“Actually,” Claudius continued, his tone sickeningly pleasant, “I’m surprised you bothered to bring a blood-slave at all. Surely the investigation won’t take long enough to require feeding.” He smiled, showing just a hint of fang. “Though if you find yourself peckish, I’m sure we can arrange something more...appropriate than whatever human you’ve been keeping.”
The world went crimson as Viktor fought against his second form. His vampire wanted out in the worst way, and in about ten more seconds, he was going to tear Claudius’s fucking head off his fucking shoulders and…
Viktor.
Ant’s voice slid through their mind-link, calm, steady, and completely unbothered. It carried with it a wave of absolute tranquility, the mental equivalent of cool water washing over burning skin.
I need you to remain in control. I can’t conduct my investigation if you’re busy decorating the driveway with Claudius’s internal organs.
The cool tones and imagery the words described shocked a laugh out of Viktor - or would have, if he hadn’t been in the middle of a transformation. Instead, the sound came out as something between a growl and a wheeze.
He called you a pet,Viktor snarled back through their bond.A fucking blood-slave.
Yes, I heard. He has the conversational skills of a particularly dim undergraduate and the fashion sense of a Regency-erafuneral director.Ant’s mental voice remained perfectly level.None of which matters. We’re here to investigate a murder, not to engage in dominance displays with an insecure eight-hundred-year-old who’s overcompensating for something.
Viktor’s control returned - the red receded from his vision, his second form remained alert, although mollified by Ant’s calm presence. His claws retracted, and his fangs - with great reluctance - slid back to a more normal length.
That’s better,Ant sent, approval warming the edges of his thoughts.Now, let me handle this.
Ant stepped forward, moving past Viktor with the kind of confidence that came from being a Level Twelve mage who could reduce the entire estate to rubble if sufficiently motivated. He stopped precisely ten feet from Claudius - close enough to be polite, far enough to maintain professional distance.
“Claudius Raven, I’m Doctor Anthony Channon,” Ant said in his most deadpan academic voice, the one he used when delivering lectures at the Mage Academy. “I’m a Level Twelve mage, a specialist in psychometric scene reading, and the lead investigator assigned to this case by the Justiciary. I’m here to determine the circumstances of Ronald Finch’s death. You’ve clearly already met my mate, Viktor, who will be accompanying me throughout the investigation as both my personal protection and as a consultant familiar with vampire territorial customs.”
The words dropped into the silence like stones into water. Claudius blinked. It was a tiny reaction, barely noticeable, but Viktor had known the bastard for centuries. That blink meant he was surprised.
“Mate?” Claudius repeated, his smooth façade cracking just slightly. “You and this...mage...are claiming a mate bond?”
“We’re not claiming anything,” Ant replied, his tone suggesting he was correcting a student who’d mixed up basic facts. “We are mated. It’s an observable fact, much like gravity or the chemical composition of water. Now, if you’re quite finished with the posturing, I have a crime scene to examine. The Justiciary expects my preliminary report within forty-eight hours, and I’d prefer not to waste time on irrelevant social rituals.”
Viktor bit the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning. Only Ant could make hundreds of years of vampire protocol sound like “irrelevant social rituals” and somehow get away with it.
Claudius’s eyes had gone very cold. “You’re claiming that a vampire of Viktor’s age and power would mate with a human?”
“I’m not human.” Ant’s voice remained perfectly flat. “Did you not hear me when I explained I’m a Level Twelve mage? I have sufficient power to dismantle every ward on this property and reduce this building to its original molecular structure, if I so desire. The fact that I choose not to do so is a courtesy, not a limitation.”
One of the guards made a strangled sound. Another shifted backward half a step.
Claudius’s smile had frozen on his face, no longer reaching his eyes. “Of course. My apologies, Doctor Channon. I wasn’t aware the Justiciary was sending someone of your...caliber.”
Liar,Viktor thought viciously.You knew exactly who was coming. You just didn’t expect him to have a spine.
“Now,” Ant continued, “I understand Ronald Finch’s body was discovered in one of your guest rooms. I’ll need access to that location, as well as any security records from the evening of his death. I’ll also require a private room where my mate and I can stay during the investigation - separate from themain household, if possible. Able doesn’t do well in crowded environments.”
As if on cue, Able sat down next to Ant’s leg and stared at Claudius with the judgmental expression that only dogs could truly master.
Claudius’s gaze flickered to the dog, then back to Ant. “Naturally. We’ve prepared accommodations in the east wing. I’ll have someone show you to your rooms, and then we can discuss access to the crime scene.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Ant’s voice sharpened just slightly. “I don’t need to ‘discuss’ access. I have legal authority from the Justiciary to investigate any and all locations relevant to Ronald Finch’s death. If you attempt to obstruct that authority, I’ll be forced to note it in my official report. I imagine the Justiciary would be very interested to learn why a coven leader felt the need to interfere with a murder investigation.”
The threat was delivered in the same mild, academic tone Ant used for everything, which somehow made it more effective. Claudius’s jaw tightened.
“Of course,” he said after a long pause. “You’ll have complete access. I’m sure you understand, however, that certain areas of the estate contain sensitive materials unrelated to your investigation. Ancient artifacts, private quarters, that sort of thing.”
“I’m only interested in locations relevant to Ronald Finch’s death,” Ant replied. “Unless you’re suggesting any of those things are somehow connected to the murder?”
“No.” The word came out clipped. “I’m not suggesting that at all.”
“Excellent. Then we understand each other.” Ant glanced at Viktor. “Shall we see our accommodations? I’d like to settle Able before beginning the scene reading.”
