City of Light (Outcast 1)
“Ms. Zindela?” When I glanced at the receptionist, she added, “Mr. Casimir will be down in twenty minutes. He apologizes for the delay, but has a business call he has to finalize first.”
“Thanks.”
I spent the first ten minutes scrolling through the catalogue, amusing myself by picking various men and trying to guess their fees. I didn’t get any right. To say the prices here were exorbitant was putting it mildly.
After that, I switched to reading the history of Hedone, noting with interest that while Sal had registered the business five years ago, it made no mention of his previous experience in the industry. No mention that Hedone was merely the latest purchase in a long line of brothels. No mention of the fact that he’d spent years gradually moving his business through the various districts, until Hedone became a reality.
But maybe that history wasn’t a plus. Maybe here on First Street, you just didn’t admit to a past that involved anything other than being bred and born in this area. As people kept noting, I didn’t know much about Central, so it could have been a real possibility.
Sal strode into the waiting area just as I was placing the catalogue back on the table.
“Find anything you like?” he said, smile wide and infectious.
“One or two.” I rose. “The prices are little out of my range, however.”
“Not surprising, given the prices here are out of the range of most of Central’s occupants. Such exclusivity is very sought after by those who can afford us, however.” He caught my hand and tugged me into his embrace. “You smell and look very pretty tonight.”
He smelled like cold, dark silk, but there was something else, something I’d noted—and dismissed—yesterday. That odd note of corruption was much stronger today, and it crawled unpleasantly across the back of my senses.
Uneasy, and not knowing why, I raised an eyebrow and said, “Suggesting I smelled less than pleasant yesterday?”
He laughed softly, then lowered his lips to mine, the kiss firm and demanding but surprisingly brief. “We have a six thirty appointment with Nadel Keller.”
“And he is?”
“The recruitment officer at Winter Halo. As promised, I contacted him today to see if he was still looking for security personnel. He is.”
“And he’s interviewing at night? Isn’t that a little odd?”
“He’s doing it as a favor to me.” Sal stepped back and studied me. “I think he’ll like what he sees.”
“I thought you said he didn’t sleep with employees.”
“He doesn’t. But he does have to cater to his boss’s tastes, even if it goes against his own.”
Which didn’t exactly sound like Keller was above sexual harassment; he just wasn’t attracted to the personnel he was paid to employ. “So you know him fairly well?”
“He’s one of our better customers.” He half turned and offered me his arm. “Shall we go?”
No, I wanted to say, definitely not. And yet I had no idea why I was so reluctant. Intuition was crawling, but it wasn’t telling me why. I forced a smile and linked my arm through his. “I’m gathering, then, that the dress is suitable.”
“Totally. But a simple gray tunic would never be considered inappropriate in thi
s district.”
A point that only made me wonder yet again just how much Nuri had sensed about me. Dusk had settled in by the time we stepped outside, the darkening skies streaked with fading ribbons of red and gold. Not that you could tell night was approaching, because here in the streets of Central, it was as bright as day.
“How do you stand it?” I said as Sal guided me to the left.
He glanced at me, eyebrow raised. “Stand what?”
I waved my free hand toward the UVs perched atop the nearest building. “Twenty-four hours of daylight. Don’t you ever feel the need for darkness?”
After all, it ran in our blood, even if it didn’t control or restrict us like it did the vampires.
He shrugged. “After living in Central for so many years, I’m probably more comfortable in the light than I am in the darkness.”
Something within me very much doubted that. “How long have you been here?”