by Gina Kincade
“Rowan? Do me a favor.”
“Sure, what do you need?”
Glancing up once more to the window, red eyes stare back into mine. “Go talk to Samuel. Tell him whatever he heard, he can forget about it. We do NOT need his help.” Upon hearing his name, a sadistic grin is placed upon Samuel’s features and I frown.
“Come on now, you like it when I helped you before, didn’t you?”
His voice whispered in my head and I growl, gritting my teeth. “Get the fuck out of my head, asshole!”
“I got this,” Rowan informed me and stepped toward the door. I watched as Samuel turned his attention to the now shifted Gargoyle, and his magnificent wings expanding the width of the large sidewalk. “You need to go.” It amazes me how deep Rowan’s voice becomes after he shifts. It is so sexy.
Samuel leaned against the wall and chuckled. “You have no idea who you’re dealing with, do you?”
“I do and I don’t care. She asked for you to leave. Fucking her over once was enough. Why are you here?”
Hearing Rowan’s words struck a hard nerve. A few years ago, I went out with girlfriends to a bar and who do I meet? The incubus himself, Samuel. Wanting a taste of Heaven and Hell, I agreed to go back to his place. Worst mistake of my life. Best sex ever, but worst mistake.
“I have a way to lock down the location of the stone. She needs my help.”
“The hell she does!” Rowan yelled loud enough to draw attention. I winced and pretended to wipe down the counters while I watched. “You’ve done enough damage. Just leave her be.”
“Or you’ll do what?” Samuel smirked. “Stand by and watch while others make a play for her? Shit or get off the pot, fucker. She won’t be available forever.”
Suddenly Rowan’s body engulfed with flames.
“Oh shit,” I whispered to myself.
Samuel smiled wide. “Oh, right, because I’m not made of fire myself.”
Catching my attention was a woman who stepped up beside me. Her hand touched my bare arm and I flinched. Looking over, I smile to Ana, the one who tamed Samuel. Her long, light blond hair set in curls hung to her mid back. Her wings, formerly white feathered, now black and leathered, hung pulled into her backside. Her jet black orbs gazed into my own. “It would be prudent for him to help you, you know. Set aside the ego and allow him to do what he does best.”
“Wow, okay so no, I can’t, and I won’t set aside my ego,” I air quoted the words and continued. “He fucked me over really bad. Last thing I need is Samuel to interfere for his own personal gain.”
She smiled and nodded. “I understand, but if I were involved in aiding the capture of said stone, would that help?”
“No, not really.”
She sighed and nodded. “Didn’t hurt to ask. But if I were to guarantee the safety of the stone to Michael?”
I considered her offer for a moment, then reluctantly nodded yes. “Can we get this on contract? Contracts are his specialty.” I motioned with my head toward Samuel and when I glanced outside, I gasped. “Well we should stop this fight before it actually begins.”
Ana laughed and headed toward the door. “Agreed.” She was outside the door before I could stop her. “Samuel, stop! We have a way in!”
Chapter Two
SIGHING, I COLLAPSE on my couch and toss the keys onto the counter. My art deco apartment mocks me, deliberately, as I gaze upon the pictures on the walls. A wooden piece painted a shiny black displays a man struggling with an animal. Next to it, an artsy piece that is brilliant white in a sort of ying yang appeal.
“This is what everyone is doing these days,” the art asshole told me. Little did he know, as a pawn shop employee, I can most likely make more money off these pieces of shit than he could sell them for. My lip curled in disgust and I rolled my eyes away from the monstrosities on my wall.
“If you hate them so much, why don’t you just remove them? Maybe sell them?” Rowan settled in next to me and rested his head back on the couch. Raven, my black cat, jumped into his lap and purred.
Glancing over to him, then to Raven, I pet his head. “Traiter.” Raven bumped his head against my hand. Rowan closed his eyes, most likely to not stare at the art. “Now why would I do that? You told me they were pretty. You also told me I was pretty. Should I sell myself, too?” My voice came across as snarky and when Rowan opened his eyes to glare at me, I stuck out my tongue.
He chuckled. “I could probably get more money out of the art anyway.”
I gasped and slapped at his arm. “Seriously?”
Again, he chuckled. “Yeah, seriously.”
“Oh my God, stop.”
“What?” he asked playfully. “Okay all kidding aside, are you really going to consider using Samuel? Can you trust him?”
“The answer is obviously no on the trusting part of the question. As for using him...” I trailed off my answer and glanced toward my sliding glass door. My balcony looked out over a green golf course. Not that I played, of course, but it is pretty to look at. The trees are just beyond the green and more than anything, I would rather be running through there, hiding from everyone, everything. I have nothing to be afraid of, especially with Rowan around, but a part of me has an ill feeling something is coming, and whatever it is, it is not good.
“Jac?”
“Hmm?” Shifting my attention back to Rowan I nod. “Oh right, Samuel. If he has a way to capture the stone, then why not?”
“Because he might use it for his own accord?”
“Yeah, then he can deal with Michael if that’s the case. He’s not Valkyrie so what can I do?”
“For starters, you can say no.” Rowan reached for my hand and squeezed it. “You have the power here, not him. You’ll do good to remember that.”
I raised my brow to him. “You’ll do good to keep your temper under control there, fire boy.”
He let go of my hand and stood, then made his way toward the sliding glass door. “He hurt you. I cannot help how I feel.”
“Then why are you so on board with him helping?” I stood and crossed the room to stand next to my friend. Grasping his shoulder, I turned him to face me. His eyes downcast, his features appear troubled. Maybe exhaustion has him tired, I thought to myself. most likely from chasing me all over town. “Rowan?”
He shook his head, then shrugged. “I don’t know, Jac.” He glanced to the side avoiding my eye contact.
I cupped his cheek and turned his face toward me. “Please, look at me. Rowan, look at me.” Reluctant maybe, Rowan finally met my gaze. “What is it?”
“You want the friend version or the truth version?”
I sighed and closed my eyes for a second, then looked back to his eyes. He does this friend and bullshit act when what he has to say is bad. There’s a chance you may not want the truth, he told me once. What the fuck ever.
“Fucking truth, Rowan. Come on,” I sighed exasperated.
“I want him to steal the stone so Michael will finally have a reason to destroy him.”
My brows raise to this and I try to fight off a giggle. “Really? That’s all? You do recall Lucifer didn’t destroy him when the hybrid kid kicked his ass? If anyone would be destroyed, it would have been then. Besides, Michael did say he turned over a new leaf.”
“He’s the incubus, Jac. THE Incubus!”
“And?” I brushed Rowan’s arms downward as if I were brushing away debris. I have a past with Samuel and Rowan knows it. He doesn’t like it and it seems now is a good time to throw that in my face. “He found a mate. He’s off limits. I’m not going to drop my panties for him again.”
Rowan growled at this statement and grasped my wrists, then pushed them toward me. “Well I’m glad to hear as much.” He turned and headed back to the entrance of my condo.
I quickly lunged toward him and grasped his arm. “Rowan, I’m sorry! Don’t leave, I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry.”
He turned to face me with a disgusted look on his face. It is not often I see this si
de of him, but when I do, it’s not good. I know I fucked up. “So if he were not mated, you would have no issue dropping your panties for him?” he enunciated him and the accusation cut me deep.
“Wow,” I whispered and backed away from Rowan. I shook my head and turned my back to him. “Maybe you should leave,” I whispered and walked back to my balcony. “I didn’t deserve that.” I closed my eyes, willing myself not to cry. Regardless my eyes began to burn and damn Rowan if he makes me shed a tear.
Suddenly I flinched when hands touch my shoulders. He whispered, “I’m sorry,” in my ear and stepped closer. His chest barely touched my backside. A sigh of breath left my lungs and I leaned back into his embrace. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered again, “I didn’t mean it.”
“I know,” I whispered back and turned in his arms. Resting my head on his chest, his heart beat against it. I wrapped my arms around his waist and closed his eyes. “You know I had no choice when it happened. He seduced me.”
He nodded and brushed his hand against my head. “I know. I also know how it works. He plays on your emotions, on your lust. If there were just a small amount of lust for him, he would explode it to make you want him.”
I pressed my eyes closed but it was too late; a tear escaped. It feels as if ages had passed since I slept with Samuel, but it was just a few years ago.
Rowan squeezed me to him then kissed the top of my head. “Forgive me.”
“Of course.” I glanced up to him and blinked; a tear caught on my lashes. “Forgive me?”
He smiled. “You never have to ask me to forgive you. I love you, Jac. Always have. You’re my charge.”
I lowered my gaze and wondered for a moment if he loved me more than his charge. The way he looks to me sometimes I feel it, but he always makes sure there is that barrier between friends and lovers. We are definitely not lovers, although I would not be objected to it. Rowan is fucking hot.
“You want a drink?” I asked him and pulled from his embrace.
He nodded with a smile. “You have any beer?”
Chapter Three
A FEW DAYS HAD PASSED since Michael came to my shopping looking for the Hag stone. Day jobbing at the pawn shop, I examined a watch brought in the night prior. The label had PRADA written on it, but it was definitely a knock off.
“The boss won’t be happy about this, Tony.” I glanced over to my co-worker, an older man from Brooklyn or somewhere close to that area. Tony carried himself like a pretend mobster. I say pretend because that is all it is with him. He is also human. He has the front of being a ‘Billy Badass’ but in actuality, he would be the first to scream bitch and run.
“What about it?” he asked as he motioned his hands around. He put a cigarette behind his ear and bounced a little where he stood.
“Tony, are you high or something?”
“Fuck no, baby girl, why? You got something?”
“Oh, eww! Do not call me baby girl!” I stood and walked away from Tony with my hands in the air as if something disgusting had been placed in front of me. Oh yeah, it was; Tony.
He chuckled behind me. “What’s up with the watch? Beauty, isn’t it?”
I turned to look at him and shook my head. “It’s a damn knock off, Tony.”
“No shit?” he asked and looked up to me.
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, it is. Have fun with that.”
The chime to our door sounded and when I glanced up, a human male walked inside. He took a look around the front of the store, then made his way toward the gun case. Tony started walking his way and I held my hand up, shaking my head no. Tony held his hands up as if to ask, what gives?
Looking the man over, a sharp, painful stab hit my gut. I closed my eyes and breathed my way through it until it passed. When I opened my eyes, the man looked at me with furrowed brows. He was tall, maybe six foot, bald, thick and tattooed.
“You all right?” he asked me in a deep voice.
I nodded and smiled. “Must be something I ate.” I tossed my hair aside and smiled, my signature sales pitch without saying a word. The man smiled back and stepped closer as I kept myself behind the counter. “How may I help you today.”
“Yeah, I’m looking to buy a gun.”
“Okay, is there a weapon of choice?”
He looked to his left, then his right, as if maybe he had a secret he only wanted to share with me. When he leaned in, the man smelled of old booze and cigars. Gross. “I’m joining a resistance of sorts.”
My brows lifted to this. There is a first for everything and today, this is my first. “A resistance you say?”
“Shh!” he ordered and pressed his palm downward as if he were pressing our voices to the ground.
“Okay, so tell me about your plans.” Crossing my arms over my chest, the man before me has no idea I am a ‘sup. I wonder if he’s going after other humans or making an attempt to take out a few of my kind?
He grinned and waggled his brows. “My baby bro is dating a whore that calls herself a nymph.” He chuckled to himself. “More like nymphomaniac!”
I was right in my latter thought, unfortunately. I glanced over to Tony who stood from his chair. Tony knew my nature, although he understood as much about it as I did, but he never gave me issues. “Wow...I’m not sure what to say to that. Hey Tony, come here a second.”
The bald man looked between Tony and myself and when Tony joined my side, he leaned onto the counter, smacking the gum in his mouth. I cannot stand Tony’s wanna be personality most days, but today it just might come in handy. “What’s up sweetheart?”
I cringed to his words and grinned while I gritted my teeth. “The man here wants to purchase a gun for sport hunting. Guess what he’s hunting?”
Tony grinned and looked to the bald man. “Oh yeah? What’cha hunting?”
The man looked between us and the fear begun to drain and slowly shift to an evil smirk. Obviously, this fucker is as dumb as he is stupid. “My bra man...he’s dating this chick that needs to be let known who runs this earth.”
“Bra?” I repeated? “Like the bra I wear?” I tilted my head and played dumb, something I found I was quite good at when the time called for it.
“No babe,” Tony answered and again, I cringed. “He’s calling his bro his bra. You know, bra, bra.” He repeated the word a couple more times and I rolled my eyes.
“Yeah,” the man nodded. “My bra. Now, what do you have that can detect that bitch?”
“Oh,” I smiled sweetly, “you can’t see her, can you?”
“Fuck no,” he muttered. “Not that it matters.”
I tilted my head again and offered a confused look. “Come again?”
“She’s a fucking nymph forest creature or some shit. She’s not human. She needs to die!”
I have come across quite a few humans that feel the same way tall, bald, and ugly feels. I raised a brow and leaned forward. I felt something weigh heavy on my backside, but for now, I ignored it. I felt my body begin to vibrate and my hands gripped the counter. A creaking sound emitted and Tony gasped.
“Jac?” He touched my shoulder and I moved from his reach.
Keeping my eyes on the bald man, I leaned forward a little more. His eyes widened in what appeared to be fear, maybe anxiety? No, definitely fear.
“You will listen to me, right now. You will turn around and leave. You will return home and apologize to your brother about how much of an ignorant asshole you are, and that you are tolerable of those around you. His girlfriend is human as far as you know, and killing her would be capital murder. You don’t want that on your hands, now do you?”
Tall, bald and ugly shook his head quickly and backed away from me.
“Good. Now you will leave,” I came around the other side of the counter and made my way toward him. The man continued backing up and occasionally shook his head no. “You will leave and you will never, ever again, mention to anyone you are hunting for something that does not exist. Do you understand what I am saying to you?”
<
br /> He nodded quickly and reached for the door, grasping the handle. “I...I’m sorry!” The man stuttered and he stumbled slightly, catching himself and opened the door in the process of it all.
I smiled and stood straight, crossing my arms over my chest. “Good. Then have a good day!” I smiled my sweet smile and the man’s gaze guffawed. He blinked then walked out the door.
“What the fucking fuck, Jac?” Tony yelled as he closed the distance to me.
I turned to face him with chagrin. “I am not your sweetheart or your babe. Do not call me that!” I poked him in the chest then walked past him.
“JAC!” He yelled and I turned.
“What?”
Tony pointed to the counter and when I glanced over, I did a double take. There were finger impressions in the metal and I stared at it. “I...I didn’t do that.”
“You most certainly did, Jac.”
“No, it’s impossible. I didn’t...”
“Jac?” The familiar voice of Rowan entered the empty space of the store and when I turned, he stood there in full on Gargoyle. He picked up on something from me, I know he did. But what? “What happened?” he asked.
“Your girl here...” Tony started.
I held my hand up to stop him. “Tony, no, okay? Go do inventory or something.”
“What?” He complained, followed up with a few excuses to why he couldn’t.
“Oh my God, just go!”
“Fine!” Tony turned and left the room, leaving me alone with Rowan.
As soon as he was out of ear shot, I glanced back to Rowan. “You can shift back. Nothing is about to go down.”
He nodded and the air around him shimmered, then a few seconds later, my Rowan stood before me.
I smiled and stepped closer to him. “Good to see you.”
“Same to you. Now tell me what happened.” His eyes gazed down my body and he lifted a brow. “Turn around.”