Into The Spirit

by Marie Harte

  “But I’ll have to sing.”

  It wasn’t a question, but Tab nodded. “Yep, and I’ve heard you singing with my iPod. You are going to rock the house.” In fact, Dare was going to have males lining up to do much more than listen to her sing.

  Evie’s was an immortal burlesque club, but in reality, Evie’s offered anything and everything.

  Tab brushed her hair off her face and squinted at the two huge guards outside the club’s double doors. They both gave her a grin and a two-finger salute.

  Yeah, the men were badasses, but she knew them both. Sometimes the immortal world was way too small. She’d been to Evie’s before. She didn’t hook up, and she didn’t pay for sex since she’d never had sex, but the parties here were legendary. She’d spent nights drinking alcohol mixed with spells that promised to take her mind off her troubles. They had, too—for a while.

  Dare moved closer to her side, clearly still pissed off, but now worried, too. Tab felt a bit sorry for her, but she wasn’t going to back down. In the immortal world, Dare needed to know she had to be tough. She had to be able to stand on her own because she could never know when she would be on her own.

  “Listen, just stay silent until I give you the signal.”

  That earned her an immediate frown. “The signal?” Dare glanced at the men at the door, then met her gaze again.

  “Yeah, remember? When Evie turns hardass and tries to toss us out, you need to walk up on the stage and bust out with something hot.” They’d discussed this already—more than once. Evie didn’t like to owe favours. She liked people to owe her favours. She collected, too. Rumour held that most of her singers, heck, all of the immortals who worked inside the club, did so because they had once crossed Evie and were now paying for whatever favours she’d given. Evie would not like to owe Dare. But Tab was betting on her being desperate enough to take the witch on for an even trade. Sing for protection. At least that was the plan back in New England. Now, as they stood outside Evie’s club, ready to walk into the lioness’s den, the idea seemed a bit lame.

  “Fuck it. We have to do this. I told you, Sorcha said only a few days. We need you safe, right? Or would you rather be back in the chalice, watching Ares doing whatever he does?”

  Dare swallowed loudly and shook her head.

  “Fine, then come on.” Tab took off at a brisk walk, sure that Dare was glaring at her back, but it was time to up the witch’s involvement in this deal.

  “Tabithia, I just can’t—”

  “Yes, actually, you can.” Tab spun and dragged Dare closer by her slinky tube top. “Look, I saved your ass. I’m willing to help you, but you gotta help yourself. I’m not risking the wrath of a god for a wuss. So, grow a set and step up to the plate, little girl. It’s time to play ball.” She pulled Dare just that little bit closer so they were nose to nose and she could smell Dare’s pink, bubble-gum lipgloss. “Now, when I throw my hands up and turn to stalk away from the woman, you will sing.”

  Dare blinked, pursed her lips into a pout and narrowed her green eyes. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

  “Yeah, you know what? I knew you would.” Tab released Dare’s bright pink and white tube top and adjusted the front so it was just a bit lower over her bosom before stepping back. Dare had fought her on the outfit, but the woman rocked in the top with the sexy little ultra-miniskirt and beat-up cowboy boots. With bare legs, bare arms and burgundy hair long enough to cover her eyes and touch her jaw, the witch looked hot in an innocent, oh-am-I-sexy way.

  “Just why couldn’t I wear what you have on?”

  Tab groaned and fisted her hands. Yeah, she rocked. She’d picked out a pair of red and white leather low-rise pants and a matching top that was basically a bra made of leather. Her red leather jacket matched the blood colour of the pants. Her tattoo glittered along her torso, the red drops of blood along the thorns standing out against her pale skin. She’d donned her jade and silver belly button ring and looped a silver chain connected to the loop in the ring around her waist. Silver beads hung from her red hair, clinking when she turned her head. Two small blue swirls adorned her neck beneath her jaw, the swirls disappearing down her collarbone. The added protection beefed up her own magic and made walking into the club less intimidating. Basically, she dressed for success at Evie’s.

  “Because I am not on display. You are.”

  Dare blinked rapidly and grinned. “You aren’t? You look hot.”

  She did? She snapped her attention back on Dare’s stalling techniques.

  “Focus on the plan, Dare. The plan.”

  Dare nodded quickly.

  “Great. So, just keep your revenge in mind. I mean, you hafta have a lot of pent-up pissed-offness going on. You said Ares had women over—use that. Swing those hips and make the males in the joint salivate, ‘kay?”

  Dare visibly shuddered and looked miserable, but nodded.

  Tabithia threw her hands up. “And for fuck’s sake, look happier will you?”

  “Tabithia!”

  Tab ignored Dare’s gasp and headed to the door. Both men gave her a nod. One opened the door while the other bent to unhook the velvet cord.

  “Tabithia, it’s nice to see you back.”

  “Yeah, missed me, did ya?” She tossed her hair and smiled up at him.

  The bigger of the two mountains grinned and winked. “Always. Evie is expecting you.”

  So much for her hope that there was some privacy as to why she was here. This might not be good. If Evie was already up for the bargain, then Tab might be walking into a trap. Along with the rumours of debt-dealing, Evie was known for playing the game with such skill no one could out-bargain her. Shit.

  “Thanks.”

  The bigger guy tipped his head to Dare. “She the one you want to sing?”

  Tab tossed the guy a killer smile and watched his dark eyes dip to the tops of her breasts and snag there before reaching her eyes again. Aeros did that. He seemed to like her breasts. She’d never noticed men doing that before. She liked Aeros doing it much more than this guy.

  She narrowed her eyes up at him. “Yep.”

  His partner whistled low.

  “Damn.”

  “Yep, she’s hot, sweet, and melts on the tongue, boys.”

  Dare’s eyes about popped out of her sockets when the guys both laughed.

  “Nice. Good luck, hot cheeks.”

  “Hot cheeks?” Dare hissed, almost running into Tab when she slowed down inside the entryway.

  “Watch it. Yeah, hot cheeks. Get used to it. Until you hit that stage, the hired help will give you shit.”

  “Hired help? I hope you don’t mean me, Tabbie-cat.”

  Reesie. Tab laughed and turned back to face the star of Evie’s. Dressed in a silky, plum-coloured dress that would have made the Pussy Cat Dolls die with envy, Reesie was the picture of sex goddess and porn star all rolled up into one powerful little package. If she sneezed, the thing would no doubt slink down to her tiny, perfectly high-heeled feet.

  “Reesie Cup, how’s it hanging?”

  Reesie tossed her long, perfectly smooth and straight, auburn hair over her shoulder and narrowed her porn-star eyes at Dare, then zeroed back in on Tab.

  Tab smiled at the other woman. Standing behind what was basically the check-in desk, Reesie was putting in her time—a demotion of sorts for some sort of fallout between her and Evie.

  “Lost, are you? I think the bar fights are down the street.”

  “Hey, don’t take out your bad luck on me, chica. I just got here. Is Evie around?”

  Reesie’s eyes flickered to Dare, then down at a clipboard she held. She clicked her long, purple nails on the desk, checked the list and muttered something. Her gaze met Tab’s again. Yep, they were in. Tab kept her glee to a minimum.

  “Ah, yes, so we’re in, huh? Can you give Evie a call or should we go in and mingle a bit?”

  “Go in, mingle. She’ll find you, no doubt.” Reesie put a whole lot of bite into the sentence, no doubt not
happy they could so easily enter the sacred stomping grounds of singers like her.

  Tab resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Instead, she grinned.

  “Cheers, sounds like fun. Try not to get too bored out here.”

  “Tabithia, I doubt you’ll like it when your little rock-star self ends up flat on her ass.”

  “Oh, I seriously doubt you could pull that off, Reesie Cup, but you go ahead and give it a whirl.”

  Reesie had some skill, but no way was she in the same power grid as Tabithia, and they both knew it.

  A door opened. Behind them, she heard male voices. Tab used the distraction to salute Reesie and head into the club.

  “Guess you have some time to put in, huh, peanut?”

  “Yes, Tabbie, we all do.”

  The bite in the tone made Tabithia hesitate for only a moment. Whatever. Tab had already put in her time. She grabbed Dare by the arm and barrelled on. This job needed to be done, and, until she secured Dare, she couldn’t get on with her plan. Her plan. Yeah, Aeros. She’d heard from friends that he’d been looking for her—all over. Yet her phone hadn’t rung. Not once. What the hell didn’t even come close. Was he simply looking for her because he knew he needed Dare back? Was he disgusted by her now? A man as powerful as Aeros had never had to make the choice between doing the honourable thing and doing the right thing, had he? Or choosing which honourable thing to do? She had led them to the chalice. It had been there, Aeros could have snagged it. No one had said anything about making sure whatever was in the chalice stayed in the chalice.

  Ah, god, she was splitting hairs. But what else could she do?

  The inside of Evie’s whooshed over them in a blast of cooler air and deep, methodical bass tingling the eardrums, soaking under the skin to rush along the bones. The music threaded through the dimness and the strobe lights dodging through the immortals in the club. Three women occupied the stage with two men, the stage glamorous to the extreme. Everything and everyone you wanted could be found within Evie’s realm. Each room, each doorway led to another area of the club that sated different needs. Tab had only been in this main room and hadn’t ventured deeper. She might’ve been a wicked partier, might not pass up a dare, but she knew her limits. Evie’s was a dare she wasn’t willing to take.

  Above their heads, small one-person gilded cages holding painted dancers hung from the cathedral ceilings. The silver, gold and bright jewel colours caught the eye, and the women and men dancing in the cages snagged the attention.

  The place was packed—full to the brim—and didn’t look the worse for lacking singers. Why had she thought it would? Obviously, the singers were important, but the other offerings were still available, still as strong a lure as ever, she imagined. Shit. Had she misjudged the need for a singer? Could she hide Dare here?

  Tab doubted Aeros had ever shadowed the doorway of this establishment. Would he think to look here? How could he? And, if he did look here, she’d know. She’d been careful. Hunter, a coven pal, had her back. If Aeros was on her tail, Hunter would let her know.

  At least that was the idea. And much like her plan to hide Dare here, she worried over that as well.

  The song on the stage took on a very sexy tone, the vibe so hot that the patrons in the room were barely touching their drinks. Instead there was some major petting going on. What would it be like to have sex in public? Let the dark of the club hide them as they enjoyed each other to the intoxicating beat of the music?

  Had she just thought that?

  “Tabithia?”

  Yeah, mind on the game, Tabbie. Aeros was screwing up her voodoo.

  “Follow me.” Tab made a beeline for the bar. The bartenders weren’t any she knew. Tall, dressed according to the ‘vests and no shirt’ dress code of the club, they all looked more ready for a roll in the bed than for mixing a good martini.

  “What can I get you, sweet?”

  She resisted the eye roll and ordered two lemon drop martinis. Dare bumped into her side. The woman was on edge.

  “Sit down, we’ll wait here. Evie will be here soon. Watch the act a bit. See what you think.”

  Dare swung her head around to glare at Tabithia in disbelief. She’d already been watching the stage. “You think I can do that?”

  “Well, I assume that’s what she thought.” Laughter spilled over the husky timbres of Evie’s voice, making light of Dare’s hissed question.

  Ah, shit. Showtime—and Tabithia hadn’t even got to sip her alcohol.

  “Evie.” Evie, the owner and badass herself, stood only five foot four, if that, and wore enough makeup to make the glamour girls envious. Her eyes were lined with black, the line extending out at the corner to her dark hair line. She’d brightened the line with blue, making her appear like she wore a mask. Rows of twists held her hair back from her face with more of the blue worked through the locks to keep them in place. She wore a black corset lined in white fur along the shoulder straps. The laces of the corset continued on down the front of a gown that she looked poured into. Basically she rocked and made Tab feel grungy.

  “This is Dare. I spoke to you concerning her singing. She simply wasn’t prepared for the glamour of your establishment.”

  “Ah, I see.” Evie nodded and switched to Tabithia’s ancient coven’s tongue without missing a beat. “Too kind, Tabithia. I didn’t realise you frequented my establishment.”

  Er, yeah. That sucked. Evie obviously knew a great deal about the Jade coven—and her. But Tab hadn’t walked in unaware. Evie had once been a coven leader—not of her Jade coven, but of an Irish family steeped in tradition. Tab had been able to uncover that Evie had left her coven when the members, hoping to gain immortality, had fallen to the Death Stalkers. Evie’s coven had toppled her leadership, entombed her beneath their coven’s ancestral home in Ireland and made deals with the Death Stalkers. Obviously, Evie had gained her freedom. Now she straddled the immortal world and held the keys to keeping different factions of immortals at peace—at least within her club.

  Tab couldn’t discover how Evie had managed to create the club, let alone how she’d broken out of her early burial. The missing information made her uneasy but what was she to do? This was the only place on this plane of existence she could think to hide Dare.

  “True. Your offerings are a bit above my pay grade.”

  Evie’s red lips tipped upward in a smile that didn’t reach her light eyes. “Ah, I see. You seek your entertainment elsewhere. Pleasure is sometimes as painful as pain, my dear. You should give it a try.” She turned her attention back to Dare, and Tab swore she felt her heart start up again.

  “You have power.” Evie tipped her head to the side and narrowed her eyes, assessing Dare in a way that made Dare square her shoulders and meet the other woman’s eyes directly. Good. Dare was timid, but underneath she hid a will of iron.

  Evie nodded slightly and shifted her powerful gaze back on Tab.

  “You seek a singer. I have one.”

  “You have one. Interesting choice of words.” Evie nodded to their drinks. “Drink up. Feel free to mingle, my dear, while I speak with Tabithia. No one can touch you here.”

  Dare stiffened, but nodded when Tab met her eyes.

  “I’ll be back in a few.” This was not going as planned, was it? Dare nodded, seeming to realise they had to adjust the flow of bargaining.

  “Why don’t we talk somewhere more private?”

  Dare dug her nails into her wrist for a brief moment, but, with Tab’s hand out of sight, Evie couldn’t see. After a few seconds, Dare eased her death grip.

  Evie sauntered away on impossibly high heels.

  “Dare, calm it. We gotta roll with this, chica. Don’t look so scared. You did good.”

  “What if…someone tries to take me?”

  Tab blinked. This was what worried Dare? “No one, I repeat no one can touch you if you don’t want them to. You’re a witch—A. B? You’re in Evie’s club. She’d ban them, and believe me, no one wants that. So, C? You�
��re a powerful witch. So relax and do your part.”

  Dare met and held her gaze for what seemed like an eternity. Slowly, she relaxed back against the bar and nodded. “Good to know.”

  Good to know? Bridget save her. “Just do your part.”

  “I’ll sing. Better than they are.” She nodded with her chin and sipped her drink, eyes already on the stage, sizing up the competition.

  “Good. Good.” For the first time since leaving Aeros buried in the jungle, Tab felt like something might be going right.

  And maybe, just maybe, I’ll see my Spartan before he finds me.

  My Spartan? Holy shit.

  She took off after Evie’s disappearing back, her heart beating with more excitement than she should allow. But heck, what if Aeros could forgive her for leaving him, taking his prize and burying him under a pile of rock? Heck, things weren’t that bad, were they? He might have got out without getting buried after all.

  Evie opened a door to a darkly lit hallway. Tab followed her in, trying to tamp the excitement so she could get her bargaining up to snuff.

  “So, you want to hide a witch from a Greek god.”

  The ‘oh shit’ moment lasted much longer than Tab wanted but, hit with the double dose of Evie’s words and Aeros sitting in the shadows watching her from Evie’s private office, a girl could be forgiven.

  Tab thought she did pretty damn good just keeping her jaw from dropping.

  Chapter Sixteen

  A little while earlier…

  “You’re not going to like it, but I found Tabithia.”

  Aeros’ grip threatened to break the steering wheel of the SUV. Slowly, one finger at a time, he eased the tension in his hands.

  “Tell me.”

  “Evie’s. She just rolled up on her bike with a redhead. They argued a bit outside the shop, then both entered. Five minutes ago tops.”

  Five minutes. Five minutes she’d been in Evie’s club surrounded by sex-hungry immortals wanting to hook up—wanting to hook up with her. Sonofabitch.

  He was out of the SUV and at the entrance before he registered his feet hitting the pavement. The bouncers both took one look at him and unlatched the door. His hands slapped against wood, nearly breaking the door down on his way past. Two steps inside and a small woman behind a desk gave him one look and motioned to an ornate door. Cool air hit him as soon as he pushed the double doors open. Cool air and perfume, smoke, liquor and bodies.