Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 101280 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101280 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
It looked like it was going to be a long, long night.
TWENTY
VIK’TOR
Azz’lx went even paler when I finally got him on the viewscreen and confronted him about what he had done to Natalie.
“It’s a lie—the little bitch of a chambermaid is lying!” he said at once, when I told him what Cla’na had said. “I never laid hands on that little Blood Whore—you told me she was yours, so I left her alone!”
I frowned.
“So you’re saying my chambermaid is lying just to get you into trouble? Why would she do that?”
“I don’t know!” Azz’lx threw up his hands. “Why do females do anything? They’re all cold, deceitful bitches in the end—maybe she made up a story about me just out of spite.”
That didn’t sound like the little chambermaid to me. She didn’t even know Azz’lx—why would she lie about him? But I had known my second-in-command for years—would he lie to me—lie right to my face?
I was beginning to wonder.
“So you’re saying you don’t have any idea where Natalie is or where she went?” I demanded.
“I’ve told you everything I know!” Azz’lx exclaimed. “I can’t believe you’d doubt my word after all the years we’ve been together!” He frowned. “And you ought to fire that lying little bitch of a chambermaid first thing tomorrow. Or if you’re too busy, I’ll be happy to come over and do it for you,” he suggested hopefully.
“Damn it—I just want to find Natalie!” I growled. “And something isn’t adding up here.”
“Well, don’t look at me!” Azz’lx said virtuously. “Though I must say, I still think you’re better off without her. Why don’t you just forget her and I’ll call a service to send you a nice Blood Bride? Maybe one you can use for more than just blood, hmmm?” He raised his eyebrows suggestively and made a crude motion with one hand—the sign for “fucking” in Naggian slang.
“Not interested,” I growled. I could hear the frustration in my own voice and feel it in the tense set of my shoulders. Something wasn’t adding up about Natalie’s disappearance and I couldn’t rest until I found out what had happened to her.
“Baron—” Azz’lx began but I only shook my head and cut the connection.
I was pacing back and forth in my study when I heard Daw’snx’s quick, discreet knock on my door.
“Yes?” I asked, as he came into the study. “Daw’snx, do you think the chambermaid would be lying about what happened to Natalie?” I asked, before he could say a word.
“I would be very surprised if she was, Master,” he said, frowning. “She has always been a good and honest girl and I don’t see why she would fabricate a lie like that.”
“I don’t either,” I muttered. “But someone isn’t telling me the truth. The chambermaid says she saw Azz’lx dragging Natalie out but Azz’lx says she left on her own, even though he tried to persuade her to stay!”
“If I may be so bold, Master,” Daw’snx murmured. “I do believe there might be a way to solve this conundrum and to locate Lady Natalie.”
“Really? What?” I rounded on him, trying to keep the excitement out of my voice and failing miserably. “Daw’snx if you can really track her down, I’ll double your salary immediately!”
“That won’t be necessary, Master—you’re already more than generous with me,” Daw’snx said dryly. “But I would like to help you find her if I could.”
“All right.” I nodded eagerly. “Go on.”
“Well, it occurs to me that the anti-theft trackers were still in the new clothing that you ordered me to get for Lady Natalie,” he told me. “I told her as much before she tried anything on because I wanted her to let me know if any of the articles didn’t fit or one of them wasn’t to her liking. With the tags still in, the clothing could still be returned or exchanged. Whereas if we had taken them out, the store would have refused to accept them back.”
“Goddess of Mercy!” I swore. “So you’re saying she left wearing a whole bunch of clothes that still had tracking tags in them?”
“Yes, Master. And if there was a way to locate her using the tags…”
“There is!” I interrupted him. “Tell me quickly, Daw’snx—which store did you buy them from?”
The corners of Daw’snx’s thin mouth twitched.
“Far’quars, of course, Master. The same place I order all your own clothing.”
“It also happens to be a corporation I own half of,” I said, nodding my approval. “Good—get me the number of their CEO. He’s going to get his theft department up and get them tracking those clothes right away!”
Of course, if Natalie had sold the clothing, as Azz’lx had claimed she was going to, this might be a dead end. But I was hoping it wasn’t. I wanted desperately to find her.
I had a bad feeling she might be in danger.