Violet caught me sniffing at the air and leaned over to whisper in my ear. “It’s the Court faeries. When you get a lot of them together, they can be a little overpowering. You’ll get used to it.”
“Oh.” I felt stupid for not remembering that from the books I’d read. Everything about Court faeries made them attractive to humans: their beauty, their voices, and even their smell. It was forbidden for them to use their magic on humans, but it wasn’t as if they needed help finding willing bed partners.
The interior of the bar was bigger and much less dingy than it appeared from the outside. To my right was a cluster of tables where I recognized trolls, elves, ogres, and a few humans, sitting and drinking together in small groups. Past them was a raised section where all I could see were Court faeries and humans.
On my left was a long bar manned by three bartenders, who were busy serving up drinks to the human and faerie patrons lining the bar. Violet was right. Teg’s was a busy place. Tennin had been full of it, though, when he’d said this place was too wild for me. It looked pretty tame.
“Do you see him?” Violet asked, coming to stand beside me.
“Not yet.” I scanned the room for the bar’s owner. I’d done a little research on Orend Teg last night. There wasn’t much to read about him, but I’d found a picture of him on his bar’s website. Not that it was much help. Teg looked like half the male faerie population: young, blond, and beautiful. The other half was young, brunette, and you guessed it – beautiful.
We walked over to the bar and squeezed between two men in their mid-twenties, who looked like they’d spent more time getting ready tonight than I had. The man next to Violet looked me up and down before his gaze slid to her.
“Whatever you’re drinking, I’m buying,” he said to her, earning a scowl from the pretty blonde on his other side.
Violet smiled politely. “No thanks.”
“One drink,” he pressed, and I thought I heard an angry harrumph from the blonde.
“Sorry, not interested.” Violet leaned in to direct a saucy wink at the other girl. “But I just might steal this beautiful girl if you don’t treat her better.”
The girl blushed and averted her gaze, but her little smile told me she wouldn’t mind being stolen by my best friend.
A bartender approached me. “What can I get for you?”
“I’m looking for Orend Teg. Can you tell me where to find him?”
He studied me for a moment, and his brow furrowed. “Are you sure? You don’t look like his usual female visitors.”
I swallowed a scoff, having a pretty good idea of the kind of visitors he was referring to. Pulling out my mother’s ID card, I flashed it at him, just long enough for him to see the official Agency seal. “I’m here on business.”
The bartender nodded and pointed toward the rear of the room. “In that case, you’ll find him in his office. Just follow the hallway in the back.”
“Thanks.” I tucked the card into my pocket and went to Violet, who was making eyes at someone on the dais.
“Teg is in his office,” I said, pulling her attention to me. “Will you be okay out here alone while I go talk to him?”
She frowned. “You don’t want me to go with you?”
“I think I can handle it. I’m just going to ask him if my parents came to see him the other night.”
“Okay.” She winked. “Don’t worry about me. I can think of something to keep me occupied.”
I shook my head. “Behave yourself while I’m gone.”
Violet looked toward the dais again. “Take your time.”
Leaving her to her fun, I strode with purpose to the back of the bar. A number of Court faeries looked my way with interest, but I ignored them. I was here for one reason only, and I had zero interest in hooking up with anyone.
I easily found Teg’s office and knocked sharply on the closed door. I waited thirty seconds and was about to knock again when it swung open.
Orend Teg’s pictures hadn’t done him justice. Up close, he was even more handsome. When a slow smile spread across his face, he exuded that potent sensuality that Court faeries were known for. Tennin had it, too, but I had a suspicion he’d been holding back because of who I was.
“You’re early, but I can’t say I’m put out about it. Jesper outdid himself this time.” He took my hand and lifted it to his lips to press a light kiss to the back of it.
A little thrill went through me at his touch. I tugged my hand out of his as I schooled my face into a polite expression. “I’m sorry. I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else. I’m here on Agency business.”
Teg’s eyes widened a fraction, and then he let out a delighted laugh. “The Agency. I love it. The glasses are a nice touch, by the way. Where on earth did Jesper find you?”
“I don’t know any Jesper,” I said tightly, reaching for my mother’s card. I held it up for him to see as I’d done for the bartender. Except Teg wasn’t content with a brief glance. He caught my hand in his firm grip and studied the card – closely.
His whole countenance changed, and he dropped my hand to go sit behind his desk. Leaning back in his chair, he watched me with cool shrewdness that hadn’t been there before. It felt like his eyes could see right through me, and I had to stop myself from squirming.
“It’s a crime to impersonate an Agency employee, including bounty hunters,” he said in a voice that had gone hard. “I admit you look the part. You could pass for Caroline James if you were a little older.”
“You know my mother?” I blurted before I could stop myself. So much for being coolheaded.
“Your mother?” Teg stared at me, and recognition dawned in his eyes. “How did I not see it? You could be her –”
“Her clone. I know.” I took a step toward the desk. “My name is Jesse James. You know my parents?”
Teg gave me an are-you-kidding-me look. “Everyone knows Patrick and Caroline James, but I had no idea they had a daughter. Seeing you now, it’s clear why they kept you a secret.”
I ignored his comments about me and got straight to the point of my visit. “Did my parents come to see you two nights ago?”
He thought about it for a moment. “I haven’t seen them in at least a month. Why are you asking?”
Before I’d come here, I’d thought about how much to divulge to him. Even though I’d confided in Tennin, I didn’t think it was smart to let the whole world know my parents were missing. Instead of the truth, I gave him a cover story I’d concocted. “They’re testing me. I’m supposed to track them down while they work on a job.”
“Testing you for what?”
I held his gaze. “To see if I can work with them.”
At this, his eyebrows shot up. “You’re training to be a bounty hunter? How old are you?”
“Old enough.” My shoulders straightened.
His gaze swept over me again. “You don’t look old enough.”
“You didn’t think I was that young when you opened your door,” I retorted.
Teg smiled lazily. “What I have in mind is a lot less dangerous than hunting, and infinitely more pleasurable for both parties involved.”