“Don’t mind them.” Carmine laughed again. “You can’t blame my family for being protective of me. I know it’s not something you’d understand, Viktor, not having any family or influence of your own, but for me, having as much power and influence over the city the way I do, I can’t afford to take any risks. I mean, look at what happened to poor Tony. Top of his game one minute and a blithering mess in jail the next.”
Poor Tony.Viktor mentally scoffed. Carmine had never given a damn about Tony Manzano a day in his life. He kept an eye on Carmine’s guards while the man made a show of sitting down, pleased when Carmine waved them to another table. They didn’t go far – only three feet at best – and Viktor saw it for the power play it was, even if Ant wasn’t aware.
Sitting down and dropping his arm over Ant’s shoulder, Viktor said, “Don’t keep us in suspense. What was so urgent that you decided you wanted to gatecrash our lunch date?”
Viktor hoped to keep Carmine’s focus on him. His inner self was not happy having a known gangster in such close proximity to his mate and Viktor knew he was partially to blame. If he hadn’t been associated with Tony, then Carmine wouldn’t even know who he or Ant was.
“You always were a cynical ass, weren’t you Viktor. Can’t someone be nice for once? Maybe I wanted to offer congratulations on your mating. I understand that’s a big deal among you paras. I would’ve sent a gift, but then I heard what an unusual person your mate is, and felt I had to meet him in the flesh, so to speak.”
Carmine threw another huge grin at Ant, whose expression hadn’t changed. Viktor could feel Able under the table, pressed up against Ant’s knee, and he realized that Ant was probably feeling a lot more emotion than he was showing, although he was doing a darn good job of hiding it.
“I get the impression I’ve seen your face before somewhere, Doctor Channon. Refresh my memory, if you wouldn’t mind.”
Viktor hadn’t introduced Ant at all. Carmine had done his homework. “You’re number two on the list of my sister’s disastrous dates,” Ant said with absolutely no emotion in his tone. “The number one spot was a man called Gregory who presumed to order for me and my sister at dinner and then proceeded to call her fat before he hit on me. You lying about who you were and what you did for a living ranked you as number two.”
Viktor could tell that that threw Carmine for a moment – not the content of what Ant said, but the way he said it. Carmine was used to people responding to his effusiveness and friendliness in the same sort of vein. Carmine counted on people doing that because it made it easier for him to take a knife to that same vein if he didn’t get his own way.
“That’s why I didn’t understand why you wanted to meet me now,” Ant continued with the same lack of inflection in his voice. “You and I have met before. I did not consider you a suitable date for my sister, seeing as you lied to her. My sister values my judgment. We went out and had burgers after we excused ourselves, and you went and did whatever it is you do. That was the end of it as far as my sister and I were concerned. I don’t see how that gives us anything in common now.”
“Hmm, well, see, that’s where I think you’re wrong.” Carmine leaned an elbow on the table, resting his jaw on his hand. “Imean, I can understand your position. Now you’ve mentioned it, I do remember your sister. She’s a very beautiful woman, and I’m sure I’m not the first man who’s sought to make a good impression on her.
“I believe, at the time, I was so in awe of her beauty and class that I might have embellished my story of what it is that I did for a living, simply for a chance to meet and date her. You can’t blame me for that. However, that was my mistake at the time, and I never make the same mistake twice.”
“What is it you want, Carmine?” Viktor asked when Ant didn’t respond. “I would have thought common sense would tell you, after what has happened recently to Ant and me, we’re not interested in having any connection with another family, so to speak.”
“I’m surprised to hear you say that.” Viktor’s eyes narrowed as he noticed Carmine’s sly grin. He had a horrible feeling he wasn’t going to like what Carmine might say next. “I believe you’d gained a lot of benefits being in poor Tony’s family. A lot of useful connections and a variety of experiences, shall we say?”
Viktor shook his head. “My association with Tony was one of convenience on my part and nothing more. Vampires live for such a long time, boredom is a plague that bothers us all at times. I found Tony amusing for a while - until I didn’t.”
“You really have changed, but then a number of people have told me how much you changed since taking up with your mate – am I using the correct terminology, Doctor Channon?”
What are you playing at?Viktor was sure Carmine was deliberately trying to draw Ant out, but he still didn’t know why, which was annoying.
“The correct term is fated mate,” Ant said quietly. “It is a joining of two people who have been connected by the Fates who havebeen determined to be perfect for each other in every way. When that couple claims each other, they will never stray or lie to each other, and each person is highly protective of their mate – as they should be. It’s a very special relationship that is treasured by all paranormals.”
“Hmm, I did wonder if you’d say something like that,” Carmine said. “You’ll forgive me if I find it difficult to believe. I mean, when I think of the things that Viktor got up to when he was with Tony…”
Ant shook his head. “There’s no need to go on. I knew everything I needed to know about Viktor the first time I touched him. That’s the nature of my magic. There is nothing you can tell me that I don’t already know, and there’s nothing you can tell me that I would be interested in hearing. So please don’t waste your breath or our time. What do you truly want? Or should I touch your hand and find out for myself?” Ant lifted his hand off the table, and Carmine moved back in his seat.
Score one to Ant.Viktor knew Carmine would consider his mate a pushover. The man had no respect for brains or magical power, unless it suited him. Carmine would’ve made an assumption about Ant the moment he saw him, and he’d just been proven wrong.
“Fair enough.” Carmine coughed to cover his discomfort. “I suppose then, seeing as we can’t chat about old times, perhaps we should chat about future ventures. The territory that Tony and his family controlled is now sitting unsupervised, and there have been a few members of my family who suggest that it wouldn’t be a bad idea for me and my people to move into that area. A purely charitable gesture, I’m sure you’ll agree. Someone needs to take care of poor Tony’s family while he spends the next decade or two in jail. I’d be interested in your take on that idea, Viktor. You were Tony’s number two for a long time.”
“I don’t give a shit,” Viktor said bluntly. “I have no interest in the criminal politics in this town or the posturing of various criminal families who all think they’re more important than they really are. I’ve never bothered myself with that sort of thing. I find it quite tedious.”
“An interesting take coming from you.” The corner of Carmine’s lip twitched. “However, I had heard that your Doctor Channon had lost his job with the police force, due to his association with you. I also doubt Tony is cutting you a paycheck while he’s in jail. I realize that can make for difficult times.
“Was it wrong of me to consider that you might be open to an offer with a bigger and more well-established family organization? The pair of you both have contacts that can be useful to me, and you know how important contacts are in modern society.”
The underbelly of society, you mean,Viktor thought, but didn’t say. “I’m comfortable enough financially, thank you. What about you, Ant? Do you have an issue with finances? Are you worried about your employment status?”
“I don’t see why I should be.” Ant frowned. “I work as a lecturer at the Mage Academy. I also have my own business. If you wanted to approach me with a job offer, Mr. Doukas, then you should’ve just typed up a proposal and submitted it to my office. My sister takes care of all my business dealings. I run my own consultancy, so I’m never short of work.”
“Hmm, okay.” Clearly, Carmine didn’t expect that reaction, but then he was someone who walked around as though he was doing the world a favor by existing. “That’s not how things work in my part of the world. We don’t put things in writing when a man’s word is enough.”
Camine leaned forward, resting both elbows on the table as he did so. “I do have a case I believe would benefit from your expertise. It would require you to work with the utmost confidentiality, but I understand you have a reputation for being honorable in that regard. I want you to find out who killed my sister.”
Chapter Five
