I laughed. “You’re the only person in this house I don’t mind seeing me naked.”
“That’s because I’m blind.”
“Exactly.”
“Some blessings are a curse,” he said, quietly leaving the room.
Since Shepherd was still unfit for public appearances, Christian and I volunteered to head over to Club Nine and search for his keys. If we couldn’t find them, Christian knew a locksmith. I could probably start the car with a little Mage power, but I’d never done it before and didn’t want to risk blowing up his engine.
It was late afternoon, and the snowfall was finally tapering off. I peered inside my trench coat while Christian turned into the parking lot.
“That’s the third time you’ve looked in there,” he said. “Did you lose your breasts?”
“No. I’m just wondering if I can hide a few daggers in here. I’ve always had to carry the big one strapped to my leg, but that’s not practical when I’m wearing jeans. The push daggers are fine; I like them close to my body for easy access.”
“When Shepherd comes out of his cave, maybe he’ll take a look. He’s clever with modifications.”
I put my foot on his dash and retied my shoelaces. “What do you think is wrong with him?”
Christian removed his sunglasses and squinted at the bright snow. “Probably what’s wrong with all of us. We’re fecking loons. Get your foot off my dash.”
I dropped my leg and unbuckled my seat belt. “I thought you guys were best buddies.”
“I’m not having this discussion again. Now quit flapping your gums, and let’s get this over with.”
“Enjoy your reprieve,” I said playfully. “When you get back, you’ll be staring at a computer screen for the rest of the night.”
He shut off the engine. “On that note, there are some sick bastards in this world.”
I got out of the car and met up with him next to the building. “Why? What did you see?”
“Last night, there were pets going up for sale.”
“Pets?”
“Aye. Some of those humans you love so much have an infatuation with Shifters. They volunteer to become their pets. Leather collars and everything.”
I snorted. “Do they wear a leash?”
“The higher authority frowns upon that kind of thing, but it’s entirely legal. The demand for pets is higher than the supply, so some of them coordinate with marketeers to find the highest bidder. That way the human gets a little something out of it in addition to fulfilling whatever sexual fantasy they’re searching for.”
“So it’s a sex thing?”
We rounded the corner.
“It makes some Shifters feel empowered to have dominion over a human pet. Shifters were once slaves within our world. I guess freedom isn’t enough for some and they want a taste of that power. A pet is a servant.”
“A servant with a collar. Sounds more like a slave. Do they care which animal bids on them? Wolf? Panther? Sheep?” When Christian ignored my remarks, I egged him on. “What about a cow? Do they get to milk them?”
He held the door open and gave me a scathing glance. “My deepest condolences to the woman who dropped you on your head.”
I reached in my pocket and tossed a receipt onto the floor. Without looking back, I knew he’d bent down to pick it up. Just as we reached the bar, I tossed something else from my pocket onto the ground.
Christian slammed his hand on the bar with the scraps of paper beneath it. “Now you’re just goading me.”
Hooper turned and gave Christian a look of annoyance. He licked one of his lip rings and ambled toward us. “Is there something I can get for you?”
Christian lifted his hand, revealing the wadded-up papers. “She’ll be having a trash can.”
“He’ll have world peace,” I said. “Could we trouble you for a minute? A friend of ours left his keys here last night, so we thought we’d come in and look around. Has anyone turned anything in?”
He looked between my mismatched eyes. “I remember you now. Is the car still out there?” he asked with a smile.
“Yep.”
“Must be a jalopy. Most of the keys lost in here never get found, and neither do the cars.”
Theft wasn’t a crime that could land a man in Breed jail, so what would deter someone from taking the Jeep? “Would you mind looking around? Maybe one of the waitresses placed them behind the bar or something and didn’t relay the message. My friend here will check the men’s room.” I patted Christian on the shoulder and he wrenched away, heading toward the restrooms. He didn’t look angry. In fact, his stoic expression made me want to try harder to get a reaction. “Check every stall!” I yelled out.
Hooper winked. “Be right back.”
After he disappeared behind the bar, I plopped down on a stool and spun around to face the club. A few people were hanging out, but it wasn’t as busy as the evening hours. When I crossed my legs, an attractive man with long hair winked at me. He must have liked the no-makeup-and-crazy-hair look.
A familiar face strode by on his way out. “Careful, Butterfly. That one’s a Vampire.”
I stared at the man’s bleached hair and hopped off my stool. “Hey, Chaos. Your little ruse didn’t work.”
“Oh?” he said, not turning around or slowing his pace. “And what trick would that be?”
I followed him out the main door. “My necklace isn’t real. But I can appreciate how much fun that must have been to instigate a fight between me and my partner.”
The man laughed and stopped by the corner, his eyes bright with humor. He had on a grey coat with a high collar, and his hair was messier than I last remembered. Out in the light, I could see a few tiny dark moles on his face. They stood out because it didn’t look like he got much sun.
“Why were you chasing that man last night?” he asked.
“Do you live here?”
He traced a dark eyebrow with his finger. “Your jumping on top of a car seems far more interesting than how often I frequent the club. Was he one of your targets? Or did he make the mistake of asking for your phone number? I might get jealous if you gave it to him.”
I crossed my arms and decided to head back inside where it was warm. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”
“I thought you might want to know that man’s name, but seeing as you’re in a hurry, I’ll bid you a good evening.”
I blinked in surprise as he strode around the corner. “Wait!” I seized his cuff. “What do you know about him?”
His brows arched to his hairline. “I assumed you knew already.”
“What can you tell me?”
“I shouldn’t get involved.”
“Please?”
He reached in his pocket and took out a pen. “Give me your hand.”
I peeled off my fingerless glove. The felt-tip pen tickled my palm as he began scribbling something.
“It’s a dangerous side of the city. I wouldn’t advise going there after dark.”
Maybe getting to know regulars in the clubs wasn’t such a bad idea. I watched my new friend taking his time with his penmanship. His amiable personality made it seem as if we’d known each other for years. Sometimes you just meet people in life who are on the same wavelength.
“What’s your Breed?” I asked.
He let go of my hand and put the cap back on his pen. “I’m like you.”
“A Mage then.” I read the address on my hand. “How do you know where he lives?”
“I know many things.”
My shoulders sagged when I realized that nothing came free. “What do you want in return?”
He leaned in, his mouth close to my ear. “Your fealty.”
I took two steps back. Maybe he was one of those weirdoes who owned people pets.
A smile touched his lips. “See you when I see you.”
I headed back, stoked that I had a lead. Once inside, Hooper shook his head to indicate he hadn’t found our keys. With Christian nowhere in sight, I ventured to the limbo room and tried to retrace Shepherd’s steps as best as I could imagine. I searched beneath the chairs, inside the seat cushions, and especially around the table where we had sat.
Nothing.
Then I crawled on my hands and knees, because maybe they got kicked around and landed somewhere else. I grimaced when I bumped into a familiar pair of legs.
Christian anchored his hands on his hips and looked down at me with a wolfish grin. “Now that’s where I think you belong.”
I stood up and straightened my coat. “Find anything in the potty room?”
“Besides dirty arses? Afraid not. I better call the locksmith.”
When he reached for the phone in his pocket, I gripped his arm. “Wait.”
His eyes flashed up. “That’s a look I’ve seen before. Trouble.”
“Forget the keys. I know where to find our guy.”
He barked out a laugh. “I was away for ten minutes, and you’ve solved the fecking case?”
I held my hand in front of his face.
He turned it sideways and read the address. “Where did you get this?”
I lowered my hand. “The fates. They want us to find the baby.”
“I suppose the heavenly angels came down and gave you his address? How convenient.”