I’m saying fate would have him born short without the want to play
basketball if that was not his destiny.”

“Ah, so you believe fate dictates what you do
and do not want.”

“To an extent. I believe there are
exceptions. Look at me for example.”

He turned back toward me. “Yes, look at you.
Do you believe I defied fate to have you or it was because fate
gave me the ability to create you that I did?”

“You’re asking if I believe I was fated to
become what I am. I would have to honestly say I don’t know. I
don’t think anyone was supposed to have the ability I do. It defies
the laws of magic. Even among the Fabled there are no exceptions
yet, here I am. I belong nowhere. I am unlike any other. Because of
this I am feared, hated. Is it a good thing that you made me?”

“I believe so. Tristan as well.”

“Yes, but who knows how his life could have
turned out. It was likely he would be bounced around foster homes
but I don’t think so. He was too special. Beautiful both outside
and in. I believe someone else would have seen that too.”

“So you think if you were not there to save
him, someone else would have. You don’t really believe that do
you?”

“Maybe the super would have found him when he
sobered up. Or another guest. Maybe he would have let himself out
eventually. I don’t really know why we are having a conversation on
what could have been. What is done is done and there is nothing
anyone can do to change it.”

Lucian smiled. “Exactly. Please don’t hurt
the Vampere too badly. I believe he has suffered enough.”

With that he came to me and kissed my
forehead before leaving the room. Riddles and verbal manipulation.
That was my father.

“
Mixing business with pleasure”

Eternal Darkness looked like any other club
you’d see in any other city. It didn’t seem particularly dark and
dreary like some of the more Goth or BDSM clubs. You would think
with a name like Eternal Darkness all the décor would be black with
burgundy trim and heavy fabrics like velvet. But from the outside
it just looked like a red brick building with a large neon sign
saying nothing more that the club name. If I didn’t know ahead of
time that it was the club I was looking for, I could have passed it
a hundred times and not given it a second look. The line outside
the doors did kind of make it stand out though.

“You stand in line. When you get to the
entrance pay to get in like any clubby then come and find me.”

Tristan’s eyes widened. “What? You’re going
in alone?”

“You think you’re the only one capable of
handling yourself? I’m going incognito and I can’t exactly take you
with me. You standing in line and paying to get in doesn’t give us
away right off the bat.”

“What if he won’t talk to us again?”

I smiled. “Oh he’ll talk to me. One way or
another.”

He rolled his eyes. “Fine but I don’t like
it.”

“You don’t have to like it. And under no
circumstance do you let it be known that you and I are related. Got
me?”

“Yeah, yeah I know the drill.”

“Good. See you on the inside.”

I got out of the car and started toward the
entrance. When I got close to the bouncer I used the magic I had
stolen from K to conceal myself from sight then used Marcus’ Vamp
magic to quickly make my way inside. There was a spell on the
entryway to prevent Fabled from doing exactly what I was but I
absorbed the magic from it and continued into the club. It was as
nonchalant inside as out. Minimalism would be the designer’s style
of choice. The interior walls were brick like the outside with what
looked like two large, wooden bars big enough to have several
bartenders behind at once. One was toward the back and one in the
front corner. Convenient for getting your booze right after
entering then later when you’re dancing and thirsty again another
bar is there ready and waiting to make your next drink.

The club was already in full swing even
though it was still early. I scanned the crowd quickly but didn’t
really expect to find Roman in it. He will probably be in his
office, wherever that is, or the VIP section, if there is one. I
looked at the layout of the club again and saw a set of stairs
leading up to a second floor. That would be where his office is.
Then I saw a roped off section toward the back of the club. There’s
my VIP. I decided to scan it first so I quickly maneuvered through
the crowd. Which was easier said than done.

He was sitting at a booth closest to a closed
off walkway that led to the stairs and, presumably, his office.
There was another Vamp sitting opposite him so I easily sneaked
past the bouncer guarding VIP and slid into the booth next to the
Vamp while releasing the magic.

“Hello Roman.”

He was looking down at his cell phone and
slowly raised his head to look at me. “Sunshine.” He has always
called me that. Mostly because he didn’t like my real name.

“Where the fuck did you come from?” the Vamp
beside me said.

I looked over at him and smiled then turned
back to Roman. He looked like the Roman I first met in the bar all
those years ago. Gone was the forty-something who wore slacks and
dress shirts. He now looked to be in his twenties and wore dark
jeans, a t-shirt with a rock band on it I had never heard of, a
black leather jacket and boots made for stomping heads.

“You’ve come a long way from psychology. Or
are you still practicing?” I glanced again at the Vamp.

“And look at you. You’re not exactly a book
publisher anymore.”

I smiled again.

“Look sweetheart, I don’t know who you think
you are but we were trying to conduct some business here so why
don’t you wait until afterward to sell your wares. If you know what
I mean.”

“No, I don’t believe I do know what you
mean.” I tried to give him a warning look not to explain but he
didn’t look like the brightest bulb in the box.

“You want me to get rid of her boss?”

I turned to see who had spoken and saw a
young woman standing next to the booth. Judging by her attire she
was a part of the security team and judging by her species she
would most definitely be the head of security. I looked back at
Roman.

“A Djinn. Roman, I’m impressed.” I reached
forward to pat his arm that was lying on the table but he quickly
pulled it into his lap. I refuse to allow that rebuke to faze me. I
looked back at the young Djinn woman. “I’ve got to wonder what a
Djinn would be doing in such a place acting as chief of security.
Whatever could he have that would be so appealing to you?”

She almost blushed before schooling her
features and I knew exactly why she was there.

“I know why I’m here. The question is what
you are doing here?” she replied with a sneer.

“I’m sorry how rude of me.” I held out my
hand to her and she reached out to take it.

“Sunny Dubois,” Roman said before she made
contact.

She instantly pulled her hand back. I heard a
thump behind me and turned back to find the Vamp who had been
sitting next to me picking himself up off the floor. Apparently he
had fallen in his haste to get away. I laughed.