Page 44 of Kiss of Light

“Fine. I just didn’t expect you’d collect so soon. Bring him in. There’s a room upstairs…”

“No. The cellar. Somewhere dark.”

“The cell…?” Avery yanked Lemar’s head up and thumbed back his top lip. “A Vetali? You brought aVetalito my club?”

“Avery, we can stand on your doorstep yakking about it all night or we can get inside and out of sight.”

Avery’s jaw tightened.

“Follow me.”

He led them through the back entrance into the club. At the end of the corridor he unlocked a door that had stairs leading down.

“I use this as a den, so there’s a sofa and a bathroom down there. And a first aid kit in the drawer. Try not to get blood on the rug.”

“Thank you. I mean it. We’ll get out of your hair as soon as we can.”

He gazed down at her, noting ruefully that even thought she was covered in dirt and blood and fuck knows what else, she was still beautiful.

“Don’t give me that doe-eyed look,” he said sternly. “The last time we met, you left me naked and tied to a bed.”

She tried to look contrite.

“Sorry about that. Howdidyou get free, anyway?”

“The bodyguards you punched out eventually woke up.”

“I hope they’re okay.”

“I fired them.”

“Well, theywerepretty useless.”

Avery gestured at the cellar.

“Do what you need to do. Come and find me for a drink after.”

She started down the stairs, holding Lemar tightly so he didn’t stumble. Above her, Avery closed the door behind them.

The ‘den’ was an understatement. Avery had expensive tastes; there was a huge flatscreen TV on one wall with a Chesterfield couch upholstered in luxury dark brown leather in front of it. A drinks counter ran the length of the room with, she was delighted to notice, some serious quality whiskies standing on it. The floor was covered in a Persian rug in glowing shades of ruby red and sapphire blue. She could understand why Avery was worried about bloodstains.

Lemar woke as she laid him on the couch.

“Where are we?” he mumbled.

“At a friend’s. Stay still.”

She carefully ripped his shirt up the back and stripped it off him. The arrow tip was noticeably deeper than it had been. It was higher up too, a good inch or two closer to his chest. Damn thing was burrowing like a mole through his body.

She bit her lip as she examined the wound. She was going to have to get in after it. It wasn’t going to be pleasant, for her or Lemar.

“I’m going to have to make the wound bigger so I can grab the arrowhead.”

“Okay.”

“It’s going to hurt.”

“Just get it out of me, shaitun. Whatever it takes.”

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