Bonus Chapter #2
Cal immediately brightened, his aura flaring happily. “That’s so sweet of you to say, love. And don’t worry,” he added, turning back to continue scribbling in Griff’s notepad. “I won’t let your high praise go too much to my head.”
Goddess help me. Before Griff could muster another rebuttal, a throat cleared behind him. “Inspector Denton. I’m glad I caught you.”
Stiffening, he whirled to find High Commander Pern standing there. Griff instantly snapped a salute. “High Commander! What can I do for you?”
He had to fight the urge to shift a handful of paces over and obscure Cal from view. There was little point. Like everyone else other than Griff, the High Commander would find Cal indistinguishable from the real Inspector Hayford.
Indeed, High Commander Pern glanced right past Griff and nodded to the disguised Cal. “Inspector Hayford. Hope everything is going well.”
“Yes, sir,” Cal said, managing a perfect imitation of Hayford’s gruff voice. “No complaints. Just finishing some busywork before I head out.”
“Glad to hear it. Carry on, then.”
High Commander Pern turned back to Griff while Cal boldly continued to jot down their illicit findings right in front of his nose. Griff couldn’t help admiring Cal’s ability to slip into any role and hold his composure.
“Now then,” the High Commander continued. “I have a new case for you and Cal.” A slight dent appeared in his forehead. “Speaking of your partner, where has he snuck off to? Not causing mischief, I hope?”
Griff was fairly certain High Commander Pern was being serious. Still, he opted for a polite chuckle. “No, sir. He’s following up on a couple of routine leads.”
High Commander Pern nodded, looking unconvinced. “I know you vouch for him, and I trust your judgment. No one can deny how helpful he was with that nasty void relic business a few years back. Not to mention the cases he’s assisted you with since. Still, his methods can be a bit…unorthodox.”
“Yes, sir,” Griff agreed. A bead of sweat stood out on his forehead. He fought to resist the urge to glance back at the disguised Cal.
“There’s a reason we do things the way we do,” High Commander Pern continued.
“Rules and regulations exist to protect us and maintain civil order. And while I trust you and your partner to get us results, I also trust that you will do what you can to rein in his more…chaotic tendencies. Is that understood?”
Griff gave a small gulp. “Of course, sir.”
High Commander Pern nodded, seeming satisfied. “Good. I’ll leave it at that, then. Now, as for the case I have for you…”
He proffered a small folder. Griff took it, resisting the urge to immediately open it and dive in. There’d be time enough to peruse the details after their discussion.
“This is a private matter of some import,” High Commander Pern said. “The Pentarch requested you specifically. You are to use all possible discretion…and ensure your partner does the same.”
That explained the High Commander’s speech about keeping Cal in line. With the Pentarch involved, this was likely to be a high-profile affair under enormous scrutiny. And while some members of the Pentarch were fond of Cal, not all of them appreciated his particular talents.
“Understood, sir,” Griff said.
“In that case, I want you to begin your investigation at once. Consider this your new top priority. You can brief me on your progress first thing tomorrow morning.”
As Griff clutched the folder, he felt the usual eagerness for a new case, a new puzzle to solve, taking root in his mind.
No matter how busy he got or how many open cases he and Cal had, it was always thrilling to sink his teeth into a new problem and struggle to untangle its messy workings into an ordered solution. He lived for such moments of epiphany.
“Yes, sir. I’ll see what I can dig up tonight.”
Even as he said it, though, something niggled at the back of his mind. He could’ve sworn he was forgetting something, and when he caught a faint flutter of dark blue disappointment in Cal’s aura, he suddenly remembered what it was.
Tonight was their one-year anniversary. Griff’s father had secured them a reservation at one of Derimay’s most exclusive restaurants, and then they had tickets to a show Cal had been eager to see for months.
For an instant, hesitation tore at Griff. The urge to dive into the case straightaway was nearly overwhelming. But if the last couple years had taught him anything, it was that some things were more important than work.
“Actually, sir,” Griff said quickly right as the High Commander started to turn away. “I just remembered that I have plans tonight. So unless this is a dire threat to the city, the case will have to wait. I promise Cal and I will dive in first thing tomorrow, though.”
High Commander Pern paused, appearing momentarily surprised. After a beat, he shrugged. “Very good. Keep me apprised of your progress. And tell that partner of yours to stay out of trouble for me, will you?”
With that, the High Commander strode away, vanishing back into his office for what would no doubt be another of his usual late nights. Not that long ago, Griff would have been right here with him.
He held his breath until he was certain the High Commander was truly gone before letting it all out in a rush and whirling back to Cal.
“I think that’s enough secret investigating for one day.
Let’s get the Void out of here before he realizes that was the second time he’s said goodbye to Hayford today. ”
Cal closed Hayford’s commandeered journal and returned it to its drawer. “Whatever you say, partner.”
Griff waited while Cal resealed the runetech lock on the drawer, then followed him toward the front of headquarters.
“I’m surprised you didn’t jump on that case straight away,” Cal said. “You’ve been itching for something new for weeks now, and if the Pentarch’s involved, it’s probably a juicy one.”
A brief flicker of regret kindled in Griff’s chest. He swiftly squashed it. “The case can wait. Or have you forgotten about tonight?”
Cal let out a theatrical groan. “No, but I’d hoped that you had. Do we really need to make such a production out of this? Anniversaries aren’t a big deal.”
Despite his dismissive words, Griff saw the truth reflected in his aura. Green sparks of eagerness overlaid buried hints of sickly yellow fear.
Griff resisted the urge to reach over and take Cal’s hand. Even if no one was paying them any particular mind, him and Hayford strolling out of headquarters hand in hand was likely to raise a few brows.
Instead, he settled for replying, “There’s no reason to be nervous, Cal. I know you’ve been looking forward to this as much as I have, and I promise that you won’t disappoint me. All I care about is spending a lovely night with you.”
Cal squinted accusingly at him even as his aura gave a fond flutter. “You know, it’s not fair to use your power on me all the time. How am I supposed to keep any secrets?”
Griff shrugged as they exited headquarters to the street outside. A runetech lamp cast the area in a bright golden glow. “Says the thief who can disguise himself as anyone he wants.”
“Ex-thief,” Cal corrected. “And what’s the point of being able to look like anyone when you can’t use it to mess with your husband?”
Griff’s heart gave a little chime at that. Husband. He still hadn’t quite gotten used to hearing the word, no matter how right it felt.
They continued further down the street, passing several civilians going about their business.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather stay up all night working the case instead?” Cal pleaded. “I’ll happily join you. I might even help a little.”
That got a chuckle out of Griff. Gazing over at Cal’s beautiful aura, he could still see evidence of nerves reflected in the shifting, slightly erratic hues. Beneath that, however, he sensed an incredible depth of warmth and love, the bright colors nearly blinding to Griff’s eyes.
Squinting, he glanced away. “I’m sure.” Spying an alleyway, he tugged Cal toward it, steering him by the elbow. “This way.”
Cal eyed him quizzically but didn’t resist, letting Griff lead them into the darkened alley.
“Hurry, shift back,” Griff commanded once they were out of sight.
Cal raised a brow on Hayford’s pudgy face but once again did as Griff had requested without protest. Duskflame scoured his features, shifting them back into the familiar appearance of the man Griff loved.
“Why?” Cal asked.
“So that I could do this without it feeling weird.”
Cupping Cal by both cheeks, he leaned in and kissed him. Cal closed his eyes, giving into the kiss with a soft groan as their lips pressed hungrily together. Eventually, Cal pulled away with a throaty chuckle.
“Blessed Goddess. You couldn’t wait until we got home?”
Grabbing Cal by the hand and guiding him back to the mouth of the alley, Griff shook his head. He didn’t so much as glance back toward headquarters, their new case entirely forgotten.
“No,” Griff said with a grin. “After how long I’ve spent searching for you, I couldn’t wait a second longer.”