The Quest (11 page)

I nodded with my hand over my mouth. “That might help.”

Jackson took a big bite out of his sandwich. He appeared amazingly calm, which surprised me. I expected a plethora of questions.

He wiped his mouth with the napkin. “Your mother was a half-breed angel, saved Galluzzi and went on to work for her.”

“Yep,” I answered before I shoved two fries into my mouth.

“She had sex with a demon to produce you,” he said.

I nodded and swallowed. “Pretty sure of it.”

“After your mother died, maybe you went to live with your father.”

“Strong possibility.” Boss seemed to think so too.

Jackson lifted his burger and held it in front of him. “And at some point, when you were older, you met this God of the Underworld and you swapped blood with him.”

I sipped on my drink. “That’s what we think.”

“Unfucking believable,” he said before he bit into the sandwich.

I grinned.

“Maybe you should dig into Galluzzi’s past. She probably knew your father,” Tabby said. She lifted her glass and slid the straw between her lips.

“Based on the questions she has asked me about him, I think you’re right,” I said.

“Has anyone researched her family or relatives?” Jackson asked.

“Not that I know of. I’ll ask Jonas to look into it.”

“I’ll see if I can find out more too.” Jackson shoved another bite into his mouth.

I stirred the glob of ketchup on my plate with a couple of fries. “Will you help me look for evidence?”

Jackson finished eating. “I’ll help you on one condition.”

Tabby and I exchanged glances. Chewing, she gave me a shrug. I really needed his help, but I wasn’t about to make any deals that endangered my plans or the lives of my friends.

I shifted my attention back to him. “What is it?”

“I understand your goal is to bring Galluzzi to justice for planning the deaths of the people at the dump. I support that wholeheartedly. I can get help from my pack if we focus our efforts on that one goal. What I need from you and your WWOPP buddies is a commitment to share information with us.”

His request didn’t seem outrageous at all. In fact, it seemed reasonable. All I had to do was get Jonas and Boss to consent. Since we were all going to work toward the same goal, I didn’t think it would be a problem.

“Sure, why not. I’ve told you everything we know thus far,” I said.

Jackson pushed his plate aside and held his hand out. “Let’s shake on this.”

“Uh, Shelley,” Tabby said, stealing my attention. “Maybe you should talk to Boss first.”

“Why?” I shrugged. “I’ve shared everything. Why would we hide anything from Jackson if he can help us? Time is of the essence.”

“I’m not saying we would hide anything. I’m just cautious. I think you should talk it over with Boss first.”

I caught on fast what she really wanted to say. Boss and I had a special relationship. Would working with Jackson, someone I’d come close to having sex with, interfere with that relationship? As far as I was concerned, I sincerely doubted it. Yes, Jackson tempted my desires, but I needed his help. I yearned to show the world Galluzzi’s evil ways before she harmed another soul. Now, would Boss have a different perspective of me working with Jackson? Probably. I’d have to convince Boss that working with Jackson and sharing information would benefit my goal and us.

“Is this Boss person your leader?” Jackson asked.

“Not really our leader. He’s–”

Cindy stopped at the side of our table. “Ready for those shakes?”

I handed her my empty plate. “Yes, please.”

She picked up Tabby and Jackson’s dishes too. “I’ll place the order.” She left with her arms full of plates.

A buzz from under the table interrupted my response. Tabby snatched her purse from the chair across from her. “It’s Boss,” she said as she lifted the phone to her ear. “Hello.”

Jackson and I sat quietly, watching Tabby. Then he directed his gaze to me. “It’s for you.”

She handed the phone to me. “He needs to speak with you.”

I took the phone from her hand and pressed it to my ear. “Yes?”

“You need to get back here now,” Boss said firmly.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“I’ll tell you when you get here.”

I clenched my teeth. If he had some urgent information, why couldn’t he share it now? “I’m meeting with Jackson. Can it wait a little while?”

“Shelley, please.” Worry deepened his tone.

“It sounds important,” Jackson whispered as he leaned back in his chair.

“Remember how I said I scanned images of your journal and sent them to my friend, the vampire councilman?”

“Yeah.”

“I called to check in with him. When I couldn’t reach him at his cell, I called the main office. Another councilman informed me that my friend has been missing for almost a week.”

My heart jumped. “I’m on my way.”

Chapter 8

Tabby and I rushed out of the restaurant. Jackson followed us. My agreement with him to exchange information remained intact, even though we hadn’t shook hands. He wanted Galluzzi behind bars. No–make that dead, to avenge the deaths of his Alpha and pack brothers. His full support and cooperation would not come into question. Two people working to find evidence were better than one.

Tabby stopped at the rear of her vehicle and faced Jackson as he passed me. “It was nice to meet you.”

Jackson smiled. “Likewise Tabby.” His gaze shifted to me.

“See you tonight sometime?” I opened the passenger door.

He lifted his hand. “Count on it.”

Not even a minute later, Tabby and I were in the car and leaving the parking lot.

“He told you the vampire councilman was missing?” Tabby asked, speeding down the road.

“Yes. The councilman was investigating pages from my journal.”

She gripped the wheel, and her knuckles turned white. “This doesn’t sound good.”

No, it didn’t. Could Galluzzi have sent someone after him? But, how could she have known about my journal or that the councilman was looking to decipher it? She couldn’t have known. A touch of fear fueled my beating heart. How could an old vampire in a high-ranking position just disappear?

We reached the house, and the garage door was open for us. Tabby pulled next to Boss’s SUV. The minute the car stopped, I grabbed my bag and purse from the back, then shoved my door open.

With quick strides, I dashed through the house, heading for the basement. Boss could tolerate the little bit of sunlight streaming inside from the windows, but he preferred to avoid the sun completely, staying in the lower level of the home. I reached the door to the basement, swung it open, then descended the steps.

“We’re back,” I said halfway down the staircase.

Boss sat at the desk, staring at his computer. Jonas reclined on the sofa with his hands threaded together behind his head and elbows sticking out like a butterfly’s wings. “Welcome home,” Jonas said.

I dumped my bag and purse in the empty chair next to him. “How are you feeling?”

“Better.” He lowered his arms. “I took some extra vitamins.”

“You still look pale,” Tabby said, strolling around the coffee table. She set her bags on the table, then took a seat next to him.

“I’m running on seventy percent right now. In another day, I should be back to one hundred and ten,” Jonas said with a smile.

Boss stood and walked away from the desk. He headed for the chair next to me. “How did your meeting with Jackson turn out?”

“It went well actually. He’s going to help. Now, tell me about your missing friend.”

Boss stepped around the chair, moving closer to me. He wore his usual dark pants, but with a plain white t-shirt instead of his usual, a loose button-down.

“I left a message for Arturo, the vampire councilman, days ago. While you were sleeping, I called his number and left another message. In the past, he’d returned my calls quickly. Since I hadn’t heard any reply, I decided to call another member on the council, a warlock named Martin.”

“A warlock councilman?” I asked, folding my arms in front of my chest.

“Yes. Martin informed me Arturo had not checked into his hotel in Egypt in the last five days.”

Egypt? I wondered if Arturo could’ve run into Anubis.

Boss walked by, then sat in the recliner. “Martin also told me that before Arturo disappeared, he used his credit card in Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.”

“Do they have any–”

“They have no clues and they don’t know why he stopped in those places. I’m guessing he didn’t tell them he was trying to decipher an ancient language.”

I moved closer to him. “Where do you think he could be?”

Boss slid his hands over the cushioned armrests. “I honestly don’t know. Arturo is roughly five hundred years older than I am. He’s strong, smart and extremely cautious. This isn’t like him.”

A sinking feeling within me made me queasy. A nineteen-hundred-year-old vampire had disappeared. What if someone had eliminated him on my account? I wedged between Boss’s legs and the table to reach the sofa. Stomach churning, I sat on the couch.

“I asked Martin if he knew anything about Anubis,” Boss said.

“What did he say?” I asked, crossing my legs.

“He said he had heard of him centuries ago and knew nothing of the ancient now.”

So we were back to square one, not knowing if Anubis walked the Earth or not.

“What will happen now the vampire councilman is missing?” Tabby asked.

“They sent someone to the hotel and found his bag. There wasn’t any evidence of a struggle.”

“Did they find the pages from my journal?”

“I didn’t ask, and since he didn’t mention any oddities, I’m assuming the pages were not found. The council will convene a meeting in twenty-four hours to seek a temporary replacement and launch an investigation.” Boss’s dark eyes met mine.

“What is it?”

“They want me to either fill in for Arturo or lead the investigation,” Boss said.

The beat of my heart quickened. I didn’t want Boss to leave, not now, not when I couldn’t go with him.

“Are you going?” Tabby asked.

“I told them I had priorities here that needed my attention, but I would consider their offer in a few weeks or so. They said they would find a temporary replacement for Arturo.”

Relief surged through me like a drug and I breathed in a deep breath. “I can help you, after we finish our investigation here. With Jackson helping me, we might be able to find evidence in a matter of days.”

Boss raked a hand through his tangled hair. “I don’t believe we’ll need to travel anywhere to investigate Arturo’s disappearance.”

Narrowing my eyes, I stared at him in a state of confusion. “Why do you say that?”

“Do you think he’ll just show back up?” Tabby asked.

Boss widened his legs. “He’ll show up…here.”

“What?” the three of us asked within a split second apart from each other.

“I think Arturo found someone who could read your pages, and that someone wants to know who wrote in the language.”

“Anubis,” I whispered.

Boss nodded. “I don’t want you to return to the Statehouse. If I am right, then Anubis and Arturo are on their way here, to Indianapolis.”

The sick feeling in my belly grew a thousand times worse, threatening to push my cheeseburger up. I lowered my head in my hands, bent over my knees and tried to calm the increasing urge to vomit.

“Do we need to pack up and leave?” Tabby asked, her voice higher than normal.

“No, we’re not going anywhere. I could be wrong about this,” Boss said.

Jonas chuckled. “I’ve never known your hunches to be wrong before.”

Thanks, Jonas. I inched my head up and peered between my fingers at Boss.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” he said.

Nothing to worry about? The God of the Underworld had been my lover. If he found out I’d had sex with Boss, he’d probably decline to shake his hand.

Boss stood and looked at Tabby. “But if you want to stay in one of the other houses I have, you may.”

“I’m not leaving if none of you are,” she said.

“How soon do you think they’ll be here?” Jonas asked.

Boss headed for the desk. “A day, maybe two. They’ll travel only at night, maybe by ship.”

Once my heart and stomach calmed, I focused my thoughts. Anubis might be enroute to find me. Fine. I’d deal with him when he arrived. Until then, my goal remained the same–gathering evidence against Galluzzi.

Determined to succeed, I rose. “I’m going to shower and get ready for work.”

“Why?” Boss asked.

“Stay here, Shelley,” Tabby said.

“I don’t believe Anubis is coming here to harm me. He’ll probably want answers, and right now, we don’t have much. I think the best thing for me to do is to stick with my plan and look for evidence. As I gather information to convict her, the pieces of the puzzle will come together. I’m sure of it.” I stepped around the coffee table, heading for the hall.

“Shelley,” Boss said.

I stopped and gave him my attention. “Yeah?”

“We need to talk.” He shot his gaze to Jonas and Tabby. “Would you mind taking a drive around the block, please?”

Uh-oh. I suspected that whatever Boss wanted to discuss, it had to be pretty damn important to ask them to leave the house. Tabby had exceptional hearing since she was a shape-shifter. If he’d merely asked them to move to another room, she’d probably hear their conversation.

The two stood without saying a word. Tabby smiled as she passed by me whereas Jonas merely shook his head. As they strode up the stairs, their feet patted over the steps.

“What’s on your mind?” I steadily moved closer to Boss.

“You said Jackson agreed to help you earlier.”

“Yes, he said he would as long as we share information with him.”

“Share what kind of information?”

I crossed my arms. “Any kind. He wants to make sure our efforts are coordinated. The best way to do that is to share information with each other.”

“I don’t see why he would need to know about Anubis coming for a visit. Do you?”

I shrugged. “No, but I’m still going to tell him.”

“Why?”