The sky was a pretty shade of blue framed by the biggest horse corral I�d ever seen. A soft snort made me look back over my shoulder. There was a horse standing behind me. Richard was in the saddle. What the hell?
�Richard?� I frowned. �Where are we? Why are you on a horse?�
He smiled, his chocolate-brown eyes warming me to my toes. �Technically, we�re in my dream. But the landscape is Wyoming. I figure if Jean-Claude traps you in dreams where you�re wearing clothes you don�t like in places you hate, I can at least try to make it up to you.�
I was still slightly confused but that was okay. �So why are you invading my sleep, Richard?� I looked around, took in the sights. �Not that I mind, really, but I know there�s a good explanation for this.�
He sighed and dismounted expertly. �I need your help, Anita,� he began. �It�s Stephen and Gregory. We think they�ve been kidnapped.�
�Why didn�t anyone tell me about this sooner? Gregory is mine, after all.�
�Nobody was sure until tonight. If I hadn�t been up for two straight days, I�d be telling you in person, not in a dream. Besides,� he added. �You get cranky when you get phone calls in the wee hours of the morning.�
True. �So what can I do to help? I could call Edward and see what he can find out.�
Richard nodded. �That�s actually what I was going to ask. Edward, or should I say, Ted has a lot more connections than any of us do. Can you wake up and do it now?�
�Yeah. I�ll let you know what he finds out.� I hesitated. �Bye, Richard.�
�Bye, Anita.� He pulled me to his chest and kissed me gently on the lips. �Good luck.�
I woke up slightly disoriented. That was a new experience. I pushed off the covers and went to get the business card that had Edward�s answering service number. I dialed and left a brief message telling him to call me ASAP concerning a possible kidnapping. He called back within minutes.
�Anita. Who is it this time?�
�Stephen and Gregory. Richard�just contacted me about it. It�s three nights till the full moon, so getting the boys back soon would be good.�
Edward paused to consider this. �Any clues as to why someone would want a werewolf and a wereleopard? Wait, the day of the full moon is Halloween. Could that be significant?�
�Is it?� I glanced at my calendar. �You�re right. Halloween is no big deal as far as preternatural stuff goes. This could just be bad timing.�
�Give me Richard�s number. I�ll get more details from him.� I did. �Be careful, Anita.� Edward laughed. �I keep forgetting I don�t need to tell you that.� With that he hung up.
* * *
Finally, something to do that would occupy me for more than fifteen minutes. When I�d heard the message from Anita, I had to smile. As long as I got to kill someone on this job, things were looking up. Who would want two shapeshifters who just happened to be identical twins? Never mind that question. I picked up my phone and dialed Richard.
�Hello?�
�Richard, it�s Edward. Anita told me the news.�
�Wow, that was fast. What do you need to know?�
I thought about that. �How long have they been gone? When�s the last time anyone saw them? Last place? Do they have any enemies?�
It sounded like Richard sighed. �Nobody knows much. Stephen and Gregory were last seen at Guilty Pleasures. Stephen�s shift ended at midnight yesterday and his brother was there to pick him up. That�s it.�
Not much to work with, but I was too good at this sort of thing. �What about enemies, Richard? Remember, an enemy of you or Anita could be a member of your people.�
He gave that some thought. �I can�t think of anyone who�d want to hurt those two. Or my pack or Anita�s pard. Things are actually calm and settled right now.�
That sounded suspicious all on its own. �You�re familiar with the saying, �It�s quiet�a little too quiet?�
The werewolf was smarter than he looked. �Someone might have kidnapped them for the sake of kidnapping them you mean? Why?�
�Who does anything, Richard?� I asked. �Can you give me names and numbers of some of their friends within your pack? Maybe someone else knows something and didn�t share it with you.� He have me the requested information and we hung up. I looked at the short list of names. Somehow I didn�t think they�d be able to help me, so I dialed one of my personal contacts.
Five minutes and a favor later, I had info. Narcissus was rumored to be bored and looking for love once again. Time to call Anita back.
I pulled up to Anita�s place a few hours later. The plan was to go down to Narcissus� club and check things out in person. I got to go along because I was a neutral party, so to speak. She also told me I could bring as many knives as I could fit on my person. If she only knew. I kept the Beretta just in case. You never know when you�ll need a gun.
Anita appeared at the front door, waved, then went back in. When she came back out I knew it was going to be a good day. She was probably wearing every blade she owned, including that nifty one that went in the spine sheath. �Hey, Edward,� she said, getting into the car. �You know how to get to the club?�
�Of course. I know all the establishments near the river,� I replied. The land on the Missouri side of the Mississippi river was known for its non-human based businesses. �What�s the plan of action? Do we go in shooting or do I have to behave?�
�We try to talk to Narcissus first. If that doesn�t work then we�ll talk about fighting. Remember, we�re only two people. There are a hell of a lot more werehyenas. �
The car went over a huge bump and the glove compartment banged open. A pair of plastic vampire fangs fell into Anita�s lap. �What the hell? Why do you have fangs in your car, Edward?�
I glanced over. �Oh, those. Gag gift from a fellow bounty hunter.�
The rest of the drive was quiet. We pulled up in front of Narcissus in Chains around 9am. The place was deserted. Imagine that. I parked and we made our way to the front door. Anita knocked then stood back. A tall man wearing lots of leather answered. �What do you want?�
�We need to speak with Narcissus,� Anita explained. I stayed in the background. When I was needed I�d know it. �Pard business. I�m not here to kill anyone this time.�
The man stepped back. �Come in, but don�t get comfortable. I will see if Narcissus will see you.� We got a few stares from the patrons inside but I ignored it. Another man walked up to join us.
�We must ask that you give us your weapons, Anita.� I raised my eyebrow at here. She was on a first-name basis with the new guy.
�You know my rule, Apollo. We get to keep the knives.� Anita gave him a no-nonsense stare. He nodded and she handed him her Browning. In turn I gave up the Beretta. �Tell Narcissus we don�t want to be kept waiting,� she added.�
Apollo took the guns and I assumed he went to go tell the owner we were here. There was nothing to do but wait. It wasn�t long before we were escorted into one of the upstairs rooms. �Narcissus is inside,� Apollo said. I let Anita go in first. The room was a bedroom of sorts, done half in Martha Stewart meets bondage, half in�baby prints?
�Anita,� I started. Her jaw was dropped. Stephen and Gregory were on the floor playing with an infant. On the bed was Narcissus, smiling like a proud father.
�Anita. Good to see you,� he said. He looked at me. �And who is your friend?�
It took her a moment to regain her composure. �This is Edward. What the hell is going on here?�
He frowned slightly. �As you remember, last time we met I was with child. This,� he beamed, pointing to the child, �is Prince.�
�Hi, Anita,� said one of the twins. The other one waved. I didn�t know who was more confused, me or Anita.
�Gregory, Stephen, are you guys alright?� she asked. Her gaze rested on the baby as if she just couldn�t believe her eyes.
�We�re fine. Why are you here with Edward?� I think it was Gregory that was talking. He tickled Prince and smiled. �Narcissus asked us to babysit. Didn�t Jean-Claude tell you?�
�No, he didn�t. So you guys have been here the whole time? Richard seems to think that someone, � she looked at Narcissus, �kidnapped you both.�
The werehyena laughed. �Anita. Surely you know me better than that by now. Parenthood has mellowed me out, if you will. I have no more interest in shapeshifter politics for the time being. I merely asked the boys to help out. I believe it is your vampire you need to be angry with.�
I was still trying to figure out the whole �with child� statement when Anita nodded. �You�re right. I�m sorry. I jumped to conclusions.� She paused. �Prince really is a beautiful baby. Can I ask where the name came from?�
�I had to remember his father somehow, � Narcissus replied. �But do not get me wrong, I can hardly say I miss him after all the trouble he caused.�
�I don�t mean to interrupt,� I broke in. �But everything is okay here, right?� Everyone looked at me. �Anita and I came down here because we thought Stephen and Gregory were kidnapped. They weren�t, so we need to go find out why someone said they were.�
�Of course.� Narcissus stood and escorted us to the door. �Forgive me for not making sure Gregory�s Nimir-Ra knew where he was. I assume the Ulfric is upset as well?�
�Cut the crap,� Anita said. �Richard told me that they�d been kidnapped. Edward traced that back to you. Why would someone set you up for that?�
�Ask Jean-Claude. I have no answers.�
Neither of us was satisfied, but we said our goodbyes and left. The ride back wasn�t as peaceful. Anita was pissed.
�Why would Jean-Claude do something like this?� she asked.
�He�s your boyfriend, not mine.� She glared at me. �What? You aren�t dating him anymore?�
She shook her head. �I am so not discussing my love life with you. Let�s just get to the Circus of the Damned so I can chew out the son of a bitch.�
I actually sighed. �Anita if you�d just let me take care of him, you wouldn�t have to worry anymore. Come on, you couldn�t possibly miss the bloodsucker that much.�
�Edward, how many times do I have to explain it? You kill the bloodsucker and you kill me and Richard. I�ll deal with him. It�s okay. When I want him dead, and I mean really dead, you�ll know it.�
When I pulled into the Circus� parking lot, Anita didn�t even wait for the car to stop before she jumped out and started running for the door. She had a key, so she went in, leaving me in her dust. By the time I got inside and down that humongous staircase I was alone, or so it seemed. A lone candle sat next to a note and a box of chocolates on a table. I picked up the note and tried to read it, but it was all in French. The sound of gunshots turned my attention further down the hall. Maybe I�d finally get to kill the vampire once and for all�
TO BE CONTINUED��