by Sophie Stern
Tabitha felt gross saying the words. This was a blatant lie. All of it was: the persona, the clothes, the incessant flirting. She didn’t have a choice, though.
This was her last chance at finding the island. He had the last known map that shown the isle and how to locate it. According to her research, this man had purchased it at an auction just last month for the sum of three million dollars.
There was no way Tabitha could ever dream of obtaining that much money, so it wasn’t like she could just offer to buy the map from him. At least not anytime soon.
If flirting and touching him was going to get her the map, then she didn’t care. She’d do whatever it took to avenge her family. She had to.
The man looked at her and touched her hair. Tabitha leaned her head toward him, letting him touch her a little bit more.
There.
That was it.
He was buying it.
She closed her eyes and tried to imagine that it was someone else touching her: anyone else. If everything went according to plan, she’d be at his house within an hour or two, and then she’d be able to get her hands on the precious map she’d spent months searching for.
The Chrysolite Isles were a beautiful set of islands that were spread out across the ocean, but some of them were easier to find than others. Tabitha knew perfectly well what was waiting for her on Kyanite, but she didn’t care.
She’d face the monster, and she’d face the witch, and she’d get her revenge.
No matter what it cost.
“Well, maybe one more drink,” the man finally relented, and Tabitha waved her hand. Almost instantly, the waitress brought two more drinks. The man didn’t know that Tabitha’s drink was just a soda with lime. He didn’t seem to notice that she wasn’t as drunk as he was.
That, too, was part of her plan.
After all, she couldn’t afford to get tipsy when she was being sneaky. Tabitha knew perfectly well how precarious this position was. If she came on too strong, or not strong enough, she’d lose this guy, and with him, her chances for finding Ursula.
“Thank you,” Tabitha tipped the waitress, and then she turned back to the man. Brent Flannigan was one of the most obnoxious and frustrating men she’d ever met in her life, but he was wealthier than she could have possibly imagined, and he knew exactly how to make people work for him.
“Cheers,” he said, holding up his glass.
“Cheers.”
They touched glasses, and Tabitha smiled as she brought her glass to her lips. It wouldn’t be long now. Maybe one or two more drinks, and he’d be dying to take her home with him.
She was counting on it.
To her surprise, she didn’t have to wait that long.
A fight broke out on the other side of the bar. Three shifters were in an uproar because someone had tried to punch one of them, so they’d ganged up against the poor bastard. Flannigan shifted uncomfortably in his seat. It was obvious that he came here despite knowing it was a bar filled with magical beings, but that he wasn’t quite comfortable with the clientele.
One of the shifters turned into a raven and was flying around the bar squawking. The other two shifters had changed into dogs and were barking at the human who had irritated them. Tabitha frowned as she looked at them. They were causing quite a scene. She turned back to Flannigan, who was also frowning.
Shit.
The moment was gone, and she had to make a move.
Now.
“Let’s get out of here,” Tabitha purred. Once more, she touched his leg. If she could make people fall in love with her, this would be so much easier, but she wasn’t that kind of witch. She didn’t use that kind of magic. Tabitha’s powers were incredibly strong, but they were more subdued than love spells.
“Yes,” he agreed easily. “Let’s get out of here.”
“My apartment is about half an hour away by tab,” Tabitha told him sadly. She pouted, biting her bottom lip.
That was a lie.
Tabitha didn’t have an apartment.
She didn’t have a place of her own anymore. Ursula had destroyed all of that. She’d taken everything from Tabitha that she possibly could have, and then she’d taken just a little bit more.
“I live close,” Flannigan told Tabitha, but she already knew that. She knew everything there was to know about this guy. She’d done her research before showing up here tonight. She knew his schedule, his habits, and the type of girl he liked.
She’d become exactly what he was looking for, whether or not he was willing to admit that. She’d dressed the part, put on the personality, and shown up at just the right time. He’d fallen for her wiles hook, line, and hopefully sinker. Time would tell on the last bit. She just had to get him alone and get close to his safe.
In reality, Flannigan was supposed to meet someone tonight. Tabitha had made sure that his business partner, Eric Hader, hadn’t been able to make the meeting at the restaurant they’d chosen.
Unfortunately for Mr. Hader, his GPS had given him poor directions, his car had gotten stuck in the mud, and he’d been without cell reception. He was too far out of the city to be able to make the restaurant meeting on time, and he wasn’t able to contact Mr. Flannigan to let him know what had happened.
Oh, Tabitha wasn’t a horrible person. She’d made sure to order him an Uber so he could get out of the mud eventually, but by then, she’d managed to swoop in and claim Flannigan’s attention for herself. Everything had gone perfectly according to plan.
She’d approached him at the restaurant, asking him how such a handsome man had ended up dining all alone, and then she’d joined him for dinner. After they’d finished their meal, she’d offered to pay for dinner, and he’d politely declined, and then they’d decided to come out to the bar to continue their evening together.
A simple spell ensured that Brent’s phone also wasn’t working, which meant she had him all to herself, at least for a few hours. His security team had the night off due to his private meeting with Mr. Hader, and there was nowhere else Mr. Flannigan needed to be.
Nope.
Tonight it was just Tabitha and Brent.
Quite a few drinks later, and Flannigan was putty in her hands.
At least, he was about to be.
Tabitha was quite a mage. In fact, she was incredible. She’d trained with Eudora and Euphoria and Eustacia. She’d worked her ass off for years to be a part of the Mages Guild, and she’d been accepted at only 16 years of age. Her parents had been so proud to have a daughter who was a mage, just as they were, but then they’d died.
Everyone had died.
Tabitha had Ursula to thank for that, and she planned to.
Still, despite Tabitha’s powers, there were some things she couldn’t do. She couldn’t coerce someone into doing something they didn’t want to. That required a certain dark magic even she wasn’t capable of. Not that she didn’t plan on exploring that side of her magical self one day.
She did.
She planned on exploring all of that.
For now, though, she needed something.
The map.
It was the only way she was going to find the island that she needed. Without it, she might as well just give up now, because the island she was looking for was one that nobody had ever managed to find on their own.
Ursula had enemies.
A lot of them.
She’d been hated for many years, but now things had only gotten worse.
The mages were gone.
Slaughtered.
Dead.
They were gone and they weren’t coming back. The sooner Tabitha finally came to terms with that, the better off she’d be.
Brent Flannigan was a normal enough guy, but he was rich beyond all measure. Because of his wealth, he was careful to make choices that would bring him protection. Usually, he had a couple of security guys with him, but due to the sensitive nature of his private dinner, which involved the illegal trading of a very special painting, they were o
ff-duty tonight.
That meant that tonight was the only chance Tabitha had at getting the map.
She didn’t plan on wasting it.
They arrived back at Brent’s house and made their way inside. It was a huge mansion: beautiful and well-designed.
“Nice place,” she murmured.
“I designed it myself.”
“Really?”
She pretended like she didn’t know.
Of course, she knew.
She knew everything there was to know about Mr. Flannigan. She knew his habits when it came to buying, selling, eating, and even fucking. She knew it all.
She hoped that the evening wouldn’t come down to them sleeping together, but she was prepared to do whatever it took.
She needed that map.
Craved it.
It was the only thing keeping her from revenge, and when Tabitha killed Ursula, it was going to be a sweet, sweet thing.
“Yes,” Flannigan smiled.
“You know,” Tabitha took a step toward him. She reached for his collar, tugging him close to herself. “I’d love to see more of your house.”
Flannigan’s breath hitched. Tabitha knew if she reached between them the evidence of his arousal would be right there, but she didn’t want to touch him. She needed to get him to the bedroom. Then it would all be over.
Honestly, she could knock him out now. She knew where the bedroom was. She knew where the safe was, and she knew perfectly well that it was the place where he kept the map.
What she didn’t want to do was have to haul him up there to unlock the safe. It required his fingerprints, and that was something even magic wouldn’t help with.
“You would?”
“I would.”
“Well, I could show you the kitchen,” he said.
“That’s a good start,” Tabitha traced her fingers along his cheekbone. “But I was thinking more along the lines of...your bedroom.”
When she spoke the last two words, she whispered, lowering her voice. She tried to sound as sultry as possible.
“My-my bedroom?”
“Mmhmm,” she nodded.
“My bedroom,” Flannigan smiled. “Of course.”
He took her hand, guiding her through the maze of a house. Despite his riches, Brent Flannigan was an overgrown nerd. She knew perfectly well that he hadn’t been popular in high school or even college, and that most of his dates even now came not because he was attractive or interesting, but because Brent Flannigan had money.
It was a little bit sad, she thought, but he didn’t seem to mind. He was never without company, in any case, and he was never without a date to any sort of special event.
“Well,” Tabitha said once they’d reached the room. There wasn’t really anything else to say. They were there. They were in the bedroom, and that was it.
Flannigan closed the door, and she turned back to him and gave him a sultry smile. How was she going to play this? She wanted that damn map. The safe was in his room behind the painting that hung above his bed. She needed him to press his hand to the lock to open it.
“Well indeed,” he said.
Only, he didn’t seem as drunk as he’d seemed a few minutes ago.
In fact, it might have been Tabitha’s imagination, but it seemed like Flannigan’s eyes actually sparkled a little once the door was closed.
What the hell?
He took a step toward her, but he no longer seemed weak or intoxicated. If anything, he seemed wildly alert and aware of what was happening.
He seemed like he knew perfectly well what she was up to.
“Brent?”
“Oh, what’s wrong?” Flannigan asked. “The shy seductress is gone?”
Okay, so he wasn’t drunk.
Not by a long shot.
Worse than that, he was on to her. Maybe she hadn’t been the only one ordering virgin drinks all night. She thought she’d seen the bartender pouring liquor into his cocktails, but maybe he’d been ordering the same things that she had.
Well, shit.
“Excuse me?” Tabitha tried to play it off. She tried to act like she didn’t know what he was talking about, but she did.
Oh, she did.
“Why don’t you start by telling me who the fuck you are, and why the fuck you’re here?” Brent Flannigan stepped forward, stalking her.
Suddenly, the room felt very small, and Tabitha felt like she was now the prey. How unfortunate. Apparently, this wasn’t going to be as easy as she’d thought.
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play coy,” he snapped.
“I’m not playing coy,” Tabitha said.
One more step and Brent was in front of her. She was pressed against the wall, and he reached for her throat, gripping it.
“Who the fuck are you?”
“My name is T-T-Tabitha,” she whispered.
She wasn’t sure why she felt like being honest in that moment, but she did.
“You know, I thought it was a bit strange my business partner didn’t show tonight.”
The man with the painting.
“Then you walked in, and you were so self-assured and confident.”
“I...thank you?”
“Don’t fucking talk,” Brent snapped. He tightened his grip on her throat, reminding her who he was.
Reminding her who she was.
“I thought it was strange your drinks weren’t alcoholic at the bar.”
She opened her mouth, but he raised an eyebrow, and she slammed it shut.
“You were so intent on getting me drunk that I wanted to see how far it would go.”
Well, maybe she wasn’t as good as she’d thought that she was.
“My phone wasn’t working most of the evening, which was strange, but it suddenly decided to power back on during our ride back from the bar.”
Crap.
The spell had worn off. Sometimes they did that. As a mage, Tabitha could do some incredible things: she could move things and create energy balls. She could do so many wonderful spells, but technology was hard to manage. It was strangely tricky. Sometimes spells involving tech wore off faster than they were supposed to.
Brent kept talking, though.
Apparently, he wasn’t done.
“Imagine my surprise when, during the Uber drive back here, my contact texts me and tells me what happened. Not only did his car break down, but apparently, he had bad directions, as well, so I had to ask myself, what are the chances of that happening tonight?”
Tabitha was silent.
“What are the chances of my meeting going south, and then a beautiful woman walking into the same restaurant where I was supposed to be dining?”
She blinked, looking at him.
Brent seemed more menacing now. He definitely should have brought out this side of himself before. “Bad boy” was much more interesting on him than weepy nerd.
“Can I speak now?” Tabitha finally whispered.
Brent nodded.
“Good,” she said. “Alarosemai.”
Instantly, Brent went flying back against the wall, and she brushed herself off.
“First off, I don’t appreciate the shitty attitude,” she said, staring at him. Then she realized he was passed out. Well, awesome. She’d thrown him harder than she’d intended to. The intensity with which she said a spell impacted its power.
Usually, alarosemai was a spell used for pushing things back or repelling them, but she’d just intended to get him far enough away to loosen his grip.
Apparently, her mouth had other plans.
She sighed and went to the bed. She hoisted her dress and climbed up to look at the painting at the head of the bed.
“Beautiful,” she murmured. It really was lovely. The painting featured a dragon flying high above a mountain. It was soaring up, up into the sky. The sun was setting, and the rays were painted perfectly.
She really hated moving it because she was worried that she’d damage the pai
nt. Unfortunately, Tabitha didn’t have much of a choice. She also didn’t have much time.
Who knew how long it would be until Flannigan woke back up?
How long would it be before someone came to check on him?
Nope. She wasn’t taking any chances. She reached for the painting, lifted it, and pulled it off of the wall. It was heavier than it looked, but she placed it carefully on the mattress.
Sure enough, the safe was behind the painting.
It also required a thumbprint, as she expected.
Tabitha looked over at Brent. He was still sleeping on the ground. She could still use magic tonight, but she was worried about using up all of her energy. She wasn’t like the witches she’d heard about in legends as a kid. She was powerful, of course, but she wasn’t an endless source of magic. She also didn’t have a wand to boost her powers. She used only her own body to produce magic, which was a slight drawback when it came to sheer strength.
She would need to ration her use of magic tonight, so she didn’t simply float him over to the safe.
Instead, Tabitha hopped down, grabbed Brent under the armpits, and hauled him toward the bed. Despite the fact that he was an asshole, he was actually pretty fit, and she managed to lift him up onto the bed.
“Fuck,” she growled as she got him up there. She took his hand, placed it on the safe, and opened the door.
Then she looked inside.
If Tabitha had been expecting that to be the end of the day, she was disappointed. It wasn’t the end of the day. It wasn’t the end of her adventure.
The safe was empty.
“What the fuck?” Tabitha stared.
She had known that was where the map was stored. She’d known it. Everything she’d seen and found had indicated that the safe was where Brent kept his new possessions. Anything he truly prized, he kept in this safe.
Her intel had been wrong, though.
It was completely empty.
She looked at the man who had caused her so much trouble tonight, and she frowned. Apparently, he wasn’t as stupid as he looked. She’d underestimated him once again. Of course, a rich guy like Flannigan wouldn’t keep important information in his bedroom, so where did he keep it?
Did he have a treasure room like some sort of dragon shifter?
Maybe he kept his special items at the bank.
