High Stakes and Vampires (Pandora's Pride Book 2)

by Annabel Chase

“Natasha also didn’t approve of some of Kingsley’s antics,” Tate continued. “It’s not easy being a crime boss in Atlantica City. You have to make some questionable choices.”

  “No doubt. Ingemar seems okay though.”

  Tate pulled a face. “Don’t be fooled.”

  My phone buzzed and I knew it was Abra, alerting me that it was time to go.

  “I guess visiting hours are over,” Tate said ruefully.

  “I’ll come back tomorrow,” I said. “Hopefully we’ll have a new plan by then.”

  Tate glanced at her battered arms with regret. “I don’t think I’ll be able to help.”

  I patted her shoulder gently. “Not in this condition.”

  Tate reached for my hand and curled her fingers around mine. “Be careful, Callie. He really messed with my head. It’s like I can still feel his influence.”

  I tugged my hand away and started for the door.

  “We underestimated Dasim and lived,” she said. “Next time we might not be so lucky.”

  I paused in the doorway and glanced over my shoulder. “I don’t believe in luck,” I said, and closed the door behind me.

  Chapter Thirteen

  In the pitch black, I could barely make out my surroundings. Only the sprinkling of stars above my head were discernible. I sensed a presence beside me and turned, my body coiled and ready to spring.

  “Callie?”

  “Saxon?” My tension melted away.

  “I was hoping you’d come tonight.”

  This was a dream. His dream, presumably.

  “I’m not here on purpose.”

  “I know.” As he walked toward me, his form became visible. Solid. I resisted the urge to wrap my arms around him and test exactly how solid.

  “How are you?” I asked.

  He peered at me, his eyes soft. “I’ve been better. How was Tate?”

  “She’ll be fine.” I spared him the description of her cuts and bruises. He was all too aware of the ways he’d hurt her. “It wasn’t your fault, you know.”

  He hung his head. “I could’ve killed her.”

  “But you didn’t. So obviously there was a part of you that knew to hold back, no matter how much conflict Dasim stirred up between you.” A blinking red light drew my attention behind him and I realized that we were on the boardwalk pier. “Have we been here the whole time?”

  Saxon turned to admire the Ferris wheel that loomed beside us. “It’s a dream, so probably not.”

  “No relaxing bridge tonight, I guess.”

  “Apparently my subconscious doesn’t think I deserve my happy place.” He angled his head toward the Ferris wheel. “Care to take a spin?”

  “Why not?”

  The wheel came to a stop and we sat opposite each other. I barely noticed when the wheel began to move.

  “Do you think I’m able to enter your dreams more easily because you’re half angel?”

  He leaned against the seat, draping his arm along the top. “Have you been in any of Doran’s dreams?”

  “No.” Somehow that didn’t hold the same appeal as a secret dreamy rendezvous with Saxon. I stared outside the Ferris wheel at the darkness where the ocean was too calm to be visible.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “I want to know about Jade.”

  He buried his face in his hands, clearly frustrated. “Why are you so concerned with someone who worked here long before you got here?”

  I could feel the tension slowly returning to my body. I felt the muscles tighten in my jaw and the knot reform in the pit of my stomach.

  “Because you thought you saw her tonight, Saxon,” I said. “You saw her instead of Tate and you reacted by nearly killing her. If I wasn’t curious before, you’d better believe I’m damn curious now.” I fell against the seat with my arms crossed.

  “You can’t go through life not trusting anyone, Callie.”

  “That’s your answer? I’m supposed to trust you, no questions asked?”

  He leaned forward and placed his hands on my folded arms. “I’ve been trusting you, haven’t I? Fangs and dream walking. Why not extend the same courtesy to me?”

  As warm and inviting as they felt, I shook off his hands. “There are too many secrets. My father warned me not to trust anyone and I think it’s time I heeded that advice.”

  He shifted to my side of the carriage with a look of concern. “What does that mean? You want to leave the Pride?”

  “Yes. No. I don’t know.” The wheel reached the peak of the circle and stopped to allow us to enjoy an unobstructed view of the stars. Not even the lights from the casino hindered their brightness.

  “For what it’s worth, I don’t want you to go.” His voice was almost a whisper.

  I turned to face him, a response half-formed on my lips, and found myself stunned by those mesmerizing eyes. Before I could make a sound, his lips were on mine. My hand drifted to the nape of his neck and I slid my fingers through his hair. He pressed harder and my lips parted, inviting more of him, and the taste of plums flooded my mouth.

  The carriage jerked and he fell on top of me. I smacked the back of my head on the hard shell and moaned. “Seriously?”

  He moved so that I could sit up. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

  I laughed. “It’s a dream, Saxon. I’m fine.” I rubbed the back of my head. “I think your subconscious shook the Ferris wheel though. Maybe deep down you didn’t enjoy the kiss.”

  His thumb brushed my cheek. “Not possible.”

  As much as I wanted to kiss him again, I resisted. Whatever feelings we had, we were better off pretending they didn’t exist.

  “We should probably wake up now.”

  “So soon?” he asked.

  I pointed to the bands of pink and orange light that now illuminated the ocean. It was the first time I was ever disappointed to see a sunrise, only because it meant leaving Saxon.

  He squeezed my hand. “Good morning, Callie.”

  The Ferris wheel dissolved and I woke up in my own bed. “I sure hope so,” I said and flipped back the sheet.

  After I showered and dressed, I wandered down to the boardwalk for breakfast. Normally I grabbed food somewhere in Salt, but I wanted to see the pier in broad daylight and savor the magical moment that Saxon kissed me.

  I bought a cup of coffee and funnel cake from one of the vendors because what screams breakfast more than powdered sugar on dough? The seagulls were out in full force and I finally ducked into the arcade to finish my funnel cake in peace. I’d just squished the last piece into my mouth when two hulking shadows fell over me.

  Terrific.

  I wiped the powdered sugar from my cheeks. “Good morning, gentlemen. Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber, is it?”

  Two oversized vampires in suits stared down at me.

  “Kingsley wants to see you,” Tweedle Dumb said.

  “Can’t she call me like everybody else?”

  “She prefers face-to-face meetings,” Tweedle Dumber said.

  “So there’s no evidence of the conversation? How clandestine of her.” The vampires exchanged puzzled looks and I groaned. “Please tell me you know what clandestine means.”

  “Come with us, please,” Tweedle Dumb said.

  I heaved a sigh. “Well, as long as you say please.” I downed the rest of my coffee and tossed the empty cup into a nearby bin. “Where is this meeting taking place? Cloudscape?” Truth be told, I wouldn’t object to another watermelon margarita, even at this hour.

  “The bathroom,” Tweedle Dumber said.

  I frowned. “That’s a weird name for a bar.”

  “This way,” Tweedle Dumb said.

  He reached for my arm and I pulled away. “I do not need to be vamp-handled. I can walk on my own.”

  The vampires escorted me to Sweetie’s, one of the casinos owned by Kingsley. As the head of the Opulentia family, she owned the southern half of the boardwalk and Ingemar owned the northern half.

  We rode up to the p
enthouse in awkward silence.

  “Are we seriously going to her bathroom?” I asked, once we emerged from the elevator.

  They opened the door to the penthouse suite and Kingsley’s voice rang out. “In here, doll.”

  I looked from Dumb to Dumber. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

  One of them nudged me forward and I glared over my shoulder before shuffling toward the bathroom.

  “I’m waiting,” she called in a singsong voice.

  I reached the bathroom door and hovered outside. “I’m happy to wait until you’re finished.” Very happy.

  “Don’t be silly. Get your tush in here. I like to multitask.”

  Eyes closed, I wedged through the crack in the doorway. I heard the sound of gentle splashing and opened my eyes, fully prepared to see Kingsley in a foaming bath covered in rose petals. The blond vampire was perched on the edge of the expansive tub, splashing water on her Pomeranian, Sweetie. She was decked out in a chic hot pink jumpsuit with a matching belt and petal sleeves that flounced with every movement. Her blond hair was in a high fashion ponytail and her spiked heels looked as dangerous as her ruby-encrusted fangs. The white ball of fluff known as Sweetie sat as still as a statue, surrounded by soft pink bubbles.

  “There’s my girl,” Kingsley said.

  “I hope you mean the dog.”

  Kingsley blew a bubble into Sweetie’s face and the dog sneezed. The vampire laughed and clapped her hands. “Sweetie’s bath is one of life’s greatest pleasures.”

  “For her or for you?”

  “I understand you’ve taken a side gig, you sly mage.”

  It took me a second to realize what she meant. “Are you talking about Salt? How do you even know about that?”

  “Puh-leeze. Halpain isn’t the only one with his spies.” Kingsley squeezed the pink sponge and bubbles oozed from her hand onto the dog.

  “Why do you care?”

  Kingsley spared me a glance. “Because Atlantica City is my turf and I like to know everything that happens on my turf.”

  I folded my arms. “And what? You’re going to threaten to tell Natasha?”

  “No, silly. This isn’t about that backstabbing but deliciously sexy vampire and me. It’s about fairness.” She set the sponge on the edge of the tub and wiped her hands on a fluffy white towel.

  “Fairness?” That wasn’t the word I anticipated.

  Kingsley rose to her feet and looked at me. “The Potestas and the Opulentia need to have balance in this territory. That means no special treatment.”

  I tried to wrap my head around what she was saying. “You think if I work for Ingemar, then I also need to work for you?”

  “You work for the Pride. The Pride is supposed to be neutral; therefore, you can’t work for Halpain and not me.” The dog yipped and Kingsley turned to address her in a childlike voice. “Who’s the cutest dog in the world? That’s right, you are.” She turned back to me, her brow raised in anticipation. “Do we have an understanding?”

  “No, we don’t have an understanding. I live at Salt. It’s a matter of convenience. If an emergency crops up, chances are that I’ll be within range to handle it. I don’t live at Sweetie’s or any of your casinos.”

  Kingsley cocked her head, swinging her ponytail in the process. “And why is that? Don’t you want to live in the casino with the best margaritas in the world?”

  Well, that did hold a certain amount of appeal. “Kingsley, it isn’t personal. I booked a room at Salt when I first came to town and that’s where I’ve decided to stay. It’s not a comment on you or your casinos.”

  “Is it because you like Halpain better than me?”

  “Um, I just said it isn’t personal. I barely know either one of you.” I was beginning to see why her relationship with Natasha didn’t work out.

  Her pink mouth formed a pout. “That isn’t good enough. There’s a balance and it has to be maintained.”

  “Then get your own in-house mage,” I said. “Then you’ll be even.”

  The vampire’s eyes blazed with anger and indignation. “How dare you tell me what to do in my own bathroom.”

  “I’m not. I’m just…” Before I could backpedal, she launched herself at me. Her fingers grasped my neck and she lifted me into the air like I was the weight of a rubber duck. I couldn’t breathe, let alone think clearly enough to conjure a defensive spell. My feet kicked as I tried to land a solid blow anywhere on her body.

  “I said it isn’t fair,” she ground out. “If I want you to work for me, then you work for me. Got it, pretty girl?”

  I couldn’t nod, so I tried to grunt my assent. She released her hold on me and I dropped to the floor, coughing. “This isn’t the way to win friends and influence people.” My voice was barely audible.

  “I’m not trying to make friends. Friends and loved ones are a vulnerability. You should have learned that by now.” Her heels clicked across the tile floor as she returned to her wet dog in the tub.

  “You catch more flies with honey,” I said, dragging myself back to my feet.

  She looked at me with contempt. “Who taught you that? Everybody knows you catch more flies with poop.”

  Poop? The dangerous head of a vampire crime family couldn’t bring herself to say ‘shit?’

  I rubbed the sore spot on my neck. “What is it that you want me to do for you?”

  “Nothing too taxing. I’m not a monster. Just be available when I call. If I need help, you drop everything.”

  “Gee, and here I thought it might be crossing a line.”

  She glared at me. “I only want what I deserve.”

  “Which is everything Ingemar has.”

  Kingsley smiled. “I’m glad we finally understand each other.” I started for the bathroom door. “Oh, and Callie?”

  I turned toward her. “Yeah?”

  “I wouldn’t tell Natasha about this. Or Halpain. I think this should be our special little arrangement.”

  “I think it’ll be pretty obvious when I drop my latte and come running to your aid.”

  She smiled serenely. “Then I suggest not dropping your latte. Ta-ta for now, beeyatch.” She dipped her hands back into the water and splashed Sweetie.

  I left the penthouse and rode the elevator down to the lobby without my escorts. This was an unhappy development. I didn’t want to be beholden to both Ingemar and Kingsley. Ingemar was a matter of convenience. Kingsley Bryant was going to be nothing but a nuisance. And how I was meant to hide this from Ingemar and the Pride, I had no idea.

  The only thing I knew for certain was that I didn’t want to be on the wrong side of Kingsley Bryant and if that meant playing security tag team, then so be it.

  Chapter Fourteen

  I swore under my breath with every step along the boardwalk. I was so intent on drumming up new and inventive curses to use on Kingsley that I almost missed the sound of my name. I slowed my pace and listened.

  “Calandra,” a scratchy voice called again.

  I halted and looked to my left. The call seemed to come from inside Olga’s Fortunes, one of several psychic parlors on the boardwalk. I scanned the area before slipping inside the curtained doorway. The room was dimly lit with a small table in the center and two folding metal chairs. The table was covered in a dark purple cloth that reached the floor. A scrying glass sat in the middle and a variety of crystals glinted to my right. They were arranged carefully on shelves, along with leather-bound books.

  “Hello?” I called.

  A woman materialized as though she’d been standing there the whole time, causing a shiver to travel down my spine. Her face was lined with age and she wore oversized hoop earrings and a white headdress with tiny red images.

  I squinted at the headdress. “Are those crabs?”

  She patted the fabric. “This is the beach, honey. I try to play up the theme. The tourists love it.”

  “How do you know my name?” I asked. Her voice didn’t sound scratchy anymore and I wondered whether she�
��d used telepathy to get my attention. Although it was a trait often associated with fae, I knew there were some humans with the ability.

  She ignored me and sat at the table. “Why don’t you join me? I sense there’s a lot on your mind. Maybe I can help.”

  I pondered the offer. Maybe this would be a nice diversion from the recent life-or-death struggles.

  I sat in the uncomfortable metal chair. “Which Olga are you?” The boardwalk seemed to have a psychic named Olga every twenty feet.

  “They’re all mine,” she said. “It’s a franchise.”

  “Usually the locations are more spread out in a franchise.”

  She wore a gap-toothed grin. “What can I say? I guess I wanted a monopoly.”

  “Do you give Kingsley a cut of the profits from the southern parlors and Ingemar a cut from the northern ones?”

  Her lips formed a thin line. “That’s confidential.”

  “Is your name even Olga?”

  “Actually, it’s Ramona, but let’s keep that our little secret. You’re good at keeping those, aren’t you?”

  I shored up my mental defenses, unwilling to let Ramona unearth any of mine. “Why did you call me in here? Is that how you get customers? Use their name as bait and reel them in to empty their pockets?”

  “I like the fishing metaphor but no. I’m not interested in the tarot cards in your pocket.”

  A familiar figure emerged from behind heavy burgundy drapes and my heart skipped a beat. The healer’s blond hair was stacked on her head in a messy bun her face looked haggard, as though she hadn’t been sleeping well.

  “Harmony?” I shot an accusatory look at the psychic. “You didn’t know my name. She told you.”

  Ramona shrugged. “It doesn’t mean I couldn’t have figured it out after a minute or two. Saved me the exertion.”

  “It was your voice I heard in my head, wasn’t it? You tried to disguise it.”

  Harmony gave me a sheepish look. “I couldn’t risk you blurting out my name on the boardwalk, not when someone might be listening.”

  “Like what—a pigeon?” It was meant to be a joke, until I remembered that Abra could do a spell that transformed her into a pigeon. The healer wasn’t being overly paranoid after all.