Page 266 of Sigils & Spells

“But?” asked Gavin.

“No one is dying here,” said Donovan with a huff. “I’ve got a Troll situation happening in the river quarter. If I can’t solve Junker’s murder, which happened yesterday, a war will break out between two of the dominant families, and more trolls will die. I need to be there.”

My gut twisted. Since when did Trolls rate higher than Vamps? Since always, in this town. I sighed. “I understand,” I said, but I didn’t.

“I came to make sure you were all right.” Donovan plunked his empty cup on the tray with a decisive thump. “And quite frankly, I don’t give a damn about a missing fang.”

“Hmm,” grumbled Gavin.

Donovan stood. “I trust the two of you will sort this out.” He rotated his hands and a flaming portal appeared in the space behind him.

“Wait,” I said.

He cocked a brow, as the flames burned behind him, backlighting him with flickering, blue light.

“Before you go … tell me what you know about Fang Hunters.”

Donovan winced.

“Please. It will save us time,” I added. He would know more about them than anyone in town.

The Irish warlock firmed his jaw. “Vampire fangs are traded on black markets in all the nine realms. They are used in magic spells and norm medicines. While many have tried their pliers at vamp hunting, most have not lived to tell the tale. The Vampire Brotherhood takes care of them.”

His Adam’s apple went up and down, and I imagined horrific images of torture and death at the hands of angry vampires that were going through his head.

“Still,” he continued after a moment, “there’s a lot of money in fangs, and cash makes desperate people do desperate things.” Without waiting for a reply, he turned and strode through his flaming portal.

Gavin poured himself another cup of coffee. “So, tell me, why did Onyx leave?” He waited a beat. “What did you do to him?”

There wasn’t coffee strong enough anywhere in the world, for me to face that question. “It doesn’t matter. He’s gone, and we need a plan.”

CHAPTER6

Tick Tock–30 hours left to fix my fang problem.

After an hour of discussion,Gavin and I came up with a plan, which I had no intention of following. I pretended to agree with his ideas just to get him out of my office. He kissed me on the cheek before he left, and the scent of alpha wolf enveloped me like a warm hug on a cold morning.

“Remember the plan,” he said.

Stifling a grunt, I hid behind a forced smile, and probably looked as constipated as all hex. I felt stuffed with frustration from having to deal with a missing Onyx, Gavin’s man-plan to fix everything, and a fang crisis I had no idea how to solve. “Of course,” I said to the werewolf in a demure voice. “I can do my part.”

His denim-blue eyes narrowed. “Rebecca?”

“I’ll do my best.” And I would. I wasn’t lying about that part. I always do my best.

“Mm hmm.” His phone dinged before he could say more.

“You better get that,” I said. “Your dings are important. I’m good, here. You go do you.” I waved him out.

He left, but not before he gave me another suspicious glare.

I leaned back in my chair and exhaled slowly. It was time to devise my own scheme.

“That’s my darlin’,” said Harvey, nodding his approval from the chair in the corner.

“Can you believe Gavin! His plan is for him to take over and do all the investigating, while I sit here at my desk. As if!” I looked down at the suspect list. “I’m going to question the mages. They’re always causing us trouble.”

“The mages!” Harvey repeated slowly. “I feel a list coming on.” He pressed his paw to his forehead, as if he were a southern belle about to have a fainting spell.

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