Page 9 of Fallen
“Hello? Who is this?”
“Leviathan.”
A bout of silence slips through, both of my mates standing a few feet away as I lean forward on the couch. I should just come out with it, accuse Silas of whatever the fuck I think he did, grab some answers and move on.
“Baby? Jesus Christ, it’s been a while. We should catch up. Come to Lunar Fang! God, it’s going to be amazing to see your pretty face. What like, 8 pm sound good? Excellent.”
Then he just hangs up.
Rowan chuckles. “Was he always like that?”
“Yeah. And once he got you with his charm, it felt impossible to say no to him. People don’t always get a word in when he’s around. I just… didn’t think we’d find him so fast or that he’d be so eager to meet up with me. I don’t know how I feel about that.” One look at my mates and I can see that they aren’t sure how they feel about that either.
***
Which is why I’m now standing in front of yet another little dive bar on the other end of town, my stomach in knots. I’ve been to Lunar Fang a few times when meeting a client who doesn’t want to be seen reaching out for my help. However, never once did I bring someone here on a date or a casual meetup.
Always just business.
“Lev,” Rowan growls, his hand grazing my lower back. “You sure about this? We can go in guns blazing and drag him out instead.”
I snort, adjusting my jacket. I pat my pocket a few times to ensure the ginger is in there. It’ll help my mates keep their hands to themselves and also to keep me from fading into the background. I don’t trust Silas and showing him my magic abilities seems like giving the keys to the wrong player. “As much as I’d love to see you fight my ex, we need answers right now. I also just want to put this shit behind me.”
Yet another reason I let Gerald know that I was going to follow this lead on my own. Involving Lily and Jace seemed like a terrible idea.
Amand offers me a lop-sided grin that’s eviler than it should be, silently letting me know that if Silas tries anything, he’s dead. It’s just as well, I guess. Blowing out a heavy breath, I gather upthe courage to step inside, just pass a massive bear shifter who merely glances at us with a nod.
Lunar Fang is a sensory overload with all of the strobe lights and thumping music, a stark contrast to the last bar we went into. The unicorn’s scent isn’t here but Silas’ is, my ex always one for a show. Which is why I’m not surprised when I spot him near the VIP section. His black hair is slicked back, his tailored suit hugging a frame that’s leaner and more polished than I remember. His smile is still magnetic, the kind that could charm just about anyone. He’s surrounded by shifters, all hanging on his every word, and I feel a pang of something I don’t want to name. Nostalgia? Regret? Whatever it is, I shove it down.
“Found him,” I nod toward my ex. Rowan and Amand close ranks, their bodies a wall of heat behind me. I can feel their tension through the bond, and I know they’re itching to drag me out of here. I don’t suspect that this will go sideways but finding out that Silas is part of these murders will just make it harder to process everything.
Silas spots me before I reach him, his hazel eyes locking onto mine. That smile widens, and it’s like a punch to the gut. “Leviathan Dubois,” he purrs. “Hello, love.”
I raise an eyebrow, disgusted at the fact that he’s still calling me pet names after all these years. After he broke my heart. After he discarded me and told me he never really had feelings for me. “Yeah, well, you’ve had a glow-up, Silas. Club owner now? Quite the leap from college dropout.” I’m making a wild guess but it seems like something he’d do. I just don’t know how I missed that since I’ve been here before.
He laughs, waving away the shifters around him before stepping closer. There’s that faint metallic edge of a Unicorn again which either means Silas knows something or someone he’s acquainted with does. “I’ve reformed,” he teases. “Cleanslate, new life. You look good, Lev. Better than I remember. When things die down a bit, we should go out.”
Clearly, he doesn’t remember shit from years ago. I twist around to glare at my mates before they start growling or something equally stupid before addressing Silas’ comment. “No thanks. Not after you told me I was the flavor of the month in school. No amount of glow up can make me forgive that.”
He grimaces. “Jesus, yeah. Sorry about that. So, I guess all business then?”
“I’m not here to reminisce,” I snap at him, one of the shifters perking up at my tone. Silas waves him off again and then leads us into one of the VIP’s booths away from the chaos. I wait until he’s seated across from me, my mates on either side of me, before I speak again. “Three shifters are dead, and your name came up. Talk.”
Silas sighs and drags a hand through his hair, his shoulders falling. “I heard about the killings. Nasty business. But I’m clean, Lev. I run a club, not a murder ring.”
I lean forward, my nose working overtime. The unicorn scent is stronger now, clinging to his clothes like a second skin. “You’re not the killer,” I say, watching his reaction, a mixture of hurt and shock. “But your smell is all wrong, so tell me what’s going on.” I have skipped over several steps, including my sense of smell or the fact that I’ve been mated to creatures who will eventually kill me with their venom.
Silas’ eyes widen for a second before he regains his composure. “Damn, I never really thought we’d be meeting like this. When I came back to the city, I looked you up, you know? Found out that you were this awesome PI. Almost made it out to your office a few times but never had the courage.”
That makes me feel worse about all of this. “Yeah, great. Back to the murders,” I push out through gritted teeth. I’m 99% surethat if Silas keeps bringing up whatever these misguided feelings are, one or both of my mates is going to pitch a fit.
“Fine,” Silas states. “I’ve heard rumors. A lot of people come through here, spewing a lot of bullshit but it seems like whatever you might be looking for could be out in the forest preserve, near the old oak grove. That’s all I know.”
Rowan chuckles as he places his folded hands on the table. His tongue slips out, hissing with annoyance. “Why the fuck would you not call the police if you realized you might have information?” Silas’ eyes just get wide again. “Because you’re somehow connected to this bullshit. So, please, explain why your name would come up if you’re not tangled up in this.”
Silas swallows nervously, looking around the bar before focusing on me. Dismissing my mates seems like a terrible play but as long as I get my information, I’m not picky. “Look, I know how your nose works, okay? You can sniff out just about everything, which is how I’m assuming you really picked my name out of a hat.” He digs into his pocket and produces a small notebook with a logo from Oak Grove Preserve. “Someone left it here and the shit they were talking about was just a bit too dark for my liking. Other than that? I couldn’t tell you. I’ll keep my ears peeled, though.”
This clue feels forced, though, almost too easy. Like Silas is just trying to charm me all over again. Silas throws his hand out for me to shake and I oblige, trying to be professional, however, when he lingers too long, I know he has a death wish.
