Keri Arthur - Dangerous Games

"Sometimes." I grinned. "I got personal attention from a yummy bartender then, too."

"We're the friendly type here." He studied me for a moment, interest still very evident. "That why you're here today?"

"Actually, no. I'm here to catch up with an old friend who works here part-time."

"What's his name?"

" Her name. Trudi Stone." I studied him, but caught no reaction to her name. Though why I was expecting one, I couldn't say.

"Hang on a sec, and I'll go check when she's next on." He walked down to the middle of the bar, served a man who was giving me a more than casual look over, then disappeared inside a small office. He came back out a few seconds later. "According to the roster, she isn't back on until tomorrow night."

"Damn, I swear she said she was on today." I put the coffee down and crossed my arms on the counter, leaning forward a little to give him a better view of my breasts. Hey, he was sexy, and I might as well enjoy myself while scavenging around for information. I certainly couldn't risk trying to read his mind here—not when there were security cameras everywhere. My telepathy might be strong, but anyone could be watching, and it would only take one person to notice the momentary stillness of the bartender as I searched his mind for things to go ass up. Better to do that sort of thing when I had him alone. "So, when are you back on?"

His gaze went from my face to my boobs and back again. Amusement curved his very kissable lips. "When do you want me on?"

"How about tonight?"

"It'd be my pleasure."

I raised an eyebrow. "It had better be mine, too."

He chuckled softly. "Oh, I guarantee it. But I do need a contact number."

"If you've got the pen, I've got the number."

He produced a pen and a bit of paper from under the desk and slid both across the counter with his left hand. For the first time, the ring on his finger was fully visible.

On the flat silver surface was a three-headed dragon with wicked claws and bloodred eyes.

Just like the ring I'd found in the dust at Dunleavy's place.

"Nice ring," I murmured after a momentary pause, then casually picked up the pen and wrote down my cell phone number.

"This old thing?" He wriggled his fingers under the lights, so that the fiery eyes of the dragon heads glittered and burned. "It's just a club ring. Not worth much, but it catches the attention of pretty girls."

If he was lying, I couldn't sense it. Not that that meant anything. He was human, after all. "So it's a conversation opener?"

"It always helps to have one." He picked up the paper and tucked it neatly into his shirt pocket. "What time would you like to meet?"

I picked up my coffee and sipped it again. "What time do you finish here?"

"Seven."

"Then would nine suit?"

"Perfectly. Shall we meet somewhere for coffee or just go out tor dinner?"

"Dinner." I paused. "There's an Italian place over on Rathdown Street. Small and intimate. Goes by the name of Riceni's."

He nodded. "Good choice."

"I always make good choices." My voice was a low purr, and heat rose in his eyes. I gave him a slow smile. "In the meantime, would you know if the restaurant upstairs is still open?"

"It never closes. If you head up the stairs now, I'll ring the chef and tell him to 'look after you."

"Thanks." I slid off the stool, picked up my coffee, and headed up the stairs—fully aware of Jin's hungry gaze following me and enjoying every minute of it.

The chef did indeed look after me, giving me a steak that sliced like butter and lashings of chips and vegetables. It was one full but happy wolf who headed out onto the street an hour later.

Once in the car, I retrieved my phone, pressed the vid-enable button, then dialed the Directorate. Jack, not the caramel cow.

"Hey, boss man, it's Riley."

"Good grief, she's reporting in. Miracles do happen."

I grinned. "I can be a good little wolf when I want to be."

"Which isn't often. What happened at Dunleavy's?"

I gave him a quick roundup of events, including my thoughts on Gautier, the details about the ring, and who the little girl's mom was.

"The thing I don't get is how Gautier is getting around after sunrise."

"I don't know. He shouldn't be able to."

"Well, he is, so we'd better find out real quick just how."

He grunted. "It's a shame both victims were dead when you got there. You could have read their minds to see what information they had to pass on."

Which was my cue to tell him about what I'd seen—and heard—in the bedroom. "Well, Dunleavy was sort of alive when I got there."

"Define 'sort of.'"

"He was groaning when I walked in. As I got to his side, his body sort of collapsed, and I saw his soul rise." I hesitated again. "I swear it said Dahaki."

"Dahaki?"

"Yeah. And I'm not sure whether it was simply air rushing out of a dying body or whether his spirit was actually trying to communicate." Or whether I was as crazy as I sounded.

"Given the reports that suggest your clairvoyance is developing strongly in areas that are not the norm, I'd say there's a fair chance you did hear his spirit speak. Which is interesting, to say the least."

"It's creepy, that's what it is."

"Maybe. But the ability to question the truly dead sure as hell would give us an advantage against the freaks we hunt."

"Only if I'm there when they die, Jack."

"Or if their spirits hang around."

A chill ran across my skin. I did not want to think about spirits hanging around waiting for a chat.

"I've asked Cole to send me a transcription of the writing on the inside of the ring as soon as he can, but if you want to have a look at it, it'll be on the recordings I sent via my phone."

"I'll get Salliane to dig them up. I'll also order a check on the design and see what we come up with. What about Trudi Stone—any luck on your follow-up?"

So the caramel cow had gone tattle-telling. Again. "I went to the club where she worked and talked to an Asian fellow. He was wearing a ring with the same design as the ring I found at Dunleavy's."

"Could be a coincidence."

"Could be. I'm doubting it, though. I have a date with him tonight, and I'll do a little mind-probing then, but I was wondering if you could break into the Cattle Club's records and look at his file."

"What's his name?"

"First name is Jin. He was born here, because there's no trace of an accent."

"Human or non?"

"Human."

"Tread warily, then. Don't let him suspect you're something more than human."

"Boss, I think the only thing he cared about was me being a hot-to-trot female."

"Then keep it that way."

"I will." I paused and started the engine so I could turn up the heater. It was beginning to feel like a tomb in the car, and I wasn't sure whether it was the cold weather or trepidation. "How'd Rhoan's investigation go?"

"It's apparently a regular feeding kill. One of the night boys can follow it up."

I'm sure the night boys—many of whom were hundreds of years old—would be thrilled with that. "I'm heading home to grab a break before tonight. I'll e-mail my report from there."

"Make sure you do. And please, stop harassing my PA."

I grinned. "I needed information fast."

"I'm not saying don't ring for information. Just asking if you'd be less of a bitch when you do so."

"In case it's escaped your notice, I am a bitch. Born and bred. Just shag her, Jack, and get it over with."

"I don't suppose telling you to mind your own business will do any good?"

I chuckled. "Not in the least."

"Wolves," he muttered. "Make sure you report in after the date tonight."

"Will do, boss."