Fury of a Phoenix (The Nix Series Book 1)

by Shannon Mayer

  He flushed as I strode past him.

  I waved at the men. “Nice meeting you, Killian.”

  “Charmed, lass.” He gave me a nod.

  Good enough.

  I reached the front door and the bag of gear Barron had set out for me in a large backpack. I slung it up onto my back, testing the weight. Thirty pounds. Maybe a little more. Everything would be wrapped individually, but hiking back into Lincoln Heights was going to be a bitch with that much weight. The drive had been over an hour, which meant the walk would take me into the night.

  The murmur of deep male voices rolled from the kitchen to me, as I let myself out the front door. I didn’t care what business Barron did with Killian. It kept my old friend alive, which was good for me. I had a feeling I was going to need him again, so whatever kept him on this side of the dirt was in my best interest.

  Killian’s SUV was massive, almost more Hummer than SUV, and as I walked by, I couldn’t help but peek in the front seat. No one waited for the Irish gangster. I pulled my bag off my back and dug around fast. Just because I wasn’t going to fight with Killian, didn’t mean knowing where he was wouldn’t hurt.

  I slid the bag off my shoulder and dug around in it until I found one of the magnetic GPS trackers. I flicked it on and tucked it underneath the passenger side door. The magnet in it was strong enough that it jumped from my hand to the metal.

  I smiled, stood, and started down the driveway. Always good to keep an eye on your allies in case they decided to become enemies.

  I was at the front gate before the sound of a large engine starting up turned me around. The big vehicle did a fast U-turn in the driveway and headed my way. I stepped off the path.

  The SUV slowed and the back window rolled down. Killian crooked his finger.

  “We need to talk, lass.” He opened the door to the big black SUV.

  “Nah, I’m good. Thanks.”

  He reached out and I stepped back, and pulled Eleanor before he could so much as blink. “I said, I’m good.”

  He stared at me. “I’d heard you were a fast draw.”

  “Fastest in the west.” I didn’t lower the gun. “We are not friends; we are not enemies. What I do will benefit you. That’s all you need to know.”

  His gaze didn’t waver from me. “I want to know what it takes to turn a Romano on their own.”

  “Why does it matter?”

  “Because I don’t trust that he took something from you. Which means I don’t trust you. Which means you might be an enemy after all.”

  “Again, what does it matter? I’m not working for or with you.”

  He smiled. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend. So you are my friend, or you are my enemy. Which is it?”

  “Neither.” I flicked the tip of my gun at him. “Get going, Irish. I have work to do. People to kill. I’d prefer for now you weren’t on that list.” I paused for effect, thinking fast. “Unless you want to tell me about a certain movie studio.”

  He leaned back. “One that belongs to your father?”

  “To Romano, yes.” I nodded and let my gun fall. “You know where it is?”

  “I might,” he gave me a slow smile. “What will you give me for the information you’re looking for?”

  “An exchange of information. And I want a ride out of here, seeing as Barron took all my money.” I tucked Eleanor away and stepped into the truck, over him. I set the bag between us, but did not put on my seatbelt. Who knew when I might have to jump out the window, or over the middle seats to take the wheel?

  Killian shook his head. “Where to?”

  “Outskirts of Lincoln Heights will do fine.” Close enough that my walk would only be twenty minutes to the apartment, far enough away that I wasn’t taking them to my doorstep.

  “You heard her, lads.” He didn’t look at his two men as they grunted in unison to his command.

  “They got names? Or should I just call them Grunt and Ugh?” I asked.

  He laughed, his eyes crinkling around the edges. “Grunt and Ugh will be just fine.”

  I cut back to business. “You tell me where the studio is, and I will tell you about a merger coming up.”

  His eyebrows lowered. “What do I care about a merger?”

  “It isn’t legit, which means Romano is trying to outpace someone. You, most likely, since the merger is with Mancini.” I shrugged.

  Killian nodded, and surprised me by giving me my information first. “The studio is called Blue Hills but there is no sign on the gates. And from the street it looks more like a factory than anything else. It’s not far from one of my safe houses.”

  I already knew that much about that studio, he was telling me nothing new so far. Of course the exterior was more factory; it was myst magic being made, not movies. “What’s being developed there?”

  He frowned. “Diva.”

  My turn to frown. “What is that exactly?”

  “Diva’s effects give the user strength and speed, like an abnormal. It’s an oil that comes in a single dropper. Very easy to take, and for human’s it gives them a high along with the perks.”

  I watched his face. He didn’t seem impressed by a new magic hitting the market. Was it because it wasn’t his idea, or because he didn’t dabble in the dealing of magic? I had a hard time believing that last, but you never knew. Some people had a moral code no matter what, even if they didn’t mind killing people.

  “What is the merger for?” Killian leaned back in his seat, turning just his face to me.

  “Gabe is going to work on the Yakuza to bring them into line with Romano and Mancini. One big powerhouse magical conglomerate.” Sure, I was sort of guessing, but he didn’t know that.

  “Fuck.”

  “My thoughts. I believe Romano is going to try and oust Mancini at some point.” My thoughts tumbled out of my mouth. “He’s had delusions of grandeur for a long time. He fancies himself his own mob boss, and the power of the Yakuza behind him could help him do that. They are going to blindside him.”

  Killian shook his head. “Why not tell Mancini your suspicions?”

  “Because he’s currently in on the deal, and I have no proof that Romano will turn on him. I’ll look like a vindictive spoiled child trying to get her father—” I struggled to call him that, “—in trouble with his boss. If I can find proof, I can do that. Without it, Mancini will try to kill me and my father wins. That is unacceptable.”

  “What is your plan exactly then? Get proof from the studio?” Killian was already shaking his head. “That place is lined with security up the arsehole and out its mouth.”

  “There is more than one way to make things happen, Mr. Fannin.” I glanced at where we were. Close enough to the edge of Lincoln Heights. “This will do, Grunt.”

  Grunt grunted and pulled the SUV over. I wrapped my fingers around the door handle, but Killian stopped me. “Here.” He handed me a card. Not unlike the one Simon had given me.

  Only this one had his full name on it, and an email, of all things. I raised an eyebrow. “No Facebook profile?”

  He gave me a half-grin. “Maybe next year.”

  Dinah snickered, and Killian’s eyes shot to my side. “Who is that?”

  “Dinah,” I said. “You don’t want to meet her.”

  “Not as bad as meeting Eleanor,” Dinah snickered again and I rolled my eyes.

  His eyes sobered. “I’d heard about your guns. So, they do talk?”

  I nodded.

  His eyes darkened. “Black magic is dangerous, lass. Even when you think it’s your friend.”

  I shrugged. “It’s funny to me that you think I’m not dangerous without them.”

  His smile was back and he switched gears. “To be clear, I’m not offering help, lass. But . . . the safe house of mine would be a good place to set up if you need to be getting into that studio.”

  “Then why the card?”

  “The address of the safe house is on the back.” He grinned at me. “And just in case you want to se
e if your prediction is true, the number is my private line.” He winked and I struggled not to flush under the sudden surge of heat between us. Nope, that was not happening. Whether or not he was good in the sack . . . that had just been to throw him off balance. And I hadn’t been lying either—he was an abnormal. I wasn’t touching that for nothing.

  Unfortunately for me, it looked like he thought my comments meant I was interested.

  Which I was not.

  The vehicle doors unlocked with a click loud enough to make me jump which pissed me off. I grabbed my bag and slid out of the SUV, slammed the door behind me and headed straight for the closest side street that took me away from my apartment.

  When I looked back, the SUV was still there. Fucking meddling green-eyed Irishman.

  “Was he cute? You’re acting like he was cute,” Dinah said. “I liked his accent.”

  “What does it matter if he’s cute? He’s an enemy,” Eleanor snapped, surprising both me and Dinah.

  “What’s jammed up your muzzle?” Dinah grumbled.

  Eleanor didn’t answer.

  I ducked down a cross alley and ran to the end, from there putting myself into the hollow of a doorway while I waited. In my mind, I went over the events of the day so far. From Barron and getting the goods, to meeting Killian, to planting the tracer on the SUV, and our little chat. All and all, a rather productive day. I could only hope that Simon had found as much success.

  Weaving my way through Lincoln Heights, I finally made it back to the apartment, sure that I hadn’t been followed. The note on the door was still there. I gave a soft knock with my knuckles.

  Abe woofed.

  I opened the door and he greeted me enthusiastically as ever, sniffing me all over and licking at my hands.

  “Good boy, Abe.” I rubbed his ears, then took him out for a quick relief of his needs. He watered the few weeds in the alley behind the apartment and then we headed back inside. The day was waning, and Simon was not back yet. Dropping off the car shouldn’t have taken that long. An hour or two depending on traffic and how he found his way back here.

  Unless something had happened.

  Or unless he had turned on me.

  “Simon, you shit,” I whispered as my heart ratcheted up a notch. Simon knew enough to turn me in to my father for a fair chunk of money. They could have the Stick Man here in no time flat.

  I went to his bag and rifled through it. Clothing, a few chocolate bar wrappers. I frowned. I didn’t remember him eating chocolate bars at any point. I spread them out on the table, flipping them over to see the insides of them.

  A few numbers that when I moved them around, whatever speed I thought my heart capable of, I was proven wrong. The studio address. How had he gotten it? Unless he still had an in with Romano somewhere. I closed my eyes. More than once he’d been on his phone, doing what I thought were web searches. What if they’d been texts with an informant?

  Fuck.

  Had he gone in ahead of me then? And why?

  The answer was obvious. He didn’t think I would let him have all the money. Greedy-ass bastard that he was.

  But I knew where the studio was now, too.

  Did I need Simon? A lot of the gear I had in my bag was useful for surveillance, and I had no clue how to use the magical stuff. But I didn’t need any of that now. This go get the groceries had been just to get me out of the way so Simon could go in on his own.

  I knew where I was going.

  I took a slow breath and let my heart rate settle. Simon was gone. Wherever he was, he wasn’t coming back. I knew it with the acute senses that came from years working in the underbelly of the world. He’d gone in alone, and maybe he’d gotten his money and left. Or maybe he was still stuck there.

  Or maybe he was dead.

  “Abe.”

  He was at my side in a split second, his ears perked and tail still.

  This time I was taking him in with me. He was my real partner.

  “What happened to Simon?” Dinah asked.

  “He’s either been taken by Romano’s gang or he turned on us.” I spoke as I grabbed the backpack with the gear and the bag of weapons and clothes.

  “Son of a bitch,” Eleanor growled. “He’s mine then.”

  “Yeah,” I said, “he is.”

  Time to rain some chaos down on my father.

  I couldn’t help the grin that spread over my face.

  “This one’s for you, little Bear.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Blue Hills Movie Studios was a sham, and a good one. Vehicles went in and out at regular intervals, there were guards at the main gate and in the distance up the tree-covered driveway. I could see the edge of a big blocky “studio.” From where I sat in my—yet again—stolen vehicle, I used the binoculars to watch what was going on without being seen myself. Of course, I couldn’t sit long where I was. I needed to move after just fifteen minutes, a map stretched out in front of me.

  “I wanna get down,” Dinah sang softly, “I wanna get down and dirty, baby. I want to see you beg for mercy.”

  My eyebrows shot up. “What is that song?”

  “I made it up,” she said. “Do you like it?”

  “Actually, it’s kind of catchy. You should sing it with Eleanor.”

  Both guns wiggled in their holsters, and seconds later they were belting out the words, harmonizing as they went.

  I wanna get down.

  I wanna get down and dirty, baby.

  I want to see you beg for mercy.

  Yeah. That could be a top one hundred hit.

  I shook my head thinking once more of Simon. He’d wanted to go in using one of the delivery vehicles. I’d argued that we needed to recon first. This was not meant to be a quick job, but one done with good insight and deliberation. That was always how I’d done things.

  Not for the first time, I cursed him. The thing was, whether he’d been caught, or he’d slipped in and out without being caught, the studio would be on full alert. Which made my job that much more difficult.

  “Fucking idiot.”

  I pulled over into the entrance of the studio. I got out, map and phone in hand, the tightest short shorts I could find clinging to my ass cheeks. Anything I could use to distract the guard was worth it. The map caught the breeze.

  The guard stepped out. Not a fat, old man guard, but a young, fit, eagle-eyed fellow. Eyes that shimmered with some sort of magic. Shit.

  Romano had real guards on board then, not the local rent-a-cops.

  “Hi,” I smiled, “I’m super turned around. Can you help me out here?”

  “No visitors. The studio is closed.”

  “Oh!” I went to my tiptoes. “Is that a movie studio? Oh, my God! That would be so amazing. Do they do tours? Have you met Brad Pitt? He’s single now, you know.”

  He rolled his eyes. I stumbled forward as if I’d tripped on something, all but launching my weight at him.

  The guard caught me, stumbled back with the force of my “fall” and we were inside the guard house. A set of schematic maps of the building were laid out. I caught them in my fist and I giggled up at him. He wouldn’t fall for such a fake performance, even he wasn’t that dumb, was he? But I kept going, because I had nothing else unless I was going to shoot him right there and rush in right this second.

  “God, I am such a klutz! Wow, do you work out?” With my free hand, I molested the bicep closest to me while I carefully tucked the papers down the back of my shorts, flipping the hem of my long-sleeved shirt over them.

  He grinned at me, his eyes on my tits. He was buying this? What a fool, and a lucky break for me.

  “Yeah, a little.”

  “Wow. Do you think you could get me in? I’ve never seen—”

  He was already steering me back to my car. “No, sorry.”

  I sighed. “I understand. Hey, do you think I could come back later and keep you company? I promise to be good.” I got into the driver’s seat and forced myself to bat my eyes up at him.r />
  He leaned in. “Maybe. I get off at midnight. Want to pick me up, we can go for a drink after?”

  “Perfect. I think that would be so cool. Can you tell me about all the actors you’ve met?”

  “Sure thing.” He shut my door. I leaned out.

  “My name is Danielle.”

  “Jim.” He settled back into his seat. “Go on now, you’re too much of a distraction.”

  I waved at him and backed the car out. I drove down to the next intersection and turned left, then left again.

  I pulled right up to the front of the place that was apparently Killian’s safe house and around the side. There wasn’t much cover here, but the side of the house would have to do. I let Abe out, then grabbed my two bags of gear.

  I hated to say that it was nice of Killian to give me the use of this place. And while I didn’t trust him, I also didn’t think he would hand me over to Romano. Killian was a curious man, and I had intrigued him despite insulting him.

  Good enough for me. I used the key code written on the back of the card, and slipped into the house. Not huge, an average house with two levels.

  If you discounted the red flashing light that flicked on when I stepped through and the camera that swiveled my way, you’d think it was a family home waiting for the kids to get back from school. I blew a kiss to the camera and headed deeper into the house. I didn’t flick any lights on, and Abe roamed ahead of me sniffing the air.

  He stopped on the threshold of the hallway and what I thought was the living room with a low growl.

  I pulled Eleanor and Dinah from their holsters and crept forward. They were humming their favorite song. “Beg for mercy,” Dinah whispered.

  Abe dropped to his belly and slunk along the floor without needing to be told.

  I stepped into the room and quickly lowered the gun.

  Killian sat on the couch across from me.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Exasperated, I lowered the guns.

  “I came to see you in action. You see,” he rolled his shoulders, “you were the threat your father used against the rest of us. The Phoenix will come for you, if I send her. Behave yourself, she’s a killer of abnormals.” He paused. “You don’t look like I thought you would, and that bothers me a great deal.” He leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees. “You can draw a gun at speed, and your guns talk, but that is no great skill.”