Free Stone Chameleon (Ironhill Jinn #1) by Jocelyn Adams Page A

your team now that we know what’s in here?”
    Would if I could. “If you want this creature removed tonight, then I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.” I straightened my back. “Do you doubt my abilities, Mr. Lewiston?”
    His cheeks sprouted circles of blush. “Of course not. Your monster-whispering skills are legend.” His smile appeared sheepish. “I have to ask, though. What on earth drove you to choose such a dangerous profession?”
    “I saw a need, and I filled it. Just as there’s an authority to call when humans cause havoc in this city, so must there be an authority versed in other species that doesn’t kill first and ask questions later.” I’d convinced Blake he needed to expand his pest control business to include the preternatural because most of the troublesome creatures didn’t deserve the annihilation they’d received from the military before I became involved.
    “I’m not sure how this city would function without you.” He turned and pushed the door open.
    The short hallway opened into a stadium-sized room filled with metal racking from floor to ceiling, arranged in long rows and aisles wide enough for forklift trucks to maneuver in. Corrugated boxes of every shape and sized filled most shelves, stamped with the company logo on the side.
    Connor pointed down the center aisle. “A few minutes ago, it was down row twenty-nine. A few of the overhead lights are out in that section, so I suppose that’s why it chose there. It was on the second shelf when I passed by.” His cheeks grew pinker.
    I took it he ran like the blazes after seeing it, and his male ego had taken a hit. It would have been dumber not to have run, but I didn’t feel inclined to appease him given my long day and the late hour.
    I was about to venture into dealings with a vampire alone again, but I couldn’t in good conscience ask Connor to stay. “Do you have surveillance cameras in here?”
    “Yes. We had a problem with theft last month, so there’s one at the end of every aisle now.”
    “Do they record?”
    “Yes. An offsite security company stores the footage for us. Is there a problem?”
    “It’s nothing to worry about.” Gesturing toward the hall we’d entered from, I said, “I think it’s best if you wait back in the lobby. I’ll assess the situation and decide what’s to be done.” A glance around revealed no other occupants, but I had to be sure. “Will anyone else be in the warehouse tonight?”
    He tugged on his tie. “No. I’ve warned them all to keep the doors closed between the warehouse and factory.”
    From my pocket, I withdrew my business card and handed it to him. “If something goes wrong, call the emergency number at the bottom and tell the dispatcher what happened, and the address. She’ll alert both my office and Detective Peterson, so we can get the appropriate people on scene.” Not that anyone from IPC seemed inclined to answer.
    “Please be careful, and call out if you need anything.” He held up the card in thanks and headed for the exit with hesitant steps. Although I knew he was being gentlemanly, his doubt still stung.
    Keeping my hands loose at my sides, I headed for the row Connor had indicated. No high-ranking vampire would be caught dead living in a warehouse without modern facilities. I had to guess the one I sought would be either newly cursed or existed only a few steps up from the bottom of Isaac’s undead pyramid.
    “My name is Lou Hudson.” I stalked down the aisle into the darker part of the building, hoping the cameras would still find me amongst the murk. My fingers itched to reach for the katana, but wielding a weapon wouldn’t help my plan to build a rapport with the female. “I mean you no harm. You’ve scared the workers of this facility, so they’ve asked me to find out why you’re here.”
    No response. I whispered to the stone imbedded in the cement floor until it shivered with awareness. Eyes closed, I used the earth to feel for