Heartless (Crossbreed Series Book 9)

by Dannika Dark

  “Do you know where he might have gone? Does he have any other homes?”

  Simone chuckled and adjusted her purse strap. “Flynn travels a lot. I think he lived in San Francisco for a while… or was it Santa Barbara? Maybe it was San Antonio. He never shared a lot of details about his past, and if he did, I wouldn’t believe it. Not after all the lies. Give me your number. If I hear from him, I’ll call you.”

  I couldn’t give out my phone number to just anyone. “That’s okay. It’s a small world. I’ll run into him again eventually.”

  She got a twinkle in her eye. “Did you put in my name for the boss’s special errands?”

  I scratched my head. “Tips pay more. It’s not worth your time.”

  She shrugged. “Well, Robin White, I’m late for my second job. Stop by the Red Door sometime and I’ll give you a free drink. Though it seems you had plenty here,” she said with a pointed look. “Later.”

  As Simone sauntered off, I headed toward the bar. The colorful accent lights were shut off, and even with the overhead spotlights, the place seemed dark and lifeless. Napkins, cherry stems, cigarette butts, and whip tassels littered the floor. The cleaning crew did a phenomenal job, because each night when I started my shift, the place was spotless.

  I dipped behind the bar and squatted in front of the tip shelf. I found the big black box with the large S and opened it up. Then I neatly stacked one hundred grand in Simone’s box. People cleared their tips each night, so no one would look in there before she did. That money wasn’t Viktor’s anyhow. Not really. I’d earned it for the fight, and while he would have let me keep it, Simone deserved it more. She made a mistake with Flynn, but who doesn’t screw up? Does that mean we didn’t deserve second chances? I sure as hell had one, and it changed my life. Maybe this little boost would get her wherever she was going.

  When I stood up, Houdini startled me. He sat at the bar, accent lights playing off his bleached hair, which was almost white. I knew it wasn’t his natural color because the roots were dark.

  Houdini’s hazel eyes checked mine as he folded his arms. “How about a drink before you go? You know what I like.”

  I popped the cap off a beer bottle and set the drink in front of him. “This is my last night here. We closed the case, so you won’t be seeing my face anymore.”

  “What a shame.” He sipped his beer and never took his eyes from mine.

  It was easy to forget that Houdini was a Vampire, so when I felt the weight of his gaze, I made sure to look away.

  “I saw what you put in her box.”

  “How?” I looked up at a glass ball in the ceiling that likely had a hidden camera behind it. “Never mind.”

  “If that’s a large amount of money, she might quit. Simone is one of my best, and I can’t afford to lose her.”

  “I thought you liked a little chaos?”

  “Touché. So… what are your plans from here?”

  I heaved a sigh and tossed Flynn’s empty satchel into the trash. “Sleep. Eat. The usual. Then on to the next case. What about you? Planning to open up a strip joint?”

  “Until I find a more lucrative venture, I’ll stay here. Unless you’d prefer me to start selling on the black market again.”

  I shrugged. “Go for it. Maybe you’ll wind up on our hit list.”

  Looking as aloof as ever, he took another swig.

  “If you see Flynn, turn him in. He’s now a declared outlaw. Turns out he was the one recruiting girls from your club and who knows where else.”

  “I do tire of asinine behavior. Do you see what I have to put up with to earn my keep in this world? He could have put my entire business in jeopardy.”

  I rested my arms on the bar. “Sure you didn’t know anything about it?”

  “If I see him, I won’t bother turning him in. I’ll do what one must do with any dog when it’s gone mad.”

  “Don’t. He’s not the worst criminal I’ve ever met. He just made a lot of dumb choices for money, and he didn’t know about the death matches.”

  Houdini tilted his head to the side. “Why the empathy for a criminal and yet none for me? There’s nothing that separates us except that I make smarter choices.”

  “Yep. Dumping me in a morgue was brilliant.”

  An enigmatic smile crossed his expression. “It was the smartest move I ever made, wouldn’t you agree?”

  I knew where he was leading this conversation, so I let it go. “You can keep whatever money you owe me. I’m outta here.”

  After grabbing my bag, I lifted the countertop to head out.

  Houdini swiveled on his stool and then rested his elbows on the bar behind him. “Did you fight?”

  Without turning around, I stopped. “Yes.”

  “I’m curious, how did it feel? Powerful? Inconsequential? Savage? Tell me the truth.”

  I pondered the question before facing him. “People don’t choose that life because they want it. They do it because they don’t have other options. They want to feel like their life has meaning, and people like you take advantage of that.”

  He chuckled softly. “You wanted to become a Vampire. You accepted the offer, just as the other women did. Don’t play victim. Now I pay people to work in a fantasy club, and they do so willingly. Obviously a few of them received a better offer, but unfortunately for them, it didn’t end well. Take responsibility for the choices you make.”

  “Accountability means nothing to you.”

  “On the contrary, I’m quite pleased with the woman you’ve become. Resilient, witty, but not quite independent. Tell me, do you still question whether you’re good or evil?”

  Houdini would never perceive his actions as evil. Especially if they wound up having a good outcome. What bothered me was that each time we revisited this conversation, he made sense. Why did I come across as the irrational one, ungrateful for the life I had?

  I pushed my anger down and walked away.

  “I’m always charmed we keep meeting this way. See you when I see you, Butterfly.”

  I didn’t give Houdini the satisfaction of a head turn—I just kept strutting toward the door, hoping it really would be the last time we ran into each other. I wanted to leave my past behind, and he was a constant reminder of where it all went wrong.

  Once outside, I drew in a deep breath of crisp morning air. The train station wasn’t far, and that would get me halfway home. If only I had parked my truck in an indoor parking lot. I hadn’t been thinking ahead about what would happen after the assignment was over.

  I dashed across the busy street and headed north.

  “Donuts,” I whispered, my mouth watering as I passed a pastry shop. A beefy-looking Chitah stepped out with a stack of boxes in his arms and made his way to a parked car. The coffee smelled tempting, but I kept thinking about my warm bed. Food and drink could come later.

  “Raven!”

  I looked ahead and recognized the blonde poking her head from the back-seat window of a white Rolls-Royce. I stepped up to the curb and admired the antique automobile. “This looks like something the Queen would drive around in.”

  Lenore smiled. “Good morning! Come have a seat and we’ll chat. I’d like to discuss that favor you still owe me.”

  I circled the car to the other door, which opened opposite than regular car doors. The back seat was roomy and stylish.

  “It’s a 1948,” she said. “I’ve had it in storage for years, but I also had to pay someone to keep it in mint condition. The newer cars have all the creature comforts, but I have a newfound appreciation for the classics. They’re sophisticated and detailed. Just look at the workmanship.”

  The leather bench in the back was more like a couch. I leaned forward to shut the door. There was an abundance of legroom and no middle hump, and I’d never been in a car quite like it. I set my stuff on the floor next to a black bag.

  “Wood paneling,” she continued, bragging about all the features. “And these fold down.” She lowered a tray attached to the front se
at and then showed me a small cabinet in the center. It contained two small glasses and a bottle of alcohol. “Aren’t they wonderful?”

  “Fancy.”

  “Let me give you a ride. Where are you heading?”

  “Don’t bother. I’m going home. It’s too far out.”

  Her blond eyebrows drew together. “Were you planning to walk?”

  “I was going to take the train as far as it would go and walk the rest of the way. Or call a cab.”

  “Nonsense.” Lenore snapped her fingers. “Charles, take us to the park with the clock tower—the one by the train station.” She sat back and fiddled with her grey sleeves. “I need to start learning all the street names again. It’s been so long, and so much has changed. Did you know this street was once filled with brothels? Whores as far as the eye could see.”

  I bit my tongue. “So what are you doing up at this hour?”

  “I was on my way to work when I heard the good news.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “What good news?”

  “The cat’s out of the bag, darling. I’m Viktor’s primary contact for your assignment. I’m beyond thrilled that we captured so many. I only have the preliminary report, but would you believe that at least twenty serve the higher authority?” She shook her head in disgust. “Five right here in Cognito, and the rest are in cities throughout the country. It looks like another power shift is on the horizon.”

  “Is that why Christian was guarding you?”

  She folded her hands on her lap. “Do you find his insolence tiresome? A woman like yourself would be better matched with a man in power. Many power couples are still together. If you ever find yourself single, I have just the person in mind. I used to play matchmaker in my time, and I’m quite good at it.”

  “I’m sure.”

  “Gracious. Is that blood in your hair?”

  I picked at the top of my head and felt a clump. While I’d taken a shower at the auction house, Christian and I were too preoccupied in there to bother with things like shampoo and soap.

  “I have something for you.” Lenore reached down into her bag. Before she sat up again, she swung back her arm and stabbed me in the chest.

  Chapter 34

  It took a second to register that Lenore had driven a dagger just inches away from my heart. The pain was indescribable, and it had happened so fast that I still had my hands above my head, picking a clump of blood from my hair. The blade split my rib and pierced my lung.

  “I do hate getting blood on my seats,” she said while sitting back. “Driver, you know where to go.”

  I yanked the blade out and coughed up a lungful of blood. When I gave her a bloodcurdling look, she sat frozen, eyes wide with disbelief. That bitch had stabbed me with a stunner.

  I reached for the window and pulled in healing sunlight. The wound on my chest instantly healed, leaving my white tank top stained with blood. “I bet you’re wondering why I’m not paralyzed.”

  She might have assumed I was a Blocker with special abilities, but I suppose it was my fangs that gave me away.

  Lenore flew at me. I swiped the blade at whatever I could, and when it sliced her jaw, I turned my head away from the dripping blood. While her blood could give me strength, Christian had warned me about the unpredictable power of Vampire blood. Lenore had used it to control him for many years, and though rejecting it could be my demise, drinking it would most certainly be my downfall.

  Lenore disarmed me, splintered the wooden footrest with one blow, and drove a piece of that wood into my chest. When I smiled, her jaw slackened. I used my free hand to punch her, but it was like smashing my fist against marble. Her cheek split but healed immediately, just as the cut on her jaw had. Lenore yanked out the wood, and the pain was enough to make me stiffen.

  Then she leaned in close and reeled me in. “Follow my gaze, Raven. Look nowhere else. The pain is too much, isn’t it? You want nothing more than to feel relief and peace. Lie still. Your muscles are useless. You can’t speak and you can’t move. Not until you’re surrounded in darkness will the spell be broken. Now then, we can have a conversation.”

  When Lenore sat back, I stared at the ceiling, unable to move. A strange euphoria came over me as all the pain melted away along with the sensation in my body. I couldn’t feel the temperature or even the seat beneath me. But I could see, and I could hear.

  Lenore sighed. “I suppose Christian knows about this. No wonder.” She reached over and tucked my bag behind my head so I could see her. “I don’t like it when things get messy. I plan meticulously, but I couldn’t have prepared myself for a half-breed. Immortals like you are an abomination. Immune to both stunners and impalement wood? That’s an impressive gift. There’s so much I’d love to ask you. Like why you don’t have physical power or black eyes. Or are those supposed to be the top half of Chitah fangs?” Lenore brushed at the bloodstains on her blouse. “While I could call it fortuitous that we ran into each other, I’m more inclined to think it’s serendipitous. The fates gave you to me. You’re an important figure, and I’m sorry that I didn’t recognize that earlier. You won me a victory in more ways than one, and now I can be rid of you.”

  Be rid of me? Who the hell did this woman think she was?

  “Before you’re blinded by jealousy, it’s not Christian’s love that interests me. I want his loyalty, and I’ll never have that as long as you’re in the picture. I’m sure you know that he’s loyal to a fault, and that’s worth more than gold. You have too much influence over him, and if I were to make you leave Keystone, he would follow.”

  What the hell was she talking about? How could she make me leave Keystone? Unless working for the higher authority gave her a lot of power over how Viktor ran his organization, but he had never given me that impression.

  “You make Christian weak,” she continued. “He gave you his heart, and as long as you have it, you’ll be the one who rules over him. Don’t take it personally. I don’t hate you, darling. In fact, I admire your potential. In another life, I might have mentored you. But as it stands, you’re a liability. I could charm you to find out how much Christian has divulged about our past, but it doesn’t matter.” She smiled obliquely and leaned in. “I bet you don’t even realize that I’ve charmed you before. Remember when I asked what your passion was, and you answered, ‘killing men’? I’m so good at what I do that you can’t even feel it. Both you and Christian are equally valuable to me, and I see potential in each of you. This wasn’t an easy decision to make.”

  I tried to move my pinky, but I couldn’t feel my body. Not my arms, my legs, not even the sun on my face. All I could do was blink and breathe.

  Lenore gazed out the window as the buildings blurred by. “I have ambitious plans, and I won’t make the same mistakes twice. Raven, I want you to consider what’s happening to you very carefully. You still owe me a large favor for the money, and we return favors in our world. It’s never what we desire, but it’s the only thing that keeps order—the only currency we can count on. And those who don’t pay up will live to regret it. I want to give you peace of mind that you’re clearing your debt with me. No matter how you feel about what’s happening to you, just know that when it’s all over, we’ll be even.”

  The more she talked, the more fearful I became. Was she making me her indentured servant? Or was I about to go on the chopping block? The latter put a chill up my spine. Just the thought of lying in a guillotine, unable to move because of this stupid spell, made me sick to my stomach. Even worse was the level of trust that Lenore had been building between us. She kept trying to twist my relationship with Christian around, and though I’d never doubted him, I’d felt empathy for Lenore because there were always two sides to a story. I had fallen for it.

  Now I just wanted to watch her burn on a pyre.

  The buildings disappeared from view, replaced by the occasional tree. The car slowed and then stuttered across a rocky surface. I’d busted my ass to catch the perpetrators behind a fighting ring, and I�
�d rescued Shifters held captive. I’d also had a hand in capturing all the nefarious players who’d paid to play, thanks to Keystone’s quick thinking. I’d survived two fights—one of them a death match—and this was how I was going out?

  The car came to a stop, and the driver exited the vehicle. When my door opened, my head flew back.

  “Don’t leave behind any evidence,” she said, getting out on the other side. “I want you to clean the back seat when we get home and put this car into the garage and out of view. Replace the interior if you have to, but be discreet.” Her voice fell out of range.

  The driver dragged me out of the car, and my head flopped forward so my hair curtained my view. He immediately lifted me into his arms and carried me a short way. I smelled freshly cut grass as it hissed beneath his shoes, and I could see the blue sky through my hair.

  “Dump her bag before we get home. I don’t want her things in my possession,” Lenore continued.

  My bag! My boots were in there—the boots with the tracking device. Why did I have to go and change into my sneakers? Because I planned on walking home, not getting carried to my death. How would Keystone ever find my body? Tears welled in my eyes when I thought of the last time I’d seen my father. I couldn’t bear to think of him going through this all over again. Never having closure.

  “Be sure you pay the caretaker extra for his cooperation.”

  Extra. Despite Lenore rambling on about coincidence, this hadn’t been a chance meeting. She had planned this. Perhaps she had Christian watch over her to keep us apart. But what if she’d made him an offer? One he couldn’t refuse?

  The driver placed me in something soft and padded, and it took a minute to realize I was in a coffin.

  Lenore hovered over me, the sunlight in her hair. “It took me a little time to learn about you, Raven Black. Or should I say, Raven Graves? Your poor mother was so young. I thought it was only fitting that you two were buried together, so imagine my surprise when I found your headstone next to hers. We paid the caretaker to exhume the coffin—it’s amazing what humans are willing to do for money. I’m curious about the burned remains inside. I removed it, of course. I’m not a monster. You really went out of your way to fake your death, didn’t you? What a grim irony that this is where you ended up after all.” She locked eyes with me. “Speak, Raven. You can’t move, but you can speak.”