By myself? It felt odd to slide into the seat seeing as how Lou wasn’t a taxi driver, not even close because he didn’t speak to me at all as he drove.
“So where are we going?”
Silence.
“Got any plans for Christmas?”
Nada.
We drove a good thirty minutes, away from the suburbs and into the city, but ended up in an industrial sector I’d never visited. The several blocks of warehouses clung fast to their location by the river rather than sell to condo developers looking to make a killing selling a water view property. The many oversized storage buildings and factories loomed ominously as we drove past, their windowless exterior disturbing. Was this where Cillian had spent his day? I still hadn’t the slightest clue what kind of business he ran, only that it made him money. Or was his entire job hunting down bad guys and then pulling a Robin Hood?
Lou turned into a short driveway and paused in front of a closed chain link gate. He opened his window and flashed his face at a screen embedded in a concrete pillar. It didn’t flash any kind of light or acknowledgement, yet the gate began retracting with a rattle. A dark factory lay past the fencing and Lou drove straight for it, aiming for a roll-up bay door that must have been triggered by our arrival since it opened. Lou parked just inside the warehouse and shut off the engine.
A peek out the window showed a bunch of stacked crates and nothing else. I couldn’t help but wonder why Cillian wanted to meet me in such a strange location. It didn’t scream romantic or Christmas.
“Get out,” Lou snapped. He exited the car and once more didn’t open my door. Worst chauffeur ever, but that wasn’t the reason why I didn’t join him and instead sat in the backseat, chewing my lower lip. Something about the situation didn’t add up. If I didn’t know better, I’d think Cillian was trying to get rid of me. Brought to an abandoned factory at night with a guy who made no bones about his dislike of me. Was sex with me so bad that my maker thought it best to eliminate my ass instead of saying Sorry babe, it’s not me, it’s you.
The door wrenched open and Lou growled. “I told you to get out of the car.”
“Not until you tell me why I’m really here.”
“Get out and you’ll see,” he snapped.
I crossed my arms. “Make me.” I’d like to see his human ass try. Then again, as a bound servant, he might have enough extra strength. Guess we’d soon find out.
Lou pursed his lips and, judging by the mottled color in his cheeks, seemed like he might actually explode with anger.
“Is the fledgling giving you a hard time?” mocked a familiar male voice, but I couldn’t place it until the owner of it trotted into view.
Okay, he didn’t exactly gallop, but Tom’s hoofed feet did clomp. Seeing the satyr had me more confused than ever.
I frowned. “Tom? What are you doing here?”
“Collecting my special delivery Christmas gift.” He offered a slick, and not reassuring smile.
“Wait, are you talking about me?” I couldn’t help the chill that went through me. Would Cillian truly be so cruel?
“Yes, you. Oh, the things I have planned.” Tom grabbed at his crotch so I would understand exactly what he meant.
“I don’t think so.” I shook my head and huddled as far as I could from the open door.
“As if you have a choice,” Tom snorted. “Although, do feel free to try and fight. Rough play makes me even hornier.”
“No smacking her around until after she turns me,” Lou huffed. “That was the deal.”
My gaze swung to Lou. “What deal? What’s going on?” And was Cillian behind this? I had a hard time believing he’d decided to get rid of me by offering me to the sadistic satyr.
“What’s going on is revenge against your asshole of a maker.” Tom leaned down to better leer at me in the car. “The fanged fucker killed my father.”
“Oh.” I didn’t really have a reply to that.
“Acted as if it were justified too. So what if my father had a thing for hookers? He did the world a favor ridding the streets of their disease-oozing cunts.”
My brain clicked and I blurted, “Your dad was a serial killer?”
“A prolific one,” Tom stated proudly. “Media called him the Bawdy Strangler.”
“Never heard of him.”
