Chapter Fourteen #2
Zacharias tried to regain his composure. He was shaken—not from the broken mug, but by the tone of Vlad’s voice. Zacharias had met dangerous men before. He was surrounded by them. Hell, he was one. Vlad was at a different level. He swallowed. “Do you trust this Wizard?”
“Of course not, but I was pressured to get to the bottom of the murders, and it would have looked suspicious if I hadn’t brought him in. I chose him because he would be easy to discredit if things got out of hand. One of the Wizards killed wasn’t on the list I gave you. Explain.”
Zacharias laced his fingers together, weighing his words carefully.
Pissing off a Grand Vizier was never a good idea.
He knew the Wizard in question, the one most recently deceased.
The man was an undercover policeman who ventured too close to Zacharias’s operation by cozying up to his last assistant.
Naturally, both had to be killed. Vlad wouldn’t like that excuse.
“I may have an explanation,” Zacharias said.
“As you know, a few Wizards have exhibited signs of addiction, which is why we set your plan in motion. Their deaths would be easily explained away. Unfortunately, dealing with drugs and the chemically dependent is never a stable cocktail. It’s possible some of them stumbled onto our product by accident. ”
Vlad gripped the arm of his chair. The steel frame bent under stress. “Then explain to me, if you would be so kind, why the eyes were removed? The poison is all that is needed to kill them.”
Sweat beaded on Zacharias’s forehead. “I’m guessing whoever gave the Wizards MCR panicked. They wanted to make sure that if the Wizard survived, he would be helpless. Removing the eyes renders a Wizard helpless to use his powers.”
“I know what it does when you remove a Wizard’s eyes, you dolt.
I’m the one who told you. I gave you my enemies list. Only the Wizards I designate on the list were to be sold Magic Carpet Ride by your drug dealers.
Make sure you have control over all in your employ and that none have gone into business for themselves.
I don’t care how many humans buy it, but overdosing Wizards is another matter. Do I make myself clear?”
Zacharias nodded. It bothered him that on the exact day he’d found out a possible theft had occurred, Vlad appeared in his office.
He couldn’t ignore the possibility there was a spy in his organization.
He wasn’t about to let anything or anyone jeopardize his gravy train or his rise to power.
Although he had a way to check if anyone was selling his product without his knowledge, ferreting out the spy offered a challenge.
“I assure you, I have everything under control.”
“I don’t want assurances.” Vlad’s voice rumbled, like the sound before an earthquake. “I want results. It is dangerous business procuring the stones needed to extract the elements for the new drug. Should I worry that you are not the human for the job?”
Zacharias noted the signs. Vlad was most dangerous when he perceived that someone had crossed him, or was not capable, and thus replaceable. In those incidences the person ended up in a shallow grave.
Zacharias kept his voice respectful as he lowered his head in submission. “I have never failed you. You can count on me to have this matter sorted out to your satisfaction.”
Vlad nodded as he answered a text on his cell.
Zacharias forced himself to lean back in his chair and feign calm.
Judging an Earth Wizard’s emotion was an insight he’d learned from his wife.
He’d fallen in love with her at first sight: Runway beautiful, with a compliant nature and generational wealth that she wanted to share with him to make his every dream come true.
It was only after the wedding that he learned she was part Fae and had used glamours and spells to entrap him.
Her compliant nature hid a dark side. The wrong word, the wrong look, and she turned violent.
But she was a woman of her word and had introduced him to the leaders of the Talons and the Grey Council.
He’d learned that Vlad was like many in the magical community he dealt with.
Their inflated egos made them think they were experts on everything.
Zacharias smothered his frustration. It was too soon to show his hand.
All he had to do was wait. He blanketed his expression with a practiced smile and laced his voice with false humility.
When Vlad ended his text message, Zacharias resumed his line of defense.
“It’s true I’m operating numerous drug labs around the city, but it’s standard operating procedure to have many going on at the same time.
If the police shut down one or two, production isn’t affected.
I assure you, the labs will be checked out thoroughly. ”
Vlad stood, a clear indication the meeting was over. “So we understand each other?”
“Yes, sir.”
Vlad headed for the door, pausing at the threshold. “You’ll be receiving a large shipment by the end of the week. Can you handle the increase?”
The comment was a deliberate insult to Zacharias’s competence. Vlad was treating him like an inexperienced punk kid. Zacharias smiled more broadly to hide the tightening in his jaw. “Piece of cake.”
Zacharias waited until the Grand Vizier had left the warehouse and was in the parking lot before he was able to control his breathing well enough to make a call.
When the person on the other end picked up, Zacharias snapped an order.
“I have a job for you. One that you’ll find to your liking.
There’s a rat in my warehouse. Find the bastard and exterminate him. ”