“I won’t dare leave a scar on such supple flesh.”
Sonnet had to stop her hand from jumping to the scar at her neck, which was itching to be touched. She refused to satisfy the demand with any kind of reaction other than indifference.
“You got your price, so where’s the dude?”
She could hear grunts and moans coming from behind her, the sounds of Ryker and Bane trying to get to her, no doubt. But she refused to break eye contact with the demon to find out for sure.
Remy raised his hand. Sonnet’s eyes widened, and she went stiff, expecting to be thrown backwards, like the men. But instead of being launched into the air, the demon used his fingers to snap out a demand to someone or something unseen. A few seconds later, two ordinary-looking men appeared from around the corner, with a very pissed-off fang-baring vampire held captive between them.
“Your offender, as ordered,” one of the men said.
The vampire’s snarling abruptly ended the moment he caught site of Remy. His short bright red hair was flattened like a helmet to his head in waves. It appeared to be stiff, like he used way too much hair product. Underneath blonde scrunched-up brows, he gave Remy a questioning glance.
“What have I done to offend you, my king?”
Sonnet’s mouth dropped open at the title he used to address Remy.
No freakin’ way!
She swung her head around, in search of Bane and Ryker. She needed confirmation. And with Remy’s attention on the new guy, she wanted to see if they were okay. She spotted them across the room, up against the far wall. They were uncrumpling from an apparent fall, picking themselves up off of the floor, with some pretty angry looks on their faces.
“King?” Sonnet mouthed to Bane as he walked towards her, his eyes watching her lips move.
He glanced over at Remy and then back to her. He nodded.
Sonnet’s head moved back around slowly.
In a flat voice she asked, “How do I know it’s him?”
“Because, divine hunter, once you strike a bargain with a demon, it’s seared across your soul. It secretes as a promise, rushing through the blood in your veins. There’s always room for misinterpretation, but never for lies. I promised you Donovan, the vampire Bane asked for. See for yourself.” He looked over at the trio of men. “Donovan, won’t you join us?”
The men holding him captive shoved him forward by the shoulders. He stumbled but caught himself before he fell to the red carpet. He smiled at Remy. It was forced, but he wouldn’t dare show any displeasure. When he reached the king, he bowed.
“How can I help?”
Remy’s eyes flickered to Sonnet as he said to Donovan, “Remove your shirt.”
Shrugging, he crossed his arms and grabbed the edge of his green shirt in both hands. He then pulled it up and over his head, tossing it to land on the floor at his feet. His green eyes never wavered from Remy, waiting for the king’s next order with stoic features.
Remy smiled, pleased. He glanced over at Bane, who was standing next to Sonnet.
“Is this the vampire you were searching for?”
He nodded once, staring at the bull’s-eye tattoo etched across the man’s chest.
“It is.”
Donovan shot Bane a death glare as he asked, “What the fuck, man?”
The hair on the back of Sonnet’s neck rose. She was thinking that was more than likely the one who kidnapped Kelly. Taking a long look at the marking across his chest, she thought, Unless there’s another vampire with the same tattoo. She had to be sure, which meant she was going to need a little more proof.
Suddenly, she realized that every eye was on her, their silence pounding at her ears. She reminded herself that was her ball game, and it was time to either shoot or pass the ball. Swallowing a nervous lump, she pushed off the bar and walked over to him. Keeping herself a few feet away, but in front of him, she looked up.
“Where’d you get your ink done?”
Donovan stared down his nose at her with disgust that reached to crinkle the corners of his eyes.
“Fuck you, bitch.”
Reminding herself that she had a vampire, a werewolf, and a demon king behind her for back up, she took a full step forward. In the same move, she reached behind her and pulled out the stake from her waistband, pressing the silver tip of it to the bared flesh over his heart, until the pressure dimpled the skin.
Sonnet asked again, “One more time, asshole. Where did you get your work done?”
The look Donovan gave her was vicious.
Between clenched teeth, he said, “There’s only one place that can mark a vampire permanently, you twit. Immortal Ink.”
For some reason, the name sounded familiar.
“Where can I find this place... Immortal Ink?”
Donovan’s laugh took her by surprise, making her press the tip of the stake harder into his flesh. He didn’t even flinch.
“Is this chick serious?” he said to someone behind her.
Bane answered, “Deadly so.”
That shut him up. He stared back down at Sonnet, seeming confused, deflated.
“The tattoo parlor’s right across the street from this buildin’.”
She’d seen the shop’s sign when she first entered the city. Sonnet put the stake away. She turned her back on Donovan and looked up at Bane.
“If there’s a place to hold this asshat while I double check somethin’, that would be great.”
“That can be arranged,” Bane said as he pulled a gold coin out of his pocket and tossed it to Remy. “Can you tuck Donny away for a while for Sonnet?”
Remy snatched the coin out of the air with a pleased glint in his eye.
“Consider it done.”
The vampire didn’t struggle against his captors as they gripped him by the arms, but he sent his glare over to Bane.
“I’ll kill you for this, traitor,” Donny hissed as he was dragged away. He spat on the ground. “You chose a hunter over your own kind, you piece of shit.”
“What a terrible mess,” Remy said coolly. “I hope she’s worth it.”
Bane sent his gaze darting between the king of demons and the vampire he’d just sent up the river.
“She’s worth that and more.”
Sonnet reached between them, heart pounding, and swiped her fingers across the top of Bane’s hand.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Walking back behind the bar, Remy said in an irate tone, “I’d love to stick around and be a witness to all of your lovey-dovey crap, but I have a city to run.”
Sonnet leapt forward, out of control. She landed with half of her body on one of the barstools in front of Remy, and the other half pushed up against the bar. She let out a small grunt of pain and glanced behind her with surprise at Bane. He was shocked, too, but more amused. She turned back to face the demon.
“Remy wait! Before you go, can you tell me what you found out after tastin’ my blood?”
He stopped in his tracks and whipped around with a cold grin.
“I’ll be keeping that information to myself for now. It was a pleasure meeting you, hunter.”
Sonnet gave him a frosty look, waiting for another response, because that one sucked balls. But instead of supplying her with a more satisfying explanation, the demon flashed out, disappearing from sight.
“That guy’s a real asshole.”
Sonnet huffed while pushing away from the bar. What could he gain by keeping the origins of her bloodline from her? If he thought he was going to get more of her blood by holding out, he was dead wrong.
Ryker dropped into one of the chairs across from her, pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, and lit it.
“When you’re as powerful as he is, I guess you can afford to be an ass.”
Bane gave her a sideways glance.
“If you’re ready, I’ll escort you across the street to Immortal Ink. I know the owner there, and she’ll be more willing to talk to you if I’m there.”
“That makes sense.”
“What about me?” Ryker asked after exhaling a stream of smoke.
“You can stay here or go home. But you’re not coming with us,” Bane said.
“Fuck you, leach. I don’t take orders from you.”
Sonnet walked over to Ryker.
“We got this. I’ll see ya later, okay?”
Ryker looked back and forth between Sonnet and Bane, studying them both with a predator’s gaze. After taking another drag from his cigarette, he nodded.
“All right. If that’s what you want.”
“It is.”
He stood, turning his back on Bane.
“I usually stay in the forest with my pack, but I’m gonna grab a room here, so I can be close if anything goes wrong.” His features softened as he gripped Sonnet by both shoulders. “If you need anything at all, come find me.”
“She’ll be fine,” Bane all but snarled.
Ryker’s head swung around, and he rumbled a warning to Bane, “She better be, asshole.”
Sonnet stepped away and walked around both males. She didn’t understand why her safety meant so much to Ryker, but she appreciated the sentiment.
“If anything goes wrong, I’ll find you, okay?”
That seemed to satisfy him, judging by the way his expression relaxed.
“That’s all I ask,” Ryker said.
At the same time, Bane’s face washed blank. He looked wounded, as if his pride had been knocked down a few pegs. She walked past him, heading towards the door. There was no time to stick around to stroke a couple of alpha males’ egos. That kind of project could take all day.
Chapter Sixteen
“It will be daylight soon on the other side of the city shroud,” Bane told Sonnet as they exited Club Nightshade. “We’ll need to stay here for the night.”
She gazed up into the city sky. It was clear and bright, with a full moon that was enormous. It hung like a bright lamp, shining over all the streets and buildings.
Sonnet looked down at her watch. It was five a.m.
“Is it always nighttime here?”
Bane grabbed her by the hand and pulled her across the street.
“It is. And there’s always a full moon in the sky. The environment compliments the needs of all the supernatural species who reside within the shroud.”
They hopped the curb and stopped in front of a single-story shop that had a red neon sign in the window that blinked Open.
“Who made the shroud?”
“Some say the city has always been here, like the sky or the mountains. But I think it was a powerful demon who created it, a demon even more powerful than Remy.”
She thought about that. It seemed pretty farfetched that a place like that could simply be. Someone had to have fashioned it or conjured it up. And since it was in her nature to hunt down answers, that was a mystery she decided she needed to solve. But it would have to come later, after she resolved her current predicament.
Before they entered, Bane stepped in close. His scent coated her with a euphoric sense of comfort. She could feel the heat from his body on her skin, a fact she thought odd, because rumor had it that a vampire should be as cold as the dead.
Reaching out, he brushed some hair from her face.
“You handled yourself remarkably well with Remy. You’re just full of surprises, always keeping me on my toes.”
She looked up at him, her features questioning.
“I wish I could claim all that credit, but to be honest, I was scared shitless, Bane.”
The next thing Sonnet knew, Bane’s face was an inch from hers.
“Remy is feared by everyone, and rightly so. But you are the only one who has ever challenged him. So that means you’re either stupid or extremely brave. And after what you said about the vampire who attacked you,” he hesitated, gauging her reaction, “you are obviously one of the bravest people I’ve ever met. He bit you, little fox, and instead of flipping your shit, you took control over the situation.”
She focused on his chin, amazed by how his words made her feel special, strong, and capable. Her eyes flashed up to his, and she smiled.
“Somebody needed to put his oversized ego in check.”
Smiling back, he said, “Indeed, they did.”
Bane pulled open the glass door, and a bell chimed out to announce their arrival. The smell of ink and incense wafted across Sonnet’s face. The store was bright, with chandeliers and red silk tapestries draped throughout the space. Large satin pillows in jeweled colors were bunched up to make three sitting areas. The décor reminded Sonnet of a place where a sheik would lodge his harem.
Moving casually, they entered the shop. A petite mocha-skinned goddess with long black hair, which gleamed more regal than the silk hanging from the ceiling, smiled at both of them as they approached her. The woman’s eyes were lavender, her features perfectly symmetrical.
“Good evenin’, Bane,” she said in a seductive tone. “It’s been ages.”
“Evening, Brielle.”
Sonnet stood with her hands knotted together in front of her. She was more than a little intimated by Brielle’s beauty, and not so surprisingly, somewhat jealous of her familiarity with Bane, even though she had no right to be.
Bane reached a hand to settle on the small of Sonnet’s back, and her heart leapt.
“This is Sonnet Vale. I would consider it a great kindness if you could help her by answering a few questions.”
Brielle’s eyebrows rose, making her lavender eyes larger and even more breathtaking to behold. She stood straighter, nose scenting the air, the gesture making it apparent that Sonnet was in the presence of yet another werewolf. And by the way her predatory eyes zeroed in on Sonnet, Brielle knew what kind of supernatural being Sonnet was, as well.
“You’re askin’ me to help a hunter? Are you out of your mind, man? Remy would throw me in prison for a hundred years, or worse, if I did somethin’ that foolish. No. I like you, Bane, but I’m not suicidal. You’re askin’ too much.”
Sonnet nervously twirled the ring on her finger. Brielle noticed the gesture, and her mouth dropped open when she caught sight of Bane’s ring.
“You’ve claimed her?” Her head shook in small tense jerks. “You dumbass vampire.”
“I have. Remy is aware of it, and we also have his blessing to talk to you about a tattoo you designed for Donovan. Rest assured, you are in no danger.”
Confusion played across her face as she considered his words.
“All right, then. I’ll help you. But you better not be bullshittin’ me about Remy knowin’ about this.”
She reached over and flipped a switch. Half the lights in the room went out, along with the open sign in the window. In high-heeled black boots that clicked against the hardwood floor, she walked out from behind the counter.
“Let’s go in back. That’s where I keep all the copies of my drawin’s.”
They made their way down a long hallway, weaving through more silk that impeded their view. As the cool drapery brushed across her skin, Sonnet’s thoughts trailed back to everything she’d learned that night.
A part of her was relieved to find out about the existence of other supernatural beings, but another part of her, a piece that felt alive and invigorated by the proximity of these creatures, burned and raged to be released. It was that part that had her worried, a knowledge that was buried in the dark recesses of her mind, telling her what she already knew—that she was capable of becoming what everyone she met seemed to fear most... the hunter.
Brielle’s boots stopped clicking, and Sonnet heard a small scrape of a door opening.
“You wanted to see the mock-up tracin’s of the work I did for Donny, right?”
Sonnet entered the room to see that Brielle already had a wooden curio cabinet open and was shuffling through a file filled with sketches. Bane walked up behind the she-wolf.
“We are interested in one tat in particular. A bull’s eye you drew across the top half of h
is chest.”
Her mouth widened into an open smile as she nodded in recognition.
“Oh, yeah. I remember that one. I told him he was an idiot for wantin’ to map out one of his species’ weak spots. But you know Donny. He’s one cocky bastard.” She pulled out a piece of thin see-through paper and shut the cabinet door. “Here it is.”
Sonnet smiled, pleased at what Brielle held up for her to see. The picture was the perfect match to the tattoo that was inked across Donovan’s chest, the same bull’s eye that was crudely drawn on the sketch provided to her by Kelly’s father.
“Have you ever used this design on anyone else?” Sonnet asked.
“No. Only Donny.”
After hearing that no one else wore that specific tat, Sonnet believed she had the proof she needed to move forward. Exactly what she was going to do with said proof, she didn’t know, but she had a feeling that the semantics didn’t matter.
“Thank you, Brielle. You’ve been real helpful.”
“If it’s all the same, I’d like to be more friendly with you. So please, call me Bree.”
Bane’s eyes flashed shock as he looked from one, to the other. He smiled.
“That was unexpected.”
Lavender eyes gave Sonnet an assessing look.
“I know who to crawl my ass into bed with... and when.” Brielle walked across the room and opened the door, and with a slow wink, she said, “You somehow tucked both Bane and Remy into your blankets. So Sonnet, fair warnin’! I like to spoon.”
Chapter Seventeen
As Sonnet walked across the street, heading back to Club Nightshade, she thought about what action to take next. She could tell that Bane’s energy was waning from lack of blood and rest, and she didn’t want to seem uncaring or ungrateful by pushing him to go any further.
The good thing was that she knew she had her bad guy, and he was tucked away for her to question later. But she couldn’t help thinking of Kelly. Was she dead, lying in a heap of exsanguinated bodies somewhere? Maybe in a designated place there in the city, where vampires tossed humans away like empty, crumpled candy bar wrappers after they’d satisfied their hunger?
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