“How do we mask my smell and your slayer mojo?”
“His slayer mojo is gone,” said Lorenzo. He looked to me and inhaled deeply. “You just smell like lemons. A tiny bit annoying, but not like perfume.”
I looked at Ryan in the mirror. “The soap you told me to use?”
He nodded, and I blew out a breath.
“Those shoes are going to kill my feet. Any problems with me levitating a little to take the weight off my feet?”
“Try not to. Katya and her people will feel the magic.”
Before we left, Ryan shooed everyone out, including Lorenzo, and walked into the bathroom with a pen. He pulled some toilet paper off the roll, stepped to the sink, and carefully wrote,
Rinaldo will have shapeshifters there to watch us. I have two people in the area I trust, but they won’t be inside. Don’t get too comfortable. I trust you, you trust me. We need them, but can’t fully trust them.
I was about to take the pen to ask about Lorenzo, when he continued on another piece of toilet paper.
R will take Lorenzo off the playing board if he intends to hurt you. You can mostly trust L, but not in a crunch.
I met his gaze and nodded. He looked at me a few seconds, debating, and then ran the paper under running water in the sink, tore it apart into dozens of pieces, wadded it into a few small balls, and flushed it.
“Oh, and bears are bad. We haven’t brought any in, so if we run into them, consider them the enemy.”
“I can’t always tell what kind of shifter.”
“Use your damned nose while you have it.”
“I don’t have enough experience doing that. I smell lots of things, but have no idea what I’m smelling!”
“You can tell big shifter versus small, right?’
“Usually. I’m not always right.”
“If I sense bears, I’ll start talking about my brother’s bees.”
A limo picked us up outside the hotel and dropped us off a few blocks away at the Imperial Playhouse. I wanted to stop and look around, but I forced myself to act casual. Ryan gave me his arm, which I held onto. I focused on being his trophy wife, forced to dress glamorous, pushing myself to look self-confident, but really shy inside.
Every other row of the playhouse was used for patrons, so the wait staff could walk down the row in front of us and see to our needs. Temporary tables were put onto the back of the chairs in front of us so they could serve finger foods and drinks, and we were entertained on the stage with a Cirque type show that started out family friendly and didn’t end that way at all.
Between acts, we were reminded why we were there, thanked for our generous donations, and shown small films of where and how the money was used.
I sensed shifter a few times, but never sensed a vampire. I’d been shown a picture of Katerina, but I didn’t see her.
It wasn’t until the show was over and we’d used our backstage passes that I saw the old vampire. She was at least six or eight inches taller than me, and about the same height as Ryan. She was wearing four-inch heels, and I figure Ryan is right at six feet tall, so that would put her at five-eight.
And her beauty nearly took my breath away. Her hair was a dark strawberry blonde. Not quite a ginger, but heading in that direction. Her complexion was flawless. Her figure was full of curves, but I could see well-defined arm muscles. She might have guards all around her, but I doubted she needed them.
Ryan flirted with both the male and female performers, and it was as if he was a different person — animated, emotional, likeable. Nothing about him even hinted at the always-watchful, silent, stony ramparts he usually showed. I spoke when I had to, and tried to blush when someone flirted. I clung to Ryan, and he chuckled and treated me like his property.
Which shouldn’t have turned me on, but it did. I decided to go with it, figuring it’d help make us a believable couple to any supernaturals.
To be clear, no way did I want to take things farther, but the role play was working for me.
I’d ended up choosing a high-necked dress with a cut-out that showed my cleavage. I hoped the necklace would stay hidden, and I wanted to give it every opportunity to do so.
The necklace has a mind of its own, though, and I didn’t know it’d resurfaced on the outside of my dress until Katerina walked towards me with purpose, her eyes on my throat.
“A human wearing Freya’s necklace?” she asked casually, her eyes boring into mine. “I do hope you’ll join me for a meal so you can tell me how it came to you.”
A meal.
Not just no, but hell fucking no.
But I had to answer her, so I smiled and lifted my chin. “The story around the necklace is personal, you understand. How did you know to speak to me in English?”
“I heard you talking earlier — the most adorable southern accent, and a wall around your brain I can’t get through. It’s as if you and your husband aren’t human. I’m intrigued.”
Ryan stepped to me and put his arm around me, and I leaned into him and let him talk.
“What else could we be? Surely you aren’t one of those people who believe in aliens?”
I felt her pressing my shields, and I squeezed Ryan’s hand in warning and hoped he’d know what I was about to do. Mordecai had taught me to step into the nothingness and right back in an instant. A fraction of a second. Humans wouldn’t notice, but a vampire certainly would, and it would keep her from trying to dig through my walls.
I went out and back three times — two is a signal I need Mordecai, three isn’t.
Katerina took a step back and glared, but I just leaned into Ryan even harder. “It’s happening again,” I whispered to him in a strong Southern accent, “Like I’m blinkin’ on and off. I’m not on my meds anymore, it cain’t be them.”
“You’ll be fine, Chrissie.” He looked up to Katerina. “If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to take my wife to the lounge so she can sit down a few moments.”
“I’d love to talk with the two of you some more. I’ll bring some snacks. Perhaps she had too much to drink?”
“Perhaps. Thanks so much for the offer, but she’s on a special diet.”
My mind went through every scenario, and I could see no reason to hide the fact I knew what she was and wanted to know more about her. A few well-placed questions and I was certain she’d find out who now owns Freya’s necklace.
I stepped away from Ryan, met her gaze, and said, “Katerina? Yes?”
She lifted her brows. “Yes. And you are?”
“A friend of Gabby Lepori. She’s hunting a serial killer and I’m hoping to be able to tell her she isn’t hunting her father. Can you help me with that?”
Katerina’s posture changed, less confronting and more suggestive. She gave me a slow, focused smile. “Kirsten O’Shea? In the flesh? I expected you’d be taller.”
I laughed. “I’m certain those tasked with my safety are scrambling right about now, as I’ve gone off script, but I see no reason for a charade. Can you arrange a meeting between me and Dwight Lepori?”
“So you can kill him? No, he’s much too valuable. I understand you’re responsible for Gavin losing the opportunity?”
“He hurt someone I care about.”
“Ah, the message being that you also care about Gabby, and I’ve now been warned not to hurt her?”
I smiled. “Take it however you want. In different circumstances, I think we’d be friends.”
She looked at Ryan. “He isn’t your husband. Nor is he the Dragon King, Lion King, Monkey King, Mordecai, Adonis, or a lone wolf of negligible power — and yet, he’s trusted to protect you?”
Her hand went to her throat, and I remembered the old texts talking about the large necklace she wore.
My hand went to my chest and the necklace was warm. Warmer than my skin. “It showed itself because it once chose you.”
She tilted her head, and it could’ve meant anything, but her eyes told me I was right.
“Did it leave you? Or did
you give it away?”
“I have many theories about the intelligence and power it wields. Much like the One Ring, I believe it’s trying to find its way back to its original Mistress.”
“Was it always helpful, or did it betray to further its mission?”
“What would you give me for the information?”
“What would you accept as payment?”
She looked at Ryan, and I said, “He won’t sleep with you.”
“You’re so certain?”
I was beginning to tire of the conversation. “If I was certain you’d done the things we believe you have, I’d kill you now and get it over with.”
Abbott had once warned me against threatening a Strigorii vampire, and I saw her fight for control. Her eyes flashed scary a split second and I sensed her drawing power around her like a cloak.
Or a bomb.
“In front of all these people? Really?”
I could explode her head and law enforcement couldn’t prove it was me. Granted, I’d only be able to do it in public one time, but if I could stop the big battle by killing her, I’d do it.
However, I wasn’t positive she was in charge, and even if she was, there were likely others who’d step in and lead.
My peripheral vision caught motion off to my left, but I didn’t look away from Katerina. Ryan would have to handle whoever was coming at us.
But then the motions slowed, and the man stepped so I could see him while he walked to us — one of the male performers dressed in a fake fur loincloth.
And then I looked away from Katerina, because it wasn’t a male performer.
20
My gaze met Xaephan’s.
“You can’t kill her, Chère.”
“I shouldn’t, but I can.”
“Tomato, tomahto. You can’t.”
I sighed. “Why are you here?”
“To try to keep my favorite hot-headed little human from getting herself into a mess no one can get her out of. Tell me you won’t kill her.”
“What do you have to offer?”
“One of the favors you owe me, in exchange for not killing her.”
I opened my mouth to agree, but shut it and considered his statement from all angles.
“I’ll agree not to kill her on purpose in this building for the next three hours, unless forced to do so in self-defense.”
He grinned. “Not what I said.”
“No, but it’s what I’ll agree to.”
“You’ll agree not to kill her for the next year — one trip around your sun, in exchange for one favor.”
“No deal.”
“Six months for a half a favor.”
I shook my head. No deal.
“Chère.” I was trying his patience. He looked to Ryan and back to me. “Half a favor, one week.”
“The rest of the night, in this building, with the already mentioned terms.”
He put his arm around me and I had to work hard not to lean into him. “One half of a favor. Done.”
I felt my soul grow lighter, and breathed out in relief. I hadn’t really wanted to kill her. I’d felt I needed to, but killing people weighs on my soul. Rinaldo said she was bad, and Ryan seemed to agree, but I needed to know more before I killed such an ancient being.
“Looks like you get a reprieve,” I told Katerina.
She glared at Xaephan. “You stand with her and not me?”
“I stand with her to keep you alive.”
“A human?” She said it as if the very idea was ludicrous.
“She bested Gavin, my darling Warrior Queen. Remind me again how things turned out the last time you came up against your sibling?”
She glared at me. “He thought you a friend and wasn’t expecting it.”
I tilted my head. “Perhaps.”
She narrowed her eyes at Xaephan. “What are you up to, Demon?”
He gave her a happy smile and tugged me closer. “Keeping you alive. I’m going to walk my pet human and her associate back to their hotel and take in some of the delights of Copenhagen at night. I bid you adieu.”
No one said anything until we were outside, and I stepped to the edge of the concrete to look out over the water. “Why are you really here?”
“You showed your hand because you knew she’d ask around to find out who has Freya’s necklace?”
“Yes. I’d rather confront her here, now, than have her show up at my house.”
“She isn’t someone to play with.”
“Neither am I. How many people have been kicked out of Hell?”
He chuckled. “Not many, Luv.”
“You’re only supposed to call me that when you aren’t being an asshole.”
“Your pet Slayer is debating the best way to kill me.”
I sighed and turned to Ryan. “You can’t.”
“Not here, out in the open,” he agreed.
“No, you can’t. There’s this balance between demons and angels and good gods versus the evil ones, and…” I sighed. “If you fuck with the balance, bad stuff happens. He’s a big deal and killing him would have horrible repercussions. You really and truly can’t kill him without making things worse.”
Lorenzo joined us, and Xaephan said, “I didn’t think your lion would let you get too far away from his influence.”
“Clearly, you haven’t been keeping up.”
“You tortured people, he turned into a giant pussy, and now he won’t spend time with you. That sum it up?”
Okay. He was up to speed.
“Xaephan, meet Lorenzo. Lorenzo, Xaephan.” I met Lorenzo’s gaze. “I have no idea what his agenda is. I’m fairly certain he won’t kill us, but beyond that, I give him zero trust.”
“We’re expected elsewhere.” He looked at Xaephan, clearly displeased. “You need to go back to Hell, Demon.”
“I’m coming with you to speak with Rinaldo.” Xaephan’s clothing had morphed from loincloth to tux, so he looked like one of us, walking down the sidewalk.
Truth be told, even though I didn’t trust Xaephan not to trick me, I totally trusted him to help keep me alive, and I felt safer with him around. I realized I shouldn’t, but I did.
“You’ve threatened to kill two powerful vampires in the past twenty-four hours,” Ryan said from behind us. “This is not conducive to staying alive.”
“The Slayer has a point, Chère.” Xaephan sighed. “You and Mordecai? Really?”
“I’m not talking to you about that. Who called you here?”
“No one you know. One of my human pets.”
“I’m not one of your pets, you know.”
He sighed again. “A pity.”
A limo slid beside us and stopped. Lorenzo opened the door. Rinaldo was inside, and I found I didn’t want to get in with him.
“I’d rather walk, I think.”
“My people gathered your things from your room and checked you out. Staying in the same hotel as Katya is no longer safe.”
Ryan got in before me and motioned me in. I followed, Xaephan was next, and Lorenzo came in last. I wondered who was driving, but didn’t ask.
Rinaldo and Xaephan stared at each other, and I said, “Xaephan, Rinaldo. Rinaldo, Xaephan.”
“Nebuchadnezzar and I are well acquainted.”
“What do you want, demon?”
When some people say the word demon, you can hear them capitalizing it. Rinaldo said it as if the word were inconsequential. Not even as important as trash.
Instead of answering, Xaephan asked, “You’re joining forces with the Dragon King this time?”
Rinaldo merely stared at Xaephan. Vampires have taken the poker face to an art form.
“You aren’t, but are pretending to?” Xaephan’s smile told me he was having more fun with this than he should.
“I think he’s straddling the fence until he’s a little more certain of who’ll win,” said Ryan. “He wanted to meet Kirsten, and now he’s curious about the ties between her and Mordecai.”
I c
ouldn’t see that this conversation would accomplish anything. No one in the vehicle trusted anyone else. Talking about it wasn’t going to change anything. “Where are we going?”
“The airport. While Katerina’s away, we should check out her most fortified residence, where Dwight Lepori is most likely held.”
“We won’t get within ten miles without being spotted,” said Ryan.
Rinaldo looked to me. “If we fly over it and you get a visual of the interior courtyard, can you flash the two of us there?”
“Assuming you’re a thousand percent positive she doesn’t have protections against it, I can flash the two of us and Ryan.”
He wore an elegant black suit tonight, and he absentmindedly adjusted his tie when he sat back.
I studied him a little closer. The suit was black, the shirt and tie different shades of charcoal. No color, but it was more than that. The black-and-white effect of his suit seemed to extend to his skin.
“You haven’t fed?”
A quick flash told me he wasn’t happy I could tell, but he covered it with a relaxed smile, as if he was amused with me. “I work better hungry, especially when I’m holding in my power signature. Most humans can’t tell.”
It felt like the last sentence had power in it, as if he was trying to strongly suggest I explain how I’d been able to tell. I ignored it.
“What do you expect to happen when I flash the three of us into Katerina’s courtyard? And what makes you so certain we won’t end up in a dungeon I can’t get us out of?”
Ryan was doing something on his phone, and he looked up, waiting for Rinaldo to answer.
Rinaldo sighed. “I have those protections on a few of my properties, but I hadn’t considered the fact you’d be constrained by them. It’s possible she does.”
I lifted my brows. He’d just managed to get me to admit to a weakness. I needed to do better.
“Her property on Ibiza has those protections,” said Ryan, “if that’s where you’d planned to take us.”
“Non. The one in the Canary Isles. Only the garage and a small courtyard are visible from the air. The rest of the complex is underground.”
“He isn’t there,” said Ryan. “I believe he’s either on Ibiza or Milos.”
Infinitely Human Page 15