House Rules (Chicagoland Vampires 7)

"I'm not sure that bodes well," Catcher said.

"I'm not sure, either," I agreed. "But at least they're clues. The sun, of course, is rising, and we're on our way back to the House. Is there any way you can get your CPD contacts to look at it during business hours? We're afraid to wait until tonight."

"Chuck might have to call in a favor, but we'll get it done. Maybe leave the goods with the fairies?"

I glanced at Ethan, checking for approval, and he nodded. "We'll arrange it," he said.

"Noted. Do we know anything else about these kids?"

"They were generally quiet, hailed from Kansas City," Ethan said. "They seem to have strong connections among Rogues and are well liked."

"No enemies?" Catcher wondered. "Even though they decided to register?"

"We wondered the same thing," Ethan said. "But if there's trouble in that corner, we don't know about it."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear they're missing. I didn't know them, but if they were friends of Noah's, I'm sure they were good people."

Were, he'd said, as if their fate was a foregone conclusion. But I refused to give up.

"We'll call you as soon as the sun goes down," I said. "If you learn anything that explains where they might be, you win the bonus prize for the evening."

"What's the bonus prize?"

And that was the problem with spur-of-the-moment offers. "Um, I'll order pizza for the office?"

"Make it double meat and you've got a deal," Catcher said.

"Done," I said.

The perky sound of a country song - the lyrics about partying hard after a long day of work on the graveyard shift - suddenly filled the car, emanating from the speakerphone.

Catcher muttered a curse and the sound went silent. But the silence didn't eliminate the questions.

"Was that - was that your ringtone?" I asked, simultaneously comforted and amused by the weird contradiction that was Catcher Bell. He was built, gruff, and an expatriate of the Order, the sorcerers' governing body, which had kicked him out. He was also a protector of Mallory - at least until her magical misanthropy - a lover of Lifetime movies, and, so it seemed, a lover of country music.

I had no objections to country music. It just wasn't the type of thing Catcher would ever admit to. Except that it was on his ringtone, for God's sake, and I had two independent witnesses.

Some nights there was justice in the world, even if it was meted out only in a dribble of Billboard country/pop crossover.

"Enjoy the country music, do you?" I wondered.

"Don't push your luck," Catcher grumbled. "This is the South Branch nymph calling, and I need to go deal with her. We'll talk to you tonight."

The line went dead before we could respond - or I could harass Catcher any more about his ringtone.

"You're going to use that against him, aren't you?" Ethan asked.

"As much as possible," I agreed.

The Ombud arrangements made, I texted Jonah - my RG partner - to let him know Noah had pulled us into the investigation. Jonah was also Noah's friend and RG colleague, so there seemed little doubt Noah had already told him about the missing vampires. But he needed to know we'd undertaken the assignment, so to speak.

ADVISE IF NEED ASSIST, he messaged back.

I promised I would, but that wasn't the end of the conversation.

ALSO RG INITIATION IMMINENT. DETAILS TBA.

I stared at the message for a moment, my heart thudding with my sudden nerves. I'd known the RG ceremony was coming, but I hadn't known precisely when. It wasn't so much the initiation that made me nervous as the commitment to the RG. My relationship with Ethan was just getting off the ground, and the House was in a precarious situation. I believed in the RG's mission - keeping an eye on the GP and the Houses - now more than ever. But that didn't make me feel any more comforted about making my ties official and unbreakable.

"Trouble?" Ethan asked, sparing me a glance.

"Nothing I can't handle," I said, tucking the phone away again. I hoped it was true.

One crisis at a time, I told myself.

I told myself that a lot. Unfortunately, our world rarely worked that way.

* * *

Cadogan House had three aboveground floors, all equally posh and full of expensive furniture and lush decor. Ethan's apartments - we shared them, but they bore his stamp - were on the third floor.

We met Malik on the stairs, also on his way to bed, and exchanged updates about our evenings. We filled him in on our visit to the alley; he reported on the party.

"Two thumbs up for the catering," he said, "and everyone seemed friendly enough. But your absence was noted. The mood deflated a bit when you left."

"I was afraid of that," Ethan said. "Two families throw a party and the heads of the families disappear? It doesn't read positively."

"The Rogues are aware of Oliver and Eve's possible disappearance. Some are concerned for their friends and are glad we're on board. Others are concerned Rogues will be dragged into Cadogan politics."

Ethan lifted his gaze to the ceiling, as if exhausted by the premise. "We engage in politics because it is required of us. If vampires would simply act appropriately, there'd be no need of it." He glanced at me. "We should have that embroidered on a T-shirt."

"It's not exactly catchy, but I could make that happen."

"I'm sure you could. In any event, Malik, thank you for handling it."

"Of course, Liege."

Ethan winced at the title. "Please stop calling me that. You're still officially the Master."

"Oh, I know," Malik said. "But much like Merit, I find it amusing to irritate you."

As Malik walked down the hallway and around the corner, Ethan turned his pointed gaze on me.

I shrugged innocently. "I can't help it if I'm a trendsetter."

Ethan humphed but took my hand, and we continued to the third floor and down the hallway, saying good night to the vampires we passed.

Luc was returning to Lindsey's room, which was only a few doors down from Ethan's. Given the look of adoration on his face as she opened the door for him - even though her hair was tucked into a messy bun and her face was covered with a layer of green goo - I'd say things were working out just fine between them.

"Avocado mask," she explained, before I could ask exactly what the green goo was. "It's great for the skin."

"You were making guacamole and you had extra, didn't you?"

"My girlfriend, the salad," Luc said. "Yummy."