Synchronicity (Scintillate Series Book 3)

by Karen Tjebben

  It was late by the time they arrived in D.C. Nick pulled into a parking garage and quickly found a space. He clicked the key fob, and the SUV beeped as the doors locked. Justin shoved his hands in his coat pockets as they make their way to the street.

  It was obvious right away that this was the shady part of town. Rowdy bars, tattoo shops, clubs, novelty shops, and a massage parlor occupied many of the businesses along the street. Men called out to women as they walked in small groups and disappeared into various clubs and bars.

  As Nick walked along the sidewalk, he neared a shifty man that hung out on the curb. Nick chuckled to himself. If the man thought he was subtle, he was higher than he looked. The man called out to Nick, waving him over. Nick ignored him. He was a man on a mission, and nothing was going to slow him down.

  Justin hated this part of the job. It wasn’t that he didn’t feel safe. He could defend himself. What he hated was the sadness that oozed off the people. All of them were so desperate to escape their lives that they sought any form of pleasure or vice to dull the pain.

  “This is the place,” Nick said. He gripped the door handle and pulled.

  Justin nodded and glanced down the street. A prostitute’s head was in the window of a car haggling price with her John while her ass was exposed to everyone who passed. She was yet another soul who needed saving that he couldn’t help. Justin’s heart constricted as she opened the car door. She was beautiful, or would have been if the horrors of life hadn’t eaten away her innocence. She couldn’t be more than sixteen. But if she was living on the streets, then home was probably just as bad as life out here.

  Nick stepped into the club. The sweet stench of marijuana and stale cigarettes assaulted him. Behind the bar, various bottles of alcohol and liquor were displayed under neon signs. A large variety of imported and local breweries were on tap. A live band performed on the small stage at the back of the club as colorful lights crisscrossed over people as they mingled and danced to the pulsating music. This club didn’t look any different from other clubs, but some of the patrons were very different. And they’d be easy for Nick to spot.

  “Head to the back,” Nick said to Justin. “There’s an open booth.” He pointed to a booth in a dark corner that allowed them to see the entire club. “I’ll get us some drinks.”

  “I see it,” Justin said. He cut through the dancing crowd. Girls brushed up against him as they danced. A few groped his arms and lazily dragged their hands across his chest. He apologized for bumping into them and continued towards the booth. He hated to see such beautiful women throw themselves at men. It reminded him of Hannah, the sister he couldn’t save. He slipped onto the booth seat and drummed his fingertips on the tabletop.

  Nick set a beer down in front of Justin as he settled into the booth. “I don’t see him yet, but he’ll show.” He took a swig from his glass.

  “Does he come every night?” Justin asked. He lifted the glass and inhaled the beer. It’d been a while since he’d had one from the tap. The cold beer washed over his tongue as he savored the flavor.

  “Not sure, but I’m confident something will show up,” Nick said. “You’re huffing again. At least pretend to enjoy yourself,” Nick teased with a chuckle. He knew he’d been difficult earlier, and he was thankful for Justin’s input. The advice was good. He needed to slow down and think before he acted.

  Justin smirked and shook his head, glad to see Nick acting more like himself. “You know how I feel about these places.” Justin looked around at the gyrating bodies. “It only reminds me of the past. All I see is misery.”

  “I see people having fun.” Nick motioned towards the crowd. “I see beautiful women enjoying men’s attention. It works for both sides.” Nick took a sip and continued, “You need to let it go. It’s an albatross you need not carry.”

  “Let it go.” Justin spun his glass in a slow circle on the table. “The way Alex did? Or you?” he mocked. Letting go of the past was one obstacle he’d never been able to overcome.

  “Those are two different things,” Nick said with a gentle shake of the head. “You couldn’t save Hannah.”

  “When I transitioned, I had to walk out of her life for her protection. I abandoned her,” Justin spit out. “She should’ve lived a life of honor.”

  “She did what she had to do.” Nick said, hating the way the past snuck up and reopened wounds. “He took care of her… and their children. They had the best instructors money could buy.”

  “She was a mistress,” Justin growled.

  “That’s better than a whore.”

  Justin inhaled deeply, knowing that Nick was right but hating it all the same. “If I’d been there, I would have arranged an honorable marriage. She was my sister. That was my duty.” The life Hannah lived after his transformation always brought him to his knees. He’d failed her when she needed him most. No one was there to assure a wonderful future for her. Instead, she lived a life of shame as ‘the other woman’, bearing bastards to a man who could never marry her.

  Nick thought carefully about his words. He didn’t want to offend Justin, but he tired of the self-mutilation that Justin inflicted upon his heart. “Wife or mistress, she found love,” Nick said patiently. “That is something no one can promise or buy.”

  Justin stared silently into his beer. He recognized the truth of Nick’s words. Even if he’d arranged an honorable marriage, that wouldn’t have guaranteed love. He took another swig of beer as he tried to rein in his thoughts concerning his sister.

  Nick eyed a Vetis as he made his way through the room and then settled on a barstool by a beautiful woman. “Look at the bar,” Nick said, “by the hallway that leads to the restrooms.”

  Justin set his glass on the table and glanced around the room. Looking through the smoky haze, he noticed a man stroking the arm a pretty brunette. The man leaned closer and whispered in her ear. She laughed and placed her hand on his thigh. “I see him,” Justin said flatly. The woman thought that she was talking to a regular guy. She had no idea she was the target of a supernatural hedonist. He disliked Veti. They weren’t completely evil like the Nephilim, but they did use their supernatural gifts to take advantage of people, especially women.

  Justin let out a deep sigh and looked at the dance floor again. He couldn’t watch any more. All he saw was Hannah searching for love, hoping to come upon an honorable man. “Do you think he’ll leave with her?”

  “He’s not leaving until we’re done with him,” Nick said. “After that, I don’t care what he does.”

  “You don’t mean that.” Justin knew the Vetis would take advantage of the woman sexually.

  “She looks willing to me.” The lady’s hand snaked higher up the man’s thigh as she whispered in his ear.

  “Of course she’s willing. His powers of persuasion are impressive,” Justin mocked. The Veti’s greatest gift was their ability to shape another’s thoughts and feelings.

  “Follow my lead,” Nick said.

  Justin shook his head in frustration. He knew that he was going to get the raw end of this deal.

  Nick slid off the bench and headed straight for the couple. He stepped between the two, rudely bumping against the man. Nick kept his back to the Vetis just to tick him off. “Excuse me,” he said to the brunette. “My friend couldn’t help but notice your beauty.”

  “Your friend?” she said with a giggle. “I already have someone that I’m talking to.” She slowly dragged her gaze off of Nick’s chest and looked into his eyes. She playfully stroked her finger down Nick’s arm. “You interrupted us.” She raised her eyebrows and looked around Nick at the man seated next to her.

  “Yes,” the Vetis said, his voice laced with anger. “Morgan and I are becoming good friends. You should leave us alone. Tell your friend to find another lady.”

  “Hmm.” Nick looked over his shoulder and glared at the Vetis. The man’s thin hair swept over his head in a comb-over, and his pasty skin was dotted with age spots while his belly hung slightly ov
er his belt. Nick knew there was no way this man could ever get a woman this hot without his gifts. Did the Veti have the power to affect the way their prey saw them? Did the woman see a handsome man or the average looking guy who had a great personality that she couldn’t resist?

  Nick cleared his throat and said, “I couldn’t help but notice your hypnotic stare,” Nick said. The Vetis’s eyes twitched. “Morgan,” Nick said, turning on his charm as he looked at the lady again. “You should give my friend Justin a chance. He’s over there.” Nick pointed at Justin. The brunette gave a little wave. Justin smiled back.

  “He’s cute,” she said, biting her lip.

  “He’s a little shy,” Nick replied. “You may have to take the lead. Do you think you can do that?”

  “Sure, sounds like fun,” she said, brushing her fingers through her hair.

  Nick waved Justin over. Justin sauntered towards them, hating this part of the plan. He always got the sucky roles.

  “Morgan, this is Justin,” Nick said.

  Justin smiled and extended his hand.

  “You’re cute,” she flirted, eyeing him. She stood and wrapped her arms around Justin, giving him a quick hug. “Hi, Justin,” she mewed.

  “Perfect,” Nick said, pointing to the occupied barstool where the Vetis was planted. “Justin can join you here.” Nick signaled for the man to vacate the stool. The man inhaled deeply, grabbed his drink, and stood. Nick shook his head, signaling him not to go far.

  “Thank you, Nick,” Justin said, easing himself onto the stool. He regretted not bringing his beer with him. By the time Nick was through questioning that Vetis, either his beer would be warm or Nick would be ready to leave. This is why he didn’t like clubbing with Nick. It was never as much fun as it was supposed to be.

  Nick extended his hand towards the back corner and led the man to the booth. Nick sat opposite the man and took a slow drink from his glass.

  The Vetis drummed his well-manicured fingertips on the table. “I didn’t recognize you at first,” he said. He hated Avengers. If you made one mistake they’d be all over your ass. They weren’t known for their mercy.

  “I noticed,” Nick replied. “I know what you are, but I don’t know who you are.”

  “Jalen.” His dark brown eyes stared at Nick. “Why are you here? It’s not for the girls.”

  “Actually, it is for a girl,” Nick said. He placed his open sketchbook on the table and pushed it towards Jalen. “A very special one. She’s gone missing.”

  Jalen leaned forward, touching the edge of the paper with his finger as he studied the drawing. “She’s hot,” he said, licking his lips. “I bet she knows how to have fun. Vetis? Asteri?”

  “Now what would I want with a Vetis?” Nick said.

  “How am I to know?” Jalen shrugged his shoulders. “You’re sitting with one now. Maybe you like our company. You could use a little loosening up,” he added and snorted a laugh.

  “Veti may be the life of the party, but that also makes you unreliable. I don’t like unreliable.”

  Jalen brought his hand to his chest. “That crushes me. You assume I’m unreliable when you know nothing about me.”

  “History has a habit of repeating itself,” Nick said gruffly.

  Jalen huffed and swiped his hand through his hair, patting down the comb-over. “Oh, that’s right. The sons must pay for the sins of their fathers. You guys need to get over it,” Jalen mocked. “Life is meant for fun, for pleasure. If you can’t enjoy yourself, why continue on?” He leaned close to Nick. “Surely you’ve enjoyed yourself at some point in your life. Maybe with the hottie?” He tapped the drawing of Hayden.

  Nick fought the desire to grab Jalen by the throat and smash his head into the table. That would definitely bring him some pleasure. Instead, Nick inhaled, counted to three, and then slowly let the breath out. “I’m looking for information on Daevas.”

  Fear washed over Jalen’s face. “No. Oh, no.” Jalen shook his head back and forth. He leaned farther over the table and whispered, “Listen man, you can’t go around saying that name and not expect trouble. That guy’s a Nephilim. I don’t mess with them.”

  “What? They don’t party?” Nick mocked. He could see the fear in Jalen’s eyes. At least this Vetis was smart enough to be scared.

  “Man, if your girl’s involved with him,” Jalen leaned back against the booth, “maybe you should cut your losses.”

  Anger roiled in the pit of Nick’s stomach. The selfishness and cowardice that Jalen showed was astounding. He knew he had the Vetis pegged correctly: a weaselly loser who couldn’t accomplish anything other than fulfilling his own pleasure. The moment the fun was over, he’d run. “Let’s acknowledge for a moment that I have a spine, unlike you. ‘Cutting my losses’ is not in my dictionary. Tell me what you know.”

  Jalen didn’t like the way this conversation was going. He knew the Asteri sitting across from him was the clear and present danger, so giving up information was the safe bet at this time. “Look man, the less I know about those guys, the happier I am.”

  Nick didn’t doubt that for one second.

  “I know someone who may be able to help you, but it’s a drive.” Jalen’s eyes wandered over Nick’s frame. “You should be safe, but take that one too.” Jalen looked over at Justin.

  Nick gave a nod and slid his phone across the table. “Give me the details.”

  With a grunt, Jalen tapped in the address. “I assume your friend is not going home with the lady.”

  “No. We’re leaving now,” Nick said firmly. “You can resume your pathetic attempt at happiness. Doesn’t it ever bother you that you can’t get a woman without manipulating her?”

  “That really isn’t a very nice thing to say. Besides, I never hurt them,” Jalen said.

  “Just be thankful you’ll live to party another day,” Nick replied. “And be sure that she lives, or I’ll be back for you.”

  Jalen scurried off towards Morgan while Nick made eye-contact with Justin.

  Relief flooded Justin. He’d played his part, flirting and drinking with Morgan, but he was ready to leave. He kissed her cheek and excused himself. Part of him felt guilty for allowing that Vetis back onto the stool to take his place, but what she did was her choice. Vetis were fun-loving spirits. Most likely, he wouldn’t hurt her, at least not any worse than any of the other men in this dive.

  “Don’t ever do that again,” Justin said as they cut through the throng of dancers.

  “What? Give you uninterrupted time with a beautiful lady.” Nick chuckled. “You should be thanking me.”

  “I prefer to choose my own lady.”

  “No one was choosing anyone.” Nick pushed open the door. “Let’s take a drive.”

  ~ ~ ~

  The SUV slowly rolled down the long driveway. Enormous oak trees lined the way and created an arbor effect. The car’s lights shone brightly on the large, two-story plantation home. The columns extended to the roof and both floors featured large wrap-around porches. The black shutters contrasted nicely with the crisp, white paint. Everything about the house and grounds was immaculate.

  “I feel like I’ve stepped back in time,” Justin said as they passed a grassy field. A large barn was situated near a pond.

  “Let’s hope the owner practices southern hospitality,” Nick said.

  “It’s late,” Justin replied as he eyed the clock on the dashboard.

  “Yeah, but there are a few lights on. I’m willing to take my chances.” Nick squinted to see through the windows as he pulled in front of the house. “I think she’ll understand.” Nick stopped the SUV and cut the engine. The porch light clicked on. “She knows we’re here,” Nick said. “Let’s go introduce ourselves.”

  The SUV doors slammed shut, interrupting the tranquil silence of the outdoors. As they headed up the porch steps, the curtain behind a window near the door moved. Justin nudged Nick’s arm. “Yeah, I saw it,” Nick whispered.

  Before they rang the doorbell, the doo
r slowly opened. A Chinese man dressed in traditional butler’s clothes stood before them. His face was unreadable. He neither smiled nor frowned. His brown eyes sized up Nick and Justin. His dark brown hair was impeccably combed, and a sprinkling of gray betrayed the loss of his youth. “How may I be of service to you at this late hour?” he said, blocking the doorway.

  Nick smiled, attempting to ease the butler’s tense nerves. “Apologies for interrupting your night, but we wish to speak with Miss Gabriella regarding a matter of great importance.”

  The butler stood tall and slowly assessed Nick and Justin. “Miss Gabriella does not see gentlemen in the middle of the night,” he said. “She is a lady. She has a reputation to maintain.”

  This man is old school. There aren’t many like him around anymore. “Of course,” Nick said. “Again, I apologize. Do you think she would reconsider if the matter pertained to life or death?”

  “Li!” a woman’s voice called. “Li, what is the problem?” She placed her hand on Li’s shoulder and moved him aside. Her gaze swept over Nick and Justin, and a smile followed quickly.

  Justin couldn’t help but return her smile as her eyes roamed over his body. She was beautiful. Her coffee skin was radiant, and her black hair fell in soft curls over her shoulders. Her light brown eyes glinted shades of hazel that Justin rarely saw in ladies of African descent.

  “I am Gabriella.” She extended her hand to Justin with a friendly smile.

  Justin reveled in the softness of her hand as he brought it to his mouth. He enjoyed the sound of her southern accent and soft voice and breathed in the fruity fragrance of her lotion as he pressed his lips against her skin. “Justin O’Shea,” he said, retaining her hand. “And this is my friend, Nick Pearce.”

  She raised an eyebrow as she smiled and slowly pulled back her hand. It had been a long time since a man had kissed her. “Welcome to ‘New Beginnings’. Please come in.” She rarely saw company at this late hour, but to be visited by two Asteri so late in the night intrigued her. She didn’t need to hear the words ‘life or death’ spoken to know this was important.