partner? This was new. Privately, he wondered how wise that decision might be, but as an about-to-be client, he figured the Vampire could go places neither he nor the others could. Beggars couldn’t be choosers. Right now, he could use all the help he could get locating his sister. If a Vamp could help find Nantha, he’d let her.
He finally lowered himself into the chair, directly across from the now-glowering Vampire. Shayla glanced from him to Carmen and back again. “What?” she asked, spreading her hands, showing off her bright blue nail polish. “I’m picking up a strange vibe. Do you two know each other?”
“No,” Zach answered. He forced himself to relax, aware the other Shifter, Maddie, had gone into full alert. Seemed his inner Wolf wasn’t the only one paying attention. “We don’t.”
“It’s okay,” Carmen interjected, finally taking her gaze off him. “Sometimes age-old instinct trumps common sense.”
In the interest of getting along, he let that comment go. After a second of startled consideration, Maddie laughed. “Don’t worry, Zach. The same thing happened to me the first time I met her.”
Of course it had. Despite Zach’s dislike, Carmen had a point. Age-old instinct could be difficult to overcome. Still, it would help if he tried to make a start. He forced himself to meet the Vampire’s gaze. “You’re right, I’m wrong. My apologies.” He took a deep breath and continued. “I know lots of Vamps, and this hasn’t happened to me in a long time. I’m not sure why I let myself get caught up in it this time.”
For whatever reason, his remark made Carmen laugh.
Shayla touched his arm. “I think it might be because Carmen is the most emphatic Vampire I know. Though most can’t see past her beauty, once you get to know her, you’ll wonder how you didn’t notice. She’s very, very Vampiric.”
Shaking her head, Carmen only laughed harder. “Thank you,” she finally managed. “I guess.”
“You’re welcome.” Shayla pulled a manila folder from her bag, fixing each of them with a stern look. “Now shall we get down to business?”
Zach nodded, glad to have Shayla to distract him from his lingering animosity. “Definitely.”
“Um, drinks first?” Carmen protested, arching one perfectly shaped brow. “We waited for you,” she told Zach. “And I’m thirsty. I need some refreshment before we discuss business.”
“Sounds good to me,” Maddie agreed, lifting her hand to signal a waitress. Instantly, a short woman with purple-and-pink hair appeared at their table. Shayla ordered white wine, Maddie, a wheat beer, and Carmen asked for a glass of an Argentinian weaver’s blood, straight up. For himself, he went with dark beer, earning an approving look from Maddie.
Shayla slid a manila folder across the table. “Our contract,” she said. “Take your time reading it.”
Tuning out the noise from the bar downstairs, he read over the contract. It seemed straightforward, so he went ahead and signed. Since he’d had no idea what kind of retainer they might ask for, he’d made sure to bring a thousand dollars in cash, ten one-hundred-dollar bills neatly folded inside his wallet. If that wasn’t enough, he’d negotiate, or find an ATM.
Turned out, one thousand dollars was exactly what they asked him to put down. The contract had also spelled out other fees, but to his surprise the document said if they weren’t able to accomplish their goal for whatever reason, they’d refund his money. All of it.
In other words, they guaranteed success or their services were free.
“I like your confidence,” he said, palming the money and handing it over so that no one else could see. Shayla took similar care, closing her hand over it and lowering it into her purse. He was glad she hadn’t decided to make a production out of counting it on top of the table. The bar might be full of other Shifter, Vamps and Merfolk, but that much cash might prove too big a temptation for some.
Underscoring everything, he felt the buzz of his attraction to Shayla, making him hyperaware of her.
Their drinks arrived and Shayla asked them all to do a toast. He felt a little uncomfortable clinking glasses with a female Vampire holding a glass full of blood, but he managed to keep his revulsion hidden, he thought.
Once they’d all taken sips from their assorted drinks, he leaned in. “Now tell me your plan. I want to know what steps you’re going to take to find my stepsister.”
Shayla nodded. She reached into her purse and pulled out several sheets of paper and a pen. “I need you to fill out this questionnaire. Once I know more about Nantha—where she lived, went to school, worked and who her friends are, I can go back under and start asking questions.”
“Why all the focus underwater when Nantha disappeared on land?” Maddie wanted to know.
“Good point,” he agreed. “I’m thinking that’s what her father is doing also.”
“Maybe, but how many young people are going to reveal any secrets Nantha might have had to her father?” Shayla smiled gently. “You know how that is. I feel much more confident they’d be willing to talk to me. And the more we can learn about her life undersea, the more we can look for clues as to who might gave grabbed her and why.”
She had a point. Sort of. “Unless her abductor is human.”
“And that’s where I come in,” Maddie interjected smoothly. “Carmen is assisting me. We’re exploring the human possibilities, among others.”
He nodded and began writing down the answer to the questions. Luckily, Nantha had confided in him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have had a clue.
As he wrote, Shayla leaned over, trying to decipher his handwriting upside down. “Good,” she commented. “I’m glad to see she’s from Coral. That’s my hometown, and I know it like the back of my hand.”
Carmen watched silently, continuing to sip on her drink. Maddie checked her phone. “My brother just texted me. He’s a Pack Protector. I filled him in on all this. He says there’s already an investigation open.”
Relieved, he nodded. “I contacted them, and they said they’d look into it. They didn’t seem really concerned.”
“Yeah.” Maddie looked down, clearly not sure if she should finish speaking. When she raised her head and met his gaze, he saw determination in the set of her chin. “He says since you didn’t get a ransom note and there’s no indication whatsoever that Nantha is in danger, we have to consider the possibility that she might simply have run off on her own.”
“No.” Zach focused his attention back on the questions. “The human police said something similar when I reported her missing. But Nantha’s not like that. She’d never do anything to worry her family. If she wanted some time away, she would have at the very least left us a note.”
Maddie nodded. Shayla simply watched him, the compassion in her lovely eyes making his throat close up.
“Are you sure?” Carmen asked. “Because just about everyone has secrets they don’t want their family to know.”
His instinctive response—to snarl at her—he pushed back down. Instead, he mentally counted to five, taking slow and steady breaths before answering. “I’m sure. Nantha is one of my best friends.”
“I’m sorry, I have to ask this.” Color high, Shayla cleared her throat, though she didn’t look away. “Were you and Nantha romantically involved?”
“What?” He couldn’t believe her question. The supposition made him feel nauseous. “Of course not. She’s my sister, for hound’s sake.”
“Stepsister,” Carmen drawled. “Correct me if I’m wrong,