Deathtrap (Crossbreed #3)(39)
He began attempting to twist and push at it. “They’re a novelty. Usually there’s a hidden compartment, and the only way to access it is by solving the puzzle. You press the pieces or slide them in a specific order.” He finally held it out for me to take. “I’m afraid it’s not mine to solve.”
I gripped the cube and set it on the bed. “Are we good? I don’t want you to leave on a bad note. I’m not planning anything devious to undermine Viktor. It’s—”
“Personal,” he finished. “The most difficult decision you’ll ever make is to let go of the thing you want most. If this is a test, the fates will punish you for making the wrong choice, even if it might seem like the right one.”
“The fates gave up on me the day I was made. They don’t care about me anymore. Please don’t mention this to Viktor. I don’t want him doubting my intentions.”
Niko bowed. “As you wish.” When he reached the door, he stood still for a frozen moment. “I won’t enter your room again without knocking. I had no right to disrespect your privacy.”
I laughed. “You’re the only person in this house I don’t mind seeing me naked.”
“That’s because I’m blind.”
“Exactly.”
“Some blessings are a curse,” he said, quietly leaving the room.
Since Shepherd was still unfit for public appearances, Christian and I volunteered to head over to Club Nine and search for his keys. If we couldn’t find them, Christian knew a locksmith. I could probably start the car with a little Mage power, but I’d never done it before and didn’t want to risk blowing up his engine.
It was late afternoon, and the snowfall was finally tapering off. I peered inside my trench coat while Christian turned into the parking lot.
“That’s the third time you’ve looked in there,” he said. “Did you lose your breasts?”
“No. I’m just wondering if I can hide a few daggers in here. I’ve always had to carry the big one strapped to my leg, but that’s not practical when I’m wearing jeans. The push daggers are fine; I like them close to my body for easy access.”
“When Shepherd comes out of his cave, maybe he’ll take a look. He’s clever with modifications.”
I put my foot on his dash and retied my shoelaces. “What do you think is wrong with him?”
Christian removed his sunglasses and squinted at the bright snow. “Probably what’s wrong with all of us. We’re fecking loons. Get your foot off my dash.”
I dropped my leg and unbuckled my seat belt. “I thought you guys were best buddies.”
“I’m not having this discussion again. Now quit flapping your gums, and let’s get this over with.”
“Enjoy your reprieve,” I said playfully. “When you get back, you’ll be staring at a computer screen for the rest of the night.”
He shut off the engine. “On that note, there are some sick bastards in this world.”
I got out of the car and met up with him next to the building. “Why? What did you see?”
“Last night, there were pets going up for sale.”
“Pets?”
“Aye. Some of those humans you love so much have an infatuation with Shifters. They volunteer to become their pets. Leather collars and everything.”
I snorted. “Do they wear a leash?”
“The higher authority frowns upon that kind of thing, but it’s entirely legal. The demand for pets is higher than the supply, so some of them coordinate with marketeers to find the highest bidder. That way the human gets a little something out of it in addition to fulfilling whatever sexual fantasy they’re searching for.”
“So it’s a sex thing?”
We rounded the corner.
“It makes some Shifters feel empowered to have dominion over a human pet. Shifters were once slaves within our world. I guess freedom isn’t enough for some and they want a taste of that power. A pet is a servant.”
“A servant with a collar. Sounds more like a slave. Do they care which animal bids on them? Wolf? Panther? Sheep?” When Christian ignored my remarks, I egged him on. “What about a cow? Do they get to milk them?”
He held the door open and gave me a scathing glance. “My deepest condolences to the woman who dropped you on your head.”
I reached in my pocket and tossed a receipt onto the floor. Without looking back, I knew he’d bent down to pick it up. Just as we reached the bar, I tossed something else from my pocket onto the ground.
Christian slammed his hand on the bar with the scraps of paper beneath it. “Now you’re just goading me.”
Hooper turned and gave Christian a look of annoyance. He licked one of his lip rings and ambled toward us. “Is there something I can get for you?”
Christian lifted his hand, revealing the wadded-up papers. “She’ll be having a trash can.”
“He’ll have world peace,” I said. “Could we trouble you for a minute? A friend of ours left his keys here last night, so we thought we’d come in and look around. Has anyone turned anything in?”
He looked between my mismatched eyes. “I remember you now. Is the car still out there?” he asked with a smile.
“Yep.”