“Yup,” Bishop replied, “and people don’t keep empty safes. Whatever Casimir was hiding would have been in there.”
“Exactly. I dare say our friend Casimir knows exactly what was stolen. How could anyone look at this mess and say nothing was taken? The only reason he could be so certain the rest of his inventory was here was because he knows exactly what was taken.”
“And if it was stolen, he probably never entered it into his inventory, anyway,” Bishop said, examining the remnants of the safe.
“Now, the real question is, what did Casimir have? And who has it now? I'm pretty sure John Doe didn't shoot himself in the face, which means someone was working with him. We need to find out who that was. If we find them, we find what was stolen.”
“Agreed, but while we have a moment, Kasey, there was something else I wanted to run past you.” Bishop leaned against the wall, blocking Kasey behind the counter. Bishop looked relaxed but her face was set in the same stern demeanor she used when interrogating suspects. That didn't bode well.
It also meant there was another reason Bishop had called her in.
“Alright, Bishop. Incredible Hulk aside, why am I really here?”
“Well, it's about our last case. There was something I wanted to ask you.”
Recent upheavals in New York City had led to conflict between the city’s loan sharks. It was working that case that had helped uncover the presence of the Night Crew and their vampire overlords.
As it turned out, the vampires had been running an extortion ring and black-market organ transplant operation from a high-end private medical facility.
“What about it?”
“Well, I’ve been keeping tabs on things, and it seems that Slippery Jimmy’s client list is active again. Someone’s collecting his debts.”
Kasey let out a slow breath.
Slippery Jimmy had been one of the loan sharks killed by the Night Crew as they expanded their business operations. His girlfriend and nurse at First Medical had helped her Night Crew employers lay the snare. Jimmy had been killed and his clients poached by the Night Crew. The vampires had taken the client list, but with their death, it should have gone dormant. For his debts to be collected, someone would have needed to find his ledger—something Kasey had hoped would go unnoticed.
“Okay,” Kasey replied, trying not to reveal her part in the ledger’s fate. “What do you want me to do about it?”
Bishop raised a hand. “Well, we both know Jimmy is dead. So, I spoke to his girlfriend Sophia about it, and she told me that she gave the ledger to you. Said it was part of the deal for getting them out. I never knew you had it, so it didn’t go in my report.”
Kasey straightened up. She had expected a little bit more discretion from Sophia. After all, she had saved the woman's life. She also hadn’t counted on Bishop going looking for the ledger.
“Kasey, what did you do with the ledger?”
This line of questions was the reason Kasey had never told Bishop in the first place. Bishop was a straight shooter. For her, the law was black-and-white and while Bishop had occasionally turned a blind eye or been willing to bend it a little in an effort to save lives, she never broke it. Bishop was a good cop, which was why Kasey knew she would disapprove of what she had needed to do with the ledger.
She didn’t want to lie to her old partner, but Bishop was going to be pissed. There was a big difference between not mentioning something and actively deceiving her friend. She couldn’t do that to Bishop.
“I gave it to Hades,” Kasey replied, meeting Bishop’s gaze.
Bishop’s blue eyes bulged.
“Kasey. That’s illegal. That ledger was evidence. You can't go handing it over to a criminal.”
“Why do you think I didn't mention it, Bishop? I didn't want to drag you into it,” Kasey replied, raising her hands.
“A little late for that now.” Bishop planted her hands on her hips. “Why would you do something like that?”
“It was the deal. His price for helping us find Vida. He came through for us, so I gave him the ledger.”
“Kasey, what were you thinking?” Bishop hissed, keeping her voice low so they couldn't be overheard by the uniforms outside. “You broke at least three laws, maybe more.”
“I was thinking that our friend was being held by vampires who were going to kill him and harvest his organs,” Kasey replied. “I made whatever deal I had to, to get him out of there, and I would do it again.
Bishop shook her head in disbelief. “Kasey, I know Hades has helped us out of some tight spots, but you need to remember he’s a criminal. He might have that dashing vibe going for him but he's a stone-cold killer. Why do you think he hides out beneath the city? The department may not be able to pin anything on him, but his organization is wanted for everything from arms trading, to smuggling, to contract killings throughout the city. You can't go helping him build his criminal empire and that is exactly what you did when you gave him that ledger.”
Kasey face flushed in spite of the cold, and she had to force herself to unclench her fists. Bishop’s stubbornness was great when she was on your side, but at times like this it really got under Kasey’s skin. The world wasn’t black and white. Bishop needed to work that out and fast.
“No one else was willing to help us get Vida out,” Kasey answered. “The Precinct couldn’t get a warrant and wasn’t going to raid a hospital without one. Hades came through for Vida when no one else would. It wasn’t all too long ago that he was saving the Ninth from the Night Crew assault. He could have let us all die there.”
Nothing that Bishop had said was untrue, but neither did it capture the whole truth. Hades had been good to his word and his help had made all the difference.
With everything that had occurred—the Shinigami attack on the city, the Night Crew infestation that had brought the vampire court to town—nothing was as it should have been and Kasey was starting to see the world for what it was.
There was an awful lot of in between, and in that thick band of gray was Hades. Kasey was going to do her best to protect the city, and if Hades’ help meant she could do that, she wasn’t going to turn it down.
“Look, Bishop, I know how you see the world, but there is more to it than that. Hades saved Vida's life and so I gave him the ledger. And I would do it again. I would do it for him and I would do it for you.”
Bishop pulled a loose strand of her blonde hair back behind her ear.
“I don't want to fight you on this.”
“Then don't,” Kasey replied. “Besides, it’s done. I can't take it back now.”
“I'm just telling you to be careful. You know I've got your back, but if you're caught doing something illegal for Hades, I can't keep the precinct off you. We need to tread carefully, particularly where Hades is concerned. He’s a person of interest to the precinct. We can’t get in the way of—”
A ringing in Kasey's pocket interrupted Bishop mid-sentence.
Bishop rolled her eyes as Kasey pulled it out and found an olive-skinned face smiling up at her from her smart phone. It was a face she knew all too well, one Bishop would certainly disapprove of.
“Just a moment,” Kasey said, holding up a finger to Bishop as she shimmied past her and headed for the door.
“Who is it, Kasey?” Bishop called after her.
“A person of interest,” Kasey called over her shoulder as she hit the button to answer the call.
Stepping out onto the street, Kasey raised the phone to her ear.
“Hello, Hades.”
Chapter Two
A bitter winter chill enveloped her as she walked.
“This better be worth it. I’m freezing my ass off to take this call.”
There was a brief sil
ence and then a smooth voice filled the line. “Kasey, dear, is that you?”
Ignoring anything that didn’t suit him was a Hades specialty. It could be endearing at times, but not during a sub-arctic stroll at should-still-be-in-bed-o'clock.
“To what do I owe this pleasure?”
A couple of the nearby officers looked in her direction. Recalling Bishop's warning, Kasey ducked under the cordon and started walking down the street away from Casimir's.
“Is that any way to greet an old friend?” Hades’ voice was playful in spite of the harsh edge in hers.
She really didn't mean to take her frustration out on him, but being raked over the coals by Bishop over the ledger had made for a rotten start to the day.
“No, sorry, Hades. The detective and I were just talking about you.”
There was a sharp intake of breath. “Ahh Bishop, my biggest fan. Did I miss anything good?”
Kasey shook her head. “In what world would a Ninth Precinct detective have anything good to say about you, Hades? Your existence makes her life harder every day. Frankly, she would slap cuffs on you if you gave her the chance.”
“Mmm, I love it when you talk dirty to me.”
“Not those kinds of cuffs you, idiot. Real ones.”
“No other kind will do,” Hades replied. “I’m a sucker for steel.”
The criminal overlord of New York City was an insufferable flirt. Most days, it made Kasey laugh. Other days, it even made her curious, not that she would ever admit it. But today his banter was only serving to prolong her suffering. Snow crunched under her feet as she paced back and forth along the Brooklyn shop fronts.
“Why did you call, Hades? It can't be to inquire about Bishop's boudoir.”
“In my defense, I didn’t know that was an option or I might have called earlier.”
When Kasey didn’t reply, Hades continued. “I'm sensing a little jealousy, so I’ll cut right to the point.”
Kasey ran her gloved fingers through her hair, pushing it back out of her face.
“Quickly,” she demanded.
“Very well,” Hades replied. “I'm calling because I have information that pertains to your safety. I couldn’t bear it if anything were to happen to you.”
Hades paused, letting the line run quiet.
Kasey sighed. Their history was a complicated one. Hades had intervened when the Night Crew had assaulted the Ninth Precinct. He had also helped lead the assault on the Shinigami stronghold. His reward for his good deeds was his lover putting a few bullets in his back. Apparently, she believed he had gone soft.
Hades had spent days in the Administorum being stabilized as they pulled the bullets out of him. It was a miracle he survived, though Bishop would likely mutter something about cockroaches never dying. The Ninth Precinct might have had an occupational opposition to his existence, but in spite of, or perhaps because of, his life of crime, he'd come through for Kasey, again and again.
In a city that had seen many evils, Hades was the devil she knew and as long as he was willing to do the right thing by her, she could give him the time of day.
Of course, there was that one time he'd thrown her in a ring to fight for her life. Even then, he’d been good to his word. Hades could be relied on, which was what made his warning all the more discomforting. Few were as well informed as New York’s self-styled lord of the underworld.
“Kasey, are you still there?” Hades asked. In the background, Kasey could make out Hades drumming his fingers on his desk.
“Yeah, I'm still here. Look, it's already been a rough day. I’m here working a weird case, Bishop's been busting my chops about giving you the ledger, and I’m freezing my ass off to boot. I don’t know how much more bad news I can stomach today.”
“Oh,” Hades replied. “I had thought the detective was in on our little deal.”
“Things moved pretty fast when Vida was taken. I didn't get the chance to talk to her about it beforehand and after the fact I really didn't see it as being all that important. Jimmy was gone. He didn't need the ledger.”
“It's that cold, hard practicality that I love about you, Kasey.”
“Is that all?” Kasey asked, goading him a little.
“Well, I could continue but it's no fun unless I’m there to see you blush,” he said, his voice growing a little lower and huskier with each word. He seemed to innately know which buttons to push to get a reaction.
He was dangerous, in more ways than one.
“But more importantly, you’re in danger, Kasey. I need you to get off the streets for a while. Keep your head down.”
“I'm always in danger, Hades. It’s pretty much my job description.”
“I'm not playing, Kasey, There has been a contract taken out on your life. They want you dead.”
That was the danger, thinking things were as bad as they could get. Life seemed determined to teach her that things could always get worse. Much worse.
“Great,” Kasey muttered, “I was just starting to feel that it had been too long since an assassin wanted a piece of me. I’ve almost stopped looking over my shoulder.”
“I’m serious, Kasey. They put a five-million-dollar bounty on your head, with a bonus if you’re still alive on delivery.”
Kasey stopped pacing, her feet grinding into the ice as Hades’ words hit home. That was serious money. Who had that kind of cash to burn? And who was annoyed enough that they would be willing to waste it on her? Had the Brotherhood renewed their interest in her? Were they finally retaliating for Akihiro’s death? Why had they waited so long?
“How do you know?” Kasey asked. “Did the contract come through the underworld?”
“They offered it to us first, but I wouldn't host the contract on account of our relationship. So they put it on the open market. I can’t protect you from that, Kasey. I’m sorry.”
Kasey looked over her shoulder, suddenly wary of how exposed she might be on the street. “What else do you know?”
“It’s open season. Anyone who fancies themselves a hitter is going to want to collect that bounty. It’s a lot of money, enough to make people brave or stupid enough to come looking for trouble. Word is spreading fast. I can't stop it.”
“Any idea who is behind it?” Kasey asked, her eyes scanning the cars idling at the traffic lights at the closest intersection. If they had tried to bring the contract to Hades, he had to have some idea who he was dealing with.
Whether he would give away their identity or not was another matter. Suddenly Kasey was regretting having given him such a hard time.
Her heart beat a little bit faster as she looked both ways down the street. Hearing there was a price on her head gave her that unsettling feeling that someone was watching her.
Traffic was picking up, in spite of the hour. There were a few pedestrians, but Kasey didn't see any likely threats. Then again, assassins didn’t make a habit of announcing their presence before they tried to kill you.
On top of that, Hades was taking his time to answer the question. That couldn’t be a good sign.
“I take that as a yes,” Kasey replied. “Who is it? Maybe if I can deal with them, the bounty will disappear too.”
“Kasey, you aren't listening to me,” Hades replied. “There is no dealing with them. You need to get somewhere safe. Head to Council Headquarters, somewhere no one can reach you.”
“No, you aren't listening, Hades. The quickest way to make this go away is to take the head off whoever is putting up the reward. Otherwise, their lackeys will just keep coming.”
“It's the Feudal Court,” Hades said.
Kasey's heart sank.
The Feudal Court was the same Vampire Coven that had taken Vida. They were the true strength behind the Night Crew, and they had been infiltrating the city for months.
“The contract was placed by Rhain, himself,” Hades added.
“Rhain, never heard of him,” Kasey answered.
“He is King of the Feudal Court.” Hades voice rose. �
��You can't go after him, Kasey. He's not even in the country. It’s been years since he left his stronghold in Romania, and you'd be dead before you reached the gates.”
“He has his own castle?” Kasey asked, her hopes diminishing by the moment.
“Yes, and legions of loyal serfs, not to mention centuries of influence and favors. There's a reason the Feudal Court has endured. No one is foolish enough to contend with them in their seat of power.
“So, no chance of getting him to lay off, then?” Kasey asked. “I really do have a lot on my plate right now. Let’s have them come back in June, when it’s warmer. The city is lovely in June.”
“You killed his son,” Hades replied. “It’s personal.”
The realization hit Kasey like a ton of bricks. Alistair had referred to himself as a prince. At the time, she’d discarded it as an egomaniacal boast. It wasn't. It was his title. She’d killed the son and heir of a vampire lord. There was no walking that one back, even if she wanted to, which she didn’t.
“They shouldn't have taken my friend,” Kasey replied.
“That's not how they're going to see it. To them, normals are little more than cattle to be fed upon. They took a normal. You killed a member of the royal family. They want you dead.”
“They came to the wrong city,” Kasey replied, checking over her shoulder once more.
“You cut out his son’s teeth and are wearing them as a trophy,” Hades replied. “Rhain considers that an affront to his house. He will answer it. They will come for you.”
Kasey ran a gloved finger along the braided wire bracelet on her left wrist. Four small pieces of bleached bone hung from it.
“Alistair tried to feed on me, Hades. I made him a promise and I keep my promises.”
Hades sighed and the sound of something heavy hitting his desk carried through the phone.
“Well, you got their attention, Kasey,” he replied. “Get somewhere safe, and get there fast.”
“Any idea who they’re sending?”
“You're not hearing me. For that kind of money, it could be anyone. Normals, supernaturals, hell, for five million you better be careful who you show your back to. They’ll think nothing of paying another wizard to take a shot at you.”