Midnight Temptation

by Shari Nichols

  “How about you?” Gillian pushed the cards closer to Natalya, motioning for her to cut the deck. “Did you inherit her gift?”

  “I’m not sure. I’ve never dabbled.” Natalya tapped her fingers on the coffee table. “My family would’ve frowned heavily on the whole thing.”

  Gillian chuckled. “All the more reason you should give it a try. Let’s see what the cards have to say.” She flipped the Two of Pentacles, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Her mind filled with images of an older woman in a blue dress with grey hair. She sensed her spirit trying to come through. “I think your Aunt Agatha is trying to send you a message through me.”

  Natalya’s eyes grew wide. “I can smell her.” The room filled with the scents of leather and rose perfume.

  “Can you get me a pad and something to write with?” Gillian’s hands began to tingle.

  “What are you doing?” Natalya passed over a small notebook and a pen from her bag.

  “I’m going to automatically write the message she sends.” Gillian closed her eyes, and her hand scribbled furiously across the page. After several minutes, she stopped and sagged forward, drained from the channeling. “Why don’t you read the message? See if it rings any bells for you.”

  Gillian set the pad on the table while Natalya’s eyes scanned over the words.

  “The perfume bottles are tucked away in a blue hatbox at the top of your mother’s closet. I can’t believe this.” Natalya inhaled sharply, and tears filled her eyes. “When my aunt died she left me her antique perfume bottles. I used to admire them as a child. We could never find them and looked for years. Thank you, Gillian. This means the world to me.”

  “You’re welcome.” Gillian squeezed her hand. “I’m glad I could help.”

  Natalya glanced at the rest of the message. A curious expression spread across her face. “Wait, there’s more. I think this part is about Brooke. She still glows with health but longs to go home. The trees and the grass keep her magick flowing through her veins, but I fear not for long.” Natalya ran her fingers over the words, and a line appeared between her brows. “The last piece at the end appears to be some sort of warning. Beware of the odnoglazyy.”

  “Beware of the odno-what?” Gillian asked, leaning forward to touch the paper.

  “It’s Russian. I’m not sure how to translate the word. Let me think, beware of the one-eyed man?” Natalya looked up at Gillian, shaking her head. “I’m not sure what it means.”

  “Sounds ominous,” Gillian agreed. “I’ll tell Garrett about it when I see him.” She scooped up the cards and slipped them back in the pouch. With a sigh, she reclined in the chair and pulled her legs up to her chest. “Speaking of Garrett, how long have you known him?” she asked, trying to sound casual.

  “We’ve been working together for a little over six months now, but it feels a lot longer.” Natalya pulled a hairband off her wrist and swept her long, dark hair back in a ponytail.

  Last night something had shifted between them, and Gillian couldn’t help but wonder what it meant, if anything. Now that she understood what Garrett had been through, she saw him in a whole new light. But there was still the matter of him trying to ruin her reputation. She’d been avoiding bringing the subject up at every turn. There were far more important matters at hand, but at some point, they would need to clear the air. She couldn’t put a label on what she felt for him exactly, but it filled her heart with a bittersweet tenderness.

  “Garrett can come off a little menacing at times, but it’s all an act.” Natalya smiled wide and tilted her head to the side. “Inside, he’s as soft and gooey as a marshmallow.”

  “Now there’s a word I’d never use to describe him.” And then Gillian recalled the way he’d interacted with his elderly neighbor Annette. She’d even called him “sweet boy.”

  Somewhere along the way she started to look forward to their interactions. He kept her on her toes. Did he do that with all the women in his life? She wanted to ask Natalya if their relationship had ever gotten personal, but it wasn’t her place. Not that she could blame her if it had. Now that she knew him better, she couldn’t imagine how any female wouldn’t be drawn to him on some level.

  “Gillian? What’s going on in your head?” Natalya asked, bringing her back to the present. “I’m getting a strong vibe that you want to ask me something.”

  “I do want to ask you something, but I’m afraid it might offend you.”

  “It’s okay. Please, go ahead.”

  “Well, it’s really for the sake of the ruse. I just wondered in all of those months of you and Garrett working together, doing all those late-night stakes outs, did you ever, you know, get together in the carnal sense?” Gillian asked, holding her breath, waiting for Natalya’s reply.

  “Me and Garrett? God, no.” Natalya shook her head. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, you’d have to be half-dead not to notice how virile he is, but we’ve always had a professional relationship. I don’t look at him romantically and vice versa.”

  Those few simple words filled her with relief. “Good to know.”

  “Believe me, you don’t need to worry where I’m concerned. Of course for purposes of the ruse and all,” Natalya said with a twist of her lips. “Anyway, I’m not savvy when it comes to matters of the heart.” A faraway look appeared in her eyes.

  Her aura turned from red to purple, and Gillian picked up on her sadness. She wanted to ask her about it, but she didn’t want to probe since they didn’t know each other that well yet.

  Instead, she tried to backtrack. “Oh, you thought I was asking for me?” She placed her hand on her chest and then moved it lower to pull at a loose thread on her jeans. “I was curious, in case someone asked.” Goddess, she was rambling now, making a complete ass of herself.

  Natalya chuckled, putting her at ease. Gillian liked her, and under different circumstances, she could see them being friends. “If you say so. I can’t speak for the other women in his life. I understand he has quite a reputation.”

  Her heart sank. “I can’t say I’m shocked by the revelation.” With a deep sigh, Gillian tried to process their conversation, and one thing became clear, there was a whole lot more to Garrett Mulroney than met the eye. And she was determined to unravel the mystery.

  Chapter 18

  “I should’ve been there. We need to talk about what happened.” Garrett turned to Gillian as they veered out of the parking garage at full speed in a sleek, blue sports car that looked like something straight out of a Bond film.

  “We will, but not now.” Gillian cut him off. “Please, Garrett, if we get into what happened earlier I might lose my shit, and tonight is all about Willow and Alex. I want everything to be perfect for them.” From the moment he’d picked her up at Brooke’s, he couldn’t stop apologizing. The message about Brooke had helped to ease the knot in the pit of her stomach. At least she knew she was safe, for the moment anyway. According to Natalya’s aunt, it was only temporary. In the meantime, Gillian would work with Saje and pray they would find an ancient form of magick to break her bond.

  He nodded. “Fine, let’s talk about our cover.”

  She sighed, grateful for the change of subject. “Exactly how many fake relationships have you been in?”

  “This would be a first for me.” He chuckled and shifted gears, causing the engine to rev. “Try not to stress. If you do, everyone will pick up on it. We’ll be fine.” When he reached out to squeeze her knee in a gesture of reassurance, heat shot from her knee to the inside of her thighs. If the whole night went like this, then she was in serious trouble. His eyes flew to hers, the hard angles of his face caught in the shadows of the car. “You’re going to have to get used to me touching you in public, Gillian.”

  When her eyes traveled back up to meet his, her pulse sped up. “Easier said than done.”

  She couldn’t hide her body’s reaction to him if she tried. Needing to cool off, she wrenched down the window. It was still relatively warm for the e
nd of October, and she welcomed the rush of wind on her face. Streetlights and buildings zoomed by at a blurring speed. The car hugged the road like a second skin. She caught a whiff of Garrett’s aftershave. The spicy scent lingered in the confined space and made her want to groan. Talk about adrenaline overload.

  “What kind of car did you say this was?” she asked and turned back to face him, pushing her hair off her face.

  “A Maserati Indy. I’ve owned this baby since the seventies, but I rarely get to drive her anymore. I always have a blast when I do.” He flashed a gorgeous smile that made him look like a delighted little boy. This unrestrained side of him was sexy as sin.

  “You talk about her like a person.” She pulled her lip gloss from her black, beaded bag and swiped the wand across her lips. “Well, she’s beautiful.”

  “So are you. You look lovely tonight, Gillian,” he murmured. “There’s nothing quite like a beautiful woman in a Maserati.” The jade green cocktail dress and black bolero jacket she wore over it boosted her confidence.

  She exhaled, wanting to bask in the compliment. This is all for show, she reminded herself. “You’re laying it on pretty thick and no one’s around. Are you practicing for later?” she joked.

  “What if I told you I don’t need to practice, it’s simply the truth?” His eyes glittered in the darkness, full of sinful promises.

  “Then I’ll be sure to thank Saje again for bringing my things by the store.” She smoothed down the front of her dress, which fell just above her knees, with a small slit up the side of her leg. By the time they got back to Garrett’s place, she’d only had time for a quick shower and a blast of the hairdryer.

  With her hair still damp, she had twisted it up in a clip. Then, she swiped on a little mascara and added bronzer across her cheeks. She’d been feeling self-conscious about her rushed appearance, but when Garrett’s heated gaze trailed over her, those insecurities were immediately laid to rest.

  She picked up the silver-wrapped package at her feet. “This is Alex and Willow’s engagement gift. I signed both our names on the card. It’s a crystal water pitcher. You have excellent taste by the way.”

  He smiled wide, flashing a hint of fangs. “I appreciate the gesture, but as it happens I also picked something up a while back for the occasion.” He took his hand off the wheel and patted the front pocket of his suit jacket. From the mischievous glint in his eyes, she sensed it was a surprise.

  “It’s okay. Any new developments?” she asked, hoping they had a solid lead on Brooke, and wondering if they had, was it in any way connected to her vision of the dragon shield.

  “Greystone came clean about how he obtained membership into the Brotherhood. Since the bust, we’ve learned Lawrence has been forced to go underground. Now he’s conducting his business from private residences. We should know more soon.”

  Gillian filled him in on the message from Natalya’s aunt. “She said beware of the one-eyed man.”

  “I have no idea what it could mean. Maybe a fluke.” Garrett took his hand off the wheel to rub his chin.

  “Maybe, but I can’t help but think there’s something more to it.” Gillian exhaled and pushed the nagging feeling of dread to the back of her mind. “Getting back to what you were saying about Lawrence conducting his business from a private home, how do you plan on finding this house?”

  “It’s going to take some time, but once we get confirmation I’m in with the Brotherhood, the plan is for me to go undercover as an interested party, and then, we wait.” His expression turned serious, pensive even.

  “It sounds risky. Do you think it’ll work?”

  “We don’t have many other options at this point. The longer Brooke is with Lawrence, the harder it will be to break their bond. When we do find her, she may not go with us willingly.”

  Her stomach tightened with nerves. “Then how do you plan on rescuing her and breaking her blood bond with Lawrence?” She remembered what Garrett had said about the blood addiction taking place and his sister going mad when her bond was broken with his sire.

  “I’m not sure yet. We’re still trying to work out the details.”

  “I realize we’ve talked about this before, but I was thinking about asking the other girls to form a circle to see if we can use our collective magick and divine together to try and pick up on where Lawrence could be keeping Brooke. We could be discreet, maybe slip into one of the empty banquet rooms without anyone being the wiser?

  Garrett shook his head. “Absolutely not. I’m sorry, Gillian. It’s too risky, and it will raise too much suspicion. This is one instance where the ends don’t justify the means. Besides, divination isn’t an exact science. I’m afraid they’ll only get in the way, and then, there will be six other women to protect around the clock besides you.” He took one hand off the wheel to squeeze her hand. “I wish I had a different answer for you, but you need to trust me.”

  “I understand.” She gave him a wooden nod and tried to hide her disappointment by glancing out the window. After that, neither of them said a word.

  He pulled up to the restaurant and turned to her, his blues eyes filled with a mixture of concern and tenderness, chasing some of her anxiety away. When he brushed a stray lock of hair from her cheek, his fingers lingered on her chin, sending her pulse skyrocketing.

  “Why don’t we talk about it later? If you get too upset, it will be hard to pull this off. And you deserve a night off. Let’s try and enjoy the evening.” When he leaned over and brushed her cheek with his lips, a flare of emotion blazed through her chest. The scratch of his stubble made her whole body tingle.

  He got out of the car, buttoned his jacket, and handed the valet the keys. He walked around to open her door and extended his hand. “Let’s go.”

  Tonight he looked mouthwatering, and every inch the vampire dressed in a black, silk dress shirt with a matching suit jacket, slacks, and silver cuff links. He kept his dark hair slicked back off his face, accentuating cheekbones that looked like they’d been carved from stone, full, sensual lips, and a square jaw.

  Gillian was so busy staring, she almost forgot the gift. She reached around for the box, then took his hand and stepped out of the car.

  His gaze zeroed in on her legs and her stomach did a little flip. He rested his hand on the small of her back and guided her toward the restored brownstone. The heat from his touch sent licks of fire shooting across her skin.

  “Are you ready for this?”

  The concern in his voice warmed her almost as much his touch had. She took in a breath and let it out. She’d have to prepare herself for the endless amounts of questions. “No, not at all. I’ve already told Willow a fib, that Brooke had to go out of town on business.” She felt a pang of guilt enjoying a party when Brooke still wasn’t found.

  “No need. By now Alex has probably given her a heads up. My guess is she’ll mention it to you at some point.”

  A slice of moonlight lit up the sky, accentuating the dream-like quality of the night. They stopped on the curb, and she spotted a few familiar faces walking into the restaurant, but so far none of her friends yet. They tended to run fashionably late.

  Garrett turned to face her. “There are a few things I wanted to go over with you before the party, but I didn’t get the chance. I haven’t seen much of you today,” he whispered close to her ear.

  Why did those few simple words sound so intimate? Could this be his way of saying he’d missed her? Then again, she could be reading too much into it, which tended to be her default. It was a hard habit to break, especially for a psychic.

  “You don’t think Saje said anything to the others?” he asked, looking tense.

  “No, she understands how dangerous the situation is. I trust her with my life, and with Brooke’s for that matter.”

  “Okay then. I know you hate to lie, just remember this is for everyone’s safety. Now that we got that out of the way, I need to tell you something. Frankly, I’m not supposed to reveal the details of an op, but
you’ve earned the right to know. I went to the mayor’s office today to get his approval for a task force. With their help, we plan on rescuing all the victims who were subjugated into this blood ring once I get approved into the Brotherhood.”

  Hearing the words filled her with tears of joy. She tried to stop herself from getting carried away on a floating cloud of hope, but it was hard not to when he was confiding in her like this. “Thank you,” she whispered, relief filling her chest.

  “I couldn’t wait to tell you.” He sounded so sincere. Every nerve ending in her body was inclined to trust him, but then a pang of doubt reared up like an angry monster. Did he really give a shit about her or was he simply doing his job? The thought filled her with guilt.

  “Gillian? What’s going on?” The deep rasp of his voice made her breath catch.

  “It’s nothing.” Damn, she was a terrible liar.

  His jaw visibly clenched. “We need to talk.” Garrett grabbed her hand and gently pulled her in the other direction.

  “Hey, slow down.” Gillian had a hard time keeping up in her peep-toe sandals. “Where are we going?”

  Ignoring her, he stopped for a moment and gestured to the gift. “May I?” When she nodded, he took the gift out of her arms and the envelope from his jacket pocket and handed both to the nearest valet. “Please make sure these get on the gift table.” Garrett pulled out a twenty and slipped it in his hand.

  They headed in the opposite direction and ducked into the alley behind the restaurant. The smell of some kind of sizzling beef and freshly baked bread flared in her nostrils. Her stomach growled. She never did get a chance to eat today.

  Garrett peered around the block to make sure they were alone and then waved to a hulking figure who stood guarding what looked like an employee entrance.

  “Why aren’t we going in?”

  “I think there are a few things we need to clear up first.” He stood inches away, his chest rising and falling with every breath, nearly touching hers.