by Jaye Wells
Pen exhaled a loud rush of breath. “Don’t we all?”
I turned to my best friend. “How are you doing?”
The corner of her mouth lifted in a wry smile. “Surprisingly okay considering I’m unemployed.”
“You did the right thing.”
Pen turned and looked back at the dignified stone walls. “Even if I wasn’t, it’s too late now.” She laughed, and I was surprised it sounded genuine. She shoved her hands in her pockets and peeked at me from under her lashes. “Truth is, it’s been a long time coming.”
“What will you do now?”
She shook her head. “Damned if I know. Baba said something about the community center looking for people. Maybe I’ll start there.”
I bit my lip to stop from commenting on the idea of my best friend and my roommate both working for Volos’s pet project. Truth was, no matter what I thought about the man himself, the center was doing good things for the Cauldron’s kids. “That actually sounds like a great fit.”
She shot me a wary look. “But?”
I shrugged. “But what? I meant it.”
“Don’t tell me you’re not pissed at Volos for interfering.”
A tight smile pulled back my lips. “I’m never not pissed at Volos.”
“He won’t be happy you turned down his help.”
I looked up to watch a crow spreading its black wings to circle overhead. “It’s about time he’s the one who’s unhappy.”
She shot me a speculative look, but didn’t comment. Instead, she said, “Who knows? This may end up being a positive change for all of us.”
“I hope so.” My gaze strayed back to Danny and Luna. They were holding hands now and speaking in low tones. Judging from the body language, the fact they wouldn’t be in school together anymore wouldn’t keep them apart. I sighed.
“She started her period,” Pen said quietly. “She told me this morning.”
“Thank God,” I breathed.
“She still needs counseling, though, and I’m still trying to convince her to share what happened with her mother. She’s got a long road ahead of her to recover.”
I blew out a long breath. As grateful as I was that Luna wouldn’t have to deal with an unwanted pregnancy, Pen was right: The kid’s problems were far from over. “Of course he goes for the troubled Adept girl.”
“Of course.” Pen shot me a knowing smile. “His other favorite woman in the world is one.”
We laughed and shared a quick hug before she said her good-byes. The couple by the flagpole were still deep in discussion, but the door to the school opened and Brad Hart came out. “Luna! You’re supposed to be in class.”
She jerked away guiltily from Danny. “Coming,” she called.
While she and Danny said their good-byes, Hart crossed his arms and met my gaze. I waggled my fingers and smiled at the jerk. His eyes narrowed. “Luna—now!”
The girl jogged away from Danny and disappeared inside the open door. Before Hart closed it, he called out to Danny, “Take care of yourself, kid.”
My little brother nodded and turned with his hands in his pockets. As he walked toward me, I noticed the flush on his cheeks. “You ready, Romeo?”
His shoulders came up to his ears. “Jeez, Kate.”
I reached up and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “I’m proud of you, kid.”
He swallowed before answering. “I hated this place, anyway,” he said dismissively.
“Then let’s get out of here.”
Together we walked toward the Jeep, which stood out like a turd in a parking lot full of sparkling luxury cars. “Hey, Kate?”
“Yep?” I climbed into the car.
“I’m glad your date with Mr. Hart sucked.”
I froze. “You knew about that?”
“Baba told me.”
I closed my eyes and cursed.
“Don’t be mad at her.”
I opened my eyes. “I’m not. I’m mad at myself for not telling you.”
He shrugged. “Whatever. I’m just glad you didn’t fall for him and stuff.”
“Why’s that? I thought you liked him?”
“You mean before he took Anderson’s side on expelling me?”
“Right,” I snorted, “before that.”
Danny clicked his seat belt in place. “I dunno. I guess I kind of hoped you’d start hanging out with Morales.”
I paused with my key halfway to the ignition. “What?” I choked on a shocked laugh.
“He’s cool, Kate. And he’s totally into you.”
I took my time responding. “It’s not always that simple. Morales and I work together.”
“So? I think if you like someone you should try to make it work.”
I glanced over at my little brother, who suddenly sounded a lot like a very wise adult. “You think so, huh?”
“Plus, he makes you smile. That’s important.” He sighed, and I knew immediately he was thinking about Luna.
“When did you get so smart, kid?”
“Born this way, I guess,” he said with sly smile.
I laughed out loud and put the car in drive. “All right, smarty-pants. Let’s get you home, and then I need to run out to take care of something.”
He looked up. “What?”
I shook my head and focused on the road. “A long-overdue message that needs to be delivered.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Two hours after we left the school, I exited the apartment building’s elevator. My palms were sweaty so I wiped them on my dark jeans. The hallway leading to my destination felt impossibly long, but before I knew it I was standing in front of it.
Instead of knocking immediately, I adjusted my shirt and lifted my chin. When I raised my left hand, my eyes went to the snake tattoo around my wrist. That symbol used to be a source of shame for me, a reminder of a past I didn’t want to claim. But now I saw it differently. In alchemy, the Ouroboros is a symbol of the infinite cycle of life and death.
It seemed like lately I’d been grasping too tightly to parts of myself that I needed to let die. Guilt over my mother’s death, for one. The hope that deep down under all his expensive clothes and machinations John Volos was the same boy I’d once loved so fiercely. But also the shadow of shame that hovered over all of my decisions. It was time to make a fresh start. To leave behind the parts of myself that didn’t work anymore.
My knuckles struck the door before I had time to second-guess my decision. A male voice called out for me to hold on. My heart tripped over itself and then raced like a nervous rabbit in my chest. I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans one more time and braced myself for the confrontation that would begin the instant the door opened.
I took a deep breath. It was time to change the game.
A moment later, the door opened. The man across the threshold froze when he saw it was me. He was wearing faded jeans and a black T-shirt. When he recovered from his momentary shock at my unexpected visit, he leaned against the jamb and crossed his arms. The move pulled the fabric taut across his broad shoulders. His eyes traveled down my body, taking in my nicest jeans, a low-cut red blouse, and the high-heeled boots. A smile turned his lips up into the smirk that always got me right in the gut. “What’s up, Cupcake?”
I licked my lower lip. The flavor of my lip gloss reminded me of my mission. And like all good missions, I couldn’t let myself get distracted, even if the diversion happened to look incredible in jeans. “Hey.”
“Hey, yourself.” He raised his brows expectantly.
“I, um—” I paused and shifted uneasily on the heels I’d worn on a whim. With him standing there watching me with that unreadable expression, all my nerve escaped me. “I’m sorry. I should have called first.”
He shook his head. “No worries. What’s on your mind?” I noticed he hadn’t invited me in. Not a good sign.
The phone in my right hand vibrated. My immediate thought was it might be Gardner. I’d called her after the school meeting to fill her in
on the Duffy situation. She’d reaffirmed my original theory that the detective didn’t have any hard evidence, but she’d said she’d call me back if he contacted her. I held up a finger to Morales. “One sec.”
But when I looked down at the screen, I realized it wasn’t my boss, but John Volos. No doubt he’d heard from Anderson and was calling to read me the riot act. I smiled and took great pleasure in punching End. I shoved the phone into my back pocket and turned my full attention back to the man who deserved it.
He tilted his head and frowned. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. It’s all good.” I blew out a breath. “You know how the other day, you said that you weren’t sure if you should”—I cleared my throat—“bother?”
His eyes narrowed. “Yeah.”
I shifted my weight. “Well, the thing is, I’m kind of an idiot.”
A shocked smile broke across his lips. “Oh yeah?”
I nodded. “See, the thing is, I suck at this stuff.”
He moved forward a little bit. “What stuff is that?” His voice had lowered to a pitch that hit me right in the diaphragm.
I looked down at the floor. “Man–woman stuff.”
“I knew it—you are a lesbian!”
My head jerked up in shock, but when I saw the laughter on his face, I put my hands on my hips. “I’m trying to be serious here.”
He schooled his features. “Sorry. You were saying you’re hopeless with men?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. The good news was my annoyance made a lot of my nerves melt away. “Jesus, you’re not going to make this easy, are you?”
He rocked back on his heels. “No way.” He looked so smug and utterly masculine. As much as I wanted to be annoyed by it, it kind of turned me on instead.
I stepped forward. His eyes flared. Good, I wasn’t the only one affected. “The thing is, I’ve decided something.” I leaned in and lowered my voice to a whisper. “I want you to bother.”
“You do, huh?” His expression was unreadable, but he moved forward another fraction. He was playing it cool, but a muscle in his jaw twitched. “How exactly do you want me to bother you?”
I blinked. “Wh—what do you mean?” I thought I’d been pretty clear.
“Do you want me to bother you nice and slow?” He reached out and lifted my chin. “Or do you want me to bother you hard and fast?”
I gulped. Before I could second-guess myself, I launched myself at him and kissed him. He tensed in surprise for a moment, but then gave back as good as I was giving. We kissed until we were both breathless. “You taste like strawberries.”
I used my thumb to wipe away the red smear of gloss on his lips. “I think this color looks better on you.”
“Christ, Cupcake.” He blew out a breath. “You’re going to be the death of me.”
I smiled slowly. “At least you’ll go out with a grin, Macho.”
He smirked at me. “Does this mean you’re ready to play slutty cop after all?” He lifted a finger to touch my mother’s ruby star necklace, which lay right over my heart, where it belonged.
My mother had spent too much of her life playing the role of slut to men who used her and controlled her and, finally, killed her. I didn’t intend to follow in her footsteps, but I’d use the lessons I learned from her mistakes to take control of my own life. Starting now.
“Nope.” I shook my head. “I decided to give you a label, instead.”
He pulled me fully inside and shut the door. He bent his head down toward my lips, but stopped just shy of kissing me. His hand teased up along my ribs. That’s when I realized that coming over had been the best idea I’d ever had. “Oh yeah?” he asked.
I put a hand against his chest and slid it down toward his waistband. “My bitch.”
“Lord have mercy,” he whispered.
And with that, I took his hand and led him toward his bedroom so he could bother the shit out of me.
Acknowledgments
As always, thanks to Devi Pillai for her stalwart editing and support of my writing. Lauren Panepinto continues to amaze with her beautiful covers. I also owe a huge debt of gratitude to the rest of the Orbit team who oversee production, publicity, and sales efforts.
Rebecca Strauss, my agent, is a patient woman, and I owe her many drinks for her advice and support over the years.
A special shout-out to Laís Roque Gonçalves, my biggest fan in Brazil, for her help with the Portuguese phrases.
Thank you to the Secret Sassenach Bitches for the laughter and loyalty in a business that often feels lacking on both fronts.
Thanks to Team Awesome, my amazing street team, for the camaraderie and for spreading the Wells Gospel across the land.
Thanks to Suzanne McLeod, Tricia Skinner, Jamie Henry, and Shelley Bates for the insightful critiques.
The writing life is a strange one, and I am incredibly lucky that Mr. Jaye and Spawn weather the ride with good humor and patience. ILYNTB.
But most of all, thank you, dear reader, for spending your time and money on the crazy tales I weave for you.
extras
meet the author
Emily Tirado
Raised in Texas, USA Today bestseller Jaye Wells grew up reading everything she could get her hands on. Her penchant for daydreaming was often noted by frustrated teachers. She embarked on a series of random career paths, including stints working for a motivational speaker and at an art museum. Jaye eventually realized that while she loved writing, she found facts boring. So she left all that behind to indulge her overactive imagination and make stuff up for a living. Besides writing, she enjoys travel, art, history, and researching weird and arcane subjects. She lives in Texas with her saintly husband and devilish son. Find out more about Jaye Wells at www.jayewells.com.
introducing
If you enjoyed
DEADLY SPELLS
look out for
RED-HEADED STEPCHILD
Sabina Kane: Book 1
by Jaye Wells
Sabina Kane is half mage, half vampire, and all attitude. Despite her red-headed stepchild status in the vampire community, she remains loyal to the vampire leaders who raised her to be an assassin.
When a routine mission uncovers startling secrets that could destroy the uneasy truce between vampires and mages, Sabina must find a way to prevent an all-out war. Helping Sabina navigate this treacherous world are a high-maintenance hairless cat demon, a prognosticating nymph who used to work in faery porn, and a mysterious mage with an agenda.…
Digging graves is hell on a manicure, but I was taught good vampires clean up after every meal. So I ignored the chipped onyx polish. I ignored the dirt caked under my nails. I ignored my palms, rubbed raw and blistering. And when a snapping twig announced David’s arrival, I ignored him too.
He said nothing, just stood off behind a thicket of trees waiting for me to acknowledge him. Despite his silence, I could feel hot waves of disapproval flying in my direction.
At last, the final scoop of earth fell onto the grave. Stalling, I leaned on the shovel handle and restored order to my hair. Next I brushed flecks of dirt from my cashmere sweater. Not the first choice of digging attire for some, but I always believed manual labor was no excuse for sloppiness. Besides, the sweater was black, so it went well with the haphazard funerary rites.
The Harvest Moon, a glowing orange sphere, still loomed in the sky. Plenty of time before sunrise. In the distance, traffic hummed like white noise in the City of Angels. I took a moment to appreciate the calm.
Memory of the phone call from my grandmother intruded. When she told me the target of my latest assignment, an icy chill spread through my veins. I’d almost hung up, unable to believe what she was asking me to do. But when she told me David was working with Clovis Trakiya, white-hot anger replaced the chill. I called up that anger now to spur my resolve. I clenched my teeth and ignored the cold stone sitting in my stomach. My own feelings about David were irrelevant now. The minute he decided to work with one of th
e Dominae’s enemies—a glorified cult leader who wanted to overthrow their power—he’d signed his death warrant.
Unable to put it off any longer, I turned to him. “What’s up?”
David stalked out of his hiding place, a frown marring the perfect planes of his face. “Do you want to tell me why you’re burying a body?”
“Who, me?” I asked, tossing the shovel to the ground. My palms were already healing. I wish I could say the same for my guilty conscience. If David thought I should apologize for feeding from a human, I didn’t want to know what he was going to say in about five minutes.
“Cut the shit, Sabina. You’ve been hunting again.” His eyes glowed with accusation. “What happened to the synthetic blood I gave you?”
“That stuff tastes like shit,” I said. “It’s like nonalcoholic beer. What’s the point?”
“Regardless, it’s wrong to feed from humans.”
It’s also wrong to betray your race, I thought. If there was one thing about David that always got my back up, it was his holier-than-thou attitude. Where were his morals when he made the decision to sell out?
Keep it together, Sabina. It will all be over in a few minutes.
“Oh, come on. It was just a stupid drug dealer,” I said, forcing myself to keep up the banter. “If it makes you feel any better, he was selling to kids.”
David crossed his arms and said nothing.
“Though I have to say nothing beats Type O mixed with a little cannabis.”
A muscle worked in David’s jaw. “You’re stoned?”
“Not really,” I said. “Though I do have a strange craving for pizza. Extra garlic.”
He took a deep breath. “What am I going to do with you?” His lips quirked despite his harsh tone.
“First of all, no more lectures. We’re vampires, David. Mortal codes of good and evil don’t apply to us.”
He arched a brow. “Don’t they?”
“Whatever,” I said. “Can we just skip the philosophical debates for once?”
