Page 35 of The Vampire and the Case of the Cursed Canine

Connor settled Shadow on his bed where my kitten promptly curled up for a sleep. I was eager to get him home and fed, but I’d deal with the calls first.

‘Thanks, Bunny.’ April shot me a grateful look. ‘Mads made dinner today and apparently there was more carbon than meal.’

I snorted. ‘Takeout?’

‘You read my mind!’

So that she wouldn’t think I was rushing her out while she packed up, Connor and I went into Gunnar’s office. I disappeared gratefully into the oversized chair, grabbed the lever and lowered it until my feet hit the ground. I huffed: now the desk was too tall.

Connor laughed. ‘Gunnar’s a giant. That chair is never gonna fit you, doe.’

‘I know, but I need a spot to work.’ I fanned the collection of pink slips. ‘These aren’t going to answer themselves.’ I made a show of examining them. ‘Hey, look! Half of these have your name on them!’ I held them out and he groaned.

I pulled back my arm. ‘I’m kidding! You probably have your own work to catch up on, and I need to check on Mum.’

He nodded but made no move to leave. If he was staying, I might as well pick his brains a little. ‘Apparently Liv is sponsoring the black market. Have you heard anything about it? I’m trying to find it – I need to find the curser and I have no leads until the cursed people are conscious again.’

Connor looked startled. ‘Liv? Yeah, I’ve heard murmurings that the black market was passing through, but nothing about where. People are guarded around me. Knowing Liv, she’s in this for profit. She won’t risk losing money, so you won’t get anything out of her.’

‘Calliope knows about it, too.’

He frowned and stood up. ‘Okay; now I feel left out. How about I go check in on your mother? Save you some time?’

I hesitated. If Mum got him alone, she’d fawn all over him now that she knew who he was. I couldn’t let him go into the lion’s den by himself. ‘You know what would save me the most time?’

He lifted his eyebrows. ‘Hit me.’

‘If you spoke to Calliope about the market, I think she’d be more open.’

‘Apparently not,’ he muttered, arms folded. ‘I’ll definitely try and speak to her though – for you.’

‘Thank you. How about I deal with these calls, run Shadow home, check on Fluffy, then we reconvene back at mine while I check on Mum?’

‘Sounds like a plan.’

‘Will you be okay getting around from here?’

‘Margrave will pick me up.’

‘Okay, see you later.’ I picked up my phone to start working my way through the pink slips hoping to hell that no one answered my calls. I was crashing from the adrenaline rush and I really needed an easy shift.

Chapter 21

After I’d returned all the calls and forwarded the Nomo’s office line to my mobile, I hurried home to feed my triumphant little Shadow. ‘It would really be handy if you could talk,’ I said to him as I drove. ‘I’m really grateful for how you stood up to the beast. The only thing I can’t figure, though, is if you’re related and that’s why he didn’t wipe you out.’

Predictably, Shadow didn’t reply. When I got in, Fluffy was exuberant to see us both. I could hear Mum’s shower running, so I hopped into mine hoping I’d be done before Connor arrived. Naturally, I didn’t make it out of the shower in time so he had to run the gauntlet alone.

I hurriedly braided my wet hair so I could go down to save him but I could hear the timbre of Mum’s voice and knew that I was too late. Whoops. ‘Oh, welcome, your royal highness,’ she was saying. I could almost hear her curtsey. I groaned. How embarrassing!

There was a pause, then Connor’s deep voice rumbled, ‘Please call me Connor.’

I ran into my bedroom to get dressed, leaving the door open so I could eavesdrop as I dragged on a T-shirt.

‘Please have a seat, sir.’ Another pause. ‘How long have you lived in Portlock?’

Poor Connor. ‘I’ve been here about forty years.’

‘Oh, how delightful.’ The false tone of Mum’s voice was audible and I practically ran to the living room. Fluffy met me halfway and I gave him a head rub. ‘Who’s the best boy?’

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