Page 13 of SOS Hotel: For a Supernaturally Safe Stay!

“It’s been a delight,” Reynard said, sounding as though he’d rather lick razor blades.

“Good day . . . Both of you. And good luck. You’re going to need it.” She headed for the door, and while I was trapped in the chair I waited for her to leave, heart pounding. “Oh, and Lord Reynard.” She turned, all cocked hip and sly expression. “Hiding out here won’t stop them from coming for you.”

The door clanged shut behind her, leaving Reynard and I in the soft quiet of the bar. The silence thickened, coming down on us like his hand on my shoulder, and as much as I liked it there, I definitely did not appreciate being shoved to the side of the conversation when it came to my hotel. A hotel Zee and I owned, and Lord Reynard had no claim over, other than being a guest. For one night.

Noreen could, and probably would dig around in the records, looking for the documents to back up Reynard’s lies—but of course, there wouldn’t be any. A woman like her wasn’t going to let that go. He may have just made everything worse. But at least she was gone for today.

“Why did you do that?”

He removed his hand and lifted his chin. “I’d like to extend my stay.”

“You’re welcome to, if you answer my question.”

“Adam.” Here came that sideways glance. “You were clearly in a tight spot. I merely wish to help.”

I was beginning to get the impression his help wasn’t altruistic. He wanted something. “She has a point you know, why are you getting involved?”

He turned his attention to the closed door again. “As Mrs. Greene mentioned, there are some external forces who I’d like to avoid. That is what this hotel is for, no? A sanctuary. Guaranteed a safe stay?”

It was. I just hadn’t expected someone like him to ever need it. Didn’t he have countless bodyguards? Couldn’t he hire his own ward weavers? That seemed easier and more discreet than slumming it here. No, there was another reason why someone of his stature was determined to stay. But as I had several other problems to deal with, the mystery of the suave vampire would have to wait.

I bid Lord Reynard a good day—keeping my tone cool, so he at least knew while I was grateful he’d stepped in, I had reservations—and left the bar. If he assumed I was weak, and thought he could march all over me in those fine shoes, he’d soon learn his mistake.

A pair of guests stood at the reception desk, and while I itched to swoop in and introduce myself, Madame Matase had them chatting, and I didn’t want to interrupt her flow, so I veered away. She winked at me as the guests entered their names into the hotel register.

That was some good news I’d sorely needed. I’d begun to wonder if Reynard might be my only guest, and as delectable as he was, I did not need to get any more tangled up in all that with everything else happening.

I visited the top floor and checked Reynard’s room. Whatever Zee had done, there was nothing to suggest a body had bled out on the floor several hours ago. No blood, no lingering smell, and the ruined carpet was spotless once more. He clearly had more talents than selling himself by the hour, but telling a lust demon they had potential was the same as telling a dog he didn’t have to bark.

Hours ticked by. The protestors had moved off, and now the furor had died down outside, the police had moved on too. The hotel had survived its first day with only one murder, had narrowly avoided the suspicions of a journalist who might be working for a real estate developer, and now housed a vampire of questionable motives.

It could have been worse.

As I made it to the bar for the evening, Tom Collins had a drink waiting, and since nobody was crying at the bar and there were people seated at the tables, he must have been doing something right. I tipped my glass at him, then took up a quiet little corner to sit and look up vampires in the Wilson’s Supernatural Guide. Vampires had a strict hierarchy and followed family traditions with religious fervor. Their society was based off the class system, with the queen at the top, dukes and barons under her. Since the queen hadn’t ventured into this world when the veil had weakened, any vampires trapped on this side had been cut off from their home, but most retained their societal rules.

I skipped a bunch of history and went straight to the potential issues section, where it listed vampiric abilities. I’d been right. They did have persuasion skills, able to tune in to their prey’s emotions and tweak them, in a similar way to how demons took advantage of a human’s needs and desires. The wards would prevent Reynard from manipulating anyone, but outside the hotel he was likely to be extremely powerful. Which made it seem stranger still that he’d choose to stay in a place that weakened him.

“What’s this?” Zee said, blasting into the bar in a snap of static. He slammed a printed piece of paper onto the table in front of me. “We’re not open a day and you’re already replacing me?”

“What?” I picked up the printed article from the San Francisco Post’s website.

Tech Billionaire Invests in Lost Cause.

“Lost cause is harsh,” I muttered, buying seconds to think of how to explain that I’d let Reynard walk all over me.

Zee folded his arms and lashed his tail. His eyes, usually forgiving, had narrowed to slits. Their dark pupils were as thin as daggers too. Fury made the veins in his wings sparkle. It was easy to forget Zee could be vicious, but with his seven feet—including horns—towering over me, and his wings spread, I might have been a little concerned.

“It’s not like that.”

“Right.” Sharp teeth snapped the word.

“It was a difficult situation and he stepped in. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“Demon!” The voice was Reynard’s but it came from everywhere, all at once. My heart dropped. I knew what was coming—it had been inevitable. A liquid blur shot from the dark and slammed into Zee like a wrecking ball. Then the wards kicked in, tearing them from each other. Reynard fell against the bar. Zee sprawled on the floor. Both of them clutched their heads.

I shot from the chair and reached for Zee, to help him up.

“Don’t touch me.” He shoved me off, staggered to his feet and flapped out his wings, raining sparks. His lips rippled in a snarl. “I thought you were different.”