too deep to do anything but die.”
“Who exactly are they?” Timur growled.
“I made some mistakes, boss. I gamble, and owe a few goodfellas some huge amounts of money. They know I work for you and I was offered credit, a shit-astic amount of monies actually, was extended to me. I knew they wanted to know about you, your habits, not that you have any that I’ve seen. I told them that, too,” he hurriedly explained. “There was so much in funds I could easily have hauled myself out the hole, instead I kept digging myself deeper… I knew the losing streak couldn’t last forever…”
“How much, Denton?”
“One and a quarter million dollars. They offered to wipe the slate clean if I told them when you would be vulnerable.” Denton’s voice wobbled. “I didn’t know you were bringing a lady friend with you. You’ve never done that before.”
“Denton, I am only going to say this once. Based on your years of service I’ll allow you to live, consider it your retirement gift. Pack your shit and leave. If I ever see your face again I will kill you. Where is the gambling house?”
“Downtown, in the basement of Club Sphinx.”
“You have until morning. Get out of my sight before I change my mind.” He turned his back on Denton and walked away. He heard the squeak of the hinges as the door closed and the snick as it automatically locked. Timur dug the phone out his pocket and dialed Kirill’s number.
“Why aren’t you in Salem?” Kirill asked in clipped tones.
“There was a bit of trouble I had to take care of. I need a favor.”
“Talk to me, Timur.”
“Nothing I can’t handle. The position for a new apartment manager has come open for my building in Toronto as well as my other holdings in Ontario.”
“I’ll talk to Tucker. You want a human or a shifter?”
“My luck with mortals sucks. Make arrangements for a shifter. I need someone sooner rather than later. I’ll be leaving tomorrow night for Salem. Remind Tuck that they will be handling my personal interests as well. It must be someone I can rely on.”
“No worries, friend. Your issue will be resolved.”
“ Merci, Kirill.”
“I know that tone, don’t do anything stupid.”
“It’s nothing. I need to neuter a sphinx.”
“What the hell…”
“ Au revoir , my friend. I‘ll call you when we get to Salem.” He tapped the screen, cutting off the call.
Timur embraced his beast and offered up partial control to his animal. He knew the place. Its garish appearance had caught his eyes when he visited the city on business several months ago. The club was new, but the owners were obviously obnoxious, creating an exaggerated exterior that loosely resembled the pyramids of Egypt. He’d visited those structures when they were newly built. The one built to house the club was simply a gaudy, ill-conceived replica. He shouldn’t complain though, since its ugliness was what made it easy to find. He stretched his wings and took to the air.
* * * *
Spotlights crisscrossed the night, so bright they outshined the stars and made the darkness feel bleak. Timur glanced at his wrist and realized he’d lost his watch. He sighed as he pulled his phone from his pocket to check the time. He watched patrons exit the building as he settled on the opposite edifice of the triangular-shaped gold painted structure and got comfortable on the ledge. Cabs lined to pick up passengers as more folks poured out through the front double doors. Groups of people staggered to the parking lot, holding each other, while others walked down the sidewalk, arms intertwined. They were probably looking for a quiet place to hook up. If his urge to protect Ember hadn’t been riding him so hard he might have had a little fun and scared the shit out of a few folks, but tonight he had more serious business. He wasn’t giving up Ember, and any threat to him put her in danger as long as she was with him.
The spotlights went off and the exterior lights dimmed. Timur
“Who exactly are they?” Timur growled.
“I made some mistakes, boss. I gamble, and owe a few goodfellas some huge amounts of money. They know I work for you and I was offered credit, a shit-astic amount of monies actually, was extended to me. I knew they wanted to know about you, your habits, not that you have any that I’ve seen. I told them that, too,” he hurriedly explained. “There was so much in funds I could easily have hauled myself out the hole, instead I kept digging myself deeper… I knew the losing streak couldn’t last forever…”
“How much, Denton?”
“One and a quarter million dollars. They offered to wipe the slate clean if I told them when you would be vulnerable.” Denton’s voice wobbled. “I didn’t know you were bringing a lady friend with you. You’ve never done that before.”
“Denton, I am only going to say this once. Based on your years of service I’ll allow you to live, consider it your retirement gift. Pack your shit and leave. If I ever see your face again I will kill you. Where is the gambling house?”
“Downtown, in the basement of Club Sphinx.”
“You have until morning. Get out of my sight before I change my mind.” He turned his back on Denton and walked away. He heard the squeak of the hinges as the door closed and the snick as it automatically locked. Timur dug the phone out his pocket and dialed Kirill’s number.
“Why aren’t you in Salem?” Kirill asked in clipped tones.
“There was a bit of trouble I had to take care of. I need a favor.”
“Talk to me, Timur.”
“Nothing I can’t handle. The position for a new apartment manager has come open for my building in Toronto as well as my other holdings in Ontario.”
“I’ll talk to Tucker. You want a human or a shifter?”
“My luck with mortals sucks. Make arrangements for a shifter. I need someone sooner rather than later. I’ll be leaving tomorrow night for Salem. Remind Tuck that they will be handling my personal interests as well. It must be someone I can rely on.”
“No worries, friend. Your issue will be resolved.”
“ Merci, Kirill.”
“I know that tone, don’t do anything stupid.”
“It’s nothing. I need to neuter a sphinx.”
“What the hell…”
“ Au revoir , my friend. I‘ll call you when we get to Salem.” He tapped the screen, cutting off the call.
Timur embraced his beast and offered up partial control to his animal. He knew the place. Its garish appearance had caught his eyes when he visited the city on business several months ago. The club was new, but the owners were obviously obnoxious, creating an exaggerated exterior that loosely resembled the pyramids of Egypt. He’d visited those structures when they were newly built. The one built to house the club was simply a gaudy, ill-conceived replica. He shouldn’t complain though, since its ugliness was what made it easy to find. He stretched his wings and took to the air.
* * * *
Spotlights crisscrossed the night, so bright they outshined the stars and made the darkness feel bleak. Timur glanced at his wrist and realized he’d lost his watch. He sighed as he pulled his phone from his pocket to check the time. He watched patrons exit the building as he settled on the opposite edifice of the triangular-shaped gold painted structure and got comfortable on the ledge. Cabs lined to pick up passengers as more folks poured out through the front double doors. Groups of people staggered to the parking lot, holding each other, while others walked down the sidewalk, arms intertwined. They were probably looking for a quiet place to hook up. If his urge to protect Ember hadn’t been riding him so hard he might have had a little fun and scared the shit out of a few folks, but tonight he had more serious business. He wasn’t giving up Ember, and any threat to him put her in danger as long as she was with him.
The spotlights went off and the exterior lights dimmed. Timur
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