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Lacey blinked when he said ‘scream for me’ and her mind hit to gutter. “You can’t read my thoughts right now can you?” she quickly asked feeling heat rush up into her cheeks.
Ren frowned and tried to hear what she was thinking but all he was getting was silence…. then it dawned on him that she had more than one mark on her body. He had seen it when she’d almost lost her towel in the bathroom. It made him wonder what other secrets she was hiding.
“The small symbol that is tattooed just under your left breast is actually a barrier that keeps others from reading your thoughts,” he said now knowing why he could hear Nick without trying but couldn’t hear her even when he had been concentrating so hard.
Lacey could feel the heat rise into her cheeks as she stared up at him unable to decide if she was turned on or pissed off. It didn’t take a genius to figure out just what his attention had been on when he’d first barged into the bathroom. She could have sworn she saw the silver of his eyes glowing through his sunglasses and glanced away as her heartbeat sped up.
“Well… glad to hear that the tattoo actually works,” she managed with a straight face before spinning around to retrieve the trunk out of the bathroom. She would be dead soon but her clothes still needed to be hung up and besides, she couldn’t just stand there and stare at him all day… it was turning her on.
Not hearing anything else, Nick moved away from the top of the stairway where he’d been eavesdropping and walked out into the main part of the shop. He grinned and gave Gypsy a thumb’s up, making the young woman smile fondly at him.
He glanced around the room counting how many customers were browsing. So far there were five and she hadn’t had to invite any of them in. He kept his eyes on the leader of the local Wicca group as she approached Gypsy wanting to know if the shipment she’d ordered last week had arrived.
Gypsy ducked into the back room and he started to follow her in case any of it was heavy but paused when the bell above the door jingled. His sixth sense was way higher than a normal human’s and Nick had to suppress his growl as he turned to see the demons just beyond the doorway.
They both looked like they were ex-military with their buzz cuts and hard expressions, but he’d become a pro at spotting demons recently. Like soulless vampires, their scent always gave them away.
A very handsome young man stepped between them and into the store before pausing. He looked over his shoulder at his two companions that were still standing just outside the threshold and wanted to laugh when he noticed them looking down at the floor directly in front of them in agitation.
When they both looked up at him accusingly, he just smirked and shrugged his shoulders, “Sorry chaps.” He could tell they knew he wasn’t the least bit sorry judging by the way they were glaring at him but he didn’t rightly care what they thought. “Looks like I get to do this solo after all.”
Dismissing them, he turned and let his gaze search the store for the old codger or the granddaughter he had come here to see.
Nick stood to his full height and slipped his hand into the deep pocket of his trench coat where the lining of the pocket was cut out, giving him easy access to other things sewn into the leather. He had a small arsenal of weapons that he wouldn’t hesitate to use, quiet things he could use on an enemy without gaining the attention of the other customers.
He followed the man as he walked toward the counter and noted how he wasn’t looking at anything else in the store. Nick had a feeling the stranger wasn’t here as a shopper and his demon guard dogs that were now watching him through the window was not a good sign for Gypsy's first day back in business.
The stranger gazed curiously at Gypsy as she came out of the back room with a box and went to the other counter where a woman was waiting on her.
Nick moved, placing himself between Gypsy and the strange man watching her. “Can I help you?”
The man gave him the once over with a bored expression. He hated to tell the shop’s bouncer, but he wasn’t that easily intimidated. Reaching into the inner pocket of his jacket, he removed a formal looking envelope. “I am only a messenger and mean no harm. I have an invitation for the proprietor of this establishment.”
Nick reached for the envelope but the man pulled it away, placing it back inside his jacket.
“It’s for the owner’s eyes only,” the stranger informed him with a British accent and the raise of an elegant eyebrow.
Nick inhaled deeply but only found the scent of a human. He turned around and leaned against the counter staring back out at the two demons who were watching the stranger with dark brooding eyes.
“You keep very odd company for a human,” Nick commented not expecting an answer and he didn’t get one.
Gypsy looked toward the window and saw the two men staring into the shop instead of entering. She immediately glanced around for Nick, finding him with a man she’d never seen before.
The man had black silky hair that sported a slight wave to it and barely reached his shoulders and a thick gold loop earring in one ear. His tanned cheeks were bare but he had a closely shaven mustache and designer beard that was only as wide as the mustache so that it framed a set of perfect lips. The perfection didn’t end there as she noticed long dark eyelashes that framed dark brown eyes that were the persona of bedroom eyes.
She had no doubt that he could probably seduce any female that crossed his path without much effort at all. Yeah, the guy was drop dead gorgeous and if the last couple days had taught her anything, it was that normal humans never ever looked that good. That knowledge made her nervous as she tried to hurry and ring up the woman’s purchase.
Becoming frustrated, Gypsy glanced across the counter at the pretty girl who always spent so much money in her shop then sighed thankfully when she was handed a large wad of cash and told to keep the change.
“Thank you,” Gypsy smiled and then noticed there was a list of pricey, hard to find items written on a piece of paper among the cash. She glanced back up at the other female realizing the young woman must know about the sudden influx of demons to be making such strange requests but she didn’t have time to discuss it right now.
“I’ll give you a call when the items come in,” Gypsy nodded as if she’d simply ordered a box of chocolates.
As the customer walked away with her box of questionable items, Gypsy glanced back toward Nick seeing the two men now facing each other and by the looks of it they were sizing each other up.
“Can I help you?” Gypsy asked coming up on the other side of the counter.
The stranger turned away from Nick and smiled, “I sure hope so. By chance, is the old codger that runs this store here today?”
Gypsy's polite smile faltered but she had answered this question more than once since taking the store over. “I’m sorry, but he passed away a little over a month ago.” She watched as a quiet sadness crept into the man’s eyes and it put her more at ease. With that kind of reaction, surely he wasn’t here to cause any trouble.
“Then maybe his granddaughter is available?” the man asked calmly.
“I am his granddaughter. Is there something I can help you with?” Gypsy asked politely.
The man frowned slightly in confusion but quickly covered it up with a polite smile, “Maybe. I was told to give this to the owner.” He slid the envelope halfway out of his pocket so that she could see the edge of it. With Mr. Quick Draw beside them he didn’t trust that it wouldn’t be snatched away.
“I am part owner,” Gypsy said with pride now that Lacey was back.
The man looked like he was contemplating something but finally set the envelope on the glass surface and pushed it toward her.
Before Gypsy could even reach for it, Nick intercepted the envelope with lightening quick reflexes and opened the back flap. He scanned the thick gold leaf piece of paper before looking up at the stranger again. The man just stared back at him as if he were bored.
Gypsy frowned at Nick's over protectiveness but something about the stony expression on his face kept her from demanding the envelope. With the way things were going around here, for all she knew it was a death threat, though she had to admit she was curious as hell.
Nick stepped around to the other side of the counter where Gypsy was and removed the 9mm from under his shirt. He kept the gun low so that no one else in the room could see the exchange behind the counter except for the man standing directly on the other side of it. The man’s heartbeat was steady as was his breathing so Nick figured he wasn’t much of a threat, but he wanted Gypsy to have her guard up just in case.
“I’ll be right back. Don’t invite anyone in to the shop while I’m gone and shoot him if he gets too close,” Nick's voice held a hint of warning as he locked eyes with the other man.
“What,” Gypsy asked in a shocked whisper and looked up at Nick as if he’d lost his mind. “What does that letter say?”
“It’s just an invitation, but I have a feeling it will be of interest to Ren. I’ll fill you in as soon as he’s seen it,” Nick answered and headed towards the back room.
Gypsy swung her gaze back to the man in front of her inquiringly and softly demanded, “What kind of invitation?”
She held the gun behind the counter but kept it leveled on him. She couldn’t help but blush knowing that if she pulled the trigger right now, the bullet would hit him in a place no man wanted to be injured. Hopefully, he would take that into consideration and not try anything stupid.
“To a bleedin’ important auction,” the man answered with a sexy smile.
Gypsy's eyes lit up hearing the word auction but then frowned wondering why Nick thought Ren would want to see an invite to an auction even if it was for one that was of the underground type. This wasn’t the first time she’d received an invite via messenger.
“How important?” she asked completely intrigued.
“If I may ask you a question first,” the man inquired. “Are you by chance related to Lacey?”
Gypsy’s lips parted as she instinctively tightened her grip on the gun and took a step back, now understanding why Nick had taken the invite to Ren.
“Who are you?” she asked apprehensively.
The man’s lips hinted at a smile, but he didn’t answer.
Ren looked toward the open bunker doorway when he heard Nick’s footsteps nearly running down the stairs. He watched as the jaguar leapt the last few steps clutching an envelope in his hands and cocked an eyebrow moving to meet Nick in the doorway.
“Don’t ask questions, just read,” Nick said hurriedly as he handed the envelope over to Ren.
Ren opened it and took out the invitation, reading over it thoroughly. The muscles in his jaw flexed as he fought the urge to crumple the paper in his fist. His body relaxed when he suddenly changed his mind and glanced over his shoulder at Lacey who was watching them closely.
“It appears we’re going to an auction,” Ren informed her.
“An auction,” Lacey repeated as she leaned back on the sofa and pretended to think about it for about two seconds before turning him down. “I’m not in the mood so no thanks.”
“You don’t have much of a choice,” Ren stated looking back at the invitation. “It seems the main item on the auction block is a marked soul and the opening bid for that marked soul is a soul orb. The auction is taking place tonight at midnight… right down the road from here.”
He could already smell her fear spiking but he had no intentions of putting her at risk. Her part in the thievery ring would end tonight… he would make sure of that.
Lacey felt like she was walking on legs made of rubber as she approached Ren and took the paper he was offering her. Her gaze was immediately drawn to the symbol at the bottom where a signature would normally be and her heart sank into the pit of her stomach with dread. She quickly lifted her gaze and skimmed the words.
“Well to hell with that. If I don’t leave this building, then they will be missing their main item and their little auction is going to be a flop,” Lacey said handing the paper back to Ren. “You see that seal at the bottom? That’s the seal of the ring I worked for. If I go to this auction… they will kill me.”
“Lacey,” Ren said calmly, knowing she was scared silly at the moment. “If they’re this close, then they already know where you are. You can’t hide in here forever. Besides, it seems that we have something they want.”
“Yeah… me,” Lacey said not bothering to hide the fear in her voice as she glared up at him. “I already know they’re going to kill me but that doesn’t mean I have to make it easy for them.”
Nick turned and started back up the stairs not wanting to leave Gypsy alone for too long with the stranger. Without looking back he told them, “When you decide what you’re going to do, there’s a British guy upstairs waiting on the reply and two demons waiting on him outside the shop.”
Ren lowered his gaze to Lacey when he heard her heartbeat suddenly start racing and she took off up the stairs behind Nick. His expression and thoughts darkened. That stranger had better not be the British bastard who had gotten her into all of this trouble in the first place.
Lacey rounded the corner into the main room only seconds after Nick did. Her lips parted seeing Vincent calmly standing there looking at Gypsy from across the counter. Her gaze lowered seeing the gun in Gypsy's hand and she wanted to snicker at the uselessness of the threat but refrained knowing she would be the only one to get the joke.
Vincent turned his head and locked his gaze on the girl he’d been looking for. “There’s the lass now,” He breathed realizing he’d missed her more than he’d meant too.
In seconds, Lacey had her arms wrapped around Vincent’s waist and her face pressed into his chest.
He returned her hug and refrained from looking back at the demons outside knowing they had already seen her, though he did turn her so that he was blocking their bloody view.
Gypsy blinked at the affectionate reunion and lowered the gun thankfully. He couldn’t be all bad if the way his eyes had softened the second he’d seen Lacey was any indication. She handed the gun back to Nick when he joined her behind the counter. A customer chose that moment to come up and ask her a question and she looked at Nick not sure if she should leave just yet.
“I can hear Ren coming so you can relax, we will take care of this,” Nick said, assuring her that it was alright if she needed to go about her business.
Nodding, Gypsy slid past Nick and gave Ren a wide breadth when she noticed the furious look on his face as he came out of the back room. She watched as he shot the demons a dark glare before dismissing them completely and turning his attention to the counter.
“Go keep an eye on who Gypsy invites in this place. Leave this one to me,” Ren demanded coming up behind Nick.
Nick felt a cold shiver race up his spine and quickly headed toward the front of the store. Even the jaguar within him was glad that he wasn’t the one with his arms around Lacey right now. Ren had played dirty when it came to competition over Gypsy, but he had a feeling that had been nothing compared to the hell this British guy was in for.
Vincent glanced up seeing the intimidating looking man coming toward them with brisk, angry strides. The first thing he noticed was the way the man wasn’t really looking at him… he was looking down at Lacey's back where his arms were wrapped securely around her.
He may not have any supernatural powers, but after living for so many centuries, he could spot a jealous man a mile away. Vincent inwardly smirked wondering what Lacey thought about the relationship… if there even was one. For the last year, he’d been the only man to touch her and they hadn’t been separated long enough for her to just give herself away to another lover. She was way too picky for that.
With an annoyed smile pulling at his lips, Vincent tightened his hold just a touch to see if the other man would object. After all… his favorite hobby was pissing people off.
He knew his little partner in crime well enough to know that her idea of obsession and possession was reserved only for the trinkets they were in the habit of stealing… not the opposite sex. That was one of the things he liked about her, the fact that they both favored the no strings attached clause.
Knowing he couldn’t just jerk her away from the other man, Ren forced himself to stop less than two feet behind Lacey, which was snatching distance if the need arose. He already disliked this idiot but was smart enough to restrain his impulse to strangle Vincent so that he could hear why the man had brought demons here.
Ren slid his right hand into his trench coat in order to hide the fact that it was fisted so hard he could feel his fingernails biting into his palm painfully. If Vincent thought he was taking Lacey back to that demonized circus they called a thievery ring then he’d damn well give the punk something much more painful to think about.
Chapter 5
“I was so worried about you,” Lacey murmured into Vincent’s shirt trying unsuccessfully to hold back the grateful tears from seeing him in one piece. The nightmares she’d had of him being buried alive somewhere or worse lost their power over her as she clung to him… her friend that had died so many times. Her heart had stopped that night and the memory still had the power to make her shudder.
She balled the material of his shirt up in her fist, “Masters… that damn bastard’s hand went all of the way through you. How did you get away?”
Hearing the slight tremor in her voice, Vincent dismissed the enraged man behind her and gave up his antagonizing hug so that he could palm her upper arms. He gently pushed her back and gazed down at her wet cheeks. Damn it… he’d told her to never worry about him… much less cry.
He hardened his voice, “You’re forgetting love… I enjoy it. All of it. Dying is nothing more than a game to me.” Her stupid tears had the power to hurt him worse than a hand through his heart. “So save your infernal tears for something that’s worth it,” he snapped knowing that was the fastest way to dry her eyes… piss her off.
Lacey glared up at Vincent. He’d just done that on purpose. “Whatever dumb ass, just tell me what the hell happened,” she said playing his standoffish game.
“That’s better,” Vincent smirked at her temper. It was actually endearing. “By the time I revived, I was back at Masters’ estate surrounded by a lot of pissed off demons who were having a blast as they took turns killing me with wounds that would quickly heal so that they could have the pleasure of doing it again and again. Monotonous bastards.”
Lacey sucked in a sharp breath and her eyes widened as she stared up at him. Her imagination went into overdrive as a myriad of random ways the demons could kill him trailed across her vision like a horror movie.
Seeing her eyes shine with new tears Vincent quickly added, “They weren’t the only ones having fun at the party and they didn’t even beat my record of deaths within a forty-eight hour period because they wouldn’t shut up long enough.”
“It was my fault. I’m sorry… so sorry. I should’ve taken your body with me somehow,” Lacey said wishing she could turn back time. “You sacrificed yourself to save me again, and I… I just left you lying there. Some partner I turned out to be.”
“You were doing exactly what I told you to do,” Vincent corrected bluntly.
He reached out and patted her on the top of her head like a good little puppy just because he knew she hated it. When she angrily knocked his arm away he was again satisfied that she wasn't going to break down in front of him. He’d crossed over enough of his own lines during the past year for her and didn’t think he could handle seeing her cry right now without giving his true feelings away.
“But you must have gotten away from them or you wouldn’t be in LA… right?” Lacey asked searching his eyes. “You can leave them now and stay here with me… where it’s safe.”
“Wishful thinking dove,” Vincent tilted his head toward the front of the shop to draw her attention to his obsessed black eyed fans that were even now watching every move he made. “My escort is waiting on me to bring them your answer.”
Lacey barely spared an annoyed glance toward the two men just beyond the glass before shrugging fearlessly. “They can’t come in The Witch’s Brew. Demons are not allowed in here without mine or my cousin’s permission, so they can stand out there and rot for all I care.”
“If only it were that easy,” Vincent said shaking his head at his fearless little partner. It really was a shame that he’d rubbed off on her so much. Self-preservation was actually a good thing to have… if getting killed was the last thing you would ever do.
Deciding to pull her back out of fairytale land, Vincent narrowed his eyes showing her his displeasure, “Since it seems that you have forgotten one important detail, I’ll remind you the true reality of the situation. The demons in our little ring have a fetish for mortal weapons and with the underground trading, have gotten themselves quite a spiffy collection. They don’t need to come in to get me or you. They can just shoot us through the bloody window seeing as how both of them are armed.”
Lacey slowly glanced back toward the window wondering why they hadn’t raised their guns and shot at her yet. Maybe they were behaving since the street behind them was full of traffic and there were so many shoppers walking from store to store. Yeah… way too many witnesses.
She recognized both demons because they had been with Masters the night she’d used the cube on them so she could escape. Vincent was right about their fetish for guns… they had even stolen state of the art weaponry for the monsters. The main reason the demons used guns instead of ripping people apart was so that they blended in with other murdering humans instead of outing their race.
“Well they can’t shoot what they can’t see,” she pointed out and grabbed Vincent’s hand trying to pull him toward the back room with her. She frowned and glared up at him when he refused to budge.
Vincent jerked her forward before she could back up against the steaming volcano that was standing right behind her… the little idiot.
