Wicked Edge

by Rebecca Zanetti

  Well, the demon had killed more than one witch sent to assassinate him, so Daire couldn’t exactly blame him. “Nick has proven himself as an ally.”

  “Perhaps. But he’s a demon, and you know they can plot for years when it comes to strategy.”

  Aye, he did know that, firsthand. Felicity was a master at plotting, and the trait seemed inherent in all demons. It was possible that Veis had been plotting against Coven Nine for years, but Daire’s gut said otherwise. “I won’t allow Simone to be harmed.”

  Viv winced. “I’ve heard that evidence against her has been collected by the Guard, but I don’t know what it is or what they think they have on her. If she’s challenged, there’s nothing you can do. Right now, stay on mission and shut down the mining, manufacturing, and distribution of Apollo. We confiscated three weapons on the Dublin streets last week that shoot darts.”

  Daire’s head jerked up. “In Dublin?”

  “Yes.” She held out a hand as he began to stand. “The Guard is working overtime, Daire. We don’t need the enforcers here; we need you there doing your job.”

  If the Coven Nine members were in danger, his first priority was in Dublin. Of course, that would entail his forcing Simone back home, which might be part of the plan of her enemies. “You have no idea who’s behind the rumors?”

  “No.” Viv paled. “I have a couple of investigators on the situation, but so far, all they’ve confirmed is that she and Veis have spent time together in Seattle.”

  “They’ve worked together—no romance and definitely no sex.” He had to get Simone away from the demon before her past relationships were used against her. “I give you my word it’s just been work, and she’s been incredibly bitchy about it.”

  Viv sighed. “She wouldn’t be bitchy if her emotions weren’t involved, and you know it. Whatever is going on between them must be ended and right now.”

  “Understood.” Daire flirted with the idea of asking Viv about Triad and Demidov’s company, but if she knew anything about it, she would’ve already told him. There was no reason to worry her about a possible problem until he’d taken care of it. “Be careful, because whoever is after Simone is well funded and has this thought out.”

  “I know,” Viv said. “There’s a rumor I can’t track down that somebody has damaging information about Simone beyond her wild lifestyle. Concrete evidence that she’s working against the Coven Nine.”

  “That’s impossible.” Damn it. Daire needed to take care of the issue and now.

  Viv nodded. “I hope so. Contact me with any new information.”

  “Ditto.” Daire punched in a couple of keys, and his aunt disappeared. He dialed another number.

  Kellach Dunne came into view, his nostrils huge across the screen.

  “Back away from the phone,” Daire rumbled.

  “Oh.” Kell backed away, and his face took shape. “What’s going on?”

  Daire leaned in. “Somebody is going after Simone, and they’re in Dublin. While you’re there, I need you to investigate.”

  Chapter 18

  The plane bumped a couple of times as it flew through some turbulence. Felicity clasped her hands together in her lap, acutely aware of Adam Dunne’s probing eyes on her. When would Daire return from the cockpit? Finally, she couldn’t stand it any longer. “What?” she asked.

  He lifted a shoulder. “Did Daire show you the marking on his palm?”

  She blinked. Her siblings had been lunatics, so they’d pretty much stayed out of one another’s lives until her brother had tried to betroth her to an asshole. “Is that really your business?” she asked, curious.

  He smiled. Adam Dunne had a shocking smile . . . slow and masculine. Intelligence sizzled in his eyes, and he definitely had been blessed with the Dunne good looks. “My brother is my business.”

  She grinned. “That’s incredibly sweet.”

  His chin lifted and he studied her. “You mean that.”

  “I do.” How fortunate that Daire had a brother who cared. “Don’t worry. I’m sure your brother isn’t going to mate a demon.”

  Adam chuckled. “Are you kidding? I hope Daire mates a demon, witch, or shifter. Somebody immortal with some power.”

  She shifted on the seat. “I, ah, don’t have much power.”

  “I’ve seen you kick, Cee Cee. You have training and power.” He rubbed his hands together. “I really like Alexandra, and I’m happy Kellach found a mate, but how terrible to worry all the time about a former human. Sure, she’ll be immortal, but she won’t really have power for a long time.”

  “True.” Humans eventually gained powers from their mates, but it could take centuries. “So you’re not interested in Tori?”

  He paused and rubbed his smooth chin. “God, no. She’s sweet and spunky, but she’s human.” He shook his head. “My mate, when I meet her in a few centuries, will have enough power of her own that I’ll gain from her as much as she gains from me.”

  Felicity bit back a smile. “It sounds like you have your future all planned out.”

  “I do find that having a plan takes care of the vagaries of fate.” He leaned back and stretched his neck. “Now, let’s talk about Simone and the evidence you’ve found.”

  Daire pushed open the door. “Felicity’s files are up on the computer. Why don’t you study them, and then we can chat about your conclusions? I’d like fresh eyes on the documents.”

  Adam stood. “Sounds good.” He moved by his brother. “Did Viv confirm?”

  “Aye. The rumor mill is working overtime, which means that a challenge is probably coming. We don’t know from which direction, but I’m thinking the documents in the Cayman bank will provide a clue or two.” Daire brushed by his brother and headed straight for Cee Cee.

  Her stomach clenched, and she instinctively pushed back in the chair. Adam disappeared into the other area and shut the door with a soft click.

  Daire reached her, lifted her easily, and reversed their positions.

  Her knees knocked the sides of the chair, her feet tucked behind her, her butt on his hard thighs as she faced him. “You sure like me on top.”

  The lines at the sides of his eyes crinkled. “I surely do.”

  She flattened her hands on his strong chest. “You have your serious face on.”

  “Yes. I’d like your word that anything we find in the documents will remain confidential.”

  Ah. He wanted to protect his cousin. Felicity rocked back. “Let’s make a deal.”

  “I figured,” he said dryly.

  “You let me handle Ivan, and I’ll stay as silent as you want about Simone’s extracurricular activities.” Truth be told, Felicity held no interest in Coven Nine politics.

  Daire sighed and ran his hands down her arms. “You donna’ know me very well if you think I’d let you fight a demon soldier to the death.”

  Which was exactly why they couldn’t be together. She shook her head. “I’ve been training since birth, and you have to back off.” There had to be a way to explain it better. “I’m not some silly cheerleader following the knife-wielding villain into the forest.” That would make her too stupid to live. “I’ve waited and planned since my mate was murdered, and during that time, I had people investigating Ivan. I know everything about him.”

  Daire shook his head. “When you sought refuge with your brother, why didn’t Ivan follow through on the betrothal?”

  Ah ha. So the enforcer was finally listening to her. “After I mated Dane, Ivan was furious with Suri and took out several of our holdings in Canada and Greenland. Suri was a bad enemy to have, although no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get Ivan vulnerable and take him out.”

  Daire smoothed hair from her face. “What about Zane? I mean, he’s well trained and deadly. In fact, I’ve met all three of your sons, and not one of them strikes me as the kind of man who’d let their father’s killer walk the earth.”

  She swallowed, and heat flushed into her face. “Ah, well—”

  �
��Cee Cee?”

  She sighed. “I may have told them that Suri had their father’s murderer killed.”

  Daire’s eyebrows rose. “You may have?”

  “Yes.” She played with his T-shirt. “If I hadn’t, even as boys, they would’ve gone hunting the killer.” They would’ve been killed at that point.

  “I understand.” Daire leaned into her, bringing the scent of man and rain. “What about now? Zane leads the entire demon nation.”

  “And admit I lied to them for decades?” She shook her head and hair flew. Her stomach ached with the knowledge of how badly she’d already let them down. No more. “Absolutely not. Besides, all of my sons, as young as they are, have too much blood on their hands, and that’s on me. No more killing for any of them, I hope.” During the war, she’d been unable to protect them from fighting and killing. Now she could.

  He quite expertly turned her motivation. “So you must understand the need to protect family and those you care about.”

  Ah, shoot. “I don’t need protection from Ivan.” The asshat of a demon needed protection from her, damn it. “You need to see the real me, Daire, and not the pretty blond crippled woman.”

  “You’re not crippled.” He brushed gentle knuckles across her cheekbone.

  Sure, she was. “I’m a demon who can’t mind attack or teleport.” No illusions plagued her. “Which is why I’ve prepared for this for decades.” Why couldn’t he see what a threat she could be? Of course, that was part of her strategy with Ivan.

  Daire cupped her chin. “I see the real you, Cee Cee, and I’m allowing you to help rob the bank. But you have to acknowledge that I’m not the type of guy who’d let his woman go fight hand-to-hand with another man. You wouldn’t want me to be, would you?”

  His woman? “Whoa there, John Wayne.” She tried to scramble off his legs, her body humming. “I’m not your possession. Hell, I’m not your anything.”

  He let her go. “We both know that’s not true.”

  Tears threatened to prick her eyes, and she batted them back. “We are so over.” She was fucking tired of people seeing her as weak or damaged. For the briefest of seconds, she’d really thought Daire had seen the real her. The woman who could protect her family instead of the shell she’d been for so long. “Done.”

  His eyes burned a devastating green through the small cabin. “If you really think that, then you’ve lost all touch with reality.”

  She dropped into Adam’s deserted chair and crossed her arms. What she wouldn’t give for one more vial of the tranquilizer, although the last one hadn’t done her much good. No part of her wanted to fight physically with Daire, and not only because he was a more experienced fighter. She swallowed to keep the tears at bay.

  His gaze didn’t soften. “You don’t want to cross me on this.”

  She lifted her chin. “I’m neither crossing you nor arguing with you.” In fact, she was finished trying to convince him of anything. They’d had a good time, and now it was over. Well, it would be over after they finished robbing one of the most secure banks in the world.

  Really. What could go wrong?

  Daire found himself surrounded by demons in a small hotel room, and his ears began to itch. Too much tension poured off the immortals as they double checked the plan and went over the bank schematics one more time. All furniture had been piled against the wall so they could suit up, and their boots clomped on the smooth tile floor. The room lacked sufficient windows and fresh air to allow for the amount of tension.

  Felicity slammed a plastic knife into one boot, leaning over to do so. Her creamy breasts almost spilled out from her top, and he fought a growl.

  “Since Simone appears to own the safe-deposit box, I’ll go in as her and try to reach the inner vault,” she said, her throaty voice strong and assured. “While there, I’ll set the charges on the other security boxes, and the second they blow, you all come in.”

  Daire straightened his Armani suit. They’d gone over the schematics and plan several times, and the woman certainly had accounted for everything. He was to accompany her as a bodyguard, and even he had to admit, the fake beard and the gray sprinkled in his hair appeared authentic. Brown contacts masked his green eyes, and putty changed the shape of his face, especially his nose.

  Felicity wore a long, brown wig, dark glasses, and several layers of clothing to create the illusion of Simone’s natural curves. The boots had four-inch heels, but even so, she didn’t come close to Simone’s height. But there wasn’t a better way to create height, so they were going with what they had. At some point, when the video was studied, it’d become apparent that the woman who’d robbed the bank was not Simone Brightston, which eased one of his many concerns.

  He rolled his shoulders back and tried to calm his racing heart. The shifters guarding the place would recognize him as a witch just from his natural vibrations, and hopefully they’d assume Felicity was, too.

  Her people were all demons, so it made sense for him to go in with the Simone decoy.

  Felicity turned, all business, her eyes sparkling.

  The damn woman was having a ball.

  Energy poured off her in straight anticipation, and she nearly hopped when she neared him. “You ready?” she asked.

  He wanted to tuck her in the getaway vehicle and tie her up safely, but for the plan to work, she had to impersonate Simone. “No.”

  She smiled, all excitement. “Good. Let’s go.” Shoving the dark glasses back up her nose, she stepped out of the storage van and walked crisply down the sidewalk toward the bank.

  “I think I should be inside for backup,” Adam complained once again from his position in the getaway car.

  Daire tapped his earbud as island heat assaulted him. “I need you outside ready to get us out of here.” If they ran into trouble, Adam had the biggest brain around and would figure out an escape route. “I can’t believe we’re about to do this.” If he had his druthers, he’d just take out half the bank with a missile and steal what he wanted. Felicity had finesse, though.

  He stalked behind her, rolling his shoulders forward and trying to appear shorter than he was. He followed her, noting how her ass swung with every step. Damn it. Now wasn’t the time to admire her ass.

  He swung his gaze around, trying to look like a hired bodyguard and not an enforcer. All he needed was the shifter nation to know a Coven Nine enforcer had tried to rob them. Either there’d be instant war, or his people would have to give up something big to avoid bloodshed. Tourists in loud flowered shirts milled around, and several people licked rapidly melting ice cream cones. Tourist shops with sparkling jewels and oil paintings lined the way.

  The heels of Felicity’s boots clicked as she sauntered into the air-conditioned bank.

  He breathed out as the cool air smoothed over his skin.

  A wide counter to the left held five tellers, all handling customers. Three desks with bank executives lined the windows on the right, and they all had patrons before them.

  The place felt like money and smelled like the ocean.

  Felicity moved instantly toward a desk at the back as if she had every right to do so, her heels clomping on the silver tiles. The woman had some serious style.

  A guy dressed in pure silk sat behind the desk. Tall, broad, and in fighting shape, he had eyes that sparkled with intelligence. Wolf shifter. He smiled. “Can I help you?”

  “I’m Simone Brightston,” Felicity said, her voice higher than normal. “I called earlier.”

  “Of course, Miss Brightston. Do you have identification?” the shifter asked, standing.

  Felicity handed over the identification she’d stolen from Simone’s apartment the first night. It had been altered a bit.

  Daire stood with his arms crossed, discreetly scoping out the cameras. There were a lot of them. He could make out seven guards within yelling distance.

  Finally, the guy led them through a long hallway lined with pretty oil paintings to a massive steel vault flanked by two full
y armed guards. “I am Anton, and I’m here to assist you in any way you need.” He turned and apologized. “I’m so sorry, but we must follow formalities first.”

  Felicity nodded and held out her arms to be frisked.

  Possessiveness rose in Daire so quickly his chest heated.

  When the guard had finished with her, he turned and patted Daire down with much less finesse.

  Anton smiled and yanked out a palm reader. “Very good. Hand, please.”

  Daire held his breath. Felicity had somehow obtained a full hand print from Simone’s apartment and then had some pretty dicey vampires create a fleshlike print to coat her fingertips. She clicked over and flattened her palm over the scanner. It quickly scanned, and a green light flickered.

  Daire breathed out. God, she was amazing. If they survived the robbery, she should plan another one. By the delight all but wafting from her, she’d be just fine with that. What in the hell had he gotten involved with?

  A retina scan was next, and by this time, he was confident Felicity had it all figured out. Yep. The scan went off without a hitch.

  The vault opened, and Anton swung open another steel door before preceding them inside to box 1287. Felicity shoved in Simone’s key, and Anton did the same before pulling out a long box to place on the center table. “Let me know if you need anything else,” he said, moving toward the steel door and discreetly shutting it.

  Hopefully he wouldn’t close the outside door and lock them in the vault.

  Felicity smiled and flipped open the box to reveal several manila files.

  Daire shrugged out of his jacket and reshaped it into a pack by drawing out hidden ties. He fought the urge to read the files and instead shoved them inside the pack.

  Felicity was already moving toward the other boxes. She leaned down and kicked off the wedge part of both boots. Small discs fell out.

  Daire winced. “Be careful.”

  She laughed then—low and throaty.

  His mouth gaped open. Even in disguise, her beauty shone through as she exuded such delight.