Psycho [and Psychic] Games

by Amie Gibbons

  “You’re the one interrogating JB Truck?”

  “Yep. And that’s not the scary part.”

  “How is that possible?”

  “He also has psychic powers and was in my dream last night.”

  It was Len’s turn for the jaw drop.

  “Yep,” I said, pointing at him. “So, the queen wantin’ to turn me, not the worst thing to happen today.”

  “That doesn’t make me feel better,” came from behind.

  I jumped and half turned in my chair.

  Quil stood in the doorway, leanin’ against the door jamb. He’d recently gotten a haircut so his floppy blond curls were replaced with short waves. His sharp features and pretty mouth were all up in smiles, but even that couldn’t hide the worry in his green blue eyes.

  He was in his usual work attire of black slacks and a fitted button-down, gold tonight.

  Looking at him now, I couldn’t believe I’d been lusting after my boss earlier.

  I had more than enough fantasy material right here. And it was actually real.

  “How did you get that open without me hearin’?” I asked, standing up.

  He wiggled his fingers. “Magic hands.”

  Didn’t I know it?

  He leaned down and kissed me, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing in close.

  “Whoa, keep it PG,” Len said.

  We separated and I rolled my eyes, tossing, “Sorry, Len,” over my shoulder.

  “I don’t want you to be worried,” Quil said. “The queen can not go anywhere without half the nest knowing it. And if she tries to sick any of her people on you, it’ll be to take you to her so she could turn you, and I guarantee you, that would get back to me before she could do anything.”

  “That’s nice to hear. Did you catch all of that?” I asked.

  “The psycho psychic?” Quil said. “Yes. I know a witch in-”

  “East Nashville?” I said.

  He grinned. “You already got something from her?”

  “She’s shipping it here tonight.”

  “Here?” He raised his eyebrows.

  “Just in case I don’t make it home tonight.”

  “Mmmmmm.” He leaned down to kiss me again, but kept it soft and sweet.

  “You’re going on soon, right?” he asked.

  “Yeah. I start at eight.”

  “Good. I’ll be accompanying you on the piano for a few songs, if that’s alright.”

  I pulled back. “You play? How did I not know that?”

  He shrugged. “Because I haven’t had time to play for you. But I do tonight.”

  “No work?”

  “Being here for the opening is sort of work, but I’ll be by your side the entire time.”

  Len cleared his throat and I turned.

  He held up a phone. “Sorry to cut this off, darling, but you’re on in five.”

  “Right,” I said.

  Quil opened the door for us and we followed Len out in to the club.

  It looked great. He’d taken the opportunity to redecorate a little. The booths were upholstered in red silky material, the tables and chairs were decked out in gold, and the blue and gold carpeting set it all off nicely.

  The booths lined the walls, except the one with the bar and the stage, and tables surrounded the dance floor. There were enough to sit about two-fifty, and every single chair was taken tonight, with a nice crowd already milling about on the floor.

  There had to be like four to five hundred people in here.

  Len led us to his booth, lifted the rope with the reserved sign, and Quil and I scooched in. I dropped my purse on the seat next to Quil and he squeezed my hand.

  “I want some alone time with you tonight,” he said in my ear to be heard over the buzz of background music and a hundred voices.

  I turned and kissed him.

  “Hello, hello, hello,” Len said, voice booming over the din as the music cut off.

  The voices died down and Quil and I broke apart.

  I squeezed his hand and slid outta the booth, walkin’ around the tables.

  “Welcome, everyone,” Len said, “to the grand reopening of the new, improved, and now human friendly Kickback.”

  Clapping filled the crowded room.

  How many of them are human?

  “You will have a good time,” Len continued, tossin’ the crowd a wink. “You will drink, from glasses, anything else should be done in the privacy of your own homes… or at least cars.” He pointed a stern, warning finger and got some laughs. “And, of course, all of us will dance. On that note, here for our musical enjoyment, is the delightful Ariana Ryder.”

  More claps greeted me as I met Len on stage and took the mic from him.

  “Hey, everybody,” I said.

  Some people freeze or get bats in their bellies when faced with public performances.

  I’m not one of them.

  “Tonight is about celebrating the first steps of joining our two worlds. So of course, we’re going to celebrate by gettin’ good and drunk.”

  People whooped and I grinned.

  “Let’s get this show on the road. Hit it!”

  The band started a Martina McBride song. She’s one of my favorite old school country pop girls to sing to.

  I belted it out from my heart and stomach. When you sing, it has to be from deep inside.

  The dancing got going pretty skippy and we kept to upbeat songs. Usually I like to mix things up with slower songs, but this was a dance club; slow and sappy doesn’t usually go over well with that crowd.

  I’d almost finished my first twenty-five minutes when Quil got up, phone plastered to his ear.

  Wonder what’s goin’ on there.

  I didn’t focus too hard. I risked a present time vision if I did, and that would be as obvious as a lily in December cuz present time visions hold me for the length of them and I look asleep on my feet.

  I finished up and hopped off stage, sliding into Len’s booth.

  Okay, focus. Quil is where?

  Flash.

  “-not sure,” a voice said. I couldn’t see. The world was a wash of turquoise close to the color of Quil’s eyes.

  “Keep on her at all times,” Quil said. “The second she makes a move towards Ariana, I need to know about it.”

  “She might get suspicious.”

  “Why? You guys are with her at all times.”

  “Except when she’s having a private audience.” He cleared his throat. “She has her pets.”

  “And you are not one?” Quil asked.

  “I’m in the entourage, but not that in.”

  “Could you be?”

  “I can show interest, see if she takes me up on it.”

  “Do you have a problem with that?”

  “Not really. Not my type, but I can fuck for a good cause.”

  “Let me know. Secure-”

  “Lines only,” he cut Quil off. “I know how to do this. I was a spy long before I was a vampire.”

  “Thank you. You’re a good man.”

  The other guy snorted. “There’s some who’d disagree with that in the Mid-East, but thanks anyway.”

  I pulled out of the vision.

  “Helloooooo.”

  I shook my head and looked over.

  Len stared at me. “What happened? You were just staring straight ahead like you… ohhhhh, you were in a vision?”

  “Yeah,” I said.

  “I thought those went fast? Like a second?”

  “Unless they’re present time. Then I’m in ‘em for long as they go on.”

  “Oh, wow. Okay. That could be dangerous.”

  “Tell me about it.” I slid out. “Gettin’ a drink before I’m back on.”

  I grabbed a pomegranate martini and a bottle of water and the bartender waved me off when I tried to pay.

  I did my next set and Quil still wasn’t back by the time I was done.

  So much for me hearing him play.

  I shot him a text a
sking what was up.

  “So what’s going on in the vamp world?” I asked when I sat back down.

  Len gave me a look.

  “Quil’s missed half my time up there, and he never did get on the piano,” I said. “Something’s up. Beyond the queen.”

  “Ah, well...er...” Len said. “After Milo died, well, there’s been talk. There’s some nests ganging up on ours, basically saying Milo’s death was our fault.”

  “It was,” I said. “At least your leader’s.”

  “Yes, but, they’re holding the whole nest responsible. Blanche is on that side, and her and Milo’s brother are building up a coalition against Nashville. So far it’s just affecting travel and some trade, but…”

  “It could be more?”

  “It could be war.”

  “So tell Milo’s brother what happened and tell him to take out Jade,” I said.

  “It’s not that simple.”

  “Why not?”

  “One, we don’t have proof, so if we told Carvi it was her and he acted, it’d still be a declaration of war. And two, even though the queen was behind it, he might decide to take it out on everyone here.”

  I blew out a huff. “That doesn’t make sense.”

  “It would to Carvi. When someone kills one of your people, you burn down their entire village as an object lesson. The only thing keeping him at bay is he doesn’t want war with anyone but those responsible. He doesn’t know we’re responsible. He just knows it happened here. Soon as he knows it was Jade, we’re all dead.”

  “Guilt by association?”

  “He’s old school. He’s so similar to his brother in person, fun and flirty, but… he’s the type of man to stab you through the heart right after he’s done giving you the best sex of your life.”

  My eyebrows jumped up. “You know this from experience?”

  He blushed. “I’ve heard things, and don’t get me wrong, I’ve been tempted, but… he scares me.”

  Milo was the only other psychic I’d ever met and he was also the biggest, most shameless flirt ever. Kinda hard to imagine someone who was like that, but cold and uncaring on the inside.

  Len sighed. “He blames Quil for Milo’s death. He called and asked Quil if he could come up for the meeting the night before and Quil told him that wouldn’t be necessary. Then Quil had to call a day later to tell him his brother died from a bullet. Carvi didn’t believe him since not only was his brother a psychic, he was also fast enough to dodge a bullet.”

  I looked away.

  “It wasn’t your fault, darling,” he said.

  Milo died taking a bullet meant for me while he moved me outta the way. He didn’t see it coming psychically cuz he had no reason to direct his thoughts that way, and he reacted, getting me out of the way without thinking.

  I’d watched him waste away right in front of me, my hands buried in his chest, tryin’ to dig the bullet out.

  “Anyway,” Len continued at my silence, “he’s been badgering Quil since, trying to figure out exactly what happened. Quil’s sticking to the story.”

  “Story?” I said. “That’s what happened.”

  “No, what happened was, he died from a bullet meant for you, and Quil is leaving you out of the story, so it’s not entirely true.”

  “Why?”

  “He’s afraid Carvi will go after you.”

  “Oh. I’m losin’ track of everyone who wants me dead or turned or… whatever.”

  “It’s getting to Quil.”

  “It’s getting to Grant too,” I said, biting my lip. “I don’t like that two of the most important men in my life are feeling anxious cuz people are after me. I should be takin’ care of myself.”

  He shrugged. “Maybe, but everyone needs a little help.”

  “Could I help? Talk to Carvi?”

  “No! Quil is keeping you out of it entirely. He doesn’t want Carvi to know you were there, that you’re psychic, that you even exist. No.”

  “But I could-”

  “No, you couldn’t help. You think having the queen wanting to turn your sweet ass is bad? She has nothing on Carvi. She’ll try to do it subtly, make it look like you wanted it, Carvi will just take you, and tell everyone to deal or die. Trust me, you don’t want him to know you exist.”

  I held up my hands. “Okay. But, I mean, aren’t they both in the movement to get vamps out in the open, so shouldn’t they still be allies?”

  “They should,” Len said. “But Carvi’s always been a very passionate man. He runs on his heart half the time, and there was nothing in the world he loved more than his baby brother. So right now, he doesn’t care about the movement. All he cares about is finding every single detail about that night and killing everyone responsible or even involved.”

  I drew a sharp breath. “Is he gonna hurt Quil?”

  “He might. Right now, the only thing keeping him in Miami and out of war is the knowledge that he’ll never get answers if he kills everyone up here.”

  “He wouldn’t, um, try to grab someone and torture it outta them, would he?”

  “In a heartbeat.”

  I whimpered.

  “But he won’t,” Len said quickly. “Again, it’d be a declaration of war.”

  “What if he did it all sneaky?”

  “Well, that’s a possibility. Which is why we’re also keeping an eye on Quil. He’s fairly safe as long as Carvi is in Miami. Any vamps come into our territory, we’ll be able to sense it.”

  “Really?”

  He nodded and I sighed.

  “That makes me feel a bit better,” I said. “So is Quil talkin’ to Carvi now?”

  “I don’t know.”

  I closed my eyes, focusing.

  Show me Quil.

  Flash.

  “She already denied you passage into our territory, Carvi,” Quil said, sitting at a desk, the world tinged with gold. “If I were in charge, I would let you up here, but you heard her.”

  “I know you’re planning a coup, Aquila,” the thick, textured voice I recognized from past visions as Carvi’s said.

  “Rumors,” Quil said.

  “I’m saying I could help you.”

  “And I’m saying I would never commit treason.”

  Carvi chuckled. “Noted. So if I just showed up?”

  “The queen has sensors all around Nashville. She would know the second you entered her territory.”

  “What makes you think I’m not already in her territory?”

  “Because she’s had the sensors up for a while, Carvi.”

  “There are ways around them.”

  Quil sat up straighter. “Carvi-”

  “You’re hiding something, Quil. I can sense it.”

  Quil took a deep breath. “I’m under orders.” He cleared his throat. “You just talked to her. You know her position.”

  “Quil, this is a secure line, you can speak plainly.”

  “No, I can’t.”

  “The line’s not tapped, but your office could be?”

  “Precisely. So, you know the official position. That is all any of us can tell you. May I suggest you speak to the queen again and stop trying to go around her?”

  “Uh-huh. She’s hiding something, and you’re covering because you’re under orders?”

  “Yes, I do believe she would be open to discussing this further. Nobody wants a war. And we all know the person responsible and she has been brought to justice.”

  “Are you saying the queen had something to do with this?” Carvi asked, voice hard.

  “If we had proof of any other parties involved, we’d give it to you. But, there’s no proof.”

  Carvi chuckled and it was empty of all mirth. “See, Quil, this is why I like you. I think I’ve found a way to get proof. And now I know who to look into.”

  Quil looked around the office. “What way?”

  “I’m holding onto that card for now. But I take her out, we both know who will take her place, so I’m guessing you’re not complain
ing.”

  Quil nodded. “Then I believe our nests can work together to resolve this dispute and bring you some peace after your brother’s passing.”

  “Peace, is not what I had in mind, but if you help me get her, I won’t take out the rest of your nest as a lesson. I’ll be in touch. Watch your back. We hear the rumors down here too. She’s onto you.”

  “I know.”

  They hung up.

  I snapped out of the vision.

  Len glanced at me.

  “How long?” I asked.

  “For what?” Len asked.

  “Was I in the vision?”

  He blinked. “I’m guessing not long, since I didn’t notice anything.”

  So, not a present time one. Made sense. What were the odds Quil’d have such a revealing conversation right when I checked on him?

  “So that wasn’t present time, so where is he now?” I asked, checkin’ my phone. He still hadn’t answered my text.

  Len shrugged. “Call him?”

  I nodded and slid outta the booth again, hitting the hall and closing the door so I could hear.

  “That was easier than I thought,” a voice said.

  I whirled and a woman stepped out of the nearest office. She swayed and leaned again the wall, running her eyes over me like a man.

  She was gorgeous, features like a movie star and big blue eyes with long dark hair, but still, I didn’t go that way.

  I opened my mouth to tell her as much.

  She grabbed my arm too fast for me to react. “Our queen wants to have a word with you.”

  Oh, not a drunk hittin’ on me.

  Holy crap on kittens.

  I was in trouble.

  Chapter seven

  I fell, the sudden dead weight pulling me from her grip. I slid my hand under my skirt, grabbin’ my knife.

  I swung and she jerked back too fast for me to get her.

  I scrambled to my feet, arms up, itty bitty push knife clutched between my knuckles. The great thing about push knives is you don’t have to know how to knife fight, just hold them between your knuckles and start punchin’.

  “Silver?” she asked, crouched, body coiled and ready to strike.

  “Yep.”

  “That’s another crime to charge you with. Silver’s banned on vamp grounds.”