Mine To Devour (Monster Match season two)

9. Chapter 9 Enzo

Chapter 9: Enzo

There’s something about you, Enzo. I just know it.

What the hell does that even mean? The words ping around in my brain while he takes me over to his cash register, where most of the mess is. There are bits of broken glass and books scattered on the ground. I peer around, but don’t see anything else amiss. Strange.

“What’s all this glass from?” I point at the mess, aiming my work tablet at it to take a photo.

“I had a display of glass ornaments on this counter here, next to the register. A pile of books was here too.” He gestures with his hands, and I smile. He’s really animated with his hands. I visibly shake myself. Enough with his damn hands.

I pull out my stylus and make a few notes.

He peers over my shoulder and stares at the tablet. “You can write on that thing too?” he asks.

I wave my stylus around. “It’s very handy for investigative work. I can take photos, duplicate them, and make notes on the actual photos while keeping an original. I also don’t have to flip through a bunch of paper while interviewing the clients.”

He nods. “That’s convenient.”

“So how do you think the glass ornaments and books ended up on the floor?”

Kyvian chuckles. “It was my houseguest.”

I freeze, slightly irritated that I’m even reacting. So apparently, he brought someone home after the club—wait. “You said that your alarm went off around nine PM. Is that correct?” I was at the club closer to midnight. A little swirl of hope flutters in my chest.

“Yes.”

“And this guest was here around that time? Not later?” I wince at how obvious I am.

Kyvian’s magenta eyes sparkle. “My surprise guest was a little cat-like creature. I think he snuck into my store and hopped up on the counter.”

“A cat-like creature?” I ask, confused.

He smiles. “Yes. He’s a tiny little creature from the monster world. I’m not even sure if a human has seen one or even named their species yet. I should probably go to base and register him when I get a chance. He’s tiny, like a cat. I think the little guy was just pawing around for food when he knocked over my displays.”

“I see.” My shoulders relax, knowing his guest wasn’t the naughty type I was originally thinking. I lead Kyvian to a chair so we can continue talking comfortably. “And are there any other points of entry aside from the front door and the display windows?”

“There’s an escape window with a balcony in my bedroom which has a ladder attached to it, in case I need to escape that way. One window by the stairs.” Kyvian points. “Another window in my room and there’s also a back door down here through the ‘Employee’s Only’ section. It’s where our book shipments arrive. But none of the points of entry were tampered with. Even the cops checked during their perimeter check.”

I jot down the note. “I trust you, but show me each window and door later, just in case. Sometimes we just need another eye to spot things. For now, tell me what happened last night, right before your alarm went off.”

Kyvian tells me what happened, starting with how he went to sleep early, to being startled awake by a noise before the alarm went off, to the shattering glass, to him wandering downstairs and finding the little creature, and, finally, to the cops showing up.

I shake my head, making more notes on my tablet. “That’s unacceptable. The cops should have been here sooner, especially considering this is such a small town. If you’d been in danger—” My words trail off, and I’m breathing hard.

Light fingers touch my arm. “You’re worried about me?”

I stare down at his hand and notice that Kyvian has jewels on his claws. They’re pretty. My eyes trail back up to his. “I am,” I admit. It doesn’t make any sense to be this emotionally attached to someone I just met. But fuck, what if there really was someone here to hurt Kyvian? What if I never got the chance to meet him?

Clearing my throat, I lean back.

“What happened after the police left?”

“I spent the next hour or so trying to calm the little cat monster. His poor ribcage, Enzo,” he says, moving his hands around animatedly, causing his bracelets to jangle on his wrists. His face is pinched into a sad expression. “I had to feed him. I know what it’s like to fear for your life, to be starving and searching for a home. This little creature doesn’t deserve that.”

My stomach drops, and I lean forward. Anger rolls through me. What the hell has Kyvian been through? A stupid part of me wants to get to know this man, to reach out and say, ‘ to hell with the investigation.’

“You’re right,” I agree. “I’m sure the little thing doesn’t deserve that. You’re a good person, Kyvian.”

Kyvian visibly jolts. Then a sweet smile spreads across his lips. “Thank you, Lorenzo.”

I shiver at hearing my name on his tongue. His pronunciation is so captivating and sensual, I could listen to him say my name all day.

“Anyway,” he continues. “By then, I was starving. I spent a good hour expending my calming magic into the air and trying to settle Edward. I named him Edward, by the way.”

My lips twitch.

“So, after feeding him, I needed to feed myself. I keep my Jewlta in the office because I usually feed in the middle of my workday.”

“I’m sorry,” I interrupt. “I’m a little confused. I thought the missing item was a vase. Can you tell me about this Jewlta?”

“Of course. A Jewlta is a vase. It’s a container that magically stores lust and arousal. When we are done feeding, we can store the extra lust in a container and feed from it later. In the case of an incubus, lust appears as magical, shimmering lights, much like the aurora borealis I’ve seen in videos. An aurora, I believe that’s what it’s called.”

I nod. That’s exactly what it looked like last night. “Ah yes, the Northern Lights are a good comparison, especially the way they ripple through the air.”

Kyvian arches a brow before he leans forward. “You’ve seen lust before?”

My face heats and my eyes widen. Like hell am I going to admit that I saw it last night when he was feeding from all the lust in the air. Not trusting my voice, I just nod.

“Interesting.”

I straighten in my seat. “What is?”

“Humans aren’t supposed to be able to see lust.”

Shocked, I’m momentarily speechless. I’m not supposed to be able to see lust? If that’s the case, then why the hell was I able to see it last night? And what did it mean?

I clear my throat, ignoring his comment. “What about your…extra activities?”

He arches a sexy brow, clearly not understanding what I’m hinting at.

It’s only then do I remember he never admitted he went to the club. For some reason, I still don’t want him to know it was me he saw last night. For all he knows I was just one of his usual fans.

There’s something about you, Enzo. I just know it.

“What did you do after you fed the creature and found out your Jewlta was missing? Were you able to feed?”

He arches a brow. “Is that relevant to the case?”

I lean forward, wanting him to understand. “Honestly, Kyvian, anything can be relevant. If you genuinely think you don’t have any enemies, something in your daily life could be the key to this robbery. Dani wanted me to keep an eye on you, which means I’m going to be spending the next several days following your day-to-day activities, and getting to know you and your daily habits. I’m going to interview your employees and friends. Any little detail, however minuscule, might help.”

“Of course, my apologies,” he says, lounging back in his chair and sighing. “This is why you were hired to help me. The human police probably can’t help. Not unless they are trained on monster lore,” he explains.

“And yet you have me helping you. Don’t forget, Kyvian, I’m human.”

“I couldn’t possibly forget.” He smiles, drumming his clawed fingers against his thigh. “If Dani trusts you, then so do I.”

I shake my head but don’t bother correcting him. I don’t even know Dani. I arch a brow. What kind of relationship does this pretty demon have with the stunning celebrity? Fuck. Unwelcome images of Kyvian’s club performance haunt my mind. Taunt me. Tease me. I subtly readjust myself.

Kyvian’s eyes snap up to mine and his nostrils flare. His gaze is intense, and for some reason I feel like prey.

After Kyvian finished his story, we ended up walking around his store, where he pointed out all the doors and windows. From there, I had him physically walk me through the events. Kyvian, unlike most clients who find all the repetitiveness tedious, doesn’t mind rehashing events. He takes me on a tour of his home and shop, passionately recounting what transpired.

I’m so captivated by the lively way he talks that I nearly forget we’re handling a case instead of just catching up like old friends.

Eventually, his staff comes by to open the bookstore. A sweet hydra by the name of Zyn volunteers to clean the glass, and his other employee, Sarah, greets the customers. Within minutes of opening, the store becomes busy.

At one point, I called the hotel I just checked out of earlier this morning, only to find out that they were fully booked. A part of me was relieved. I want to stay professional, but an even bigger part of me can’t ignore the chemistry between Kyvian and me.

Am I imagining our connection, or can he sense our easy rapport?

“Feel free to make yourself at home,” Kyvian says between customers. “You know where the guest room is now, and it’s yours for the next few weeks. Just be careful that Edward doesn’t escape, and if you see him, don’t be scared.”

“Thank you. I’m sure I can handle a tiny kitten creature,” I reply as he hands me a spare key. My duffle bag is still in my rental car, and it would be nice to get settled.

Just as I’m turning around, Kyvian touches my forearm. “Thank you, Enzo. It’s been a really long time since I felt a connection like this with someone.” He dips his head and blushes. “I know you’re just doing your job, but I don’t know; this feels like something more. I can easily see us becoming good friends.”

I smile back at him. His use of the word friend doesn’t feel dismissive or platonic, oddly enough. It feels important.

There’s something about you, Enzo. I just know it.