by AE Jones
Charlie struggled while the simian flailed around. “What the hell do you think I’m doing?”
Devin grabbed the simian’s arm as well, and between them they were able to immobilize it until Jack ran into the room with a new set of handcuffs. After a struggle, the three of them were able to secure him again.
Devin pushed up the demon’s shirt-sleeve, exposing his huge forearm. On his inner arm was a tattoo of a two-headed serpent. Devin’s stomach twisted. It was the mark of the gang that had killed Marina and his brother. “You’re Vipera.”
The simian actually paled. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You damn well do. What the hell does your gang get out of this? Aren’t you too busy with drugs, murder for hire, and supernatural trafficking to worry about sabotaging weddings?”
“You couldn’t possibly understand,” he sneered. “You’re an abomination.”
The light bulb went off in Devin’s head. Vipera were supernatural supremacists. “You’re trying to stop cross-mating between humans and supernaturals.”
“Yes,” he hissed.
“Why did you attack Julian and Fiona’s wedding? They’re both vampires.”
The simian narrowed his eyes and refused to answer.
Devin shook his head. “You’re willing to risk exposing the whole community to humans? Why would you do that? They’ll come after all of us.”
“Humans are sheep. We’re not scared of sheep.”
“Then you’re even dumber than I thought you were,” Devin responded. “Humans outnumber us five to one. Are you going to kill them all?”
The simian bared his teeth at them. “Not all of them. Some we’ll keep around for fun. Like that pretty girl I grabbed in the woods. She felt nice.”
Devin tensed. If Charlie hadn’t stepped between them, he would have grabbed the simian and tried to choke the life out of him. “You won’t be seeing her ever again.”
“Too bad. We could have had some fun together.”
* * *
She hadn’t seen that one coming at all. “Excuse me?” Alex stuttered, and then chastised herself for her reaction.
Theresa, the young bride sitting across from her, widened her eyes slightly, but then she regained her composure quickly. “I said my dress will need to be altered if I’m molting.”
Alex blinked and barely stopped herself from looking under the table to search for feathers. “Wouldn’t you know when you will be…molting…and be able to plan around it?”
“Sometimes. But I also can lose my feathers when I’m stressed, and I want to look my best for the wedding.”
“Of course you do,” Chrystal chimed in.
Did Chrystal regret asking her to sit in on this consultation? Alex pushed a mental restart button and smiled. “What alterations would need to be done?”
“I’m wearing a gown with a low back so my plumage shows, but it would look awful if I’m losing my feathers. The only problem is, my wedding is coming up and I don’t have enough time for the seamstress to make the alterations, and I could lose my feathers at any time prior to the wedding. Even that morning.”
Alex nodded. “Instead of altering a gown, you should have a jacket designed to cover your back just in case. I know a designer who would be perfect to work with and she thrives on rush orders. And it isn’t even a weird request, since a lot of brides wear jackets in the church and then take them off at the reception.”
The bride and Chrystal beamed at her. Another crisis averted.
As soon as Chrystal escorted the bride out of the room, Alex slumped back in her chair. The sound of chuckling made her turn to find an amused Peggy in the doorway. “You really are a natural at this, Alex. You could even give your grandmother a run for her money.”
Alex scowled. “Don’t you have anything better to do than watch us on your monitor?”
“Yes.” Peggy walked in and shut the door behind her. “I want to apologize for not telling you the truth.”
“Why? It wasn’t your truth to tell.”
Peggy sat down across from her. “In a way it was. But since Devin couldn’t tell you he’s an elf, I couldn’t tell you about me.”
Alex almost slammed her head down on the table. How could she not have put two and two together? “I’m sorry, I didn’t even connect the fact…”
“That I’m an elf too?” Peggy smiled. “With everything that’s been going on, it’s perfectly understandable.”
“What are elves?” Alex asked.
Peggy frowned. “Didn’t Devin tell you about us?”
Alex picked at one of her cuticles. Of course not, he was too busy shutting her out. Why didn’t he realize she could help, needed to help? “Devin and I aren’t really talking much right now.”
“Ah, well. What would you like to know?”
“Everything you’re willing to share. The only elves I know about either work for Santa or are in The Lord of the Rings.”
Peggy grinned. “Santa’s elves give us a bad rap. As you can tell, we’re normal size, and don’t talk with a high-pitched voice.”
Alex smiled. “No pointy ears?”
“Not when we’re away from the Elven City. We look like humans then.”
Alex’s curiosity skyrocketed. Elven City? She shook herself mentally. That was a discussion for another day. “Aren’t elves and faeries the same?”
Peggy hesitated for a moment. “No. There’s a hierarchy in the supernatural world. Faeries are at the top of the food chain. They’ve been around for millennia. Elves, nymphs, and the other species are thought to have been created by the ancient faeries. Faery power is very high level.”
“Do elves have powers?” Alex asked, trying to absorb everything Peggy was telling her without going into overload.
“Elves are very healthy and live long lives. Most elves are powerful physically, be it strength, speed, or extremely acute senses. Other elves can have an extraordinary degree of extra-sensory perception.”
“What about your powers?”
Peggy’s face lost its animation and her smile looked more like a grimace.
Alex rushed on, “If you don’t want to tell me, I understand. I’m sorry if that was a rude question.”
Fiddling with a pen on the table, Peggy took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “It’s not rude. I just don’t want you to be uncomfortable, or change the way you feel about me.”
Alex stared at her for a moment and then answered truthfully. “I would be a liar if I told you I wasn’t going to see you in a different light. This is all new and overwhelming to me. But thinking differently doesn’t mean thinking less of. I could never think less of you.”
Peggy smiled and nodded faintly. “One of the reasons I like you so much is because you are honest. I have the ability to read emotions in most humans, and others as well. It comes in very handy in this business.”
“So your powers aren’t the same as Devin’s are, or rather, were?”
“You know about him losing his powers?” Peggy asked sharply.
“Yes. I also know he was supposed to have his trial yesterday, but Julia was able to postpone it.”
“Are you still angry with him for lying to you?”
Alex thought for a moment before responding. “No. I’m over that. I understand why he did. Why you all did. But I want to help with the case, and he keeps shutting me out. I should be with him, and instead I’m here talking about molting!” Alex threw up her hands. “What should I do?”
Peggy rested her hand on top of Alex’s arm. “My brother means well, but he’s used to ordering others around and getting his way. I recommend you go interfere and don’t take no for an answer.”
* * *
Devin raked his fingers through his hair for the second time. They’d spent another twenty minutes trying to get the simian to spill the plan, but he quit talking. Jack and Connor were attempting to question him while he and Charlie were back at the house.
Charlie paced in front of Devin. �
�Jesus, we’re dealing with a bunch of crazies. Did you see that look in his eye at the end? He reminded me of a terrorist I cornered in Kandahar. He had a bomb strapped to his chest and his smile lit up right before he flipped the trigger.” Charlie shuddered. “I’ll never forget it.”
“People who believe their actions are justified don’t care who gets destroyed in the process.”
“Then how do we stop them?” Charlie asked.
“To stop them we have to treat the gang like a vampire and chop off its head. We go after the leader, then we take care of the rest.”
“We don’t know who the leader is. And I doubt they would trust the simian with that information, since he’s not the brightest bulb.”
Devin crossed his arms. “Probably not, but the simian has to report to someone. If we can get his name, we move up the hierarchy.”
“He’s not talking.”
“So we get him to talk. Have Giz pull the files on this gang we developed last year, and Jack and Connor can start going through them again.”
“Do you think that’s a good idea? Your Tribunal is coming up. If the magistrates find out you’re investigating this gang again, you could lose your powers for good.”
Devin shook his head. “It’s worth the risk if we can stop them.”
“Maybe we have another way,” Charlie answered. “What about Alex? Maybe she could talk to him.”
“No way,” Devin snapped. No way was Alex getting anywhere near the simian.
Charlie held his hands up. “Hear me out. We would all be there to protect her. He’s dumb enough to let something slip to her.”
“Absolutely not.”
A throat cleared behind him and Devin spun around. Alex stood in the doorway, hands on her hips.
“Why don’t you let me decide?”
Lorinda’s Wedding Tip: Be cautious of overly helpful family members. They may have their own hidden agenda.
Chapter 28
She was not a breakable doll. Alex gritted her teeth long enough to stifle the swear words.
“How long have you been standing there?” Devin demanded, his lips settling into a tight line.
“Long enough to hear that you need my help,” she answered.
“No, I won’t risk it.”
“You’re willing to throw away your powers to stop these guys, and I can’t simply talk to the ape demon?”
“That’s different! I’m trained for these situations, and you’re not.”
“The way I see it, you’re powerless right now. Which means you’re a weak human. Just. Like. Me.”
He staggered back as if she’d slapped him.
She wanted to take the words back as soon as she said them. To reach out to him, but she refused to weaken. “Please let me try. If we can make sure no one else gets hurt, it’s worth the risk.”
Charlie jumped in. “She’s right, Dev. We need more information.”
“I don’t like it,” Devin let out a harsh breath. “But I’ll go along with it.”
Alex’s heartbeat sped up at the thought of seeing the simian again, but she pushed down the anxiety. She needed to help. “When can I talk to him?”
Devin held his hands up. “Not right now. I want to ensure all the safeguards are in place. It’s late. I’ll pick you up at the office tomorrow morning.”
* * *
“Have you been ignoring me, Alexandra?”
Alex sighed and turned to greet her grandmother. Even though it was early morning, Lorinda was dressed impeccably. Why did her suits never wrinkle? Alex was acutely aware of looking like something the cat dragged in. Based on the way her grandmother was eying her up and down with that crease between her brows, she’d noticed as well.
After leaving Devin last night, Alex tossed and turned and finally gave up on sleep when the simian persisted in invading her dreams. She would be face-to-face with him in a couple of hours. A delicate, but pointed, throat-clearing from her grandmother returned her to the present.
“I’m not ignoring you,” Alex said.
“I haven’t seen you for days. Not since the last wedding. I thought maybe we wouldn’t see you for a while.”
Alex flinched at the dig. “I’m here for the duration, Grandmother. You need my help.”
Lorinda glared at her. “Help? Like the stunt you participated in at the Smythe wedding?”
“What are you talking about?”
“The live movie trailer with men hanging from trees and arrows flying? The guests were petrified.”
Alex’s heart sped up as she attempted to stare down her grandmother. “My understanding is that once they learned it was a marketing ploy, they loved it.”
Lorinda frowned. “Why wasn’t I told? Did you think I wouldn’t approve?”
Alex held up her hands in a sign of surrender. “I didn’t know myself until it happened.”
Her grandmother took a step toward her. “That explains the look of terror on your face. You couldn’t have faked that?”
Alex struggled for a reply, but there was nothing to say, especially not with her grandmother studying her so closely, as if waiting for her to confess.
“Well, Mr. Cole was obviously a willing participant, since he was the one shot. How exactly is he helping us with our supposed sabotage situation?”
She bristled at Lorinda’s disparaging tone. “Devin and his team are working to learn who’s behind the sabotage. He’s a friend of the groom, and agreed to help with the stunt.”
“And you weren’t hurt during that fiasco?” She asked, her eyes darting here and there over Alex, as though checking for injuries.
“No. Everything is fine.”
Lorinda hesitated before responding. “Are you sure, Alexandra? I don’t want this business to cause you any more pain than it already has.”
Alex swallowed hard. “It’s been two years, Grandmother. I’m doing better.”
Her grandmother stared at her in silence a moment longer than was comfortable, as if she was going to say something else. Finally, she nodded and then walked past Alex toward her office.
* * *
Devin pulled into Bennett Bridal’s parking lot, checked his watch, and grimaced. He was running late. But he’d needed to stop at the warehouse to double-check the security measures. He was not taking any chances with Alex’s safety.
Opening the front door to the building, he’d barely reached the hall when Lorinda appeared. “A word, Mr. Cole.”
Not waiting for his response, she turned toward her office, clearly expecting him to follow. He stifled a caustic remark and walked in behind her, closing the door. The look on her face had already made it clear that this was to be a closed-door meeting.
She sat down behind her desk and folded her hands, placing them on the blotter. “I think some clarification is in order.”
Devin sat down across from her, even though she had not invited him to sit. “Regarding?”
“I believe during our first meeting I explicitly stated that Alexandra’s safety was your first priority.”
“You did.”
“So how does having her participate in some ridiculous movie stunt keep her safe?”
“I purposely did not involve Alex. She was still in the limo when the stunt kicked off. Everyone was safe.” He stared at her directly. “It was make-believe, after all.”
“It did not look like make-believe to me, Mr. Cole. Your role was exceptionally realistic. I didn’t realize that you were such a good actor.”
“I can fake it with the best of them.”
“Now you’re being overly modest. I would say that your performance was Oscar-worthy.” She smiled tightly. “However, that does not excuse the fact that this stunt was pulled without my knowledge. I have not worked as many years as I have in this business to have my reputation ruined. You are here at the request of Peggy. If not for your personal relationship with her, I would ask you to leave right now.” She paused and skewered him with her caramel eyes. “You either need to bring me proof
of sabotage in the next week, or I end your contract at that time. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal,” he answered tightly. He stood to leave.
“One more thing. I do not want Alexandra involved in any more stunts, fake or otherwise. She is to be left out of this business. She is to be protected above everything else. I trust that we are both on the same page?”
Devin stared into the indomitable eyes of Lorinda Bennett. But the longer he watched her, the more he became convinced she was hiding something. And so briefly he might have missed it, something flashed underneath her frosty exterior. Fear?
* * *
How many more strong-willed women would he have to deal with today? Devin growled across the conference room table at Peggy. “I’m not caving in!”
She shrugged her shoulders, apparently not intimidated by his angry voice. “That’s what it looks like to me.”
“Lorinda doesn’t want Alex involved in the case anymore, and I can’t blame her. If she knew that the wedding stunt was real, she’d throw me out of here on my butt today. As it is, she’s suspicious as hell. She wants proof that Bennett Bridal is being sabotaged.”
“So give it to her.”
Devin took a breath. “How do you propose I do that without exposing the supernatural?”
“You’re smart. I have every confidence you can come up with a way.”
“What about Alex?”
“I sent her out on an errand a few minutes ago while she was waiting for you. When she comes back I’ll tell her that you’re following a lead and aren’t ready for her to meet with the simian.”
Devin didn’t like deceiving Alex, but she was like a pit bull when she got her teeth into an idea. “That won’t pacify her for long.”
Peggy shook her head. “You’re never going to be able to pacify both Lorinda and Alex at the same time. You’ll have to choose sooner or later.”
* * *
Alex jabbed the monitor’s off button, breathing heavily. She’d forgotten her list of errands and returned to Peggy’s office to retrieve it. She noticed the monitor was on, volume turned low and she gave it a glance. When she saw Devin and Peggy huddled together in the conference room, she decided to turn up the volume, and her guilt was quickly replaced by anger—they were discussing her!
