“Was she here?”
“Yeah, you just missed her.”
“Shoot! I should’ve come back earlier.”
“She didn’t have time to stay and chat. She was only stopping by to give me the information on the meeting,” Grace clarified.
“Oh, okay. When is it?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“Great! I can’t wait to meet more Paranorms!”
“I’m going to this meeting on my own, Danny.”
“By yourself? No way! I’m going with you.”
“You think it would be exciting to meet other Paranorms, but it’s too dangerous for you to be there with me.”
“Why would it be dangerous?”
“We can’t trust other Paranorms will be as welcoming and helpful as Sophie. Sophie knew us before I became a Paranorm and you became a ghost. We have a relationship with her that goes beyond the supernatural aspect of our lives. We won’t have that with other Paranorms. This guy, Nicco, sounds like someone we don’t want knowing our secrets.” Grace kept her eyes locked with Danny’s.
“We’re better off having you work with the professors to learn more about mind controlling abilities than exposing you to anything at the meeting. There are too many unknowns with these people, and I’m not willing to put you at risk. Period.”
Danny seemed to struggle with what she said. But his critical thinking soon came to the forefront as it always did when faced with a problem.
“Okay, Gracie,” Danny agreed. “Just be careful, and take care of yourself for me.”
“I plan on doing exactly that.”
Chapter 14
Grace sat in her car, examining the Dayan Springs theater building, preparing mentally for the encounter. She ran over in her mind the little bit she knew about Paranorms. Sophie and Anthony were the only true Paranorms she had experience with, and she couldn’t be sure they were representative of Paranorms in general.
And then there was the whole issue of Nicco himself. Sophie was only willing to tell her that Nicco and his Family were not Paranorms. They were not part of Sophie’s family but a powerful group who controlled the Paranorms in the city. Bottom line, he was a complete unknown.
Okay, Grace. No pressure here, only a simple conversation that will most likely change the course of your life! Breathe and stay in control of yourself.
She took a deep breath and got out of the car, seating her Glock in the holster at the back of her waist out of habit as she did so. Anthony was not the type to wait, so she pulled on one of the ornate wooden doors, and it opened to reveal a dark entranceway. Creeping into the building, she let the door close with a soft thump behind her while waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dim light.
Once she could see again, the first thing Grace noticed was a long corridor covered with framed show posters on the walls. At the end of the hall was a massive man sitting on a stool, large muscular arms crossed and dark eyes focused on her. His close-cropped gray hair emphasized his solid jaw and thick lips set in a grim expression. She traversed the distance between them, working to meet his eyes the whole way and not let the colorful posters distract her.
Stopping in front of the man she assumed was a bouncer by his size and location in the theater, she waited while he eyed her up and down, his bland expression not changing in the slightest. She gritted her teeth to keep from making a smart comment in response to the appraisal, reminding herself this was all part of her first impression with these people. She would need to assume everyone was taking part in the “evaluation” of her this morning as a Paranorm.
“Good morning,” Grace said, trying to sound amiable. “I have an appointment with Nicco. Anthony is supposed to meet me and provide an introduction.”
She offered the note from Sophie, hoping it would speed along the process. The man raised his beefy hand to take the note. He opened it and glanced at the contents before handing it back. He stood and turned away from her to open a side door nestled in the wall, walking through it without saying a word.
Grace jumped to follow him, shaking her head at the lack of hospitality displayed to this point. And the game begins.
But the bouncer’s thick arm stopped her right after she entered the next room, barring further progress.
She was standing in a large open space with a small bar along one wall. There were sofas and comfortable chairs scattered throughout the space and a giant LCD TV mounted on one wall. In the middle of the room, there was a table with several people sitting around it.
The bouncer waved his hand at her, then pointed to a metal detector standing right inside the door.
Curious. Grace prepared to walk through the device. “I have a plate in my leg,” she warned the bouncer. “I’ll set this thing off.”
He nodded and held out a small basket.
“Keys and cell phone?”
He nodded again and pointed to her necklace.
“Are you kidding? I told you I have plate in my leg, and you’re worried about my jewelry setting off the detector?”
The bouncer gave her a reproachful look and motioned with his hand for her to drop the items into the basket.
Mouth, Grace. You aren’t here five minutes, and you’re already making a great first impression. With deliberate slowness, she removed her necklace and watch and placed them and her phone and keys in the basket.
The bouncer set the basket on a nearby side table and leaned over to grab a hand wand from the side of the detector. He ran it over Grace’s body, paying particular attention to both of Grace’s legs, the right leg setting off the wand as it passed over the metal plate. He grunted as it beeped but made no other comment.
He continued to scan her until the wand let out a series of loud beeps when he reached her waist.
“Oops,” she said as she reached back to grab the Glock.
Faster than she could follow, a bulky hand reached out to grasp her forearm in a vice-like grip.
“Hey!” Grace said, looking over her shoulder to meet the bouncer’s angry glare.
Grace stilled herself under his stare while the man reached into the back of her waist to remove the Glock. He held up the gun in front of her face, shaking his head somberly.
“Sorry, force of habit,” Grace said. “Professional hazard.”
He continued to stare at her, his eyebrows raised.
Way to build trust from the get-go, Grace.
“That’s the only one, I promise.”
The bouncer tucked the Glock into his pants and then began sweeping the rest of her with the wand. He grunted one more time after finding no other weapons. Once he finished, he returned the hand wand to the detector and picked up the basket with her items. Then he turned and strode further into the room, carrying the basket with him.
“My stuff?” she called after him, once again hurrying to follow.
He ignored her and kept walking toward the table.
Dammit, not cool!
As they approached, Anthony rose to meet them several feet away from the table and its occupants. “Thank you, Samuel.”
The bouncer handed Anthony the basket and turned and walked back the way they came. Anthony shifted his gaze to Grace.
Looking as haughty as usual. One personality she could handle without concern.
Anthony wore a deep gray suit that complimented his dark Italian coloring. The suit must cost more than Grace’s entire monthly salary as a security guard. On a normal day, his movie-star looks would dazzle, but right now, an ugly expression marred them.
“Good morning, Anthony,” she said in her most polite voice, careful to keep her distaste from showing. Ironic that the first words she had ever exchanged with him would be at this moment.
“Good day, Miss Bishop,” Anthony returned the greeting, but Grace had a feeling he meant it more as a goodbye than a hello. “Sophie has instructed you on the nature of this meeting?” he asked her, looking down his nose at her.
More or less. “Yes, Sophie informed me Nicco has gra
ciously agreed to meet with me today.”
Anthony raised an eyebrow at her. But he appeared to take her statement at face value. “I will give you an introduction, and then you will receive five minutes of his time.”
“Five minutes!” Grace whispered, trying not to raise her voice despite her frustration.
“I suggest you keep your tone civil, Miss Bishop. Five minutes is more than an Aperto Rotto deserves,” he whispered back, the venom strong in his voice and his face a mask of disgust.
What the hell? Anthony was a smug and sometimes sullen ass, but she hadn’t realized he would be an adversary today. Things were not getting off to a stellar start at all.
And what in the blue blazes is an ‘Aperto Rotto’? Definitely looking that one up when I get my cell back.
“In fact, considering your disrespectful attitude, I am sure you would just be wasting Nicco’s time,” Anthony said as he held out the basket of her things.
Working hard to keep her voice even and emotionless, Grace said, “I’m sorry if I came across as anything but appreciative, Anthony. I am grateful to you for setting up the meeting for me on Sophie’s behalf. She thought it was important for me to meet Nicco.”
Anthony loomed over her, eyebrows squeezed together, appraising her.
“If Sophie was not my dear cousin, rest assured you would not be getting one second of Nicco’s time. You are lucky Nicco will give you any time at all.”
With one more piercing look, Anthony composed himself and turned to lead her to the table. While they were conversing, the rest of the occupants of the table had dispersed, and one man remained sitting nonchalantly waiting for them.
This must be the infamous Nicco. Grace attempted to approach the table with a calm exterior.
Anthony motioned to her with a dramatic flair of the hand and announced “Miss Bishop, an acquaintance of my cousin, Sophie. Miss Bishop, this is Nicco.” With that, Anthony bowed, placed the basket on the table next to Nicco, and moved to stand at Nicco’s side.
That’s the old fashion introduction? She congratulated herself for not rolling her eyes at Anthony. Given the formality of his presentation and Sophie’s warnings, Grace remained standing and waited for Nicco to speak first. The silence stretched on for several seconds, and Grace focused on breathing and not fidgeting while she waited.
She studied Nicco as studied her. He was lithe in build, but his muscles were taut under the tasteful, slate-gray, silk shirt he wore. He had dark black hair, kept in a tight cut, with a matching goatee with a bit of white. His eyes were a startling sapphire blue, full of intelligence.
Nicco wore a large signet ring on his left hand, although she couldn’t tell what the image was on its face, only something with wings. He had earrings, lots of them. In his left ear was a large, blue sapphire matching his eyes. In his right ear were a series of small gemstones running from his earlobe to the top of the outer ear. They spanned the full spectrum of the rainbow and then some, nine in all: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, black, and white.
Nicco had a confident and powerful air about him, like a man used to being in control, who expected everyone would follow his will without question. He didn’t have Anthony’s Hollywood looks, but he was attractive. Majorly attractive.
Focus, Grace, focus. Remember, Sophie said this man is dangerous.
Nicco finally spoke, and his voice was a rich baritone, carrying a hint of an accent Grace couldn’t place.
“Good morning, mio caro. How may I be of service to you?”
Didn’t ask me to sit down. He must either be trying to keep me uncomfortable, or he’s playing a power game, or both. Maybe he doesn’t see the point to extending the invitation since I only get five minutes with him.
Five minutes wouldn’t be enough time to get answers for her questions about her abilities. She should skip those. She would need to go straight to the questions about the man attacking the girls if she was going to get anything useful from her time with Nicco.
“There are girls disappearing,” she said, aware Nicco began to lose interest as soon as she finished her first sentence. “A man is mesmerizing them to abduct them.”
Nicco’s attention refocused on her at the mention of the man. “How do you know this man is out there?”
Trying not to come across as defensive, Grace replied, “I’ve talked to a girl who escaped from him. She told me what happened to her.”
Nicco waved his hand, dismissing Beth’s testimony. “Norms imagine things all the time. They lie about things to cover their own errors and misdeeds. This man is a figment of her imagination.”
Grace’s face grew hot at his callous dismissal of Beth’s terrifying ordeal and disfigurement.
Norms? I feel like I should be insulted, but I’m not in the Norm category anymore. Not a recognized Paranorm, but not in the Norm camp either.
“He’s not a figment of her imagination.”
“Reeaaally?” Nicco asked.
“Yes, really,” Grace forced her voice to be steady. She would not back down.
“And how would you know this?” Nicco asked, impatience filling his voice.
“Because I read her and saw it for myself.”
Nicco stared at her in stony silence, his eyes growing colder. Without shifting his attention from Grace, Nicco asked, “Anthony, did Sophie not say Miss Bishop was a clairvoyant who sees and talks with ghosts—not someone with psychometry abilities?”
“Yes, that is what Sophie told me,” Anthony replied, a sneer dominating his face.
Nicco continued to stare daggers at her.
“Miss Bishop, Sophie overstepped herself to speak to you about Paranorms and The Family. I was prepared to be lenient with her, given she had discovered you were an Aperto Rotto and she wanted to bring you to The Family. However, I will have to reconsider my position on Sophie’s indiscretion.”
Not waiting for Grace to respond, Nicco continued. “Mio caro, I did not realize when you requested this appointment you would come here and waste my time with fantastical tales.”
“I don’t understand what you mean. I’m telling you the truth. I read it from the survivor, and I know what this man can do. I came here hoping you would give me information to help stop him.”
“Mio caro, you may have convinced yourself what you say is true, but it is not possible.”
Grace moved from confusion to anger.
“How is it ‘not possible’? I did the reading a few nights ago.” She lost all concern about making a positive impression. They don’t believe me?
Anthony snorted. “Of course it is not possible. Sophie already told Nicco you are a clairvoyant who communicates with ghosts. There is no way you can also be a ‘reader,’ as you colloquially put it.”
Grace wanted to wipe that smug expression off Anthony’s know-it-all face. “And why is it impossible?”
Anthony spoke again, his voice taking on a superior air. “Because Paranorms, even Aperto Rottos, cannot have more than one ability. It does not happen.”
Nicco made a tsking sound, and Anthony stopped what he was going to say next.
Shit! There went following Sophie’s advice about not sharing too much… or antagonizing Nicco. How was she supposed to know Paranorms didn’t have multiple abilities? That wasn’t what she was experiencing for herself, at all.
“Well, I guess there’s a first time for everything,” Grace said.
“Mio caro, you are convinced you are both a clairvoyant and a capable of psychometry?”
“Yes, I am,” she replied without hesitation.
“Then prove it.”
Chapter 15
Grace sat in stunned silence for a moment, trying to regain her composure. This day was turning out to be even more surreal than she imagined. She was beginning to identify herself as a Paranorm, now that she knew they existed. But here she was in front of the man who was the power behind the hidden society, and she couldn’t convince him she was one of them.
“Fine,�
�� she said, letting her full irritation show. “How do you propose I do that? My abilities do not include pulling ghosts out of thin air.”
Grace thought she saw the side of Nicco’s mouth twitch in amusement, but the motion was too fleeting to be sure.
“Not to worry, mio caro. We can provide tests for both your supposed clairvoyant and psychometrist abilities,” Nicco assured her, the skepticism clear in his tone. “We will begin with the clairvoyant ability first, since you brought it up yourself.”
Okay, bring it on! She had the abilities. She was more than ready to prove to the lot of them she met the requirements to be included in their group, organization, family, or club. Whatever the hell they considered themselves. She needed to get past their disbelief in her abilities if she was ever going to get help for herself and for DL’s girls.
“I accept,” she said, presenting it as if she had a choice in the matter.
This time Nicco smiled. But it was a nasty one that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Gabriella,” he called, motioning over his shoulder for her to approach the table. “There is a guest who wishes to speak with you.”
Grace waited in nervous anticipation, peering over Nicco’s shoulder in an attempt to catch a glimpse of Gabriella as she approached. She hoped this ghost at least had all her body parts and wasn’t frozen in some horrible visage of her death experience. Grace had seen some horrific wraiths since her abilities surfaced, particularly at the hospital.
Grace was surprised when a figure glided past Nicco, growing more distinct the closer she came. She was a beautiful middle-aged woman of classic features, in a flowing blue dress that covered her from neck to ankles. But the dress left no doubt about the full and supple form beneath the fabric. She carried herself with grace and poise, and the word “classy” jumped to Grace’s mind.
Grace felt intimidated.
Gabriella stopped next to her chair and looked down on her with a warm smile. Somewhat reassured, Grace greeted Gabriella with her best manners, as her carriage indicated she deserved. “Good morning, Gabriella, I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.”
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