Search (The Empire Chronicles #2) (8 page)

“Can we go somewhere and listen to music?” I hoped I wasn’t pushing my luck, but I needed a distraction that only music gave me.

Allie pulled out onto the street. “I know just the place.”

“The Maple Leaf?” Hailey leaned forward from the back.

Allie rolled down our windows. “Yup. It’s where I met you the first time.”

“Really? I had no idea.” She chuckled and leaned back then I heard a buckle.

We drove around the Garden District for a few minutes. I hadn’t had a chance to admire that area the first time, and I loved it. My eyes were glued to the large southern style mansions lining St. Charles. Allie turned a few times, and before long, she parked on the side of the road. I followed her into an unassuming building that could have been any sort of place if it weren’t for the beer signs in the window.

“This is where I fell in love with New Orleans,” Allie said softly as we slipped past the guy at the door. He didn’t blink or ask for ID, so I assumed he recognized her. Did everyone in New Orleans know the Laurents were important?

“You mean it’s where you fell in love with Levi.” Hailey laughed.

“We did have our first kiss here, but that’s not the point. I fell in love with the music. Rebirth is playing. It’s perfect for your mood.”

Hailey maneuvered her way toward the bar. “No one can stay in a bad mood listening to this music.”

“Why would I be in a bad mood?” I tried out my sarcasm on the girls.

Hailey chuckled. “No reason at all.”

Hailey got beers for all of us. It was Abita. I’d never had that kind before, but it was supposedly one of the local brews. I wasn’t all that into beer, but this one was refreshing, and the perfect complement to the music that started moments later.

The floor shaking sounds of the brass band had me jumping around with my new friends. I loved all the horns, and the sound that I knew was uniquely New Orleans. I got it. I understood why Allie picked the place, and Hailey was right. It was impossible to be in a bad mood listening to the music. The beat and rhythm enthralled me. We sipped our beers and danced until we decided to take a break and sit out on the patio.

Hailey and Allie discussed the wedding while I listened in contently. For one evening, I let myself forget about all the craziness of my life.

“To Casey.” Allie held up her beer in a toast.

“To me?” I asked in surprise.

“Yes. To my future sister-in-law, for joining me in this crazy, yet loveable, family.”

I laughed and tapped my bottle against hers. “You have the crazy part right.”

Hailey joined in. “Something tells me things are really going to be changing around here.”

I knew she was right. I only hoped the change would be for better.

“She’s here in New Orleans?” I gave Levi a blank stare. I’d contented myself with the idea that Casey was halfway across the country. Knowing there was physical distance between us made the pull I felt toward her easier to resist.

“Yes. Georgina brought her down.” Levi settled back in his desk chair. We’d been meeting in his office more frequently. Our friendship was starting to seem second to the employer-employee thing we had going. He’d even made me start giving him daily reports. Things were under control with the rebels, but I’d talked to enough shifters to know the mess was far from over. The problem was no one seemed to know exactly who was behind it. Murphy was working for someone. The challenge would be finding out who that was.

“And you didn’t override her? Your grandmother shouldn’t be able to boss you around.” I had to throw the jab in.

“I agreed with her decision.”

“What? Why? You still don’t know enough about the situation. She may be working for someone.”

“She’s a scared girl who happens to be my sister. Even my dad agrees none of this is her fault.”

“Your dad? Robert knows she’s here?”

“Yes. He refused to talk to me about it, except to say it wasn’t what I thought, and he needed time. Are you sure you won’t rethink your decision?” He watched me carefully.

“No. I’m not working with her.”

“Why not? You liked her enough to sleep with her. Surely you can handle helping her learn about her new abilities.”

“I can’t be near her.” I couldn’t trust myself. I still wanted her, and I’d end up doing something stupid. “Just let it go.”

“Let it go? No. She isn’t just a girl you can avoid. She’s my sister, and Allie really likes her. That means she’s going to be around a lot.”

“Allie likes a lot of people.” I couldn’t blame Allie for enjoying Casey’s company. Obviously, I did too, but it’s not like they were best friends.

“I can’t force you to train her, but you’ll respect her. I already told you that you’re out of warnings.”

“I’m going back to New York tonight. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

“Is that for personal or professional reasons? I need to know more about her family, about the bear and wolf threat.”

“It’s professional. All the leads are up there.” And the space to think. I needed breathing room.

“Just get it done, Jared. We need this info.”

“I’ve got it under control.”

“Do you?”

“Yes. No one’s moving until they get word from Murphy or whoever the hell he’s working for. I’ve got our men set up all over, waiting to pounce.”

“What if we miss it? We can’t afford any more human attacks, and we know they’re still after Casey.”

“Do you want extra security on her?”

Levi nodded. “Yes, but I don’t want it obvious. I think she’s like Allie. She doesn’t appreciate being looked out for.”

I smiled, remembering how much Allie resisted what she considered to be our babysitting of her. She’d gone as far as to sneak out a window to avoid her Pteron guards once. “Got it. I do have a few leads to follow up on. I know there’s a Silverback with some intel. I’m sure he can be bought off.”

“Do whatever it takes. We need to keep things under control.”

“I know, but…” I needed to broach a topic I knew Levi would be sensitive to. “If Murphy is going to attack, there is one event coming up that might draw his attention.”

“I’m having my wedding.” Levi rubbed the back of his neck.

“I know, but maybe we should move the location? What if they strike New Orleans while we’re gone?”

“We’re leaving plenty of men here.”

“I just think you should consider—”

“No. We’re having this wedding exactly as planned. Allie wants to get married in Hawaii. It’s happening.”

I nodded. There was no point arguing. “Gotcha. I’ll check in with you later.”

The last place I expected to spend my evening was the Bronx zoo, but evidently the Silverback I was looking for worked nights there. I guess he felt a close connection to his animal form. Despite the fact that there were plenty of places I’d have rather been, I followed the lead and sought out the gorilla in the primate section.

“Bradley?” I called his name before I got too close. Shifters tend to react on instinct and having someone creep up on you might trigger a less than ideal situation.

“Who wants to know?” He walked out of the shadows, and I got a look at him. He had the typical bulky figure of a Silverback.

“I’m here on Society business.” Someday I’d have to make a fake badge or something.

He stepped toward me carefully. “Why would The Society need anything from me?”

“Now don’t play games with me, Bradley. I happen to know you have information and a taste for the finer things in life.”

He straightened. He knew there was money on the table. “What can I help you with?”

This might be easier than I thought. “Where’s Murphy?”

I watched his face carefully. A look of hesitation crossed it before his features smoothed out. “I don’t have specifics.”

“But you have an idea?”

“Maybe.”

I pulled out two hundreds. “Where?”

He shook his head. “I’m going to need a lot more than that.”

I exaggerated the motions as I counted out ten more hundred dollar bills. “And there will be more if your tip pans out.”

His eyes widened. “It will pan out.” He grabbed the cash. I’d be able to take it back in a second if he didn’t spill.

“Upstate. I’ve heard it’s within spitting distance of the Blackwell estate. He’d been negotiating something with the old man before he died.”

“Interesting. Thanks for the info.” I waited for Bradley to recount his money and walk away. You never want to turn your back first. I didn’t have an exact address, but I knew where to start searching. I also had to decide what to do with the new information. Was Toby’s grandfather somehow involved in all this before he died?

“Bachelorette party? I’m not sure I should stay for that.” I sat crossed legged on Hailey’s bed. We were hanging out in her dorm. Hailey had taken me on a short tour of Tulane’s campus without Allie, and I now knew why.

“Of course you should stay. Allie will want you there. You’re in the wedding party after all.”

“Yeah… that’s weird too. I mean we hardly know each other.”

“So? You’re Levi’s sister. You have to be in the wedding.” Hailey pushed a pile of clothes off the end of her bed to make room for me to sit.

“It’s not that I’m complaining, but I hope it’s what Allie actually wants.” She seemed excited when she asked me to be a bridesmaid, but maybe she was only doing it to please Georgina.

“It is what she wants. She really likes you. We both do.”

“Does Levi?” I dared to ask the question to the person who seemed to be insanely honest about everything.

She hesitated for a second too long. “Yes. He likes you.”

“Nice try.”

She leaned back on her hands. “He likes you. He’s just confused. It’s not like he’s ever had an amazing opinion of his dad, or I guess your dad too, but stepping out on your mate is pretty much the worst crime if you’re a royal Pteron. It can cost you the crown.”

“Then how is Levi king?”

“It’s because Allie’s an Enchantress. She picked him. It’s a long story, but I guess your existence explains everything.”

“Explains it all, but also makes the patriarch of the family look horrible.”

“Pretty much.” Hailey smiled. She had such a light and exciting personality. She kind of reminded me of Vera. She was definitely the life of the party.

“Okay. I appreciate the honesty. Let’s try another.”

She laughed. “Jared?”

“How’d you know?”

“It’s a Pteron trick. We can read each other’s minds.”

I felt a wave of horror at the thought until I caught her smile widen. “Good one.”

“I just know. You guys slept together, huh?”

“Slept together is a tame term for what we did.” Sleeping together implies a bed. We also used the kitchen counter, the shower…. You get the picture.

“Ugh. Too much information. Jared is like a brother to me.”

“All right. Well, what do I do?”

“He still hasn’t called you?” She stretched out her long legs in front of her.

“No. Not that I really want to talk to him.”

“Don’t you think you’d feel better if you got it over with?”

“Got what over with? The cold water splashed in the face?”

She shrugged. “I’m not going to argue. Jared’s most likely not going to want to see you anymore…but honestly, I doubt he would have seen you much longer even if you were human. He’s not a one girl kind of guy.”

“Yeah. I get that. I’m kind of mad at myself for even getting involved.” No matter what Nelly told me, I should have resisted. I knew Jared was trouble.

She turned to me. “Jared has that effect on girls. I’d say you’re only human, but well, you’re not.”

“Do you think he’d see me? I mean getting that over with is going to suck, but so is overthinking it.”

“He will if we don’t give him any warning.”

I clasped my hands together, set on my decision. “Let’s do it. Then afterwards, we can get drinks and plan Allie’s party.”

“That sounds like a good plan.”

“Thanks.”

“For?” Hailey stood up and searched around her messy floor for her flip flops.

“Everything. You didn’t have to be so friendly.”

“I didn’t have to, but I wanted to.” She winked. “Let’s help you move on with your life.”

He didn’t blink when we walked into the lobby. His face remained expressionless as we dodged a group of tourists on our way to the hotel bar. Hailey had called Owen to find out if Jared was back in town. He didn’t even ask why she needed to know. She hung up as soon as she found out they were at the Crescent City Hotel. I wasn’t sure how I felt about facing him in public, but at that point, I just needed to get it over with.

My chest tightened to the point where I thought I couldn’t breathe. His face was covered with a thin layer of stubble. That one change was the only hint that the news had affected him in any way. That I’d affected him. And, of course, it could have been unrelated. His failure to shave may have had nothing to do with me. It
probably
had nothing to do with me.

I stopped. I couldn’t walk any further. He looked up and glanced at me before turning away. His blank expression was nothing compared to the way he turned away like he didn’t even recognize me. Hailey squeezed my hand. It was exactly what I needed. I crossed the remaining distance, taking small but determined steps.

“Jared.” His name came out softer than I’d planned. Where was the confidence I’d been rehearsing in my head the whole way over?

It was Owen who looked at me. Jared continued staring at his glass. It was dark brown, and I was sure it was alcoholic.

“Jared, you at least owe me a conversation.”

“Do I?” He spoke without turning. He swirled the ice around in his glass. “I wasn’t aware I owed you anything.”

Hailey smacked him in the back of the head. “Quit being an asshole.”

“What?” He looked at her, still not at me. “If I owed something to every girl I fucked, I’d be paying debts the rest of my life.”

My vision tunneled. Did I really mean that little to him? I had to press on. “I had no idea what I was, not that I have to explain myself to you.”

He finally looked at me. His eyes were cold and empty. The emptiness was so much worse than the anger I expected to see there. “No. You don’t. Just like I don’t have to pretend you exist.”