Part 15 (1/2)
When you have a break in a case, the truth is it usually births more questions than it answers. Sure, a caster witch had killed Vincent Blackburn, but any lawyer would point out it didn't have have to be one of the O'Hallorans. to be one of the O'Hallorans.
Besides, if the O'Hallorans had instigated this war, what could they possibly have to gain? The Blackburns were dying out, and Vincent hadn't been hurting anyone. Shelby would explain it away with ”live by the sword, die by the sword” but I knew it wasn't that simple. The Blackburns were the wronged party here.
Something was missing from this pat little scenario, a thread of connection between Vincent and his killer that I was betting the O'Hallorans hoped I wouldn't find. They could preach wrongs and counterwrongs all they wanted, but the fact remained that restarting a war that had been dormant for as long as I'd been alive was bad business, as well as just plain stupid.
I had one solid lead in this increasingly weird case- Benny Joubert, the other princ.i.p.al in Bete Noire, the were privy to Vincent's dealing.
I got in my car and thought about that for a few minutes. Joubert was a male were, a pack member if he was pus.h.i.+ng drugs on the streets of Nocturne City. Weres controlled most of the drug and skin trade, and the G.o.ds help you if you forgot that fact. He was also a violent, repeat offender and I was one lone Insoli female.
Only one person sprang to mind as a potential partner in this venture, and it made my chest tighten so much I thought all the breath would be forced out of me. The idea of seeing Dmitri again, with Irina, happy? I couldn't stomach it.
On the other hand, if I wanted to keep working the case and not end up raped and mutilated in Joubert's Dumpster, he was the only person I could ask to help me. I vowed that I wouldn't kill or maim him, no matter how maddening he got, and headed for downtown.
Irina opened the apartment door, the skin between her eyes creasing when she saw me. She was going to need Botox in a few years. ”What are you doing here? You trespa.s.s.”
”Not much good to call the police,” I quipped with a hopeful smile. ”I need to talk to Dmitri.”
”No.” She started to shut the door. I stuck an arm out and caught it with a bang.
”I don't think you understand. I need need to talk to Dmitri and I am to talk to Dmitri and I am going going to talk to Dmitri and I am sick of having doors slammed in my face.” to talk to Dmitri and I am sick of having doors slammed in my face.”
She pushed against me, grunting with the effort, but I held firm, staring into those gold-brown eyes and not bothering to hide my contempt. ”You're just wasting my time, Irina. I'm coming inside either way.”
”When I get you alone ...” Irina hissed.
”Oh, don't flatter yourself, princess. I'd tear you up and use what's left for bacon bits.” Bravado will carry you a long way, and I hoped it disguised the ugly twist of fear inside me. I had no idea how strong Irina was, and you'd better believe I hadn't forgotten she could phase at will. Still, the amount of rage her pale pretty face stirred in me had to be good for something.
”Irina?” Dmitri appeared from what I could only a.s.sume was the bedroom, s.h.i.+rtless, in faded jeans and a studded belt. I felt the surge of territorial instinct, a snarl rising to the surface as my imagination leaped to an image of what they must have been doing when I knocked.
”Ah!” Irina went backward, on her b.u.t.t, and the door flew back to smash the wall, coming off the top hinge and hanging crookedly. Dmitri watched the whole thing dispa.s.sionately, his eyes flicking to gold when he saw me.
”Luna.” He came over and helped Irina up. She held onto him with a whimper.
”She wants to kill me.”
Seven h.e.l.ls, if I had to see one more second of her Scarlett O'Hara act I was going to turn green and start smas.h.i.+ng things.
”I don't think she's going to do that.” Dmitri's mouth quirked. He gave Irina a squeeze and released her. ”Go back into the bedroom, darlin'. I'll just be a minute.”
”You can't talk to her!” Irina said with alarm. ”The elders-”
”Are not going to find out about this, are they, Irina?” He gave her that look, the one that was all dark green eyes and shadowy promises of pain, the one he'd used on his pack when he was their leader. Irina dipped her head in a gesture of submission, exposing the back of her neck, then disappeared into the bedroom and shut the door.
”You've got her well trained,” I drawled, covering up the gut punch of loss that hit when I saw them together with a cruel tone. ”Does she wear a little collar with a bell?”
”Hex it, Luna.” Dmitri sighed, sinking into a ratty red armchair. ”Did you come here just to bust my b.a.l.l.s?” The apartment wasn't much better furnished than his old pack house in Ghosttown-it looked like someone's foreign grandparents had lived there for about forty years and never cleaned anything.
”No,” I said. ”Surprisingly not. I came because ...” The end of the sentence stuck in my throat. How could I ask him for favors after the way we'd parted? After he'd chosen his Hexed pack over me?
Because I needed to prove that he still wanted me, of course. I'd been surviving without a breakdown on the hope of this very moment ever since the horrible scene at Bete Noire.
”Dmitri, I need your help,” I said firmly, loudly enough for Irina to hear. ”I have to do something dangerous, with some dangerous people, and you were the only person I could think of who would go with me.”
Composing his face into careful lines, Dmitri steepled his fingers. ”I can't help you anymore, Luna.”
”Hear me out,” I said, holding up a hand. 'There's a were named Benny Joubert that I need to question in a murder. If I go alone, I'll just be an Insoli, and a cop besides, and he'll hurt me badly, but I'll still go. So think about it for a second before you say no.”
I can be pretty d.a.m.n manipulative when the occasion calls for it. It worked too, because Dmitri dropped his act and pa.s.sed a hand over his eyes, messing up his copper hair even more than the undoubtedly fabulous s.e.x with Irina already had.
”Do you have any idea what you do to me?” he muttered, so softly I had to move closer to hear.
”Apparently, nothing like what Irina can do,” I fired back, feeling like c.r.a.p the moment the words came out. Dmitri dropped his hand and looked at me, unabashed hurt on his face.
”Dammit, Luna. You should have let me bring you into the pack when I had the chance. All of this-the elders, my mating with Irina-this all could have been you.” He sighed and dropped his elbows on his knees, supporting his chin. ”I think about you all the time. I smell you. You're in me just like the daemon.”
I touched his bare shoulder with the very tips of my fingers, a gesture I'd used when we were together to gauge his mood. He let out a small shuddering breath.
”I need your help,” I said again. ”I'm asking you. Please.” Please say yes. Please prove to me that this is all a terrible misunderstanding. Please say yes. Please prove to me that this is all a terrible misunderstanding.
”How can I not?” Dmitri sighed. ”You're going to do it anyway. I know you.”
Not exactly what I'd hoped for, but I'd take it. ”Thank you,” I said, all the tension trickling from me. ”Really. Thank you.” I didn't realize just how much I'd been dreading confronting Benny Joubert alone. From hard experience, I know I can't stand up against an adult male were unless I'm phased, and it would be one h.e.l.l of a trick for that to happen on this particular day.
Dmitri stood and opened the door to the bedroom. Irina jumped back, looking embarra.s.sed. ”I am coming with you.”
”No,” said Dmitri automatically. ”You stay here with Sergei and Yelena, where it's safe.”
I searched his voice for any hint of love and the concern a were would hold for his mate, but there was just cold practicality. My inner vindictive b.i.t.c.h did a little dance.
”Dmitri .. .” Irina started and flowed into a rapid-fire scolding in Ukrainian. I could tell it was a scolding because she was shaking her finger. Dmitri growled and brushed her off, putting on a T-s.h.i.+rt advertising Jack Daniels and a leather jacket. He snapped something else at Irina and after a few seconds of pouting she brought him his boots and slipped them on his feet.
”G.o.ds, you get any more mail-order bride and I'm going to puke up hearts and flowers,” I said. Irina and Dmitri both glared at me.
”Be quiet, Insoli,” said Irina. ”You got what you wanted, now there will be silence.”
”There will be one h.e.l.l of a smack in the mouth for you, you keep that up,” I said, mimicking her throaty accent. ”Let's get this over with. The sooner I don't have to look at your cheap highlights, the better off we'll be.”
Irina opened her mouth to reply but Dmitri stood and held up his hands. ”Enough, from both of you. Irina, stop baiting Luna. Luna, stop making it so easy.”
Irina shut her mouth, plump red lips pressed so tightly they almost disappeared. Guess there were a few few advantages to no longer being Dmitri's mate. Dominates are ugly things when they're used to control someone lower in the pack than you. advantages to no longer being Dmitri's mate. Dominates are ugly things when they're used to control someone lower in the pack than you.
”Fine,” Irina finally sniffed, her eyes bright with fury. ”I can only hope you get your throat torn out by this man we are going to see.”
I rolled my eyes as she left the room. Dmitri gripped my arm. ”Who is is this Joubert guy? What's his pack?” this Joubert guy? What's his pack?”