“Well, at least it was for a good cause,” I said sarcastically. I didn’t like the thought that Marini was getting suspicious. If he’d spent any time at all in Dev’s office, he would have found the laptop. Dev had it password protected, but that was anything but foolproof. There were also some interesting files in his safe. I was proof positive that his safe was not the most secure of locations. “He won’t be able to try that again. Dev will make sure of it. He’ll be a hell of a lot more careful now. I just wish you had coughed or something to give me a damn heads up.”
Marcus smiled down at me, a devilish little look. “I’m afraid that I’m not a gentleman when it comes to you. I enjoyed the show far too much to allow it to end prematurely. It also pointed out some rather ugly truths to me. Devinshea isn’t some whim on your part. He isn’t a third indulging some perversity. You’re in love with him as you love your husband.”
“I do love him,” I admitted freely. “He’s as important to me as Daniel.”
“I fear I shall have to love you from afar, cara,” Marcus said wistfully. “It’s probably better that way. I’m too much a man of my time.”
“Which time is that, Marcus?” I let my voice get slightly louder. We could talk about this in the open.
“Long ago. I was born in Rome when there was still a senate.”
“Ancient Rome.” Something teased at the surface of my brain. There was something playing around there that I couldn’t quite catch.
“I remember the bread and the circuses, and I certainly remember the coliseum,” he mused with a smile. “Rome was fading somewhat by the time I was born. Its hidden history is fascinating. You wouldn’t believe the wolves who ruled Rome. At one point, it was a werewolf stronghold.”
“The Strong Arm of Remus,” I whispered, figuring it out. I knew from mythology that Romulus and Remus were brothers and wolves. The legend was they had founded Rome. “Have you ever heard of an object called by that name?”
“Of course,” Marcus said as though it should be self-evident. “It’s a great legend.”
“Halfer doesn’t think so.” I briefly gave him an overview of the way I spent my day. “The creature said he wanted me dead before July the fifteenth. I don’t know what any of it means.”
“Nor do I, cara. I’ll think on it.” His face fell as the other Council members began to leave. “Daniel is apparently ready for us. It’s time for me to go. I’ll call on you in the morning and tell you all I know about this object. For tonight, you and your Lancelot should leave. I’ll attempt to make the meeting last as long as possible so Louis doesn’t come looking for you again.”
Marcus kissed my wrist and left the dance floor. I glanced around the parlor but somehow I’d gotten turned around. The vampire club was one of those odd places that seemed larger after a while. It was a type of magic some supernatural species use to confuse humans, and now standing there without Dev or Daniel, I was feeling mighty human. I was lost and I didn’t recognize anyone. I took a deep breath and tried not to panic. It was all just an illusion. I found the bar and walked straight up to the man behind it. I only hoped he was human.
“How can I help you, mistress?” he asked.
“I’m a little turned around, I’m afraid,” I admitted.
He nodded. “Yeah, that will happen to you. You’re new?”
“It’s my first time. My husband doesn’t really like me spending a lot of time around other vamps.”
“Well, ma’am, you should really stay close to a vampire until you’re used to the place. If you have a physical connection to one of the vampires, then the place makes sense. If you’re on your own, it can get confusing.”
What he didn’t have to say was why the place was confusing. If a human happened to find her way in, it would be difficult for her to get back out. She would be an easy meal. The club was a trap.
Someone could have mentioned that to me. It might have been nice for Marcus to deliver me to someone who could have helped me follow that advice of his. I decided to just stay put and sit myself on a barstool until Danny could come and lead me out. I glanced around, a little worried. I hoped the magic didn’t work on faeries. Dev would look for me, and I didn’t want him to get lost.
Suddenly there was a tap on my shoulder. I twisted the stool around to see Stacy Sears looking at me with a frown on her face.
“Mistress,” she acknowledged.
I felt an unwelcome surge of sympathy for the girl. She was in a bad position, and Danny had placed her in an even worse one. He’d always been oblivious when it came to women who were interested in him. Danny had only ever been in love with me, and it apparently hadn’t occurred to him that someone else could fall for him. It was ridiculous because he was gorgeous and kind, but it was just who he was. I didn’t blame her at all for falling for him.
“How can I help you?” I asked politely, hoping we could both forget that I had almost smacked her for looking at my man. I needed to work on my anger issues.
“Marcus asked me to come find you.” Stacy didn’t quite meet my eyes. “He realized he left you. He forgets sometimes that you’re human like the rest of us.” There was the tiniest bitterness in that last statement, but I let it go. I would be bitter, too. “I was the only one without a duty. I can try to find someone else if I displease you.”
I shook my head because that just seemed silly. “Can you take me to Mr. Quinn?”
“Yes, mistress,” she replied. “Those are my orders. If you will follow me, he’s waiting for you. Don’t let your eyes stray too far. Things can fool you in here. The building itself wants you to stay. It will do what it can to trap you.”
Jumping down from the barstool, I began to follow the blonde, not taking my eyes off her back. “How do you manage it?”
She glanced behind at me. “After a while, the magic recognizes you and stops trying to trap you. It’s there for humans who wander in and could cause trouble. If you wander in uninvited, you really should expect to never leave. It’s our way.”
It wasn’t my way. I thought some helpful bouncers might be just as effective, or maybe a well-placed exit sign. Several times a year, some adventurous human found their way down to Ether, but the club certainly didn’t try to catch them and hope a club member needed some dinner. Our bouncers politely told the humans to go away. If they showed up more than once, one of the witches put the whammy on them and they forgot all about the experience. And though some of the plants in the grotto might shoot out from the walls and hold me down, it was always a nice experience. I doubted getting caught up in this strange place would ever end nicely.
It was difficult to keep my eyes straight because things kept happening just out of my peripheral vision. Little flashes of color or movement would try to catch my eye. Little whispers bid me to leave the path. A silky voice in my head promised great pleasure if I just snuck behind one of the doors.
Stacy took my hand and pulled firmly. “Ignore it.”
I held on because I didn’t dare let her leave me behind. I was going to kick some vampire ass when I got out of this place because I really didn’t like being as scared I was in that moment.
Stacy smiled at me, and I didn’t like the way her lips curved up. It looked a little like victory, and I hadn’t realized we were playing a game. It was another mistake on my part. She opened a door and pushed me in.
“Here she is, master,” she said. “Just as you ordered.”
“Excellent.” Louis Marini sat in a wing-backed chair.