Can someone else use those contracts?
Maggie thought about this for a moment. The language itself will be valuable – that’s why the copies at the courthouse are redacted, after all. When it comes to the contacts themselves … most Other won’t fiddle with contracts because they’re afraid of OtherOps finding out, but Lord Ruthven might just be strong enough to take over another vampire’s blood tally. And if he’s not, he could probably find a magician willing to use that blood tally to bend Boris to his will. Blood rites can be complicated, and only the old gods know their power better than the Vampire Lords.
So if Lord Ruthven can get his hands on the blood tally, there’s a chance he just steals Boris’s MLM straight up?
And the feudal army that comes with it.
That thought brought up something else that had been bothering me. If Boris has an army of vampires at his call, why aren’t they looking for Michael?
Maggie sniffed. Contract or not, the stubborn old prick probably doesn’t want to admit to his subordinates that he lost the blood tally. They’re still predators. He can’t show weakness around them.
I waited for her to continue. When she didn’t, I said, Any advice?
I’ll be honest … I’m kind of out of my depth too. New, proprietary language in a contract? This is corporate-level shit. It’s the kind of thing Vampire Lords and Lao and the Lords of Hell deal with. Not jinn. At least not my kind of jinn. Wars get fought over this kind of thing.
Fuck. I lifted my phone again and called Ada. She listened in silence as I explained the whole situation, in detail, including the attempted bribe from Jacques. When I’d finished, I was met with a long silence and then she said,
“So?”
If I was expecting anything from her, that was not it. “What do you mean, so? One of our clients is creating a vampire MLM using contract language that would make any high-level attorney weep with joy. You know the implications of this, right? Boris could be the king of his own vampire nation in a hundred years. He could upend the Rules, make war on OtherOps. Shit, he could wipe out humanity.”
“You don’t think you’re being a little too dramatic?” Ada asked.
I thought about this for a minute. “No. No, I don’t. Have you ever met a vampire who wouldn’t do anything for more power if he thought he could get away with it?”
“Well … a hundred years, though. You and I will be long dead by then.”
I ran my hand through my hair, scoffing. “That’s really fucking callous, even for you.” I paused for just a moment. This was no help at all. “I know Jacques is blackmailing you.”
I could hear Ada grow still. “Why would you say that?”
“Because I’m not an idiot. Jacques has something over you, or you wouldn’t ever have agreed to a job in which we betray one client for another. You’re greedy, but you value your professional reputation too much.” I felt the barcode over my chest tighten slightly. I ignored it. “What is it? What’s he blackmailing you with?”
“Never you mind,” Ada snapped. “I always knew you were too clever for your own good. Get your nose out of this shit and do your job. Make the delivery. Keep the money from Jacques. Just get this over with.”
I gripped my steering wheel with the hand not holding the phone. “No,” I said.
The barcode tightened further. “What?” Ada demanded.
“I said no. The blood tally has all the original contract language that Boris has been using to set up his feudal system. It’s dangerous enough in his hands, but if one of the Vampire Lords gets their hands on it? Shit, I can’t even imagine. I’m not going to give it to him.” My chest hurt like hell now, and I could feel Maggie pacing around in the back of my head.
Alek, she could kill you, she warned.
I went on, “Be a coward if you want. Try to protect whatever gross secret that Jacques has. But he’s not blackmailing me. I’m going to find Michael, destroy the damned blood tally he’s carrying, and then hand Michael back to Boris. If any of them are pissed about the situation, they can go fuck themselves. I will have fulfilled my duties to my clients.” The last few words barely came out as a wheeze. I was doubled up now, gripping the wheel so hard my hand had gone numb. My chest felt like it was being stepped on by a giant.
“I could pop your heart like a zit,” Ada croaked.
“Do it,” I managed.
Then, without warning, the pain was gone. Ada hung up. I felt the blood rush to my head and I spent the next couple of minutes taking deep breaths and blinking the spots out of my vision.
Have you ever called her bluff before? Maggie asked. Her presence was close, more intimate than usual, like a friend leaning over another to check on their health after they fell.
I think that might be the first of those fights I’ve ever won. Winning didn’t feel good, though. Not even a little bit. The pain was gone, but the memory of it was fresh. I’d just put myself on a path against my boss and a Vampire Lord and Boris Novak. I was a walking dead man, and I knew it. But unless Ada ratted me out to one of the clients, I was going to destroy the blood tally before either Jacques or Boris had the chance to off me.
I was just beginning to think clearly again when Maggie hissed, Fucking hell. You’re being scryed.
My stomach lurched. “By who?” I asked aloud. “Is it Matthias? Is he coming for us?”
Not me. You. It’s … hold on. Unless it’s a god, they’re not going to get much out of their scrying but … well. Damn.
Who is it?
It’s Olivia Martin.
I let out a disappointed sigh. I was paying her to scry Michael, not put her nose into my business. Not as bad as Matthias, I suppose. I should have known not to trust a witch.
If she decides to be persistent and find out why her scrying failed, she might be a pain in our ass, Maggie warned.
I know. Let’s deal with this now. What was that you said? Witches can be dealt with by a swift punch to the nose?
Only if they don’t know it’s coming.
I pulled out of my shady parking spot and drove toward the highway to head east toward Chardon. She’s not going to know it’s coming. Shame. I really don’t want to break her face, but she picked the wrong time to come snooping.
Chapter 12
I arrived at Olivia’s house at about three in the afternoon, somewhat less pissed but still on the war path. This, I kept telling myself, is why no one trusts witches. This is why no professional in their right mind would ever get involved with a witch in any capacity. Why can’t they just keep themselves to themselves?
My ranting inner monologue was interrupted when I was almost to the front door and Maggie said, Heads up. That black Suburban you parked behind wasn’t here last time. I don’t think it’s Olivia’s car, which means she’s not alone.
I don’t really care if she’s with a client, I grunted back, though I did force myself to slow down a little bit, coming to a stop on the front step to gather myself for the coming confrontation. I wasn’t, I’d decided, going to punch in her the face. But we were going to have a very strong conversation. It was while I was considering this that I heard the voices inside.