“The queen’s men?” He placed a hand on his chest. “I-I don’t understand.”
I couldn’t stand still, resentful for every minute I wasted. “I don’t have time to explain,” I grunted. “I need to know exactly where they are based. Where would they take prisoners?”
“Prisoners?!” He gasped. “Why do you think I would know?”
My teeth ground together, my hands balling up at my sides. Maestro gulped, taking in my reaction, feeling the rage billowing off me.
“Yes, okay.” His shoulders dropped, and his hand stayed clutching the fabric near his throat like it was a protective barrier. “A lot of soldiers come here.” He looked around as if one would burst in the room. “We hear a lot of things.”
“I know.” When in doubt, always go to a brothel for information. They were the nuclei of everything going on. Men had trouble keeping their mouths closed when someone was milking them dry. They loved to brag, to have some secret which made them more astute. Bigger than their small dick size.
“I know the main base is in Bran.” He lowered his voice. “Sonya has taken over the castle there.”
The place of legends and horror had also been a fae holdout when humans hunted us, causing us to flee to the Otherworld. The magic was so strong even humans could feel the energy in the air. Though they would conjure vampires and bats, while the real monsters were right in front of them, hiding under beautiful faces with powers to glamour and seduce.
Sonya using it as her hub was almost cliché. The blood-sucking predator taking shelter in a make-believe vampire’s lair.
“How do I get in?” The place would be guarded and impossible to break into—Sonya would make sure of it.
“I don’t know.”
A noise gurgled up my throat.
“I don’t!” Maestro held up his hands. “I swear.” Another disapproving sound vibrated my vocals. “But I know someone who might.”
“Get them here now.”
“That’s impossible!”
“I. Don’t. Care.” I never sounded more like Warwick in my life, even more so when it had to do with Brexley.
“Give me the day,” Maestro stated with more firmness. “I will do everything I can to get him here by tonight. He’s not an easy man to pin down.”
I could get supplies and come up with a plan until this man arrived.
“Fine,” I rumbled in a deep grunt. “Tonight.”
“Sodemanding…” Maestro shivered with desire, coyness dancing in his eyes. “She’s a lucky girl.”
His eyes felt as if they could see right through me, seeing how I felt—that the world would burn to the ground if I didn’t get her back.
Huffing, I started to move around him, heading for the stairs.
“Oh, and whatever you did with Mihai…”
“Who?”
“The man you invited into your room last night.” Maestro’s eyebrow lifted sultrily.
Of course he would know everything that went on here. Nothing was private between the “madam” and what happened inside the brothel walls.
“He’s become a patron now.” Maestro played with the tie on his robe. “He’s a very wealthy man, and I’ve been trying to convince him to invest in my little business here for a long time now. He always said no.” His lips curved. “Whatever you did…he changed his mind. So thank you. You have my complete loyalty.” It meant a lot coming from the proprietor of a brothel. If you had their loyalty, you were protected, and if anyone did anything to you, like rob or hurt you, they would find themselves at the bottom of a river.
“Good.” I bowed my head. “Then get your informer here by nightfall,” I ordered and ran up the stairs.
My stomach squeezed when I reached 306, not knowing what I’d find behind the door.
Were they still there, or did they leave too?