Ante Up: A Sin City Collectors Novella

by Amanda Carlson

  Sofia held her head in her hands. “I’m not letting you in, you filthy bastard. I told you to leave me alone!” She focused hard on ejecting him from her mind once again, but she was worn out. Her ability to keep repelling him was waning fast.

  This was the fifth time he’d tried to get into her head in two hours.

  She knew he couldn’t physically enter her house, because her wards were still active, but obviously that wasn’t affecting his psychological tactics in the least.

  During the day, Sofia had taken even more precautions, erecting various booby traps—ones witches loved, like spelling certain objects with dire consequences. Now, if the demon came too close to any of her patio furniture, both his legs would break. Snap, snap. And if he bumped into one of her many plants, even so much as brush against one of the leaves, he would go temporarily blind.

  Sofia hoped he dared come near enough for that to happen. Of course, if she could find his exact location, she could hit him with much more firepower. But he wouldn’t be stupid enough to show himself…yet. Ginger hadn’t shown up or called, leaving Sofia with limited options. She needed more information on how to bring an incubus down from afar.

  For tonight, she just had to make sure he stayed out of her brain.

  Let me in, my sweet. You will like what I have to offer. I promise. The voice caressed inside of her mind like the flutter of butterfly wings.

  “Never, you wretched shit-for-brains. No means no!” She gritted teeth, trying to force her erect nipples to calm down. This sex demon had serious amp, and her body repeatedly responded to his assault, much to her chagrin. There was no spell she knew of to keep him out, and she was well versed in spells of the body. “And, just so you know, I’m totally ratting you out to your sister. When she gets here, she’s going to be even angrier than I am that you’re in my head!” Sofia knew Ginger had tried her best to warn her once she’d found out her brother was coming.

  That also meant Ginger had to have known what her brother was capable of doing and had never warned her.

  I bring you no pain, only ecstasy, the voice coaxed. Give yourself to me, and you will know pleasures others only dream of.

  With one strong, concentrated blast, Sofia finally forced the incubus out of her head.

  For the sixth time.

  Sofia collapsed in a chair, her breaths coming in short bursts. “Good lords,” she huffed. “I can’t keep this up.” She knew sooner or later, he’d be inside her head to stay, and she couldn’t let that happen. It would leave her wide open and vulnerable.

  She had to face facts. It was time to call in backup.

  She picked up her phone and dialed Ginger’s number first. She’d hoped against hope that her friend would show up today. She’d been trying Ginger every hour since nightfall. There was no answer, but at the last minute Ginger’s voice mail kicked in for the very first time. Sofia sat up quickly, gripping the phone hard as she listened to the recording:

  “Hi, this is Ginger. I’m out of town at the moment on a very important trip. I’ll be reaching my destination soon, but might be too tired to return your call once I arrive. Please leave a message, and I’ll get back to you…if I am able.”

  Sofia clicked off the phone without leaving a message. “Too tired” and the deliberate pause before “if I am able” meant only one thing: Ginger was letting Sofia know they might not win, even if she showed up in time, which was not a for sure.

  “Shit, shit, shit.” Sofia stood and paced. Who else could she call? Her mind jumped to Diesel first, of course. But that was still insane, and so random. She couldn’t involve the guy she actively wanted a relationship with in a mess like this.

  She needed an ally, not a potential lover, to come to her aid, and she had no real friends in Vegas. If she’d still been living in San Fran, she would’ve had the house full of supes hours ago to help her take down this guy in less time than it would’ve taken her to order a pizza.

  Another flood of pressure rammed into her mind. The force of it took her by surprise, and she dropped to her knees, clenching her jaw tightly. “I’m not…letting…you in…”

  Without her consent, her body erupted in a wash of tingles all the way from her hair to her toes. The voice answered, I am already in. It’s just a matter of time before you give in to me.

  Sofia rolled on the floor as she struggled to eject him from her mind. She still clutched her phone. There was only one option left. She opened her contacts and tapped her finger on the name. As it rang, she muttered a prayer that the dhampir was in a good mood. Then she laughed.

  “What do you want, witch?” a snarky voice answered on the second ring. “I only gave you my number because Diesel made me, so this better be good.” Before Sofia could get a word in edgewise, the dhampir continued with, “And I hope you’re calling to inform me that you’re gone. I’m raising my glass to toast your imminent departure right now.” Sofia heard her take a swig of her drink. “Seriously, witch, it’s more than time for you to go.”

  She wanted to answer Neve, but a flurry of sensations hit Sofia just below the belt, and she snapped her mouth closed, allowing only a slow moan to escape as she writhed on the floor.

  “Witch?” Neve’s voice went from cranky to curious in a single heartbeat. “This isn’t a phone-sex number. I will hurt you if that’s why you called me, and I hit extremely hard.”

  “Shut…up!” Sofia managed to sputter. “I…nee-eee-d”—she yelped as sensations tingled through her again and again as she tried to force them out—“your…help!”

  “With what?” Neve’s tone changed, the dhampir was all ears. Sofia had her full attention.

  All Sofia needed to do was frame her request as a job offer. “I need your help, and I’m prepared to pay you…” Sofia moaned. She was quickly discovering she couldn’t fend off the demon and have a coherent conversation at the same time. She panted a few more times before she could manage, “Just get your ass over here. I have an…intruder that I’m having trouble getting get rid of.”

  “An intruder?” Neve scoffed. “That’s why you’re calling me? You’re a witch, witch. Just hit them with some sparkles between the eyes, and you should be good to go.”

  “Not a physical intruder, smartass,” Sofia muttered as she tried to stave off the onslaught of tingles, “a psychological one.” She honestly didn’t have enough time or energy to explain the details.

  “Run that by me again?” the dhampir said.

  “There’s a mother-frackin’-asshole in my brain, dhampir…and he won’t leave me alone.” She ended on a long, breathy sigh.

  Damn it.

  “I don’t like supes who can get into your brain. It’s a particularly ugly trigger for me.” The dhampir’s voice was dead calm, and it sent chills up Sofia’s spine. Sofia heard her shout to someone, but couldn’t make out what she’d said. Then she was back on the line. “Fine. We’ll help you. What’s your address? But if we come, you pay us. This is a job, not a charity case. That’s the way this is going to work between us, understand?”

  “Sold.” She gave Neve her address. “And, dhampir, if you don’t hurry, and I end up falling to this demon, the next time I see you, I’ll hit you with a spell that will make you shut your eyes Sleeping Beauty-style every time your fiancé comes near you.”

  “As if a little sleep would stop us,” Neve scoffed. “Plus, he won’t be my fiancé for long.” She clicked off.

  Sofia tossed her phone down and moaned, rolling back and forth on the floor. “I need some damn whiskey.”

  Diesel could smell the rat bastard, but he couldn’t see him.

  He was losing touch with his human side, he was too maddened to control it, but his wolf knew enough to stay on target. Targets equaled a threat. He gave another roar and threw something to the side that had gotten in his way. The smell of her was everywhere, which only heightened his anger. Her scent mixed with the sickly sweet odor of the incubus, and it drove him mad. The need to protect her raged through him.


  Nothing else mattered.

  Behind him, someone familiar called his name. He ignored it.

  He couldn’t see very clearly, and he wasn’t sure of his surroundings anymore. He lifted his head, scenting the air, taking it apart molecule by molecule. He knew where the demon was.

  The demon was cloaking himself, but he couldn’t hide his scent from a wolf.

  Before Diesel knew it, his fist went through a wall. The wood gave immediately, splintering and flying in pieces around him. He tore through it, and the smell of oil and cleaning supplies hit his senses, mixed with the threat of the incubus.

  Then he was inside.

  Thick fur coated his body, his fingers tipped by three-inch claws, his muscle mass three times its normal size.

  His prey was there.

  Instead, the demon put his hands in the air and backed toward the wall. “Listen, buddy, I mean no harm. I was sent here on a mission. I was just leaving.”

  The demon retreated, and as he walked backward, Diesel felt a push in his mind, and his thoughts became even more muddled. The asshole was trying to get into his mind. Diesel lifted his head and howled, his fists clenched tightly in front of him. “Stay out of my head!” He lunged at his target.

  The incubus moved quickly, but not quickly enough.

  Diesel had him by the throat, his powerful hands one squeeze away from breaking the demon’s neck. But before he could complete his task, something grabbed on to his arm from the side. Diesel jerked his forearm roughly, and a body flew forward. Long, red hair swished by him as an unfamiliar woman sprawled on the ground in front of him.

  “Please don’t kill him,” she pleaded. “I beg you.”

  More voices added to the mayhem, but they were too low to register. It didn’t matter. Diesel already had his prize. He roared his pleasure. A second before he ended the demon’s life, an arm snaked around his throat, and the slippery incubus slid out of his grasp and ran.

  “Bro, don’t do this,” a familiar voice said as Diesel tore free of his grasp, following his prey without hesitation. He shouldered two more bodies out of the way like they weren’t there and ran after the incubus. He was faster, catching up to the demon right at the edge of a swimming pool.

  He grabbed him. The demon turned. He had no choice but to fight him now. They clattered into some furniture, sending it flying, but before Diesel could get a better grip on him, he crashed to his knees. He felt pain, but it didn’t register. He tried to rise, but his legs wouldn’t cooperate. Before he could recover, both of his arms were restrained. He bucked forward, head-butting the person holding him, and he heard familiar swearing.

  “Hold him down!”

  “I’m trying, hellhound,” Luke retorted. “This is the worst he’s ever been. He’s barely coherent.”

  More yelling sounded in his ears as he struggled against his bonds. Then a familiar and welcome female voice shouted, “Let go of him right now!”

  “We can’t or he’ll tear this place apart,” Jake answered, “and believe us, you don’t want to see him like that.”

  Something twinged his consciousness. Jake? But that couldn’t be right. Diesel couldn’t keep his thoughts straight anymore.

  “He can’t possibly tear the place apart with two broken legs. My spell hinders healing, even for a shifter. Let him go. He has no idea what’s going on, and he’s already beginning to calm down.”

  Diesel’s brother grunted. “Sofia, I understand what you want, but—”

  “I said, let him GO!”

  Diesel’s arms were suddenly free. He needed to get up and track his prey. He couldn’t let the bastard get to her. He tried to rise, but his limbs were too heavy. A second later a beautiful woman with long, dark hair that seemed to glow in the moonlight smiled down on him. She told him everything would be okay as she caressed his face.

  He sighed as he closed his eyes.

  Sofia was shaking with anger, as well as a bit of fear, as she knelt next to Diesel. She reached a tentative hand out to touch the beautiful golden fur that was receding quickly as he slept.

  It was soft, not coarse, and as her fingertips floated over his arm, she sighed.

  She’d never seen anything like him before.

  He’d been glorious. Almost seven feet tall, muscle mass that defied explanation, and eyes the most brilliant green. He was fierce and ferocious, the most amazing predator she’d ever seen, and he’d come to her rescue.

  When the incubus had abruptly left her brain, she’d immediately heard the commotion outside. She’d pulled back the curtains to see Diesel tearing into the side of her neighbor’s garage. Well, first she’d heard him roaring, then the sound of wood splintering as he’d dismantled the siding like it was little more than wrapping paper, but when she’d finally laid eyes on him—he’d taken her breath away.

  He’d been defending her, coming after her nightmare like her supernatural Prince Charming. She glanced down the length of his huge body, still lost in thought, as someone cleared a throat behind her.

  “Okay. If you already had Diesel—and whoever this chick is—on the way, why did you call me?” Neve asked. “I could’ve been three episodes into good reality TV by now.”

  Sofia glanced over her shoulder to see the dhampir standing by the pool, her arms folded across her chest. Next to her, and a few feet back, stood Ginger, looking a little forlorn, her expression vacant and far away. She hadn’t changed one bit since Sofia had last seen her. She was still strikingly beautiful.

  But she’d deal with Ginger once they got inside.

  Before Sofia could answer Neve, Luke knelt next to her. “How did you do this?” His voice held awe as he motioned to his sleeping brother. “We’ve only managed to get him down for a few minutes before, but you’ve got him sleeping like a baby, almost like he wasn’t just Hulked out of his mind.” Luke shook his head.

  Sofia stood slowly. “I hit him with a very technical sleeping spell, one that attacks both the brain and the muscles. I essentially put every molecule in his entire body to sleep. His legs are broken in multiple places, and I wanted him to heal without any pain.”

  Luke rose with her. “Believe me, he feels no pain when he’s like that. He would’ve kept going if he could’ve, but thank you. That was nothing short of a miracle.”

  “Witch, you’re going to have to answer me. What’s going on here?” Neve asked. “Are sex demons your thing or something?” She gestured toward Ginger. “Because if they are, we don’t want any—”

  “No, dhampir,” Sofia cut her off soundly, “sex demons are not my thing. This is Ginger, a very good friend of mine from a long time ago. We haven’t seen each other in over twenty years.” She strode toward her friend and embraced her. Ginger hugged her back fiercely. Sofia felt her shaking a bit under her grasp. Sofia broke the embrace and turned back to Neve, her hands on her hips. “Ginger’s brother seems to have taken a shine to me. I have no idea why. And when I say ‘shine,’ I mean he’s been assaulting my mind repeatedly for the past two nights. And please be assured that I wouldn’t have called you if I’d known backup was already coming.” She glanced at Luke. “How did you guys know I needed help anyway?”

  “We didn’t,” Luke said. “This was purely coincidental—as far as I know. Diesel had no idea you lived here, but I’ll let him explain all that when he wakes up.” Luke glanced down at his brother. “By the way, do you know about when that will be?”

  “He’ll wake up in about an hour,” Sofia responded. “I added a mending spell to the sleeping spell to aid his healing.”

  Jake strode forward from his place next to Neve. “If he’s going to be out that long, let’s get him inside. Then you can explain what’s going on in a little more detail.” Jake took hold of Diesel under one shoulder and motioned for Luke to do the same.

  Since he’d gone back to his normal size, they hauled him up easily. His T-shirt was torn, but his jeans were intact. Even out cold, he was still a beautiful sight.

  Sofia led everyone in
to her home, warding the yard before she shut the door and closed the curtains. As Sofia locked the door, Ginger leaned over and said, “I don’t think they’ll be back tonight.” In person, her voice was as melodic as Sofia remembered.

  “They?” Sofia turned toward her friend, realizing in that moment how much she’d missed her. Just seeing Ginger standing there brought back a wash of both good and bad memories. She appraised her before she said, “You know, you and I have a lot to discuss, and I hope you’re here with the truth, because that’s the only thing I want to hear.”

  Ginger bowed her head, and her long, red waves tumbled across her shoulders. Sofia could see grief etched in her features. “I’ve come to tell you everything,” Ginger said. “You deserve that.”

  Sofia nodded once as she turned back toward the group that was assembling in her great room. Ginger made a beeline toward the open kitchen, where she was just far enough removed from the group without leaving the area. Sofia knew that Ginger would likely prefer to speak with Sofia alone, but that wasn’t going to happen. This involved all of them now.

  “So, we’re waiting,” Neve said pointedly as she took a seat across from the couch and crossed her long legs. She was dressed in her battle gear, black leather from head to toe. She looked impressive, and she knew it. Neve didn’t usually have to strut her stuff—she didn’t need to—but Sofia watched as the dhampir’s eyes slid to Ginger, who was now leaning against the kitchen counter, eating out of what looked to be a box of crackers. Sofia immediately understood. The dhampir didn’t like Sofia on principle, but her hackles were up over the succubus.

  Sofia grinned.

  Seeing Neve uncomfortable was a little on the delicious side. Nevada Hamilton was someone who never allowed her insecurities to show. Sofia knew she’d learned to master hiding them at a young age. The dhampir hadn’t had a pleasant upbringing, from what she’d gathered, which made her prickliness a little easier to endure.

  There was a small groan, and Sofia immediately turned. The guys had laid Diesel out on the couch. It was a wide, overstuffed sofa, one of the few pieces of furniture she had, but he took up all the available space. She went to sit near him. Jake pulled a dining room chair next to his fiancée and straddled it. Luke took the only other chair in the room. He was the only one who looked relaxed and happy. His brother was safe, and for the moment that was clearly the only thing that concerned him.