Page 42 of Deal with the Devil

Knox scowled, chewing on the inside of his cheek. He didn’t like the situation at all. He huffed, “Keep looking, I want to find our vampire, and soon.”

“On it,” Maevin bowed his head to Knox, ducking into a hallway within the house and disappearing.

Zavros stood by the office door, nodding to Knox as they both walked inside. Knox pulled on his best business face, stalking to his desk. Before him were two minotaur brothers in mechanic jumpsuits, casually leaning back in their seats.

“Zrazduel, pleasure!” Jessie, the soon to be head of the family, smirked at Knox.

“Mr. Bonesaw, as always, an absolute pleasure. How’s the shop?” Knox sank into his seat. Despite everything, he was happy to see the Bonesaw brothers. They kept business easy. They would come in, discuss what they needed, already had a payment plan in mind, and what was in it for Knox. Their business had been lucrative for Knox to invest in.

“Good, standing on all four of its legs, ya know, oil here, tire there, it’s good. That last payment helped us do a little spit shine before tax season this year, mighty helpful.” Jessie was a white and rust colored minotaur with long, slender horns. His nose ring that dangled was a classic gold, but the dainty chain dangling from his neck was new.

Knox clocked it instantly. As far as Knox knew, Jessie Bonesaw, the second of three of the Bonesaw brothers, was unattached. His older brother was some sort of a sports star, and the younger brother was just shy of being an adult, so Jessie had taken on his father’s business. Not that Mr. Bonesaw was out of the picture, but Jessie was the heir now…he should be the one talking with people, making himself known. What he shouldn’t be doing, of course, is what Knox was doing and getting himself attached to a weakness.

“Of course, always here to help. What can I do for you?” Knox folded his hands against his desk.

“Well, there is this one problem, that I’d be most appreciative of your help with. I know you’re busy with cleaning the money, so it’s no problem if it takes some time, just as long as it happens. But there’s a guy I know who…well…he needs to have anaccident.” Jessie glanced at Rex, the younger brother, watching him hand over a simple manilla folder.

“Ooooh, I love when conversations start this way.” Knox was almost giddy at the idea of a simple request. Taking the folder, he opened it to find a simple sheet of paper and a five by eight paparazzo style photo of the man in question. “Gillian Hurley, oof, a terrible name. What has Mr. Hurley done to earn an accident, and what kind of accident are we talking about?”

Jessie smirked, “Let’s say Mr. Hurley likes to put his hands on women and kids.”

Knox’s face fell and Jessie snorted. The minotaur knew he hit a soft spot. Knox wouldn’t lie. With a scowl he answered, “Someone I know?”

“Not that I think so, but the dame’s name is Quinn Witchbane, she’s got a little girl. Quinn’s an accountant, but not like our accountants, just a regular people accountant. Ran into me and the boys at the shop. Mr. Hurley totaled her car when she tried to leave his sorry ass. So, on principle, I’d like a small favor if you don’t mind. I want Mr. Hurley to never breathe again, if that’s okay?”

Knox held up the image, looking at a burley human man with thick arms, a sour look on his grizzled face, and a cigar stuck in his lip. A sick, twisted pleasure filled Knox at the idea of personally seeing to Mr. Hurley’s accident.Knox needed some stress relief.

“I’ll see it done.” Knox sat down the file and tucked away in his desk. “I wonder, if that chain around your neck is a thank you from Ms. Witchbane?”

Jessie laughed nervously, plucking it out from under his jumpsuit. A sweet, golden loop of metal with a tiny, heart-shaped locket at the end. He undid the latch with a flick of his thumbnail. Inside were two tiny pictures of a woman and a child, Knox couldn’t see it clearly from where he was, but another wasa photo of a bugbear enveloping the other two in his big, fuzzy arms. “A birthday present from Ms. Witchbane.”

“Oh, happy belated birthday, Mr. Bonesaw,” Knox smirked, leaning forward. That’s when he saw the tiny horns, the cute bat wings, and the curly tail that ended with an upside down heart on the woman in question. “A succubus?”

“Which is why I figured you would take an interest in this, you know, saving a fellow fiend?” Jessie arched a brow.

“Of course, but why not take care of this in house? I know your boys are more than capable with a tire iron?” Knox shot a wicked smirk at Rex who laughed nervously and shrank in his seat under the intense stare.

“We are, but…I need this done out of city. Mr. Hurley is somewhat of a big name in finance, and if his friends get a whiff of foul play, lawyers will fly up my ass like flies on shit. I need it taken out of the city and done cleanly. I can’t have them coming for Ms. Witchbane either.”

Knox folded his hands back over his lap sitting back. “Of course, consider it done. And…for this I only ask a simple favor in return.”

“Name it.” Jessie relaxed back against the leather seat, tucking the chain away.

“Keep your ears open for rats.”

Jessie’s eyes reflected an understanding as he nodded. “I know of a few nests around town, I’ll keep an ear out for them.”

“Much appreciated, Mr. Bonesaw. And what a pleasure it is working for you.” The two gentlemen stood and left the room without much more than a simple nod and a soft thank you. Knox sat back in his chair, already staring past them. He considered going out to find Mr. Hurley now. He needed something to beat senselessly.

But then Amelia slithered through his office door, and he had much more pressing things to do.

“Pet?” He smirked.

“You in the business for car repairs now too?” she teased, jabbing a thumb over her shoulder at the disappearing minotaurs.

“No, but I do business with them. The Bonesaw brothers are delightful to work with,” Knox snickered, pushing his chair back from the desk. Amelia didn’t even have to be told, she rounded the desk and sank down onto his left thigh. She draped her arms around him.

“Hey, about Penny and me this morning…” she trailed off with a sigh.

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