by Deanna Chase
After Kane and I got back home, he headed over to Wicked to check on the club before the busy period started, and I walked the four blocks to the Herbal Connection, Bea’s new age shop.
The moment I walked through the front door, the fresh-rain-scented air enveloped me and the tension started to drain from my taut muscles. The scent was customized to each customer, a spell that recognized the patron’s favorite scent. What better way to make someone feel welcome in a shop.
“Good afternoon, dear,” Bea said cheerfully from behind the counter. “How’s married life?”
I couldn’t help the slow smile from claiming my face. “Even better than I imagined.”
Bea’s expression turned soft as she scooted out from behind the counter and gestured for me to follow her to one of her displays on the other side of the shop. She stopped in front of her specially blended herbs. “I don’t want you to think I’m pressuring you or anything, but now that you’re married, I wanted to introduce you to my special line of herbs just in case you’re thinking about expanding.”
“Expanding?” I imagined my waistline growing as I shoveled in even more cheesecake than usual.
“Yes, dear. Expanding your family.” She placed a light hand on my arm and peered at me expectantly.
I picked up the satchel of herbs. Fertility enhancement. “Bea!”
“What?” Her eyes lit with hopeful delight.
“A baby? Now? Are you kidding?”
She shrugged. “Why not?”
I put the herbs back on the shelf and wiped my hand on my skirt as if just touching the satchel would somehow kick my ovaries into overdrive. “Uh, maybe because Kane and I are always chasing after some crisis of the week? Maybe because he’s been benched from the Brotherhood and his energy is tainting the shadow world, while we’ve both been tasked to figure out what the heck is going on? Maybe because we’re constantly battling demons and evil magic users?”
“What?” Her grandmotherly playful mood vanished as her shoulders straightened and her eyes hardened with the look of a witch going into battle. Then she grabbed my hand and tugged me into the back room. “Sit. Tell me everything.”
And I did. Including the part about the weakened angels. I wasn’t supposed to, but I trusted Bea above all others. I needed my mentor’s advice.
When I was finished, she asked, “Does Lailah know?”
“Not everything. As far as I know, Chessandra is keeping this under wraps.”
“I know,” Lailah said, appearing from out of nowhere.
“There you are. I was wondering what happened to you.” Bea waved her over.
“You overheard everything I just said?” I asked.
Lailah nodded.
I grimaced. “I wasn’t supposed to say anything.”
She waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t worry about it. I just had a meeting with the angel council and afterward, Chessandra did decide to fill me in on what’s going on in my territory.” Her irritation was so thick, the static coming off her made her hair frizz. “We’ve been instructed to cease all operations for the time being.”
“Why?” I asked. “If it’s just a problem with the shadows—”
“An angel was attacked this morning and taken to the shadows. By the time anyone realized she was missing, it was too late.” Lailah’s tone was flat, void of emotion. “She’s already been drained and has vanished.”
Ice cold dread seized me. “Son of a…crap on toast. Who, and why didn’t anyone tell me or Kane?”
Lailah gritted her teeth. “Not everything is about you, Jade.”
Well, ouch. “Of course not. But we would’ve done whatever we could’ve to find her.”
“You’re not listening,” she snapped. It was clear Lailah was taking this hard. She wasn’t the bubbliest person I’d ever met, but she did have a kind heart. She wouldn’t have been speaking to me in that tone if she wasn’t so upset. “No one knew she was missing. The Brotherhood found traces of her and informed Chessandra.”
“Traces?” I said absently as I tried to get enough air to calm the panic surging through my veins. An angel had been attacked and taken. What did that mean for Lailah? Were all angels being targeted? Was Lailah in serious danger?
“Her angel pendant was there, along with an echo of her energy signature.” Lailah sank down onto a stool, holding the edge of the work station as if her legs were giving out on her. “She’s not in the shadows. We fear the worst.”
The worst. For an angel, that meant Hell. And no one could cross the shadows to go after her. Not any of the angels anyway.
“Will the Brotherhood look for her?”
Lailah shook her head. “They don’t go into Hell. Their mission is to keep this world and the shadows demon-free. If they cross the lines into Hell, full-on war will break out.”
“Dammit,” I muttered as the images of my trip to Hell flashed through my mind. I’d gone in to save my ex, Dan, who’d sacrificed himself for my mother. I hadn’t been able to leave him there. But Kane had been with me, and we’d had Lailah and Phillip’s help—my last soul guardian. They’d actually come into Hell to get us home. There was no one to help now.
“How did this happen?” Bea asked Lailah quietly, her eyes full of worry. “Is every angel a target? Do we need to cast special protection spells to keep you safe?”
Tears filled Lailah’s bright blue eyes as she shook her head. “I don’t think so. She was a new angel who was still in training. She was supposed to start at the university this fall.”
Bea took her hand in both of hers. “We could try a finding spell just to see.” She glanced up at me in question.
“Yes, we can do that.”
“Chessa already tried.” Lailah sniffed and then disappeared into the employee restroom.
“Damn,” I muttered.
Frustration seeped off Bea, and we both sat there, silent. I hated not being able to do anything.
A few minutes later, Lailah returned, her face washed and steel in her spine as she got down to business. “I heard about Kane. Tell me what’s going on.”
I shrugged. “Not much actually. The shadows are tainted with his energy, only it’s not exactly the same. It feels like maybe his energy was taken from him and then manipulated somehow. The first time we went in after it was already tainted, his energy was drained. The second time was after he was stripped of his demon hunter dagger and he was fine. No effects. So other than flying blind trying to research something we know nothing about, I don’t have anything else to report…except for the outrageous amount of sexual energy filling Wicked.”
Bea frowned.
Lailah raised her eyebrows. “Worse than usual?”
“Way worse. As in people are lined up around the block trying to get in as if they’re addicted to the energy.”
“Oh, dear,” Bea said.
“How long has it been like that?” Lailah asked.
“The last couple of nights. Charlie had to call all the staff in and order extra stock. It’s a madhouse.”
“The same amount of time the Shadows has been tainted,” Bea said, scribbling something in her notebook.
“Yes, but the energy isn’t the same. In the club, the allure is Kane’s. In the shadows, it’s different. Not exactly Kane, but his at the same time. The vibe is darker.”
Bea shook her head. “That doesn’t matter. It’s obvious the disturbance with the shadows and the club is connected.”
She was right, and a nagging voice in my head told me I should’ve taken the club issue more seriously. The seduction of a good-looking spreadsheet had clouded everyone’s judgment. If I’d learned anything over the last year, it was that when it came to the supernatural, nothing was random.
“You need to close the club,” Lailah said quietly. “If the tension gets out of hand, anything can happen.”
A shiver of dread took over. She was right. Anything could happen, from some supernatural disaster to an out-of-control assault. “I have to go,” I said and strode toward the door.<
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“Do you need me to come with you?” Lailah asked.
I paused and glanced back at her. “No. Thanks, but the club is too much of a hot spot right now. It’s probably better if you keep your distance.”
She bristled at my words, hating to be told what to do as much as I did. But then she sat back on the stool and slumped. “You’re right. It’s too easy to slip into the shadows there.”
I stopped midstep. “Is it easier there than other places for you?”
She nodded. “Yes. Ever since we opened that portal when we battled Roy, the club, and that building in general, has been an easier place to cross worlds. It happens sometimes when portals are unlocked.”
Bea nodded her agreement. “A place that has seen that much magic, both black and white, is forever altered.”
“I see.” It would’ve been nice if someone had told me then. However, we were kinda busy saving Pyper’s life.
“Good luck, Jade,” Bea called.
“Yeah, don’t let an overzealous tourist get handsy,” Lailah added with a hint of a smile.
My lips twitched with humor. “I’m sure Kane will see to that.”
Chapter 10
By the time I got back to Wicked, it was nearing six o’clock. Way too early for the nightly rush. But just like the night before, there was a line already formed down the block of people waiting to get in.
The amount of people made me more than a little uncomfortable, and my skin crawled from the pure lust radiating from the massive group. The unfiltered sexual energy was invasive to the point of disturbing. I instantly slid my glass walls into place. And for the first time since I’d learned that trick, I wasn’t completely cut off from the emotions around me. The lust was faint, but it was still there, nagging at me.
Our regular bouncer, Jeff, was manning the door. He unhooked a velvet rope and waved for me to pass as soon as he saw me.
“When did that go up?” I asked him, eyeing the red rope.
“Today. Too many people were trying to slip by.”
“Good idea then.” I waved at him as I braced myself for whatever crazy was going on inside. Taking a deep breath, I walked into the club and stopped mid-step, my mouth hanging open. “Holy crow.”
No one was at the bar. No one was sitting in the chairs around the small tables. All of the patrons were crammed around the stage, staring up at the dancer as they chanted, “More. More. More. More.”
There was an ebb and sway to their movements as if they were all connected and floating on a massive wave.
And high above them was a tall, sleek blonde who was flying on what had to be an invisible wire. She wore only a thin silk G-string that might as well have covered nothing at all and tall lace-up knee-high boots.
Her hands roamed her perfect breasts while she swung and dipped, taunting the audience, her long hair whipping out behind her.
I was stunned. When had the cable been installed? And was the club insured for that sort of thing? The strippers climbed poles two stories high, but this felt different. More daring. What was she even connected to? She wasn’t wearing a harness or anything obvious.
Taking a few steps closer, I stared hard at the woman spinning in place. There wasn’t a wire. Not one that I could see. Holy hell. Was she a witch?
Automatically I dropped my guard. Intense longing and frustrated desire wrapped around me, suffocating me with the thick strands of lust. My hands flew to my throat as if I could pry the awful energy from my skin. My nails hit my neck and scraped, leaving a trail of burning marks.
“Jade?”
I jumped, my heart trying to crawl out of my throat. But then I saw her. Pyper.
She reached out and touched my arm lightly.
My energy latched on to her, blocking out the oppressive sexual energy. I started to relax, but then stiffened when I realized I felt almost nothing from her. No emotions whatsoever. It was so disconcerting, I slammed my walls back in place just so I could focus. I stared down at her, taking in the linen pants, button-down shirt, and her dark hair slicked back into a severe ponytail. She looked like Pyper, but her clothes sure didn’t, and her emotional signature was all but gone. I stepped back, putting a bit of distance between us. “What’s going on?”
Her brow furrowed in what appeared to be concern. “What do you mean? The dancer?” She glanced up at the entertainer and smiled. “She’s an illusionist. Amazing, isn’t she? Look at how she’s playing the crowd.”
An illusionist would explain the lack of wire. I wished I could’ve tapped into her emotional energy when I’d had my guard down, but I couldn’t with so many people around. “She’s impressive.”
“Yeah. She’s new. She just started. Tonight’s her first performance. You might want to stick around and check it out.” Pyper glanced up at her and then waved as she walked off. “See you later.”
What in the world…?
“Pyper!” I called and went after her as she headed to the back. But the crowd swallowed her up, and I lost her. Why hadn’t she been affected by the energy like everyone else in the room? And why was she dressed like an office pod person?
I pushed through the crowd, ignoring the sinking feeling in my gut that there was much more to the supposed illusionist flying through the air above us all. I had to get to Kane. Please let him be here.
When I finally got to the office door, I barged in, not even bothering to knock.
“Jade?” Kane dropped the pen he’d been clutching and stood. “What is it?”
I pushed the door closed and crossed the room. “Have you seen Pyper?”
“No. Not at all today. Why?”
I waved a hand toward the door. “She was just out there dressed in office wear. It was really weird.”
He frowned at me as if I was speaking an entirely different language. “Was she acting strangely?”
I shook my head. “No. I guess not. She just… I dunno, she seemed not quite herself.”
“It’s a crazy night out there.” His lips quirked up into a ghost of a smile.
“Right. About that.” I flopped into the chair in front of his desk. “I think you might want to close down for the night. It’s getting too dangerous.”
His tiny smile vanished. “How so? We have extra security. So far, no one has gotten out of line.”
“That’s good, but the potential is bubbling just beneath the surface. The sexual tension that’s luring them here isn’t safe. What if someone goes too far? And have you seen the crowd out there? They’re all smashed together transfixed by the new dancer.”
“What new dancer?” He was halfway across the office before I caught up to him.
Cutting him off, I placed my hand on his chest. “The illusionist. You didn’t know about her?”
“Illusionist? What?” He stared over my shoulder, clearly needing to see for himself what I was talking about.
Pyper used to manage the club, but that was Charlie’s job now and Pyper usually just helped out when they were shorthanded. Why did she know about the new dancer and Kane didn’t? Something other than the energy in the club was very off.
“Excuse me.” Kane stepped around me and opened the office door.
Immediately the atmosphere shifted. I couldn’t see what it was, but even with my guard up I felt it deep in my bones. Magic crackled at my fingertips as I ran after Kane.
He came to an abrupt halt just as he stepped through the threshold.
“Oh my Goddess,” I whispered, coming to a stop beside him. All of the patrons had turned and were staring at him as if they were transfixed.
And the illusionist just floated above everyone, waiting.
Everything about the scene gave me the creeps. I stepped in front of Kane, trying to tamp down my magic for fear I’d unleash it on someone unintentionally. But then the illusionist focused on Kane, her facial expression full of unadulterated rage. She flung her arms out in front of her and dove, flying straight for us.
I spread my arms wide as I called, “Illumi
nate!” The pentagram circle sprang to life around me and Kane, locking us in and everyone else out.
The illusionist came to a full stop and hovered in the air near the circle’s edge, but didn’t try to cross over. It was then I knew for sure she was something other than an entertainer. There was no cable. She was literally flying through the air.
Her lips curved up into an evil smile. “See all my followers? They’re kindly feeding my power. One word from me and they’ll tear this place apart. Drop the circle, or the club is getting a makeover.”
“Don’t do it, Jade,” Kane said, anger radiating off him in waves.
“Wasn’t even considering it.” I glanced at the patrons. They were all enthralled, totally under the dancer’s spell. She’d said they were feeding her power, but really she was stealing their strength in order to maintain her magic. And she’d trapped them in her web in less than five minutes, the time I’d been in Kane’s office.
The evil dancer hissed at us and then lowered herself until she was just above the crowd. Her emerald eyes crinkled with menace. “Hear me, you lovelies,” she called, holding her arms out. A wave of their collective lust flew through the air and into the palms of her hands. “Lose your inhibitions and fulfill your heart’s desires. Tap into your darkest— Oomph!”
My magic hit her squarely in the chest, cutting off the enchantment she was trying to inflict on the patrons gathered beneath her.
Her gaze snapped back to me. “You’ll pay for that.”
“You first,” I spat. I didn’t know what she was, but she’d clearly been spinning the audience into a frenzy in order to use their lust to build her power. Glaring at her, I sent another bolt of magical lightning in her direction.
She dodged, keeping the attention of the patrons below her. They didn’t seem to be able to tear their eyes from her.
“Who are you?” Kane asked her, the muscle in his jaw pulsing with tension.
“Not who, incubus, but what.” She twirled above us, enjoying the taunt.
“She’s a demon,” I said to Kane, not entirely sure I was correct, but I was going to work under the assumption she was.
“One that flies?” he asked, raising one eyebrow.