Spencer would’ve responded, except two women stepped into view beneath the brick archway, passing through the silence ward. The taller one wore a neatly tailored white dress pants and blazer, with a crimson blouse underneath and long, layered gold necklaces. A circle of bite mark scars ringed her neck, and she showed them off proudly by way of wearing her blonde hair up in a sleek ponytail. Her blue eyes were heavily lined and shadowed, the rest of her makeup less dramatic.
The other woman was slightly shorter, a little curvier, and dressed more like the staff he’d seen behind the bar upstairs. She inclined her head politely to their group, no hint of fear to be seen. “Master.”
Takoma curled two fingers at her, and she obeyed instantly. Spencer watched as the woman situated herself on Takoma’s lap as if she belonged there, head tilted to give him access to her throat. Takoma grasped her chin in one hand, holding her steady as he leaned forward, sinking his fangs into her throat with an ease that made her sigh softly, eyes fluttering shut. Takoma had said he’d wanted a drink, but Spencer would’ve preferred alcohol.
The feeding didn’t cross the line into something sexual, for which Spencer was grateful. Takoma drank his fill and then sent her on her way under the guidance of the woman Spencer assumed was in charge of the establishment. Spencer paid them no attention as they left, instead pretending he wasn’t watching Takoma lick blood off his lips.
You are staring, Fatima said.
Spencer ignored her.
“Why Adler?” Takoma asked.
“Who says it was her?” Spencer replied.
Takoma leveled him with an unimpressed look. “I grow tired of your deflection.”
“And I already told you I can’t talk about this case, but it doesn’t have anything to do with your Night Court. Can’t you be satisfied with that?”
Apparently not, as Spencer found himself staring into the master vampire’s eyes from mere inches away rather than feet a second later as Takoma loomed over him. A cold hand was wrapped around his throat, fingers pressing into his pulse hard enough to restrict his breathing a little. The knee pressed to the cushion between his splayed legs didn’t promise him a good time, even if his cock was interested.
“No, because your government has a tendency to place blame where they shouldn’t in order to get what it wants. I want to know what it wants,” Takoma hissed, breath blowing out across Spencer’s face.
He could have drawn on his magic and conjured up a mageglobe, risked his throat being torn out to force Takoma away. But he kind of liked walking around with all his parts attached, so instead, Spencer swallowed hard against the pressure wrapped around his throat and went with the best answer he could.
“I’m here on a holdover from the Morrígan’s staff case,” Spencer croaked out.
Takoma’s grip suddenly eased, and Spencer coughed, breathing in a lungful of air, feeling it burn inside. “There’s been no sighting of the New York City god pack within Seattle.”
Spencer rubbed at his throat, glaring up at Takoma. “Yeah, because they’re still in New York City. I said a holdover from that mission. The gods aren’t involved in this, which means neither is Patrick and his pack.”
“But the dead are.” Takoma tilted his head to the side, staring down at him with unblinking dark eyes. “You are brought in for specific cases.”
“Lucky me.”
Takoma remained standing in front of Spencer and blocking his way out. Eventually, he spoke, making Spencer hate the insight a long life gave someone. “Your government lost something. You are here to find it.”
Spencer shrugged and smiled blandly. “Am I? Guess you have your answer, then.”
He stayed where he was, not moving, waiting on Takoma’s next move. Spencer had a command trigger for a shield lingering in his thoughts, ready to cast it if the master vampire got handsy in a way that was more bloody than not. He didn’t really feel like dying when his SOA badge was still shiny and new.
“We’re done. You will leave,” Takoma finally decided.
Takoma didn’t move though. If Spencer wanted to leave, he’d have to awkwardly lift his legs and scoot around on the cushion or just get to his feet. He wasn’t one to give ground, so he shoved himself upright and stood. Spencer found himself standing inches away from Takoma, so close they could’ve shared the air between them if the master vampire needed to breathe. “If the police come around asking about me—”
“The police are never welcome in my Night Court.”
“Yeah, well, let me know if they try to be.”
Spencer waggled his fingers in a silent goodbye before maneuvering around Takoma to leave. Fatima jumped off the table to follow him out, the silence ward fading to nothing behind her. Noise drifted back to his ears, and Spencer pretended no one watched him leave the Black Waters club.
Standing on the sidewalk outside, heat charm not enough to ward off the cold in the air, Spencer sighed. “That could’ve gone better.”
Fatima stared up at him with a judgmental look in her eyes.You are ridiculous.
“I didn’t even do anything.”
I will swat you.
