Chapter 17

I'd not really understood how imposing Jack actually was.

I mean, he was taller than me, sure, but most people were. Broader, with biceps as wide around as my thighs, narrow hips and an animal grace that had him look like he was stalking prey whenever he moved through any space at all.

But even aside from his physical size, there was something primal about him. A quiet intensity that made you almost feel like prey in front of some great beast from an earlier age.

I could see it in the eyes of the men who stared at him. They wanted no part of any trouble he might bring and that interest they had been showing in me when I'd been alone, dissipated like mist when the sun came out, and they all found themselves suddenly a great deal more interested in their drinks than in us.

Banner was the exception.

He lit his cigarette and puffed on it, his face giving nothing away. While he was a few inches shorter, he was just as broad, and though his muscles were hidden by a layer of flab, I was confident he could give Jack a run for his money.

All the more impressive since I was entirely convinced that he was just a human.

"Now then," Banner said, blowing smoke from the corner of his mouth, away from the two of us. "Who might you be, lad?"

I looked up, and up, at Jack and recognised the anger in his eyes.

Yep, he was pissed.

If I had been a cat, my fur would have been standing on end as I stood between these two men who were moments away from violence.

"Christ, this place is a shit hole."

All eyes turned to the door and the slim man who'd walked through. Round, dark glasses hid his eyes, and he had a hand raised, pointed finger moving this way and that as though he was deciding which way to go.

"Barkeep," Lucien said, cheerfully. As the crowd turned their baleful glare upon him. "A pint of whatever lager you have on tap, in your cleanest glass, though I know I may be asking too much of you."

"Hey!" The barman said, cheeks flushing, but Lucien had already turned away and was sauntering across the room to where I sat.

He used a finger to pull his dark glasses down his nose and made a show of looking me over as Jack bristled, and Banner glared.

"Well now, who is this pretty little thing?"

Nice.

I rolled my eyes.

At least he was sticking to the bargain, which meant pretending he didn't know me to save answering questions about why he did.

"Told you to wait in the jeep," Jack growled.

"I grew bored." He pressed a slim fingered hand against his flat stomach, the black shirt was untucked and the material shone like silk.

Which is what it was, I realised.

Who the hell wore a silk shirt to a council estate pub? I shook my head and snorted.

"Emma," I said, inclining my head. "And you are?"

"My darling, you can call me whatever you please."

"Lucien," Jack warned. "Behave."

"And you, good sir," Lucien said, turning to Banner. "Now who might you be. No! Wait," he said before Banner could answer. "I will bet you a single shiny pound coin that I can guess your name."

The low rumble from Jack was as close to a warning as I had heard him give and I glanced up at him in alarm. His eyes were fixed on the warlock though, staring with such intensity that I expected Lucien's head would explode.

It didn't.

"Fine," Banner said, looking bemused. "Guess away."

"Arnold," Lucien said with such confidence that I almost laughed.

Banner did.

"Wrong. You owe me a quid."

"Happy to pay." Lucien gave a sly smile as he dipped two fingers into the pocket of his shirt and pulled out a pound coin. The round golden coin shone as it caught the light. "Catch."

Jack's hand shot out and caught the coin as it was in the air, and he gripped it in a white-knuckled fist.

"Oi, what the hell you doing?" Banner snapped. "That's mine."

Jack didn't look at the man as he pulled a five-pound note from his pocket and handed it across to the drug dealer.

"Here."

"Dunno what you lads are up to, but I think I'll take the win and enjoy a few pints on you, big man."

Banner pushed himself up from the seat and gathered his belongings. He gave one last curious look at the two men who stood, still as statues, their eyes locked. Jack, with a grimace on his face a match to Lucien's sly smile.

The barman placed a pint on the bar and stood silently, watching, no doubt expecting some kind of trouble. It was Lucien who broke the stare first, though, smile widening as he snapped his fingers and muttered a few arcane words beneath his breath.

Jack winced and dropped the coin onto the table. He rubbed the palm of his hand as a wisp of smoke rose from the coin, the curse dissipating at Lucien's command.

"You are no fun, my friend."

"We're not friends."

"But we could be," Lucien said, sighing and settling into the chair opposite me. "If you would only unbend a little and learn how to have some fun."

"I don't like your kind of fun."

"Few do," Lucien admitted. He turned his head to look back at the bar. "Be a dear and go pay for my pint. Get yourself one too."

"We're not staying.

"For at least one drink we will," Lucien countered.

Jack growled and gave me a warning look before he stalked across the barroom like the pint glass was some small animal he was determined to feast upon.

Lucien cocked one elegant brow at me and flashed his straight white teeth.

I was pretty sure he plucked his brows, which was something even I hadn't had the chance to do for a while.

"Why're you here?" I asked, lowering my voice. "Remember our bargain."

"Of course, I do," he replied, leaning back in his chair, appearing entirely relaxed. "I will abide by the rules you set, fear not."

I was all too aware that he hadn't answered my question, and I fumed silently, guessing that he wanted me to press him on it so he could enjoy being evasive.

Prick.

No wonder everyone I had spoken to who mentioned him also told me I wouldn't like him.

They were right.

Jack returned with two pint glasses and placed one before Lucien and set the other down beside my still full glass. He settled into a chair, and I immediately felt his eyes on the side of my face. My cheeks flushed and I licked my lips as I turned towards him.

"I got the note you left."

My brow furrowed at that. "I didn't leave a note."

"I know," he growled, and my cheeks flamed.

Oh.

I deserved that.

"Sorry."

"What are you doing here?"

I ignored that question and asked one of my own. "How did you know I was even here?"

His lips twisted and he shook his head, shaggy hair desperately in need of cutting falling across his brow and almost covering his eyes.

"Saw you drive off and when I got to the office, I could smell a half-demon I didn't recognise," he said, voice lowering. "I was concerned." He gave me a look of disapproval. "You left Banner's file on your desk."

Oh… shit. Sloppy. I really needed to get better at that.

"I was doing fine," I said, weakly. "No need to worry. Really."

"Looked like it." Jack supped at his pint and scanned the room. A few glances kept coming our way, but we were being left alone for the most part. No one wanting anything to do with the big werewolf.

"Yeah, okay," I admitted. "Was a bit weird at first with them asking questions."

"They thought you were police," Jack snapped, voice low enough that I barely caught it. "Or social services. There's been some trouble when they came to look in on some kids. Almost kicked off the other night."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I should have known that. No wonder they were so suspicious of a stranger coming into their pub. A woman, in fact, who in their mind wouldn't tend to go into such a place on her own.

It was a surprise they hadn't thrown me out on my arse without the questions.

"Sorry," I murmured and jack growled, low in his throat, a sound that meant he was unhappy I had begun to realise.

Or worried.

About me. Which was nice.

"What about him?" I asked, lifting my chin towards the warlock. "And what's with the coin?"

Lucien just grinned and it was Jack who answered.

"It's cursed. He hands them out to cause trouble. Small things, nothing fatal but it would ruin someone's night."

My eyes were wide as I looked from Jack to Lucien. "Why?" I asked the warlock. "What do you gain from that?"

"It's usually funny," he said with a shrug. "Occasionally profitable."

I shook my head.

He really was a prick.

But Jack wasn't. He'd taken the coin to save Banner from taking it, even giving up his own money to do so. A noble gesture, and one that I found incredibly endearing. Watching him dominate the room was hot, but knowing he so protective and decent, was more so.

I'd had so few men like that in my life. It was hard not to be attracted to it.

"Why's he here then?"

"Was bringing him to open the box we found at Kenny's," Jack murmured, eyeing the crowd to make sure none were close enough to overhear.

"Yes," Lucien said, smile widening. "Such a curious thing. A young man, missing, presumed dead. A mysterious box of magical nature. It's all very intriguing. One cannot help but wonder what fate befell the poor lad."

I glared, and his grin was unrepentant.

Great. It didn't take a genius to figure out, but I had hoped it wouldn't be that easy to put two and two together.

Thank goodness for including the bit in the bargain about him not speculating or talking about what I had brought to him.

I met him smile for smile, though mine was uneasy and his was smug.

Yeah, I really didn't like him.

"So," I said, trying to change the subject away from Kenny and back to the box. "What was in it?"

"Haven't opened it yet."

"Yes," Lucien said, the faintest lines appearing at the corners of his eyes as he looked at me. Considering. "Your lupine protector caught the scent of an interloper and set off after you before we had the chance."

I blinked at that. What smell? There hadn't been a half-demon in the office. Just me.

My eyes widened for the briefest moment before I caught them and controlled my surprise. Jack didn't seem to notice, but Lucien did.

Shit.

"What did you smell?" I asked, turning to Jack, my heart thundering in my chest as panic burst through me.

Jack's brow furrowed. Could he smell me now? Could he hear my heart beating fast enough that the blood rushed through my ears, causing all sound to face beneath it?

Was he suspicious?

More than he already was…

"There's a smell that's unique to each race, and it partially covers their natural scent," Jack said. "Let's me know what they are."

Like when he'd met me and thought I was a Ghoul. Did that mean he could smell me now? Did I smell different?

"There was a scent that's familiar to half-demons in the office," he continued. "Couldn't smell much more than that."

"Why not?"

He looked almost apologetically at me as Lucien chuckled and I cast a glare his way.

"You'd been sat in a hot office sweating all day, my dear," Lucien said. "It's a surprise he could smell anything other than your, most assuredly delightful, aroma."

I took a moment to digest that and then buried my face in my hands as my cheeks burned so hot I feared they might burst into flames.

Oh, god! The humiliation.

"It's not a big deal," Jack murmured. "Really."

I just shook my head. Not trusting myself to reply.

I needed deodorant, and some air fresheners for the office.

"Part and parcel of working for a wolf," Lucien said. "Better than a vamp, but not by much."

"Why a vampire?" I asked, and my eyes went round as I realised. "Oh… my… god."

"Most are polite enough not to mention it," Lucien said, shrugging.

"My nose isn't as strong in human form," Jack said, trying to help. "And I've gotten good at ignoring it. I don't notice most of the time."

I grabbed my drink and downed half of it in one long swallow. I glowered at Lucien and lifted my chin towards the bar.

"You might want to get me another couple of these."

"My type of girl," he murmured, lifting a hand and turning to gesture to the barman. "Barkeep, bring another round."

"Bugger off," the barman said, not looking up. "Come to the bar like everyone else you lazy git."

"One hardly comes here for the service," Lucien said, sighing. "Play nice children. I shall return shortly."

He rose from his seat and padded across to the bar as I kept my head down and couldn't bring myself to look at Jack.

"It's really not-"

"Forget it," I snapped. "Let's just forget we never had this conversation. Please."

"Sure." He was silent for a moment and watched the door as more people filtered in, readying for the pool tournament. "What were you planning to accomplish here?"

I wanted to get a feel for the type of man Banner was and see if I could go through with sentencing him to a no doubt horrible death at the hands of Marko by planting evidence of my crime on him.

In my head, I'd had a fantasy of following him home and using my new invisibility powers to sneak in and hide the evidence that was sitting so casually in my purse, inches away from where Jack sat.

Not that I could say that.

So, instead I lied. Something I had been doing more and more of lately.

"I was hoping to get some clue as to where he was on Friday," I said. "See if, perhaps, he was a suspect or not."

"Not your best idea," Jack murmured, smiling not unkindly. "But not terrible. We do need to look into him. I suppose now is as good a time as any."

I did look up at him then. "You're going to question him?"

"No," he shook his head, grinning in what I could only call a wolfish manner. "I'm gonna fight him."