Chapter 80 Style.
Ava could feel the taxi roll into East Under by the sudden shifting of the streets under the wheels from paved brick to dirt.
Bones didn’t change expression, his grim face never shifting even as the carriage listed a little towards a gutter. When they at last stopped he opened the door and Ava got out.
They were near the docks, where the mists swept from the sea to surround the piers like a phantasmal shroud.
An inn rose before them, the roof drooping a little, the whole building looking heavy and bulging like a fat man after one too many drinks. The door was open, the sound from within muted, the reedy tune of a violin whining in the air.
"He’s here?" Ava said.
"Indeed," Bones said, walking forwards at a clipped pace, forcing Ava to hurry and keep up.
The common room was as depressing as the exterior, with a bar half hidden in smoke and few tables occupied other than by some sailors. Bones ignored them all, striding through and towards the stairs at the back.
They earned a number of looks. Not everyday a lovely blonde elf was seen with a well-dressed zombie, but Ava had a feeling the men in the inn had seen stranger.
The steps descended a half-floor to the door of a basement.
Bones gestured for Ava to be patient, and rapped his knuckles seven times in a musical rhythm. Ava heard cursing. Something banging loudly. Then footsteps scuffing towards the door.
"Maxwell Slade can be difficult," Bones warned. "But he is the best for this situation. Mark my words. I would trust him with my life if I had any life left to--"
The door was flung open and a huge man wearing nothing but torn trousers stood in the doorway.
Ava’s eyes widened at the sight of him. Even hunched over, he towered over her and had to duck to peer at them.
His upper body rippled with muscles, his numerous scars pale on his bulging biceps, triceps, and pectorals. His lank black hair hung in his face until he swept it back over his shoulders with a brush of his hand.
This was like curtains parting, revealing the square jaw, the gray shadow on his chin and mouth, the oft-broken nose, and the piercing yellow eyes.
It took Ava a moment to realize the man held a double-barreled flintlock aimed at the chest of Groan Bones.
The man stared for a moment, then clicked the hammers back into place on the pistol.
"Oh. It’s you," he growled, tossing his weapons aside. He turned his broad back on them, shuffling back into the gloomy room with a lazy wave over his shoulder. "Come in, Bones. Tell me what you want."
His back was as muscled and scarred as his front.
Ava could not help but admire that rippling wall with zig-zag scars, her gaze descending to his muscular buttocks in his ripped trousers.
She jumped when Bones passed her, following them into the room, and couldn’t help but imagine what it would feel like for this Maxwell Slade to grab her in his huge hands and have his way with her. Oh, that would be a treat.
"I need a bodyguard," Ava blurted before Groan Bones could get a word out. "I’m being sued by a vampire and I need somebody to protect me. Groan Bones said you were the best."
"I’m not interested," Slade said without even looking in Ava’s direction.
"He seemed to think you had some sort of history with Riza von Lazarus," Ava added.
Slade stopped in his tracks, his shoulders tensing and his huge fists clenching. His eyes seemed to blaze as he turned back to face Ava and Groan Bones.
"Her?" he growled, a feral sound that tingled down Ava’s spine and to her core.
"I’ll leave you two to get acquainted," Bones said drily, backing towards the door. "Good luck, Miss Copperman. I shall see you tomorrow at the Morning Wood. Ninth chiming of the temple bell."
"Uh huh. Okay, sure," Ava said, staring at Maxwell Slade and thinking very little about her zombie lawyer at the moment.
Slade stood with arms folded across his huge chest, waiting for Bones to leave before slowly turning his attention to Ava. A growl escaped him and his upper lip curled back from enlarged canines.
"I am the best vampire hunter in the city," he said. "I’ve personally dusted eighteen of the bloodsuckers. But ever since the laws protecting vampire rights have gone into effect I’ve had to hide out and do my work surreptitiously."
"Your work?" Ava cocked her head. "You mean killing people?"
"Slaying vampires," Slade said firmly. "And it’s not killing people. You can only kill something that’s alive. Anyway, I’ve been after Riza for the past nine years. Ever since I found my father in his office, completely naked and drained of blood. She humiliated him before she killed him."
"So you want revenge?"
"Ha! Always!" Slade shook his head, his black hair swinging back and forth. "But that’s not why I’m taking the job. I could have my revenge on that bloodsucker whenever I wanted. But if I’m working for you, I can do it legally. I will slay her the moment she makes a move against you. And she will. Mark my words."
"Sounds good!" Ava said. "I mean... bad. I mean... Anyway, as far as payment..."
She wet her lips and took a step towards Slade.
"Oh, no." He held up a hand. "You do not need to pay me for the pleasure of... hey... what are you doing?"
Ava had pressed her soft breasts against Slade’s body, running her fingers up over the huge slabs of his muscles to his stony shoulders and corded neck.
She planted soft kisses on his collarbone as one hand slid down to the front of Maxwell’s torn trousers.
"Mmmmmm," she murmured, kissing her way up to his neck. "I started thinking up ways to pay you the moment I saw you."
He shuddered against her body. His trousers bulged and strained beneath Ava’s fingers.
"You shouldn’t get me excited," Slade growled.
"Why? Do you not like it?" Ava asked, feeling his cock in his pants. "Because I’m getting some really strong vibes here..."
"It’s... ah... It’s not that. My animal side... tends to come out when I’m excited."
"Oooh! I love a guy with a wild side," Ava giggled. "I didn’t bring my cat ears or collar, though. But you can still take me doggystyle!"
"Huh?"