“Hmm.”While Theo was beginning to doubt his own judgment, Kira narrowed her eyes and stepped right into his personal space.She sniffed the air.
Theo knew she didn’t do that—not the violation of anyone’s space unless there was a damn good reason, nor the obvious sniffing.He had seen her act this way exactly once during his training, when a patron had tried to kiss one of his then-and-future colleagues, but she’d never done it to him.He startled.
“Did I—?”He wasn’t even sure what he’d been about to ask.
She narrowed her eyes.“This is—I know this scent.Carl?”
Carl nodded and met Theo’s eyes while Kira stepped back.“Excuse me.”
He did what Kira had, stepping close to sniff him before backing away.Then he turned to her.
“Shit.”
Something tensed in Theo’s gut.“What?What’s happening?Why’re you looking at each other like that?”He swallowed, his voice going feeble.“Share with the class?”
Kira straightened.“We’re taking this inside.Right now.”
Her tone of voice was commanding.That was nice, sort of.Comforting.Except, of course, it wasn’t like Theo had been scared of anything.What was there to be scared of except some weird guy at the cafeteria?But that tone of voice made him wonder why she sounded so…worried?Though that couldn’t be it either, especially since Kira didn’t do worry.
“We’ll reach out to Mr.Collins when we get into the Boudoir,” Carl said stiffly while ushering Theo up the stairs to the front entrance.Kira was ahead of him, taking two steps at a time.
“I don’t think we have to.He’s busy at work.”
Theo didn’t turn, but Carl’s frown was an almost physical thing, a glower he could feel right through his back.Or maybe I’m imagining it.I might just be uneasy for no good reason.Everything is out of step again.The fruit art, I could’ve handled, but I can’t turn on my heel and call Peter whenever something even slightly upsets me.What’s he going to do to the professor if I ever fail a class?
Theo was going to wait until they were inside and in one of the back rooms before he’d discuss with Carl how no one was going to call Peter.It was probably nothing.It couldn’t be anything like the thing with Bernard.No.That was in the past.Theo had his life in order now, if you could call living with a vampire who you sort of liked and who packed you lunch having your life in order.
Kira held the door for him, but she stayed ahead of him, Carl behind.Theo knew the Boudoir, but the front entrance was mostly for clients.It was beautifully decorated, with a richly patterned wallpaper and a thick carpet in shades of dark red.Both matched the floor tiles with small red roses on them.
Through an awning, they came into the entrance room where the bar was.Theo took a cursory look around as he followed Kira, but Celeste wasn’t there.Kira made straight for the room on this floor that Celeste used the most, and she knocked—two short, four long, one short.
To Theo’s shock, she didn’t wait for an answer, just went right inside.
The room was full of plush pastels, chains, and a wide selection of floggers and other toys.Celeste had a turning table and a chair, both with an abundance of restraints.It was the table that was currently in use, and the client on it wore a latex mask and nothing else.
Celeste was dressed in lace and wearing shimmery gloves that went above her elbow.She looked incredibly soft but for the riding crop she was running over her client in a tantalizing way.
“They have come to watch you,” she told the man, never missing a beat despite the sudden interruption.“You must behave.Lead by example.”
Celeste was a good boss, but Theo half expected her to be less than thrilled about them barging in here and make it known.At least from her expression, Theo didn’t see anything that resembled anger.
“Ma’am,” Kira said.
Celeste ran her riding crop deeper, using it where it would get the most out of her client.
“They’re begging me to play with them instead of you.Hmm.You should think about that, think about what you can do better.”Her client breathed heavily, longingly, even as Celeste put her crop on a small table where he’d be able to see it.She beckoned the three of them into a corner of the room.“Explain,” she said, not unkindly, her eyes focusing on Theo.
“He smells of Fae,” Kira said, and next to her, Carl nodded as if to confirm it.
“What?”Celeste’s voice went up, and for once, her composure slipped, if only for the briefest moment.Theo wasn’t used to that.“What happened?”He also wasn’t used to having her concern directed at him.
“I—Fae?I just came here because there was this weird guy on campus, saying something about how he was going to free me from a blood yoke or whatever.He was barely even wearing a shirt.And glitter.He was wearing glitter.I thought he was an art student.”
Celeste was frowning at him.“Apparently not.Free you from a blood yoke?”
Theo shrugged.“I don’t know, but I thought it sounded like he thought I was under compulsion by a vampire, which I know I’m not.”Theo sighed.“Peter only ever did that to protect me, because he’s Peter.Anyway, I got worried, and the Boudoir was close, so…”
She nodded.“You did the right thing.”She glanced back over her shoulder at the man on her table.“I have to finish up here.Kira, Carl, take him upstairs and stay with him.”She narrowed her eyes.“We’re going to call Peter too.Just in case.”
