Chapter 13
Hunter
Esmerelde Flawne was a viper poised to strike, seated like a queen behind a massive mahogany desk and draped in soft blue fabrics that looked more expensive than some of the apartments I’d lived in. She was also clearly suspicious of us, considering the way one perfectly sculpted brow rose to her hairline the moment we entered her office.
“My secretary informed me that an old friend had dropped by.” Esmerelde granted me a tight, twitching smile – the kind that said she had already cast her judgment and found us severely lacking, but was too polite to let it show. “But I’m inclined to believe she has been misled.”
Her gaze lingered on me, waiting, sharp as a knife ready to slice through the first hint of dishonesty.
I kept my expression relaxed, letting an easy smile slip onto my face as if I wasn’t bothered in the slightest by her frosty demeanor. “Yes. Well, technically, I may have... exaggerated the old friends part.”
Addison sidled in beside me, back in her jeans and flannel, wet hair leaking spider web rivulets down her back. Esmerelde didn’t look exactly like the woman in the footage, but there was a resemblance in the angles of her face and in her long, slender limbs – evidence enough to keep our guard up.
“The name’s Harper.” I stuck out my hand to shake, but quickly dropped it again when Esmerelde wrinkled her nose in response. “And this is my associate… Wendy.”
I jutted a thumb towards Addison, who shot me a nervous glance before nodding along. Esmerelde looked unimpressed, folding delicate arms adorned with silvery bracelets. She didn’t look like the type to wear sunglasses and suit pants, but then again, Addison didn’t look like a stripper.
There was a reason Esmerelde was first on my list. Jordan had mentioned that the strange elf woman she had met with was unusually enthusiastic about High Stakes health products. And of all the names on the list Maxine gave me, Esmerelde Flawne and her swanky spa stuck out as a perfect match. It would just take a bit of careful probing to determine if Ms Flawne and our mystery woman were one and the same.
“The thing is, we were really hoping to catch your attention.” I took the liberty of pulling up a chair and settling in, lacing my fingers as I met the woman’s icy stare. “My friend here has a business proposition and I think you’ll want to give her a chance to explain herself.”
I had briefly filled Addison in on the plan, although a few minutes in the changing rooms isn’t much time to rehearse your lines.
She took a seat beside me, looking a little flustered when Esmerelde turned icy blue eyes her way, but, to her credit, she played her part with a smile and a lilting note in her words. “Absolutely. I’ve heard good things about this place, and I’d be honored to work with you on a very special project – if you’ll hear me out.”
Esmerelde gave us a once-over, gaze lingering on Addison a second longer than necessary. She didn’t drop her suspicious look, but the compliment seemed to stroke her ego enough to keep her interested. She gestured for Addison to continue and I held my tongue, hoping my accomplice was as skilled at wielding her words as she was with her body.
“You see,” Addison began, crowning her fingers and leaning on her elbows, “I’m a scientist, working in health research, and we’re interested in partnering with your spa to test out some new fitness regimes. Specifically, we’re looking at ways to optimize recovery, reduce bloating, improve muscle health, things that might just align with the services you already offer.”
Esmerelde’s expression didn’t give much away, but I could see the flicker of interest spark behind her cool exterior.
“We’ve been developing treatments that reduce inflammation and enhance post-treatment recovery,” Addison prattled on, surprisingly smooth for someone who was spluttering over my boobs in the hot tub a few minutes earlier. “I’ve reviewed the data, and your spa seemed like the perfect place to pilot some of our work.”
“I see,” Ms Flawne murmured, folding her hands delicately in her lap. “But why come to me? There are plenty of health clubs in the city.”
“Your reputation precedes you,” I chimed in, tilting my head in her direction. “We thought it was best to go straight to the top.”
I tried, ever so gently, to pry open her mind, searching for an opening to plant some influence in her head. But despite the coercion laced through my words, Esmerelde’s mind was inaccessible to me. It only took a moment to realize why.
The talisman was subtle, cleverly disguised as an elaborate necklace. But I recognized it for what it was. An elf charm. That all but confirmed the woman’s true nature, if the slightly pointed ears and whimsical aura weren’t obvious enough.
Esmerelde was an elf, high born considering the way she carried herself, but she clearly wasn’t aware of what I was. If she had been, that frosty attitude would be far less restrained. It was one of the few perks of being a turned vampire – without true vampirism in your blood, your human scent lingers long after you’ve been transformed. It was a decent cover and it served me well, but that talisman of hers was still a problem.
So long as Esmerelde had that charm on her person my coercion was all but useless – we would have to do things the old-fashioned way. I masked my mild irritation under a sharp cough and surrendered the stage to my partner in crime.
“All I’m asking is that you consider the proposal.” Addison gave the woman a polite smile, all sparkling teeth and no ulterior motives. “If this works, it could draw in plenty of high-end clientele. And I get to prove my hypothesis to the higher-ups and score the bonus I’ve been working toward. We both make money, and your spa gets professional accreditation. It’s a win-win.”
Esmerelde surveyed us for a moment, weighing the sincerity of our words as she drummed manicured nails on the desk. The silence stretched on just long enough to make things uncomfortable, but I had more than enough experience driving hard bargains, and this woman was bound to crack.
Finally, she gave a slow, deliberate nod. “Interesting. I’ll have to think on it. But I must admit, I prefer working with proven professionals over... spontaneous offers from strangers.”
I kept my expression neutral, though the jab wasn’t lost on me. Addison leaned forward slightly, gracious and syrupy sweet like she was addressing a temperamental child. “We understand completely. We’d love the chance to prove we’re serious about this.”
Esmerelde tossed a strand of dark hair over her shoulder, sleek and glossy like all elves I’d come to know and dislike. “Very well. I’ll have my assistant arrange a follow-up meeting. You can test out your methods on a consenting client.”
I smiled and tried not to look too smug about it. “Looking forward to it.”
With the pretense of business now firmly in place, it was time to cut to the chase. We were still playing a dangerous game, but at least we had a foot in the door – and more importantly, a reason to keep digging.
“You know, we’ve been considering a few avenues, but your establishment is clearly the best fit.” I gestured around the decadent office space, incense and aloe plants included. “Another option we were leaning towards was Micere and its collection of dancers.”
I lowered my voice slightly, mimicking the gossipy whisper of the highborn vampires of my coven. “Although considering the narcotics that pass through that place, we felt there would be too many… outside factors influencing the experiment, if you know what I mean.”
At the mention of Micere, Esmerelde’s nose wrinkled with disdain, though she kept her cold smile intact. “The club? That place is crass. Though you’d be surprised how many people of my pedigree find entertainment there. It’s appalling really.”
Like a fish on a hook, vampire or elf, the highborn could always be trusted to give in to the temptation of malicious gossip. And if Esmerelde wasn’t our target herself, she might just have information that could steer us in the right direction.
“Oh? Well, it’s a good thing we came to you first.” I traced absent-minded circles on the desk with my finger, keeping a clamp on my eager curiosity. “Like I said, we considered a few options. I wonder if you’re familiar with any of them? They’re all big names, but no doubt they don’t hold a candle to this establishment.”
Esmerelde turned her nose up, accepting the compliment with a sharp nod. “It’s in my best interest to keep an eye on potential competitors – and potential enemies no matter the industry. As such, I know just about everybody worth noting.”
I ran through the list of names in my head, snagging on the next possible target. “What about Catherine Raine? Apparently she runs some sort of forensics lab here in the city.”
Catherine Raine was another name on the list that had stuck out, although aside from her title as head of forensics, not even Maxine had been able to find much information on her. An elusive elf woman with a low profile was certainly worth looking into.
I feigned despondency and nudged Addison to play along. “We tried to get a meeting with her but she’s a rather difficult woman to pin down.”
Esmerelde’s expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of something – recognition, maybe annoyance – behind her polite exterior.
“Cathy has no taste.” She said it lightly, as if discussing a distant cousin she could barely tolerate. “Unlike me, she prefers to waste her time observing the riff-raff of the city. But yes, I know her. She runs a forensic lab in the upper city. Quiet woman, keeps to herself. You won’t have any luck convincing her to work with you.”
I exchanged a quick glance with Addison, my mind clicking through possibilities.
“Thanks for the tip,” I said smoothly, masking my interest with a blasé shrug. “Though perhaps you could introduce us sometime. We’d love to branch out if this partnership goes well.”
Esmerelde waved a dismissive hand, already losing interest in our little charade. “Cathy and I aren’t on speaking terms currently. Although she does come by the spa on occasion, maybe you’ll run into her.”
“Not on speaking terms?” I raised a brow, peppering my words with snobbish intrigue. “Old flame perhaps?”
Esmerelde, however, was clearly done talking, snuffing out the idle chit-chat with a nasal exhale. “Forgive my bluntness, but that is really none of your business. Now – I am a busy woman, and I have clients to see to...”
She cast a glance towards the door – a subtle cue for us to get the fuck out of her office.
“Right, right. We’ll leave you to it then.” I hauled myself to my feet, offering an exaggerated bow as Addison followed suit. “I assume we can chat to your secretary about securing that second meeting?”
“Yes, Laura will arrange it.” Esmerelde’s tone was as sharp as her cheekbones. “But lie to my secretary again and I’ll have you banned from every establishment this side of the city.”
“Well.”
When we reached the car, I slid behind the wheel and glanced over at Addison who was dutifully chewing a hole through her bottom lip. "That went well."
Addison folded her arms, sinking into the passenger seat in a huff. "I’m still lost on what you were hoping to accomplish with that whole rigmarole.”
She wasn’t the only one feeling confused.
I couldn’t figure out why I was still there, driving her home when I should’ve walked away after the first night we met. It wasn’t just the pull of her presence – though that was certainly part of it. Addison had this way of making me feel... almost comfortable, like it was okay to let my guard down. To be the Hunter I had been before Selene.
And that was dangerous, for her health and for my heart.
But I couldn’t exactly say any of that out loud. Instead, I stuck to the task at hand – tracking down Penelope and the mystery woman who may have taken her. At first, I thought Esmerelde was our most likely target. But Esmerelde didn’t quite fit. She seemed way too proud of her reputation to get involved in something like kidnapping. Catherine Raine, on the other hand? Quiet, loner, frequenter of Micere with a keen interest in the ‘riff-raff’ of the city? Much more likely.
“You wanted a lead, and now we have one. Esmerelde doesn’t seem the type to skulk around Micere, but she knows someone who does.” I glanced over at Addison, hiding my hopeless internal crisis under a casual grin. “We’re tracking down her dear friend Cathy next.”
Addison was watching me with a fatigued sheen in her eyes. For someone who put on a corset and heels every night and wooed her clientele to high heaven, undercover work seemed to drain her of something, like she struggled to pretend to be anything other than who she was.
Who she was currently was a worn-out, albeit beautiful woman, in frayed jeans and an oversized flannel slipping ever so slightly from her left shoulder. Her damp hair was escaping her hairband, loose strands framing her face and dangling over dark chocolate eyes. But there was a determination behind the exhaustion, the surgeon ready and waiting to tackle whatever tragedy came her way. It was an inspiring kind of fire, but it was worrying too.
It was more than just ease I felt around Addison. There was also that nagging sense of responsibility I hadn’t been able to shake. Doctor or not, she was just a human, dead set on getting herself tangled up in supernatural affairs way beyond her understanding. She was stubborn, determined, and smart as hell – but still human.
If Penelope had been taken by elves, then Addison was in hot water. And the longer I stayed, the more I felt like it was on me to keep her from drowning in it.
“So I have to come up with some claptrap massage therapy, get on Esmerelde’s good side so she’ll let me stick around, and hope that this Catherine Raine shows up at the spa?” Addison rubbed her temples. “Sounds like a longshot to me.”
“It is.” I flicked the turn signal, dodging through traffic and probably earning a speeding ticket for my efforts. “But aside from the club, it’s the best shot we’ve got right now.”
The hard truth was, I liked being around Addison. I liked the way she met my flirting head-on, the way she didn’t flinch when things got messy. I liked her stubborn determination and the warmth she carried under all that grit. And maybe that was the problem. Because liking someone meant wanting more, and wanting more meant everything could fall apart.
Still, I couldn’t let her walk blindly into this without knowing what she was up against.
“There’s something else you should know,” I started casually but carefully, keeping my eyes on the road. "The woman we’re looking for – I’m pretty certain she’s… not human."
Addison turned slowly in her seat, more suspicious than startled. “What do you mean?”
I glanced at her briefly before focusing on the road. “I think the woman we’re looking for is an elf. And I’m willing to bet money that this Catherine Raine is the elf in question.”
She stared at me, processing the words. “Elf… Like pointy ears, carries a bow around, often accompanied by a loveable dwarf?”
“Legolas is not an accurate portrayal of elves.” I would have facepalmed had I not been keeping an eye on traffic, and Addison looked genuinely sincere in her inquiry – however ridiculous it was. “If you’re basing your knowledge of the supernatural on Lord of the Rings, you’re not at all prepared to go up against the real deal.”
Addison sat back in her seat, chewing on that information. I could see the wheels turning in her mind, but skepticism lingered in her expression. “Okay. Why do you think Catherine is an elf – Wait. Is Esmerelde an elf too?”
“Yes, Ms Flawne is an elf too. Though I’m surprised her haughty airs and graces didn’t give it away. Elves love to blend in where they can have influence. High-end spas. Nightclubs. Forensic labs. They’re not just running businesses; they’re controlling pieces of this city.”
At the mention of nightclubs, Addison’s eyes widened. “My boss…”
“-- Is also an elf. Micere is actually a big name in supernatural circles. Though you didn’t hear that from me .” I added that last part quickly, wincing a little as I broke yet another major rule for Addison’s sake.
Humans were meant to remain blissfully unaware of Micere’s supernatural side, and no doubt I’d be in trouble if Addison were to go blabbering away about elves and pixies with her fellow dancers. But I wanted to share my world with her. Or maybe I just wanted her to know me . The real me.
Addison blew out a breath, pressing her palms to her eyes like she was trying and failing to make sense of it all. “What the hell? Have I just been working with supernatural beings this whole time?”
“Looks like it.”
She shook her head, muttering something under her breath. She wasn’t exactly rattled – she was too stubborn for that – but the reality of it clearly unsettled her. And I couldn't blame her. It's one thing to know the supernatural exists in theory; it’s another thing entirely to realize the people you’ve been mingling with might not even be human.
“It’s a lot to take in.” I said it quietly, trying to gauge her reaction.
“You think?!” Addison threw her hands up, fixing me with an accusatory glare, and I winced at the shrill volume of her outburst.
Seeing the tension in her I eased off the gas, steering us into the right lane. I didn’t want to push her, not with that terrifying expression on her face. She could have been a schoolteacher instead of a doctor. She had the stern impression down pat.
“Look,” I tried for gentle, though reassurance was not one of my strong suits. “It’s not too late to back out. You could quit the club, go back to your real job. Forget about this mess. Forget about… me.”
The words came out more reluctantly than I intended, but they were the right ones. If my past taught me anything, it was that getting involved with me didn’t end well for anyone – least of all someone like Addison, someone who deserved better than whatever the hell I had to offer.
Addison’s head whipped toward me, and the half-wit in me worried I was about to be scolded.
“Forget about you?” She repeated it like the idea was absurd. “Are you serious?”
I gave her a small, humorless smile. “Might be better for both of us.”
She scoffed, shaking her head. “Hunter, I’m not backing out. I need to find Penelope. If you’re still willing to help me, I’m in. It’s as simple as that.”
Her ardent delivery hit me square in the chest, and for a moment I couldn’t say anything. There it was again, that warmth creeping in, the kind I had no business entertaining. I tightened my grip on the wheel, trying to keep my focus.
“Well, that’s… That’s good to know.” I murmured, sneaking a glance her way and instantly regretting it. The way she looked at me, steady and unwavering, sent a flutter through my chest that I wasn’t ready to deal with.
“On that note,” she added, her lips quirking into a strained smile, “you’re telling me you’re not an elf too?”
I barked out a laugh, surprised but definitely grateful for the sudden lightness. “Nope. Not pompous or pretty enough to be an elf.”
Addison tilted her head, her smile growing wider despite the crease in her brow. “Well, you’re only half right.”
I scrambled for a quippy response, some flirtatious banter to match her own, but something unspoken fluttered in my chest and I was rendered speechless all over again. Addison returned her attention to the window, unaware of the rippling consequences of her words.
I closed a hand over my sternum, pressing down on that sensation swelling in my chest. But it was utterly inescapable, and all I could do was focus on the road, tuning out the effervescent thumping of a heart that had just remembered how to beat.