by Gina LaManna
Which left me with two options. I could either go along with the orc and stick to my cover story, or I could fight him off and disappear, giving away my true identity. They might not know my name now, but they would soon enough. My face wasn’t exactly low-profile after all I’d gone through with Matthew in the public eye. A few searches, and it would be easy enough to connect the dots.
That left me with only one true option: To get out of here while I still could—alive.
I carefully calculated out my steps. There were only a few feet to go before I reached the office where Reina—presumably the dealer—was chatting with her counterpart. If I didn’t want to be discovered, I had to move quickly and quietly—and keep the orc from announcing our presence.
I let my left heel fall silently against the floor, planting my foot so there was a bend in my leg and setting myself up for my next move. With a muffled hiss of concentrated breath, I raised my leg and angled my foot so that as I swung around, I clocked the orc squarely on the side of his head.
The orc grunted as I hit him aside the head, coupled with an ugly riipp as my dress tore. But thanks to the high slit in the leg, there was a lot more flexibility than I’d imagined, and I gave a grateful word of thanks to Grey’s taste in fashion.
“Not bad,” I murmured as I leapt for the orc and struggled to help his weight gently to the floor. He was knocked out cold which made it easy to relieve him of the supersized blaster he carried.
Holding the orc’s weapon against my waist, I crept toward the room where Reina should be waiting. I swept an uneasy glance around the hall, praying nobody had heard the slight thump as my foot had cracked into the orc’s skull.
Maybe I’d gotten lucky, I thought, when the hall remained silent. Then again, luck didn’t tend to run in the DeMarco family—a theory that turned out to be true the moment I sensed Reina’s presence behind me. I whirled around and came face to face with the dealer, her long, dark hair and eerie silver lashes sweeping across her pale skin. “Where’d you come from?”
“Going somewhere?” Reina’s heels clicked the floor as she stepped toward me. She gave a demure smile, knowing she had me cornered.
As I shuffled backward, I caught a glimpse a dark panel in the wall behind her that was probably a door. I’d missed it in the darkness and scuffle with the orc.
Reina stepped gingerly over the orc’s body and raised a hand, her long nails tipped with starlight, and ran one finger over her lips. “I expected better of Grey.”
“Now, let’s not talk about me behind my back.” Grey’s voice sounded from behind Reina as the dark panel swung open again. “What’s the matter here?”
“Get out of here, Grey,” I muttered. “This doesn’t concern you.”
Grey’s eyes sized up the situation: Reina standing between the two of us. Me holding an orc’s blaster at my hip. Reina’s furrowed brows and the disgust on her face.
“Oh, dear,” he murmured, and then pinched his forehead.
“He doesn’t know anything,” I told Reina. “I used the wolf to get inside The Cavern.”
Reina’s eyes flicked over her shoulder, unconvinced. While she appeared to be determining fact from fiction, I knew I had to act. It was the only way to convince her completely.
I mouthed an apology to Grey while Reina’s gaze was focused on him. Then I raised the blaster and aimed for Grey, struggling not to wince as my finger landed on the trigger.
“I said, this doesn’t concern you.” It took everything in me to hold my voice steady and make it sound convincing. “Leave us.”
Grey’s eyes widened as he watched me pull the trigger. He could have easily jumped out of the way and disarmed me before I breathed, but he didn’t. The sheer fact that he let himself get hit, jolted by the orc gun, told me he understood the plan. He bent forward and gave a convincing groan of pain.
“So Little Red Riding Hood tricked the big bad wolf?” Reina’s gaze flickered with surprise. “You’re not going anywhere, Ms. Red.”
“I beg to differ.” I met Reina’s gaze. “And I’ll be taking a little souvenir with me.”
“What are you talking about?”
I muttered a Summoning Spell as her eyes landed warily on me, and when I held the orange ball of light in my hand, I tossed it at Reina’s wrist before she could react. I hit my intended target—the bangle she wore—and it sailed toward me. For some reason, I sensed it was the root of all her powers.
Reina shrieked in surprise, reaching for her bracelet, but it was too late. The second my hand circled the cold metal bangle, I shouted for a Smoke Cloak spell and was instantly shrouded in thick black smoke that clung to me like a heavy perfume.
“Go,” I muttered to Grey.
Moving myself strategically between Reina and Grey, I blocked her vision of both of us. She shot a black inky cloud of poison after us, but thankfully, she missed her target due to the growing cloud of smoke. Sorcerer, I thought grimly, as Grey and I hurtled toward the exit.
We exited through the same door in which we’d entered. The trail of smoke drifted away slowly as we turned and bolted from the casino, hurrying to get lost in the cluttered side streets of the Goblin Grid.
I ducked into the first dive bar I could find. Grey followed shortly after me, limping to a stop as he glanced behind us and checked for a tail. I ran a quick Anti-Tracker that came with the badge, which would help confuse my scent and signals from any guards Reina had sent chasing after us.
“What can I get you?” The barkeep had an ugly drop of drool hang from his lip as Grey and I sunk deeper into the bar and away from prying eyes at the doorway. “Nobody hides in here for free.”
“Four shots of Spell Syrup,” I said, “and you never saw us.”
The barkeep nodded his ugly head and turned around to fix the drinks. I turned away from the bar just as Grey’s hands landed on either side of me and boxed me against the counter. He gripped the wood so hard it dented.
“Well,” he said softly. “I’d say that went well.”
I couldn’t quite meet his gaze. “Sorry I shot you.”
“You couldn’t have used the Stunner you’ve got tucked in that dress, huh? You just had to use the orc blaster?”
“I couldn’t exactly access the Stunner.” I felt my ears as they grew hot. “It was in a difficult-to-reach place, and not to mention, it would have given me away.”
“And attacking everyone in The Cavern didn’t give you away?”
“It wasn’t everyone,” I said, “and I didn’t mean for it to happen. I was trying to find the bathroom, and one thing led to another.”
Grey let out a short bark of laughter. “I see.”
“You’re standing very close to me,” I pointed out. “Do you mind taking a step back?”
Grey didn’t move for a long second, his eyes roving over mine, his lips an inch from my mouth. When he let out a sigh, I could smell his breath—sharp, minty, expensive, like the rest of his attire.
As he eased away from me, I couldn’t help but think that I was probably the only woman in the borough who’d tell Grey to back off. Most women I knew would be happy to be sidled up next to the charming, handsome, and extraordinarily rich mystery man.
Indeed, the gazes of several female bar patrons turned to rake him from top to bottom as he stepped back, his eyes never once breaking contact with mine.
“I think I’ve blown your cover with The Cavern,” I said to Grey. “I’m sorry.”
“We might be okay,” Grey said, wincing as he touched his leg. “Your little shooting act might have worked, though we did leave together. Regardless, I expect The Cavern will be extra cautious with security detail—if they continue to meet at that location at all. There may be talk of launching a new room elsewhere. What did you see in there that sent you flying off the handle?”
“My handle was firmly attached. I was just poking around when she started it,” I said, unconvincingly. “Anyway, Reina had Residuals unlike any I’ve ever seen before coming out
from this.” I dipped my hand into my pocket and pulled out the bangle from her wrist. “Usually when I see Residuals, they look like bits of colorful dust floating around, sort of like ripped up streamers thrown to the wind. But this was different. It was like a ray of light, a beam of it, and I think it had something to do with the bangle. I’m going to have a friend analyze it.”
“Does this friend work for the Sixth Precinct?”
“He does,” I said evenly. “But I’ll ask him off the record.”
“You and I both know that nothing is ever completely off the record.”
“We can trust him,” I said, “and we’ll need to. Otherwise, I can’t tell you what sort of magic she was using. It’s completely new to me. So, either the magic itself is new, or it’s been purchased illegally from The Void, and I haven’t run into it yet. That would mean we’re dealing with very expensive magic.”
“Expenses are not an issue when it comes to that crowd,” Grey said. “I take it you understand the level of wealth that passes through The Cavern on any given night?”
“It’s hard to miss.” I stared pointedly at Grey’s pockets. “Speaking of, are you walking around with handfuls of precious gems everywhere you go, or was tonight a special occasion?”
Grey smiled thinly. “Nobody is touching my jewels. At least, not without my permission.”
My face colored. “I’m glad to hear it.”
“Come on, let’s get a drink somewhere else. Somewhere...” Grey’s eyes scanned the floor. “Clean. I want to hear more about the Residuals.”
“Well, now that sounds like a date, so I’m going to pass.”
“Are you taken?”
“I’m annoyed,” I said. “And busy. Who the hell is Reina, anyway?”
“I’ve never seen her before,” Grey said. “Usually the dealer is a woman named—”
Before Grey could continue, my Comm beeped, and I raised my wrist in explanation. “I’ve got to take this.”
“Of course you do,” Grey sighed.
“DeMarco,” I said into my wrist.
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Matthew’s smooth voice spoke across the channel. “You’re needed at Dust, Detective. I wouldn’t have called if it wasn’t urgent. I’ll see you soon.”
Then he disconnected. I gritted my teeth and turned to face Grey. “I’m sorry about that, but—”
“Your vampire beckons,” Grey said. “I understand.”
I scowled. “You two act like children sometimes, you know that?”
Grey raised a hand, dropped a coin in mine. “Very rich, spoiled children. Where are you headed?”
“Silver Street.”
“Get a private carriage over.” He closed my fingers around the coin. “Beautiful women don’t walk Silver Street alone at night.”
“Maybe they don’t, but at the moment, I’m a pissed off detective with a Stunner tucked into my private zones,” I said, shoving the coin back into Grey’s hand. “How’d you get so rich, anyway?”
Grey gave me a thin smile. “Years of experience.”
“Experience with what?”
He gave a playful shake of his head. “Sometime, when you take me up on that offer of a drink, I’ll tell you.”
I spun around, gave a wave over my shoulder, and felt Grey’s eyes follow me until I turned down a side street. The first side street I could find. I wasn’t sure if I was moving in the right direction, but I needed away from Grey. My breathing was heavy, my body on edge, and something didn’t feel quite right.
But whether it was Grey, or my feelings toward him, or something else entirely, it was hard to say. For now, I had to push the wolf out of my mind and focus on the vampire. Sometimes it seemed my life would be forever torn between the two men. The one my heart longed to love, and the one determined to be my friend. I wondered if there would be a way to keep both in my life, or if sooner or later, I’d have to choose.
Chapter 15
I took the trolley through the borough and reached the far corner of the Golden District in under five minutes. I found Silver Street sparkling a few blocks further down—a cheap, tarnished sparkle compared to the rest of the district.
The change in scenery couldn’t have been more abrupt. Silver Street was located in the northeast corner of the Golden District, just west of the Goblin Grid. Where the Golden District was all opulence and shiny, sleek streets and modern home fronts, Silver Street was the shady underbelly, it’s ugly step-sister. Abandoned buildings sat boarded up, while hooded street merchants pushed carts in and out of the shadows.
I forced myself to keep on high alert as I marched through the streets. I caught glimpses of Residuals from spells that could only have been purchased from The Void and ignored an herbals deal going down in a dark corner. While I itched to do something about each infraction, I had to focus on the reason I’d come to Silver Street in the first place.
A glimmer of light in the distance held my attention: a small neon sign blinking with the word Dust. As I neared, I realized that the sign wasn’t neon at all but an enchanted hex that caused the letters to pulse and shiver with a sparkly-like substance.
When I neared the entrance and the quivering letters, I hesitated, scanning the jewel-adorned crowd for a glimpse of Matthew. He was supposed to have waited outside for my arrival, but something urgent must have called him away. He was nowhere to be found.
With a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach, I glanced back and took in the sight of a long line snaking through the back alley. With a groan, I set off to find the end.
As I moved, I noted the various species waiting to enter the disco. A group of Goblin Girls, their skin a pale green, giggled with delight as they waited near the front. Two ogres in the back wore inexpensive suits that did nothing to cover the sneaky smiles curling up their misshapen faces. A tittering bachelorette party of pixies waited near the back, hiccupping and passing a champagne bottle between them.
“Congratulations,” I said to the pixie dressed in white. She wore a cheap veil that glittered and snapped with a firecracker enchantment. “Anyone know how long the wait is to get inside?”
The bride-to-be hiccupped. “We’re VIP, and we’ll be waiting for an hour, so get in line.”
I muttered some nasty words to Matthew for ditching me in a dimly lit alley, surrounded by hiccupping pixies and grinning goblins, and stepped behind the women dressed in frills. Even in my red gown, I wasn’t exactly dressed for a nightclub, and I most certainly didn’t look like I belonged in this crowd of scantily clad women and sleazy, grinning males.
I raised my wrist to my mouth and Commed Matthew, but there was no answer. He probably couldn’t hear inside the club, seeing as I could barely hear myself think outside of it. The music thrummed at such a low decibel it pulsed in my chest, competing with the beat of my heart. I stuck one high-heeled foot out of line, ignoring the whimpers and whines from the rest of the waiting crew, and elbowed my way up to the front as my impatience quickly won out.
“Excuse me,” I said to the elf bouncer. The shimmering Dust sign above his head reflected off a pair of chic sunglasses. “I have a friend inside. His name is Matthew King, and he’s expecting me.”
This bouncer was unlike most other bouncers I’d encountered in my line of work. He stood tall and slim, and as he flicked his sunglasses upward, I was greeted by piercing blue eyes that seemed to stare straight through my soul. He contained none of the bulk and brawn of most rent-a-cops.
“I’m sorry,” the elf said in a sophisticated lisp. “You’ll have to get in line. We don’t take reservations.”
Then he waited in a pregnant pause for me to get moving. As I glanced over my shoulder, I heaved another huge sigh, realizing the line had grown exponentially in my haste to bully my way inside. It had nearly doubled in size in the last few minutes. Apparently, the party started late on Silver Street, seeing as it was midnight and most of the folks were just arriving.
I exhaled slowly, debating the pros and
cons of whipping out my badge and sending the line into a fritz—not to mention that Matthew would have my head. Badges on Silver Street were a general no-go and had the potential to scatter crowds in seconds. I could blow everything. Or, I could sit outside in an unmoving line of drunken Silver Streeters for an eternity.
I was just sliding one hand down my hip, over the curve of the expensive red material toward my badge, when a hand came to rest on my arm.
“Something the matter?” a familiar, cool voice asked.
I turned and scowled. “What are you doing here, Marcus?”
Marcus flashed a smug grin that fit in with the rest of the patrons waiting for Dust’s doors to open. “You’ll have to excuse my date, Paul. She’s a first-timer.”
“She’s here with you?” The disdain on the elfin bouncer’s face was very clear. His eyes scanned slowly over my body, landed on my high heels and flicked back to my eyes.
Marcus’s hand, which was still on my wrist, slid lower and came to rest on my hip. “Trust me.”
I withheld a groan only because it appeared the two were friends. I could suck up Marcus’s annoying bravado if it spared me a wait in that damn line.
“I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.” Paul watched Marcus carefully. “You’re not on the list.”
“I’m always on the list.” Marcus’s voice took on a predatory tone. “I’m certain of it.”
I thought that probably wasn’t something to brag about, but I knew when to keep my lips zipped. I half-heartedly wondered how often Marcus came to places like Dust and decided I was better off not knowing.
“If you’d like to ask Damien or Bran, feel free,” Marcus said with a hefty sigh. “But I don’t like to be kept waiting.”
The elf flicked a glance behind him, swallowing as he considered his options. Eventually, the bouncer gave a shrug. He stepped to the side and moved the railing just enough to let us pass.
As we slipped into the dark interior of the club, Marcus didn’t bother to pull his hand from my hip, so I did it for him—and then I added an elbow to his ribs for good measure.