"Professor Markel said it's completely fine as long as you two stay within Vandice. You two will be fine on your own, right?" I asked Ines and Ange as they were getting ready to leave at the door.

Ines was scratching her head and staring into her phone with a scowl. I'd have thought she would be more excited to go out drinking to kill some stress. With the end of December fast approaching, she had end of term papers and exams to deal with. Stress was definitely showing on her face as eyebags, which was now covered by a layer of foundation and eyeshadow.

"O-Oh, yeah! I called a rideshare for us," she said absentmindedly.

Call it a caretaker's intuition, but it seemed like something was up. I hope I was overthinking it.

Ange pulled me from my reverie by throwing her arms around me.

"I promise not to use too much magic. Ines will be fine, and if travel back doesn't permit, we shall find a place to spend the night at your suggestion," she said, going through a mental checklist of what we discussed earlier.

"Don't say I'll be fine like I'm the only one getting wasted tonight!" Ines folded her arms and frowned.

"Something tells me the night can only end in one way when it comes to humans and the bottom of a cup." The succubus scoffed.

"Underestimating a college girl's alcohol tolerance, are you?"

It would be the first time I let my tenants go out on their own. Professor Markel did insist that it would be fine. After all, they had to learn to grow independent from my help. Although, this was more of a test for Ange. Ines was only here for the ride.

The college chick wore a military green, long-sleeve winter jacket with a fox-fur hood over her sexy, open-back black dress. I only caught a glimpse when I went to check on her in her room. Only the half-inch heels of her outfit were visible at the moment.

On the other hand, Ange decided against wearing anything nice and opted instead for the succubus outfit she normally wore.

A notification popped on Ines' phone and she brightened up.

"Our ride's here!" she exclaimed eagerly.

"Be safe out there! Take care of each other!" I shouted to their backs.

"Oh! The place we're going to is a club at the top of a highrise. They have a sweet heated pool. I got the idea after soaking in the dorm's hot tub—"

Ines ran her mouth like a gatling gun about the club they were going to, and Ange nodded every now and then with her interest piqued.

While by the door, I counted down the minutes after they had left.

I went upstairs and threw on a jacket, then put a baseball cap on and pulled the hood over. This should be enough to stay hidden, unless Ange had keen senses I didn't know about yet.

"Alright. Time to stalk my girls…"

"Where are you going?" a judging voice asked just as I put a hand on the doorknob.

My back straightened to Cresta tapping her foot, arms across her chest.

"Uhh… Just to get some late night snacks?" I answered unconvincingly, and she knew right away. "Fine. I was going to follow them to make sure they were safe. Can't help but be worried."

Cresta raised an eyebrow. "Really? There's only one way a night out with a succubus can end. You sure there aren't ulterior motives, Mr. Peeper?"

"Don't randomly assign me weird nicknames! I'm telling the truth here— okay, sure. Maybe I was hoping to join in on the fun at the end of the night, but I assure you, I am only concerned first and foremost!" I declared shamelessly.

"In that case, I'm coming with! It's getting late, and I don't want you getting hurt either," she said.

Having Cresta come along would take a load off my shoulders. Not that I was expecting things to go awry though.

Remmy was content with staying home, and Tamara was too young to stay up any later than we would be out for. That left Cresta and I journeying into the night in the van.

I knew exactly what club Ines was talking about— Gran View Heights. A high end club where women were given free entry and booze, and only men born into wealth could enter.

Downtown Vandice was a whole different ball game. It had nowhere near as many or tall buildings like Los Angeles or New York. The highest building went up to twelve floors, one floor short of calling itself a high rise. Most of them were residential apartments packed to the brim with people who would commute to work in the morning, then returned to the luxuries of this city by night. That was a major factor in contributing to its booming nightlife.

Even as I drove down the avenue at nine in the evening, way past any normal people should be out, the streets were packed and nightlifers braved the cold on foot to get into clubs, bars, and spas.

Flashing neon signs advertising the debaucherous entertainment they offered lit up the city more than street lights could. Dulled, but booming bass music could be heard as I passed by clubs. I quickly turned to check on Cresta and was relieved to find her perfectly fine, swaying side to side and vibing to the music.

"You really okay not putting on your ear muffs?" I asked her.

"I have it just in case! Haven't really had any use for it lately ever since that time you almost got run over," she said.

Cresta springing into action despite the car horn and thunder blasting must have helped her overcome loud noises. I wondered what brought that sort of response to begin with. Could it have to do with when she failed to assassinate her target way back then?

I recognized Gran View Heights building by the smooth and modern architecture. The Aphrodite statue pouring water into a fountain in front of the plaza was also a dead giveaway. Blinking lights and a DJ's voice echoing from the rooftop was evidence that people were partying hard.

The top was surrounded by a tall glass and metal partition, separating clubgoers from a fall. Should that ever happen, the floor below it appeared wide enough to catch one who fell. Save for a bad fall on the head, people would probably get away with a broken bone in the worst case scenario, and the pool club was rather secured.

Ines and Ange were probably up there having a drink, enjoying themselves, cuddling up in the heated pool and getting all touchy…

I slapped my cheeks hard.

Wholesome thoughts only!

"Akira… my nose is strong enough to smell your horniness from a mile away…" Cresta squinted at me.

"It's your imagination! There's plenty of other horny guys partying out here!"

We looked for a place to park, but Gran View's underground parking lot was at full capacity. I pulled into a shady lot surrounded by chain-link fencing on the other side of the street and paid a whole Andrew Jackson. Even in this one I had a hard time finding an open space.

When I finally found a place to park, I turned off the ignition and left the heater on to keep us warm.

"This is reminiscent of when I used to stalk my targets. Except, the night usually ends with one dying. We aren't killing anyone, are we?" Cresta asked, ears twitching with nostalgic anticipation.

"No, we're not! We're only here to make sure the two of them are fine," I said, keeping my eyes up the Gran View's roof.

There was no telling what might happen to women under the influence. While I was confident they could take care of themselves, it didn't change the fact that Ange was a succubus and would likely draw unwanted attention. Ines herself was also an attractive girl, and all it took was one guy with bad intentions and Ange taking her eyes off for one moment for their night to be ruined.

Until I saw with my own two eyes of them taking a cab back home or to a hotel, I couldn't rest easy.

The two of us snacked on greasy food we bought at a nearby convenience store in the meantime. Cresta was apparently used to spending up to days on assassination missions, and staking out wasn't too bad for me since I was the one who wanted to do it.

"So how come you didn't go with them? I thought you'd give any chance to get steamy with Ines and Ange," Cresta said.

"Because I'm three years too young to drink in the States. Clubs also aren't my kind of thing. I'll end up being a wallflower, awkwardly moving to the music in an attempt to fit in," I replied without shame.

That was just how I was. Lock me in my room with a computer and that was a good night for me. Extroverts like Ines, on the other hand, needed more stimulation than a digital screen full of pixels.

After a few hours had passed, I was beginning to doze off. Cresta maintained a vigilant watch. The girls were still in the club. All I could think was, American college girls sure were party animals.

"Hey." Cresta tapped my shoulder as I was drifting off.

I followed her finger out the side of her passenger window. Behind a row of cars against the chain fence were a group of men in thick puffer jackets and beanies.

At first glance, they didn't look any different from other folks on the street. But the longer I watched, the more I realized that it looked like something shady was going down. Their clothes were baggy and oversized, many of them were inked up, and a bulge on the side of their pants couldn't possibly be mistaken for anything else.

"I heard one of them say Ines' name," she said.

"Could it just be coincidence?" I asked, squinting to get a better look.

Cresta shook her head. "They've said her name multiple times now. One of them even mentions that a 'netherfolk' is with her. Ange being with Ines got them kind of confused."

Those guys out there were definitely acting suspicious. Although I couldn't rule out the possibility that it might be nothing, I'd rather err on the side of caution for my tenants.

For now, sending Professor Markel a head's up should be enough. I didn't expect him to send a cavalry, but should things go awry, he was in the know in advance.

"Should I do something about it?" Cresta asked as her hunter mode turned on.

"Not yet. As long as they don't do anything, it's fine. We shouldn't provoke a fight either. For now, just keep watch."

Another hour passed, and the men hadn't left. We identified two of their cars, a compact and white van. Some of them lounged around inside their vehicles, and others sat on the car hood smoking. One in particular, sitting in the driver's seat of the van, had cornrows and a goatee kept an eye on the club entrance while chewing on his thumbnail.

He suddenly leaned forward as something caught his attention. I followed his gaze to the club. Ines had stumbled out, clearly inebriated. She had an arm around Ange's shoulder, who was trying to keep her steady.

One guy whispered something into the goatee guy's ear and snickered only to get shoved hard to the ground.

"What did that guy say?" I asked Cresta.

"Looks like your girl left you to chase after netherfolk lesbos, is what he said," she replied, then made a confused face. "What's a lesbo?"

"I'll tell you later." I patted her on the head.

It looked like Ange was messing with Ines' phone. I got a text a moment later from her telling me they were going to spend the night at Marshland Hotel. Just like I suggested to them earlier in the day.

Ange hailed a cab and just as she and Ines entered the vehicle, the shady guys in the parking lot got into their cars and started the engines.

"I don't like the look that guy's giving them." Cresta growled menacingly.

"So they really were after Ines," I muttered to myself.

"I can stop them all in a blink of an eye. Just give me the word," she said, unsheathing her claws.

These guys were clearly up to no good. But could we really just confront them without them doing something yet?

Professor Markel left me on 'read' in my text message to his secured number.

You can at least respond back! I thought to myself.

I was in my mind for too long, and they had already exited the parking lot.

Without wasting another second, I started the car and followed them from a distance.

Marshland Hotel had three floors and was shaped like the letter U. The place wasn't the most popular or large compared to its competitors like the J.W Marriott down the street. While not cheap by a longshot, It was luxury at a bargain and had many amenities to enjoy: a bar, restaurant, pools, spa, and a gym.

I pulled up to a convenience store across the street. Ines and Ange exited the cab to head into the hotel. Fortunately, Marshland didn't have its own parking structure like other big hotels, only a load and drop off zone in front of the building. The two cars that were tailing them had to park much further down the street.

My heart was racing. They wouldn't actually try something in public, would they? Was I actually about to confront them?

The last thing I wanted was for Ines and Ange's night to be ruined.

I let out all the air in my lungs and steeled my nerves. "Hooo… Alright. If anything goes wrong—"

"Nothing's happening to you on my watch," Cresta said.

We exited the van to intercept them as they came down the sidewalk. Cresta had her hood pulled over so as to not draw their attention.

They were a group of seven. If they got to Ines, then Ange would have no choice but to use magic to defend against them. I didn't want her in such a position that might risk her status in staying here, especially not with Christmas coming up.

"Don't act until I say so, or unless you really sense we're in danger," I whispered.

As we passed by, I purposely bumped hard into one guy's shoulder. Almost immediately, the one who I bumped into shoved me with both hands. I fell into a tall landscaped bush and caught myself on the branches.

"You got a fucking problem, kid?" he said, sizing me up while I was trying to pull myself out of the bush.

Under the flickering streetlight, I saw the tattoos on some of their faces. Several of them had a familiar mix of numbers and letters on their faces. 'EV14SB' was tattooed under the right eye among others.

These guys were gangsters all right.

"Leave 'em. The fuck you slowing down for?" the guy with the goatee shouted to his friend.

"You guys are after Ines Diaz, aren't you?" I asked. They turned around at once, then threw a glance at the one with the goatee. "I don't know what you're planning to do, but I recommend you leave her alone for good."

He took a long drag of the cigarette in his mouth as he walked up to me, then blew the smoke into my face. "You got five seconds to tell me who you are, or I waste you."

A million different things popped in my head. I was sure cold sweat beaded down my face. For some reason, only a single thing crossed my mind to say right then.

"Th-The guy who got a taste of how good Ines' blowjobs are," I said, staring him straight in the eyes.

In the corner of my eyes I saw him reach for his gun. When he raised it, however, the barrel of his handgun split into four pieces and fell to the ground. The others panicked and went for their weapons but grabbed their underwear instead. Their pants had dropped to their ankles, and Cresta diced up every single gun.

Goatee-guy stared in disbelief. My phone buzzed with a notification. I pulled it out to a text from Professor Markel.

It read: That's my cue, I suppose.

"Freeze! Get on the ground and put your hands behind your head!"

Three armored vehicles pulled up to the curb with a dozen military personnel quickly swarming the scene. Cresta and I stepped back to let them apprehend the gangsters.

"Once again I have to ask— Isn't this a little too excessive?" I asked Professor Markel as he rolled the window down from the passenger side of the vehicle. "And you're late!"

"You were never in danger." He pointed to the air where a helicopter circled into view, a sniper waved from the open door.

"American taxpayers, forgive me…" I muttered.

They left as quickly as they arrived. Onlookers were stunned and were taking pictures, but quickly returned to enjoying their night out.

"Well, that was fun!" Cresta said, stretching her arms. "What now?"

"There's one more thing I want to do before going home."

We went inside Marshland Hotel, where a receptionist behind the counter lifted his head and expressed surprise when he saw Cresta.

"Not looking for a room. Just wanted to ask if you checked in a girl named Ines and a netherfolk succubus named Ange?" I asked him.

He narrowed his eyes at me, then Cresta, and cleared his throat before finally speaking. "I'm afraid I can't share information about our hotel guests with other guests."

"That won't be a problem." I pulled out my government-issued caretaker ID card for him to inspect. "Just like this one next to me, Ange is under my supervision."

"Then the young lady she came in with—"

I shook my head because I could tell he was quickly coming to the wrong conclusion. "I'm just here to make sure they're having a good time. I'd like to upgrade their room to the best one you got."

He adjusted his glasses and turned his attention to the computer screen in front of him. After typing into the keyboard for a few seconds, he nodded with approval at what he found.

"As it turns out, we have an open presidential suite. It is furnished with one king-sized bed, a living room, bathroom with hot tub and sauna functionalities, a bar, and 70-inch flat screen TV. The cost comes out to $800 per night," he recited as a matter of factly.

I choked on my spit. This was going to cut into some of my expenses.

"Two nights for that suite, please." I handed them my credit card.

"I can send them a complimentary bottle of wine with your name," the receptionist suggested.

"Just say it was from Santa." I smiled.