Amalgamate

Chapter 33

CARNAL wasn't exactly the type of establishment Bhaltair enjoyed. He found it disgusting and repulsive in its entirety. Declan's crew had superior taste and higher expectations across all domains: liquor, music and women. Walkin' in to this establishment, Bhaltair knew exactly where to start. Dugald would be in a private room in the back. It was his place.

Dugald was the leader of these heathens, no sense in starting any lower. Bhaltair didn't waste his time. He got his information straight from the top. As he made his way through the immoral riff raff that was CARNAL, he took in every one and everything going on around him because ally wasn't synonymous with friend.

Dugald's men, monitoring the security cameras, honed in on him right away. Sole vampire enters a demon bar...every demon eye in the place was on him. Bhaltair, like Declan, was very powerful. If he was here, he was here at Declan's request.

Bhaltair quickly walked to the back. He'd never liked or trusted the demons, and he'd made that known at the onset of their alliance. He approached the guarded door, "Dugald. I need information. Now." He stared at the door, never even looking at the guards because they stood no chance against him and every one of them knew it. After only a few seconds, the door opened to a darkened room filled with hundreds of different lava lamps.

Bhaltair wasn't surprised. What a dump. "Nice..love what you've done with the place Dugald. I want to show you something." Bhaltair pulled out his phone with the video of Rowan walking into Cloak and Dagger with Tearlach. "Any idea who she is?"

"Nice to see you, Bhaltair. How have you been? I thought you vamps were the refined ones." Dugald approached from a darkened corner. He stood close to seven feet tall with black horns protruding just above his temples. He knew Bhaltair thought his men were beneath him, and hell they were, but he was a formidable opponent, and they both knew it. Bhaltair would tread more carefully with him.

"This is important to Declan and there's a substantial reward." Bhaltair stood in front of him with his phone extended giving Dugald a clear picture.

"Don't know her, but maybe I should." Dugald loved pushing Bhaltair's buttons...and it was so easy. He was a fuckin' task master, and Dugald was a Mr. Minimum kind of guy.

"She's Declan's bride." Bhaltair stood, eyes dilated ready to kill this man if he didn't turn the conversation around real quick. "You know how we feel about our brides demon, so choose your next words carefully, or I promise you they will be your last."

"Don't get your panties in a wad, vamp. You never mentioned anything about her being his bride. How the hell would I know?" Dugald grabbed a cigar and lit it up with the end of his index finger, demon perk. Smoke billowed around him as he got the cigar going, "Fuckin' guy's like a thousand years old. I guess he's due."

"Didn't come here for your approval. Do..you..know..her?" Bhaltair had no patience for idle minds or simpleton chit chat. He liked to get in and get things done.

"Byrne was out a couple nights ago. Mentioned somethin' about a new girl dancin' at Callum's place. Said she had fiery red hair and caused quite a stir over there the other night. Not to many red heads left, dangerous color. After she danced Callum swooped in and sifted her outta there while the demons and lycans tore his bar apart. I hate that fucker, but he runs a nice club." Dugald crossed the room to his floating bar. "Can I get you something?"

"Her name." Bhaltair's patience was dwindling rapidly.

"Don't have it. I'll call him." Dugald had his phone out before Bhaltair could respond. "Byrne? That girl at the club the other night, the one with the red hair that Callum swooped in and sifted out. You gotta name on her? Great. Thanks man." Dugald hung up quickly. "Says her name's Rowan. After watchin' her dance at the club, he bribed Dand, the security guard, for her name, and for a few hundred more...a recording of her dancin'. He's bringin' it up."

"You will be rewarded for this Dugald." Bhaltair bowed his head as a show of respect.

Dugald's assistance in this would gain him serious points with Declan. For a vampire, finding his life mate was everything. "Can I get you something while we wait?" Dugald poured himself a double shot of whiskey.

"No, thank you, Dugald." Bhaltair took a look around. What a fuckin' dump. He couldn't believe people spent their time, and money, in this shit hole. There was nothing to discuss while they waited and Bhaltair welcomed the silence. He already felt like he was losing IQ points just being in this hole in the wall club.

There was a knock on the door, "Come on in, Byrne."

"Dugald. Bhaltair? What the hell are you doin' here?" Byrne wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he did know how much Bhaltair loathed places like this- and people like them.

"Show me. He can fill you in later." Bhaltair reached for Byrne's phone.

"I'll send it to you I'm not givin' you my phone vamp." Byrne sent it immediately, he could tell Bhaltair wasn't a patient man where this Rowan woman was concerned.

Bhaltair pulled it up on his phone. He watched without blinking. Keeping his thoughts to himself. His hand covered his mouth as the show continued. 'I need to show Declan. This is...she's so beautiful. To think he's been seeing her in his dreams for a thousand years. Waiting for a bewitching woman like her would be torture.' When it stopped, he spoke. "If this is her be assured you will both benefit from a financial windfall. I need to go now." Bhaltair turned to leave.

"We look forward to hearing from you then." Dugald and Byrne laughed because they were always in need of cash. Neither of them had any sense of fiscal responsibility.

Bhaltair exited the club with lightning speed. Once he stepped outside he dematerialized, reappearing in Declan's office, "I got it." He pulled up the video and held it out to him. "This her?"

Damn he worked fast. Declan pulled the phone closer to him, "That's her. What the hell is she doing?" He watched as she danced for them. The way she moved- so slowly, so exotically. It stirred something deep within him...a primal possessiveness only a bride could unlock. He couldn't take his eyes off her. She was worth every second of the wait.

"My guess? She's been flyin' under the radar for a long time. She's beautiful, and with that red hair and violet eyes, no way she could have stayed a secret. I think she was lookin' for info of some kind, and she somehow went straight to the top and reeled in Callum. Guessin' she had a little help with that. You can be sure I'll be gettin' all the intel on her." Bhaltair had connections just like everyone else in positions of power.

"Help? She doesn't look like she needs anybody's help. Look at her pitting the lycans against the demons. She's perfect."

"She's perfect for you, Declan, and we will find her." Bhaltair nodded reassuringly at his oldest friend.

"Thank you, Bhaltair. I am indebted to you, old friend." Declan pulled Bhaltair into his embrace. He was the only man he ever really trusted: the only man who never let him down, his best friend. "Who helped us retrieve this information?"

"Dugald and Byrne."

"I'll take care of it. They'll be rewarded." Declan pulled out his checkbook. Everybody likes money, everybody can use money, and nobody ever forgets cashing a large check.

"Yeah, I think I mentioned a financial windfall. " Bhaltair watched as Declan signed checks for a million dollars a piece.

"You deserve something as well." Declan looked to his oldest friend. "But, you are not so easy to reward. You my friend are worth so much more than I could ever give you. You have my loyalty...and anything else you desire."

"That has always been enough for me Declan. I have much to accomplish, and you know me. Like to get things handled. I'll be in touch." He smiled at him as he headed out the door to make some calls from his office.

"Call me when you find out something." Declan nodded in his direction. He couldn't wait to watch Bhaltair's plan unfold. The man was a master strategist and his timing was impeccable. Declan knew he was fortunate to have a man like Bhaltair in his legion. They were few and far between.

Sitting alone in his office, Declan watched the video of Rowan dancing at HEAT over and over again. Even though she hadn't shown them anything, he hated that these men had seen her dance so provocatively, and a couple of them had even touched her. He wanted to bleed them dry before ravishing every inch of her, starting with her pale, pink lips.