Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
H oward Squire was a short, compact man of indeterminable age, and he looked small and a bit lost as he perched on the armchair in their sitting room. Hyax knew the name, but didn’t know him personally, and was still miffed he’d interrupted his getting down and dirty with Gwil.
Gwil had made Howard a cup of tea as Hyax changed out of his pyjamas, but now Hyax wanted answers, and to see how quickly they could get rid of the fucker so he could get Gwil on his back.
“I assure you, Prince Hyax,” Howard began, “I wouldn’t have turned up here uninvited if I didn’t think it warranted. But I want to engage you and Gwil to help me with a delicate situation.”
“How did you get this address?” Gwil asked. Another question high on Hyax’s list. Gwil’s consulting rooms were downstairs, but they’d been careful not to advertise where they lived.
“Oliver gave it to me, he said you could be trusted.”
“Oliver? As in Hoffman?” Hyax said.
“Yes, he’s a good friend of mine.”
Judging by Gwil’s expression, their friendship was news to him.
Meaning their friendship post-dated when Gwil used to date Oliver Hoffman, the vampire richer than God, thanks to inventing the process to bottle blood and tap into the lucrative market of convenience feeding for bloodsuckers worldwide.
“You being here on his recommendation is by no means a reason I would be willing to help,” Hyax said, barely able to conceal his contempt.
Hoffman was lucky Hyax hadn’t yet got the chance to be on his own with the twat because he was the prize shit behind his marriage to Metra, not that this Howard idiot would know.
He couldn’t be openly hostile. Hoffman was as powerful politically as he was rich, but that didn’t mean Hyax would jump when the odious little shit sent his mates over for a favour.
Howard cleared his throat. There was something about the way his prominent Adam’s apple bobbed that gave Hyax a brain itch. He wasn’t sure what Howard was, but he wasn’t a vampire or a fae, and it annoyed him that he couldn’t identify his species.
“Oliver did say I would need to tread carefully, that his name might not open the door all the way,” Howard said, his voice cracking.
“I need someone to help who can be discreet and with enough experience and capability to do so quickly. I know you’ve assisted various Vampire Council members, and that Gwil has recently been accepted into the Jyndarin Society, so I can’t think of anyone better placed or more suitable. ”
“How do you know that?” Gwil asked. “I only had my membership confirmed a couple of hours ago.”
“I’m part of the admissions committee. You don’t turn someone down who’s been recommended by your signatories, not without a death wish.”
“Gwil is well-connected,” Hyax said carefully, as there were strict rules around membership and he didn’t know how much Robin Flint had bent them.
“There was some challenge around the magic stipulation, but a sworn affidavit from the Dark Viscount of MacLove on Gwil’s behalf silenced those voices.
” Hyax was intrigued, but if Howard was a member of the Jyndarin Society, then he must have magic as well, and Hyax wasn’t getting any vibe from him.
“I’m sure that’s all very interesting,” Hyax drawled. “But what is it you want? And how can it be so important you bang on our door on a Saturday night?”
Howard didn’t seem perturbed at being spoken to so directly. “You may be aware of one of my business ventures, it’s a department store on Oxford Street. During the day, it caters for humans, and after nine in the evening, it flips to serve the paranormal community.”
Hyax shook his head. Department stores were for the general public, not princes. “I can’t say I am.”
“Wait,” Gwil said. “Dante’s belongs to you? You named it after the nine circles of hell?”
Howard grinned. He was a little long in some of his teeth, but not in the vampire sense, and Hyax was still annoyed he couldn’t figure Howard out. “Branding is important. Nine floors of shopping perfection, something for everyone.”
“So, you have a big shop,” Hyax said. He didn’t tend to lower himself to shopping in-store. Designers and personal shoppers came to him, by invitation, and the idea of trudging around with the general public looking at things anyone could buy didn’t appeal.
“I have London’s largest paranormal department store.
” Howard’s shoulders slumped, their broadness giving him the aura of a depressed square.
“We’ve been open a few months, and originally, business was great, but then strange things started happening that I couldn’t explain, and Goya at Scotland Yard has not taken my concerns seriously. ”
Hyax saw Gwil stiffen. He knew his boyfriend’s irrational dislike of DCI Goya of the Metropolitan Police might be enough for him to consider taking the case. “Goya’s instincts aren’t always to be trusted,” Gwil said.
“Strange things are happening, even by the definitions of paranormal. I’ve had team members disappear in mid-air and reappear on the roof, toys spring to life and try to eat customers, and lust potion released into a bridal dress fitting.” His nostrils flared. “It has to stop.”
Hyax didn’t follow the everyday life of this realm beyond anything they were working on for a case, but he would have thought this would have made it into one of the newspapers he occasionally flicked through, or Gwil would have heard gossip from his army of contacts or one of his more chatty clients.
“I’ve sunk millions into this venture, and I’m not alone.
There are some serious people involved, and we want it to be a success that we can replicate globally.
That’s why I’ve come to you. I’m done being brushed off.
I want a proper investigation and for you to get to the bottom of this and stop whatever’s going on. ”
“In a city like London, with its age and diversity, there are all sorts of feral hexes and curses about. Have you checked for those?” Hyax said, thinking that the most straightforward answer was usually the right one.
“Yes, repeatably. The whole property was given a full survey—top to bottom—before we bought it, and multiple times since. There was nothing then, and there is still nothing now.”
“Magic dissipates over time depending on the spell and strength of the caster, so they may have missed a residue or a stray signature; it’s easily done.”
Howard shook his head. “When I say nothing, I mean nothing.”
“No activity whatsoever?” Hyax asked. Howard wasn’t making much sense, as magic didn’t disappear once a spell was cast.
“None.”
The idea there would be no residual magic or spells seemed an absurd premise. “Just to be sure, nothing, not even a fragment or a sparkle?”
“The consultant referred to the area as a neutral ground. Said they weren’t common, but I can’t say I was convinced.”
Hyax had only experienced one true neutral ground.
They were rare, and the ones that had been documented were in remote spots even a portal couldn’t get near, so to reach it would involve a serious hike.
Dante’s was in the middle of a city standing on land inhabited for over six thousand years, meaning there was no chance something wasn’t left behind. “An interesting claim.”
“I had contacted the Warlock Ruling Committee, but they said it wasn’t any of their concern and would only get involved if the police deemed there to be an issue. Bastards.”
“Warlocks tend only to be bothered by warlock business unless they think there’s a real danger, and they won’t consider a threat to your shop as that.”
Howard bristled at Hyax’s use of the word shop, and Hyax thought him one of a thousand of his ilk in London. Too much money and too little sense. “I would have thought they’d be a little concerned given the breadth of incidents.”
“Hence why you’re here,” Gwil said, stepping in.
“Yes.”
Hyax could tell by Gwil’s demeanour he was eager to take on this case, and Hyax wouldn’t rain on his parade. The mention of the Jyndarin Society and Goya meant there was no way he’d let Howard walk out of here without some sort of follow-up.
“We’d need to have more details to see if we could help,” Gwil said.
“How about you and Prince Hyax come to Dante’s on Monday? You could pretend to be customers. I’ll have one of my senior team tag along to act the part of a personal guide to our two VIPs.”
Hyax thought the setup had all the vibes of trying to use him as some sort of promo stunt. A fae prince as a customer would have plenty of his own kind flocking to Dante’s, but before he could say anything, Gwil beat him to it. “That might be a feasible option. If Prince Hyax is available.”
He wanted to be petty and say he was busy, but if this wasn’t a promotional gimmick and a true neutral ground, then he didn’t want to lose the opportunity to explore something so rare it was possibly unique in this country.
“I will need to check the exact timing, but I possibly could rearrange my schedule.”
“I appreciate a man of your importance, Prince Hyax, would be in great demand, and I am buoyed that you are even willing to consider helping.”
Hyax fought successfully not to scoff. “Indeed. Gwil would be the primary participant in this, so if I’m not available, I’m sure he would be willing to plough on without me.”
He watched for Howard’s reaction. There was no hint of disappointment.
Which could be good acting skills rather than evidence of him being underhand.
“I can’t ask for more given how I have approached you.
There are some who would have sent me away in a body bag for my impertinence.
And I dare say Gwil would bring you in at a more fitting juncture if he does an initial consult on Monday. ”
Gwil wouldn’t want to go alone, but he would also know that Hyax wouldn’t leave him to do a consult where magic would be needed.
“I would suggest that until His Highness can confirm his availability, you should plan for it to just be me on Monday evening.” Gwil stood. “Now, it’s not far off sunrise, and I’m one for my beauty sleep.”
Howard got the hint and he stood and handed Gwil his card. “Those are my direct numbers. Contact me at your convenience. Thank you again for your willingness to assist. I look forward to welcoming you to Dante’s.”
Gwil escorted him out, and Hyax waited for his return. “What did you make of that?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Seems a bit bonkers,” Gwil said. “Are you going to be able to come with me on Monday?”
“Of course. I wanted to see what his reaction would be to me not being there. My first instincts were that getting me to Dante’s was a stunt of some kind.”
“Yeah, although even if his idea to drum up trade for his business is having a fae prince troll around, it seems a ridiculous way to get you through the door.”
“To be honest, a dodgy promo stunt is more likely than his shop being built on neutral ground—telling a magic user that’s a possibility is automatically intriguing.
I’ve heard of odd pockets of neutral space in a built-up area, but nothing the size of a department store.
None of it sounds right, and that alone has me curious. ”
“It was as if he knew how to bait me using Goya as well. I know you think I’ve got a blind spot over Old Dogface, but I’m self-aware enough not to lead myself into danger over it.”
Gwil was right that Howard had been able to pinpoint their triggers. They should probably walk away, but they wouldn’t. “Let’s see what happens on Monday. If it’s still suspicious, then we can back out. But for now, how about we go to bed and continue what he interrupted?”
Gwil smirked and headed towards their bedroom. “Come on, Hyax. I can’t fuck myself.”