Page 22 of The Doctor's Wolf: Part Two
“Oh, I can’t do that.Heath would be very cross with me.He’d call me insensitive and lewd, can you believe?Me?”Maxim fake-whimpered.“His sweet papa, who cared for him, bathed him, changed his diapers and kissed him good night after making sure there were no monsters under his bed.”
“Uhh…”
“Detective.Look at me.”
Adler knew he should.Maxim was alpha.But he didn’t want to.He didn’t like the idea of any vampire other than Gordon controlling him, and before he could voice that much, he bared his teeth.At Maxim.Who was a badass motherfucker, swords or no.
Fuck, why am I like this?He’ll—
Maxim whistled and sped forward.Adler found his head tilted upward slightly by a strong hand on his chin, and his eyes met Maxim’s.
“Say apple pie,” Maxim said.
Adler growled.“No.Sorry!Fuck, sorry.Apple pie?”
Maxim let go of him and stepped back, this time in normal speed.
“Well, it would appear you can’t be compelled.Do you know the only time a beta wolf ever growled at me before this day was when I had cause to fight their alpha?The mate bite has been doing wonders for your loyalty.”
“I didn’t mean to do that.I’m sorry.”
“Not at all.It’s good to know you can’t be compelled against your better nature or your mate.”
Adler stiffened.“That’s good.”I’d never hurt my mate, never.
“I agree fully, although I will have you know, none ever complained about my skill of compulsion.I know just the right spot to hit time and time again until they succumb.”
Adler gave him a flat look.“Heath had a point, you know.”
Maxim gaped, then put a finger to his mouth.“Shh.You can’t say that out loud.He might hear.”
Adler rubbed his eyes.“Okay.I’ll whisper.About the conspiracy though, exactly how deep do you think this goes?”
The vampire’s face hardened.“I don’t know, but someone meddled with several investigations over a prolonged period of time.And remember that the… trophies Pearson cut out of her victims were never found.Remember how she specifically acted like Jack the Ripper in the staging even when she actually just preferred choking her victims to death.”He crossed his arms in front of him.“It’s rare that you see only the shadow of a person, see that they have been there only by the negative space they leave behind.It’s the kind of killer that we hunters always pay special attention to when we happen across them, and this is one of those times, Adler.So pay attention.This is more than a crow in a tree.Make notes, detective.”
Adler nodded even as the elevator dinged to a stop and spilled them out in the hallway just outside Morgan’s Bar and Restaurant.
Maxim lifted one eyebrow.“Ready?And remember, children are terribly good at detecting the unease in the people closest to them.”
Adler snorted.“Thanks for the pep talk, Maxim.”
The vampire shrugged and walked out.“My mother told me, but naturally I was still surprised when my darling child decided to comfort me after a particularly difficult hunt.Heath was three at the time, never mind that dhampirs grow differently than humans or young wolves.Have you had news of the child’s grandmother?”
“Not yet.”
Adler tried to imagine the vampire hunter taking care of a miniature Heath and…failed.Maxim was good at being a hunter, but Adler couldn’t fathom how the man had ever managed to raise a child who had turned into one of the most reliable and meticulous people Adler had ever met.Not to mention fastidious about data collection and all the tech stuff.
They walked into the bar and restaurant area together, and Maxim made straight for the bar behind which…Clement was apparently giving Mil an introductory course in cocktail making.
The little girl sat on a barstool so she could reach the counter, and she was pouring liquor into Clement’s shaker after carefully measuring it out.Several of the human donors Maxim kept on staff as well as Morgan herself and most of her fae staff were seated at the bar and waiting to be served cocktails.
“You have the recipe for a gimlet memorized, Milea?”Clement asked the girl.
Mil nodded.“Gin, lime juice, simple syrup.We serve it with lime peel.”
“I really need to figure out childcare,” Adler said as they approached.
Maxim turned his stare at Adler.“You do?I think my newest bartender already has.”He leaned against the bar, next to one of the donors, and Adler took the seat next to Maxim.“It is always good to see new people picking up new skills quickly.Who might your young apprentice be, Clement?”
