by Erin Hayes
Chandeliers, candles, and gold glittered at every turn. Whoever threw this shindig had money to burn, and his reliable source informed him the hostess was exactly who he’d been thinking about for weeks. He’d heard rumors from some of his minions she was extremely beautiful and young with seven of her nine souls intact. Usually he didn’t bother with less than eight, but he was in the mood for something young and pretty after the old bore he’d just conned. The sight of his new target had been etched into his brain, even on the grainy phone picture.
The crowd milled about and soon parted as he went in search of his prey. He saw her from across a small ballroom and knew instantly he’d made the right decision in claiming her as his next conquest. Her soul-mark stood stark against her pale skin and the blush gown she wore. Ripe fruit for the plucking.
He didn’t approach her yet, but simply watched through the crowd as she spoke with her companion. The Reaper tried hard to blend in, but Noah had years picking out his kind. Even with the man’s arms covered by his suit jacket, he knew. He allowed himself to wonder what sort of mark the man did have. Some Reapers had marks of a different kind...something new and strange. The Reapers were a solitary bunch so most of his sources didn't have much in the way of Reaper knowledge. Most of it came second-hand.
A waiter passed by with a tray of champagne. Noah slipped him a fifty and pointed him toward the girl. She couldn’t have been older than her late twenties. He couldn’t remember the last time he was able to play with someone so young.
After she took the champagne and angled away from her Reaper, Noah approached. "Are you the hostess of tonight’s festivities?" he asked, swiping her hand and placing a kiss just above her delicate knuckles. He watched for the telltale signs of lust he saw in all his marks. Her eyes rounded, her breathing quickened, and he felt the faint trace of a racing heart as he let go of her hand. This was going to be too easy.
"Yes. And you are?"
He shook his head and gave her a thousand watt grin. "Where are my manners? I’m Noah Hannock, of course."
She raised a delicate crimson eyebrow. "Of course. I apologize. I’m new to town and haven’t acquainted myself with whom I should know."
He smiled and extended his elbow. She wrapped a small hand around his forearm and he led her away from the scowling Reaper at her back.
"Your bodyguard seems very protective," he said, snagging another glass of champagne from a passing waiter and slipping it into her hand. She'd tossed back her previous glass in short order. She didn’t even notice the powder he sprinkled into it before he handed it over. Like taking candy from a baby, this one.
He led her to a bench on the far side of the room away from the music, and she spent a moment arranging her gown so he could join her.
"So, Mr. Hannock. What do you do?"
"Ah ah ah. What do I have the pleasure of calling you, my dear?"
Her cheeks flushed a becoming shade of pink, and she smiled as though embarrassed. "Apologies, again, Mr. Hannock. You can call me Prudence Aquitaine."
"Of the late James Aquitaine?"
The women bowed her head for a moment and looked up to meet his eyes again. "Yes. I was his ward and when he passed on he was amazing enough to leave me his fortune and land. Well, what the church didn’t take for tithe."
He nodded. The sum must still be a tidy number for the girl to throw a party of this magnitude. "I understand completely, my dear. The church took a part of my late wife’s inheritance as well."
"I’m so sorry to hear of your loss."
"Thank you."
They sat in silence for a moment. He could barely contain his glee at finding such a delectable morsel. He didn’t sleep with all his marks, but Prudence might be about to sway him to her side. That flame red hair kinking and coiling down her back in wanton abandon. Her lithe little body. He hadn’t met a woman who looked so good in many years. This con would be more than a pleasure. Perhaps he would draw it out and ensure she got a little pleasure before he ripped out her heart and left her soulless.
Her cheeks were flushing redder by the minute. The drug was snaking into her system, heightening her senses, arousing her as it passed into her blood. He’d used it many times to seduce women into his arms, leaving them wanting and needing him for weeks until he finally succumbed and gave them what they wanted. A few more minutes, and then he would suggest they go off to a private chamber.
His thoughts were interrupted by her bodyguard. The hulking man tapped her on the shoulder and whispered into her ear.
She nodded and allowed the man to pull her to her feet. "Mr. Hannock, if you’ll excuse me? I have to attend to some business. I’ll return shortly. I’d love to continue this conversation."
Noah nodded briefly as the bodyguard escorted her away. He was so close. By the time she returned most of the drug would have worn off and another dose would be too obvious. Ah, c'est la vie. He raised his glass in salute to her as she wove through the crowd to a side door. He watched her shapely backside sway in the mermaid cut of her gown and wished she would be the type of girl who threw herself at him. The drug would have helped if only she’d stayed. He pulled the phone from his pocket, and snapped a picture as Prudence exited the room. He sent it to Seraphina.
A moment later the reply arrived. Lovely. Can I keep her?
He chuckled and sent another message. I don’t think she’s into that.
He sometimes wished he could have his one true friend on his arm on these nights. She would make the party exponentially more fun, also debaucherous.
Chapter Seven
The second Connie and Mikon were alone she began to strip the gown from her torso. "Mikon, for fuck’s sake. Help me get this thing off."
Her curses threw him into action, and he helped with the intricate buttons and zipper until the shimmering material lay at her feet in a puddle. Once she was down to her undergarments, he swung around to allow her privacy.
Connie stood in the middle of the room, alternating between clutching her fists and shaking out her hands frantically. "I think the bastard drugged me," she said after a few minutes.
He turned back to her. "What?"
"Yeah, something is wrong. I feel strange...needy."
She slid her eyes over to him making it impossible for him to miss her meaning. His own eyes rounded out in response as her lust radiated toward him like the scent of food.
She continued her rapid movements, jerking her arms about, and stomping her legs. "I don’t know how to get it to wear off. Mikon, check the database on your phone."
He fumbled in his pockets and brought out the device, quickly searching for drugs heightening sexual arousal. "Found it. Amareconstrictum, also known as Love, is a drug that heightens arousal and the senses of the user. The most effective method to counteract the drug is overload the senses...or sleep."
She stopped and stared at him before opening her arms wide. "There is no way I can go back out there like this. Knock me out."
He just stared at her. The man wasn’t understanding the situation properly apparently. "I’m on overdrive here. Since I can’t sleep with you, please just knock me out."
He opened his own arms to mirror hers. "What do you want me to do? Knock you out with my special mind powers? I don’t have such a thing. If you’d asked me a few weeks ago I’d have happily punched you but now... I can’t."
She blew out a frustrated breath and began to pace again. After a moment she approached Mikon. "Take off your shirt."
His face lost all color. "I can’t have sex. You know this."
"Yes, duh, but the thing said overload of the senses. I think if you just hold me, maybe we can back it off a bit or take the edge off."
He squinted down at her. "Do you have any idea what this will do?"
"I know if you don’t do something soon I’m going to walk back out there and let that bastard have his way with me."
Her words shot him into action. He quickly divested himself of his coat, tie, and shirt.
&nb
sp; It was more than awkward as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. Her head barely grazed his nipples, but all the muscles she got her hands on where perfectly formed and solid. She could hear his teeth grinding as she stepped closer, aligning their bodies so the most skin touched. He held himself stiff with his arms out. She wanted him to wrap around her as she did him. Feel him let go only to her. The thought took hold and it beat at her until she grabbed his arms and wrapped them around her corseted waist. His heart beat erratically under her ear, but his scent and heat helped ease the wash of the drug, slowly calming her senses. "I think it’s working," she whispered, snuggling closer.
"Good," he gritted out through clasped teeth.
"I’m sorry you’re not excited about touching me this way," she said, feeling regret for having to force herself into his arms.
A couple of heartbeats passed before he ripped himself from her embrace and launched across the room. She felt bereft without him, lost at sea without a lifeboat or one of those stupid bird things.
He hunched over on the other side of the room, clutching his knees.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" she asked, getting frustrated. She knew they couldn’t do anything, but she didn’t think he was actually repulsed by her. "I know you have to control yourself but I mean...I’m not completely unfortunate looking." She approached his back, but he held out an arm to keep her away.
"Why haven’t you read the freaking manual already?" he said, more to the carpet than to her.
"I lost that manual ages ago, okay. If it will make you feel better I’ll get another one and read the damn thing. What am I missing now? What other special Reaper thing did I mess with?"
He turned around and met her eyes, looking like he just ran a marathon in the space of a minute. "I already told you. The emotions thing... Remember?"
Realization skittered across her mind, and she cupped her hands to the bottom half of her face. "I’m so sorry. I couldn’t control it."
She groaned at the horror she felt—he felt. A multitude of thoughts shot through her head, most of them sexual, some of them embarrassing. This is why he probably didn’t have female friends.
"I know. It’s fine," he said.
"No, it’s embarrassing."
"I’ve seen worse. Really," he said, straightening to find his clothing.
"You’ve seen worse than a woman imagining various situations in which you feature erm...prominently?"
He grinned as he buttoned his shirt and tucked it in. "No, but regardless...still kind of flattering."
She rolled her eyes and searched for her own clothes. The drug was still in her system. A siren song to the wicked things her soul longed for, but the edge was off and the rest was just part of the job. At least she could sell the act when they went back out to Noah. "Help me, please," she said, sliding the dress around so he could fasten it.
"I’ve had more experience with women’s clothing tonight than I’ve ever had in my life."
"Really? So you didn’t do much before you took your vows?"
He zipped the back of her dress and stepped away while she rearranged it. "No," he said. "Not much. I’ve always had these abilities. It’s not good when a girl is wondering about your penis size while you’re kissing her. Very distracting."
Her eyes shot straight to his package and then back to his eyes. Oh, God.
"Not cool." He laughed.
She would never live this night down. If they remained partners then he’d always be able to ridicule her about the night she stared at his package while he knew exactly what she thought about it.
"Okay. We need a cover for what we were doing in here so Noah doesn’t get suspicious."
"We can go out discussing the church’s tithe and let him think it was a church official I was talking to," she said, arranging her hair.
"You should be talking on your phone. If he sees you talking to me about such things he won’t be cataloging me under 'servant.'"
She pursed her lips and stared off into space. Mikon was right. Noah needed to see him as a servant and someone who could easily blend into the background. If Mikon could somehow convince Noah he was harmless, when or if they happened to be alone together, he might be able to overhear or even talk to him about his operations. "No. I have an idea. Am I straight? Do I look alright?" she asked, fluffing her hair.
"Yeah, you look good. I mean...yeah. Fine," Mikon sputtered.
Back into the fray. She met his eyes once more. "Look, I’m really sorry. I know the drug is no excuse for my behavior. Thank you for being a gentleman about it."
He inclined his head.
She gave him a little grin, walked past him to the door, and then turned back and winked.
Chapter Eight
Mikon closed the door of the room carefully behind him and followed her out into the ballroom. People seemed like they were having fun even though this whole party had been planned at the last minute all with the church’s money. That part the guests didn’t know.
Connie approached Noah, who turned toward her wearing a huge smile. She stopped in front of him, launched a hand back, and slapped him hard across the face.
The ballroom went eerily silent. No music, no shifting, just utter silence in the aftermath of her smack.
Connie leaned in, and Mikon could barely make out the whisper, "You know what you did."
She swung around to him, wearing a scowl. "We are leaving."
He quickly nodded and followed her out. They exited the party silently, him following her at a respectable distance. Once they cleared the building, he grabbed her arm and spun her back. "What the hell?"
She ripped her arm from his grip. "First off, don’t grab me like again unless you want punched in the teeth. Secondly, by drugging me he set me up for his next mark, and he never waivers from a mark once he’s decided on her. Tomorrow evening I’ll have at least a few dozen bouquets of flowers and messages from him asking for forgiveness and a second chance. None of his marks play hard to get. I’m about to be the best game in the world to this creep and by slapping him, I hooked him."
Mikon blinked a few times taking in her words. She’d gone over Hannock’s file almost fifty times. If anyone knew his motives, it would be her. "Fine, but if you just cost us this con you will be thinking of a backup plan. I will not rest until this man is brought to justice."
Connie met his eyes until he had to look away.
"You know you piss me off more than anyone I have ever met. My father included," he grumbled, before passing her to open the back door of the sleek black sedan. He climbed in after her and the confined space instantly made him regret his decision not to drive himself. The way her breasts felt pressed against his belly would forever be imprinted in his memory, and it was not the appropriate thing to think about while fighting with her.
"I am capable of making my own decisions, you know. We are partners. You aren’t calling the shots here," she said, staring out the window as the buildings passed in a blur.
The anger she felt was astounding. He’d only met a few people who could get so angry and keep from exploding. "I never said you weren’t. I just wish you would discuss things with me before you go off and do them. Isn’t that how you lost your last soul?"
She turned to face him, the rustle of her gown making it impossible for him to concentrate.
Yup, touched a nerve.
"You have no right to bring up anything in my personal past. How dare you? I made a call out there and you will see it was the correct one. When you do, you will owe me an apology." She slumped into the leather and crossed her arms under her breasts. Those absolutely perfect breasts.
He shook himself physically to get his mind out of the gutter. "Are you going to pout now because I called you out?"
"I’m going to pout now because I wasted a perfectly beautiful dress on such a craptastic night. Is that alright with you? Is that beyond my decision making quota for the evening?"
Mikon dropped his head into his hands
. This woman was maddening. Nothing on Earth he could say would keep her from arguing with him. She wanted to fight, and there was nothing he could say to stop it. "We’ll finish this conversation at the hotel," he said.
"Whatever," she muttered, turning back to the window.
The ride was fairly fast. Since the start of the undercover operation they had been staying at the city’s nicest and oldest standing hotel, The Algonquin. Once the car stopped, Mikon climbed out and held the door open for her to exit. She walked right past him into the hotel, leaving the door to close in his face.
Patience, Mikon, patience.
Once they were in the hotel room everything was a different story. He ripped the tie from his neck and tossed it on a waiting chair next to his bed. "What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you acting like this?"
"Like what? Like I have a partner who is going to question my every decision for this whole damn case and who knows how many more cases?"
She swung her back toward him and began to undress. At this point privacy didn’t even matter, and he had no idea how she would react if he left the room. "I made a quick decision, yes," she said as she unzipped her gown. "But I made it based on fact, not emotion. He will come here tomorrow looking for me. I guarantee it. And will you freaking help me." She let go of the zipper and dropped her arms.
He approached and quickly finished unfastening her dress. She pushed it down and stepped out of the material. In only a moment she was almost half naked and removing her stockings.
He couldn’t handle this. Not after the onslaught to her senses earlier in the evening. It was all more than he’d faced in almost a lifetime. "I’m going into the bathroom until you’re done changing," he said, heading toward the open door.
He heard her let out a sigh as he closed the door behind him. There was no way he could keep this up. His body practically hummed when he got near her. All he wanted to do was lay her down on the huge bed and see what sort of delicious noises he could wring from her beautiful mouth.