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Two.

And Madame Matase suspected one of them had left without even bothering to check out.

At least we wouldn’t have to close the hotel anymore. It had kind of done that itself.

“Adam?” Victor asked.

“Huh?”

“I was explaining to Zodiac that we’re going to observe, to begin with, which means being stealthy and quiet. We are not ready to face a vampire force.”

“I was born ready.” Zee gripped the wheel. “I killed my first vampire when I was two fucking years old. Tore out his heart and ate it in front of him. A great fucking day for demons everywhere.”

Victor side-eyed him.

“Really?” I asked.

“Okay, fine. Maybe I wasn’t two when that heart thing happened.”

Victor continued to side-eye him.

Zee huffed. “It may have been a few months ago at Razorsedge, with a vampire sex doll, a gummy heart . . . and I was being filmed at the time, is all I’m saying.”

“There are vampire sex dolls?” I asked.

“I can feel the intelligence leaching out of me,” Victor muttered.

“Ew.” Zee glanced over his shoulder. “If you wanna fuck it, there’s a doll for that. Or, if you wanna see a demon fuck it, I probably have, and it’s available on the internet for a subscription fee.”

“Of course it is,” Victor sighed.

“Don’t yuck someone’s yum, Daddy Spice. Like you don’t have any kinks? I got a whole list of ’em from last night. Shall we count the ways Daddy Spice gets his rocks off?”

“Please don’t,” Victor warned.

“Or,” I interrupted. “We focus on getting Jimmy’s family back.”

Zee smirked, his point made, and we drove a little further, riding along the smooth mountain road. A convenience store and gas stop came up on our left, then next up, a right hand turn took us onto a narrow fire-break track. The minivan bumped along, dropping in and out of potholes, until the track got so bad the van bottomed out.

“It’s the end of the road, happy campers.” Zee killed the engine and hopped out.

His wings immediately appeared and he gave himself a shake, briefly raining purple sparks, then he opened the back door and grabbed Shareen, his enormous, vampire-killing sword. He hadn’t worn the armor, instead relying on swiftness and stealth. Reynard had made it clear we weren’t here to start a war. This was just a recon trip.

I caught Reynard’s gaze lingering on the naked strip of Zee’s middle, with its provocative tattoo, and smiled as I climbed out too.

We may have hit a bit of a rough spot that morning, but there wasn’t anyone else in this world who I’d want to steal back pixies with.

“Alright, Fancy Fangs, which way?”

Victor adjusted his jacket, having opted to stalk through the woods as though he was headed to the office later. “Have we not achieved a first name basis?”

Zee grinned. “Never gonna happen.”

“The chapel is to the north west. Remember, we must proceed with stealth.”

“Will there be guards?” I asked, falling into step beside Reynard, while Zee sliced Shareen into the brush ahead.

“Few. They won’t be expecting company.”