Warrior (Relentless #4)(152)

“Nikolas Danshov and Christian Kent, what an honor to have you in my humble establishment again.”

I laughed and entered his office where Orias and his assistant Paulina were going through financial statements. She excused herself when we entered. Everyone believed she was just the receptionist, but Paulina helped Orias run this place. She enjoyed playing the receptionist role during business hours.

“Humble indeed,” I said.

Orias chuckled. Tall with long black hair and a hawkish appearance, he looked like a thirty-five-year-old man of Native American descent. Looks could be deceiving. I knew he was well over one hundred years old, possibly even as old as me.

He stood and extended a hand to us then waved to the visitor chairs. “Please, have a seat and tell me what I can do for you, although I can guess the reason for your visit.”

I gave him a questioning look, and he smiled.

“When a vampire like Stefan Price dies in your place of business, you expect the Mohiri to show up and ask questions.”

“Is that why you’re closed tonight?” Chris asked.

The warlock made a face. “We are closed because that little incident scared the hell out of my regular clients. They are afraid to come because Stefan had many followers who are no doubt upset about his untimely passing. No one wants to be here in case the vampires come looking for answers.”

“You don’t seem worried,” Chris said.

Orias shrugged. “I’m not happy about the situation. Having someone die on the premises is not good for business, as you can see. But I don’t think I have anything to fear from the vampires. No one has ever attacked me and lived to speak of it.”

I watched Orias closely. He spoke and acted as if this whole thing was merely an inconvenience, but I could see uneasiness and anger simmering below the surface of his cool fa?ade. Something – or someone – had unsettled the normally composed warlock. I knew only one person who had an infallible ability for attracting the kind of trouble that came with fangs and claws.

“Tell us what happened last night,” I said, careful to hide my personal interest. “I take it Price was a client of yours?”

He cleared his throat. “Stefan used my services a few times over the years. He never bothered to make appointments, so I don’t know why he came last night.”

“And the girl?” I asked casually.

“Girl?”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, the girl, the one who killed Stefan.” He gave me a rueful smile. “Forgive me. It’s been a long twenty-four hours.”

I nodded. “Was she a client as well? Who was she?”

“She was a new client, yes,” he said after a short hesitation. “I’m afraid I can’t give you her name. Client confidentiality.”

“Tell us what happened between her and the vampire,” I said. It wasn’t a request. He was being evasive about the girl, which made me more determined to find out who she was.

He leaned forward and clasped his hands on the desk. “I didn’t see the actual fight. I was here in my office, and I heard shouting. By the time I got to the waiting area, Stefan was dead and she was standing over him. They wrecked my waiting area and frightened off all my clients.”

Only many years of experience kept me in my chair. Orias was being deliberately vague, and I wanted to shake the whole story out of him.

“Did she say anything after she killed the vampire?” Chris asked.

“Yes. I asked her if she knew who she’d just killed, and she said no. Then she left.”

“That’s it?” I asked the warlock. “Was the girl injured in the fight?”

He frowned. “Why are you so interested in the girl? I thought you were here because of Stefan Price.”

I met his gaze directly. “Word has it she was Mohiri, and we always like to know where our people are.”

He opened his mouth, and a strained look crossed his face.

“Believe me, gentlemen, I wish I could tell you more, but the nature of my, um, contract with her, prevents me from sharing her identity with you.”

I almost growled my frustration at him. He had always been more than willing to help out the Mohiri when we asked for it. What was different about this time?

“Can you tell us where the girl went when she left here?” I asked.

He shook his head. “That I do not know. I’m sorry.”

My hands gripped the arms of the chair. Sara had been here last night. I knew it, and Orias knew it. What I didn’t know was why he wouldn’t just say it.

“Thank you, Orias,” Chris said, giving me a sideways look. “If you don’t mind, we’d like to ask Paulina a few questions before we leave.”

He smiled, looking almost relieved. “Of course. Send her up when you’re done.”

We said good-bye to him and went back to the waiting area where Paulina sat behind the reception desk, working on her computer.

“All done?” she asked pleasantly.

“Almost,” I said. “May we ask you about last night?”

“Certainly. What would you like to know?”

I looked at the room that bore no sign of a fight. Orias must have used magic to repair the damage.

“What can you tell us about what happened here last night? More specifically, about the girl who killed Stefan Price.”