Page 19 of Tooth and Nail

“And honey?” Derwin looked hopeful.

Wordy grinned. “Yeah, I’ll fix you right up there.” He reached out and patted the honeybee shifter on his shoulder. “I think you could do with a shower and some clothes that actually fit, yes?”

Derwin turned to look at Eoghan and Ari. “Do I have time before the interview?”

“Our debrief?” Eoghan asked. “Sure, buddy. Wordy’ll show you the showers and fix you some hot chocolate. Then the chief will want to see you upstairs while you wait for Sheldon to get here.” They’d already called in to let the chief know that Derwin was okay and asked her to dispatch someone out to his apartment to free his boyfriend from his bonds.

“Thanks, Sapphire,” Derwin said, reaching out to take his hand. Eoghan shook it before Derwin held it out to Ari. “Nice to meet you too, Brown.”

“Please…call me Ari. It’s been great meeting you too,” he replied, shaking the bee’s hand. He turned toward Eoghan as Wordy and Derwin walked away. “Should we finish the tour?”

“We better let the chief know we’re here, but I’d like to see if the vampire is awake first. I know she wants him interviewed before his escorts get here tonight. There’s time for the tour a little later.” He took off in the direction of the jail.

“Sure enough,” Ari said, following in his wake, coffee in hand.

Charlie stood from his chair, closing a copy of Time magazine and wearing a smile when he saw them coming. “Back so soon?”

“We wanted to see if the vampire was awake. The chief wanted him interviewed before he gets picked up by our counterparts tonight,” Eoghan said.

“Oh, you must’ve been out on a call,” Charlie replied. “She came to collect him about fifteen minutes ago. They should be in interrogation.”

“Okay, thanks, Charlie,” Eoghan replied.

“Thanks a lot,” Ari echoed as they left the jail complex, walking back out into the garage where they’d handed the Charger off to the Tools a few minutes before.

“I wonder why she didn’t wait until we got back,” Eoghan mused as they got into the elevator.

“Now that I have my coffee, I think I’d like to go ask her myself.” Ari shot him a sly grin.

Eoghan snorted as he glanced over at Ari, noticing how relaxed he was. He figured Ari was just that sort of guy, laid-back, with a sunny personality. It was easy being around him. All day long, he’d felt completely comfortable around his newpartner. The feeling stood out because he wasn’t that much at ease with anyone so quickly after meeting them. It had taken him and Gladys a whole month to click before he’d felt really and truly comfortable with her.

Then again, she’d been a bit of a badass, older sister type. She’d been responsible for training him and from the very beginning, she’d been hard on him, simply expecting him to rise to the occasion. It had worked with Eoghan, but that method of training was different from his own. Though, he planned on taking Ari through his training thoroughly, he wasn’t planning on being a grinder. His philosophy was to show Ari once, have him go over things with him, and then step back and let him make some minor mistakes, provided they didn’t put either of their lives or those they were charged to protect, in any danger. He didn’t have the same personality as Gladys, and he figured his method would be just as effective.

“Are there any vending machines anywhere in the building?”

“Sorry?” Eoghan’s mind had been wandering.

“Vending machines?” his partner repeated, rubbing a long-fingered hand over his flat belly.

Eoghan nodded. “Oh, yeah sure, but I can do better than vending machines. After we meet with the chief, I’ll introduce you to our restaurants. The chefs make some really good food and if you’re into healthy eating, there are vegetarian choices and a full salad bar which is what I usually do.”

“Restaurants?”

“Multiple restaurants,” he said, “we cater to species from all over the…well, the universe since at times we house those from other planets. But most of our marshals have been out on fugitive hunts for days or weeks at a time making the most ofthe local cuisine. They always manage to bring back recipes so our chefs are versed in a wide variety of cultural cuisine.”

“I think I’m going to like working here,” Ari said. “It’s a date.” He winked at him as they got into the elevator and leaned back against the wall.

A rush of pleasure coursed over Eoghan, only serving to intensify the attraction he was already feeling toward him. Why on earth had this beautiful man been assigned to him when there were so many other deputy marshals who looked like utter trolls? Only Eoghan could be this unlucky.

They stopped quickly at a restaurant so Ari could grab a sandwich, and then headed for the interrogation room on the main level of the facility. When a marshal by the name of Pam told him the chief was doing the interview all on her own, Eoghan had to admit he was surprised. Arizona Priest’s normal practice was to watch while someone else talked to their subject. Perhaps because the conversation was supposed to be an informal exit interview which they gave every recovered fugitive rather than an interrogation, he couldn’t be certain.

He walked into the observation room with Ari by his side. At the glass, he leaned forward, pressing the intercom button, and speaking into the microphone. “It’s Sapphire and Brown, Deputy Chief Priest. We just got back with Derwin.”

“Good. Why don’t you come in, Sapphire. Your partner should observe.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Eoghan glanced over at Ari. “You heard her. Pay close attention. I’ll be right back.” Ari nodded to him, and Eoghan headed ten steps around the corner where he rapped on the door. It was immediately opened by the chief.

“Come on in, Sapphire,” she said.

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