Ante Up: A Sin City Collectors Novella

by Amanda Carlson

  Luke snorted. “If by badass you mean you’re an incoherent, raving lunatic with the strength of ten griffins, then yes, that’s a correct assumption.”

  Sofia cocked her head at Diesel, and a curtain of her long, dark hair spilled across her shoulder. Diesel suddenly wanted to reach out and touch it—instead, he began to dry glasses.

  “Are you aware of yourself while this is happening?” Sofia asked him curiously.

  “Not always,” Diesel replied, turning to his brother. “I seem to know what’s going on most of the time, but I have a hard time keeping coherent in the middle of an episode. Directly after I have an ‘unfortunate lunar event,’ which is one of my mother’s many names for them, I usually remember what happened. But the memories come in pieces, especially if I was in a fight.”

  Luke shook his head. “He’s not always in his right mind. Getting him to calm down is sometimes impossible. If that happens, we have a special room to take him to, but we try not to do that, because he’s even crazier when he’s confined. You should see the space. The concrete wall looks like Swiss cheese.”

  “How are you able to control him when no one else can?” Sofia asked Luke, curiosity in her voice rather than revulsion, which made Diesel happier than he’d like to admit.

  Not everyone reacted to his news with pleasant curiosity.

  “I’ve been doing it so long.” Luke shrugged. “It’s hard to know. I think his beast has just gotten used to me. I can usually talk him down. If not, I chain him up. I’ve also figured out how to knock him out in a pinch. But it takes a hell of a lot of effort to do that, and he doesn’t stay down for long, so I only knock him out when he has to go to the room.”

  The witch appeared pensive as she stared off into space for a second or two. Diesel interrupted her contemplation. “Sofia, do you need another drink?” When she didn’t respond, he snapped his fingers to get her attention, nodding his head toward her empty glass. Supes had to imbibe a lot of alcohol to feel any effects. He’d been known to serve a patron twenty drinks and still have them remain unaffected.

  “Um, what?” She appeared a little flustered once she met his gaze, and a blush crossed her cheeks, giving them an appealing rosy tone. “I’m sorry. I always seem to slip off during conversations with you. It’s actually something I’ve done since I was a child. I tend to get lost in my thoughts. I don’t mean any offense by it.”

  Diesel was hardly offended. He thought it was cute. This witch was intriguing, smart, and humble. If he ever found out she was spelling him, there would be consequences, but he didn’t want to think about that now. “It’s not a problem. I like the way your pupils dilate when you’re thinking. And your nose also crinkles a little at the top.” He gestured toward her empty glass. “I just asked you if you’d care for another drink.”

  Her eyes brightened a little, making the gold flecks jump. “Oh, no. No, I’m fine, thank you.” Sofia absentmindedly stroked the stem of her glass as they stared at each other for a few moments.

  There was a disgruntled sound from Diesel’s left.

  “Oh, hell, no!” Neve almost shouted, glancing between Diesel and Sofia. “Jake, are you seeing this? Tell your barback to get his head out of the witchy clouds. I am so not okay with this situation. There’s no room in this bar for the two of you to—”

  Instead of agreeing with his fiancée, Jake walked around the bar with purpose and swept Neve off her seat, covering her mouth with his as he carried her toward his office. She didn’t fight him for long. Instead, she wrapped her slender legs around his body, locking them in place as he slammed the door shut behind them.

  “Well,” Luke said with a chuckle, “I guess that’s one way to take care of it. And I have to…run an errand…for mom.” He grinned at his brother. “But I’ll be back by midnight, DJ. Call my cell if you need help before then.”

  Diesel didn’t even pretend to break his gaze with Sofia’s as he addressed his brother. “After closing time tonight”—his eyes stayed locked on the beauty in front of him—“I need to discuss something with you. Free up your next two days. Something’s going down.”

  Sofia shivered so hard she had to run her hands over her arms to calm herself down. She had on a cotton top with short sleeves and was slightly embarrassed Diesel would notice the physical reactions he’d triggered in her. He said nothing, however, and that was a blessed relief. “Um, I should get going, too,” Sofia managed, as she broke their intense stare and slid off her stool. “I have lots to do at home.”

  “Are you coming back later tonight?” Diesel asked in a nonchalant tone as he picked up her empty glass and set it in the sink below the bar.

  It was ten thirty at night. “I don’t think so. I wanted to drop in early because I have a ton of stuff to do before Ginger arrives, like secure a bed for the guest room. My house is virtually empty.”

  “Gotcha,” Diesel said with a wink. “You take care, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Yes, you will, Sofia immediately thought, but said, “Possibly. All depends on my company.” She watched Diesel’s face, and gathering by his visceral reaction when she’d mentioned what Ginger was the first time, he didn’t care for sex demons. He wasn’t alone in his bias against them. Most supes felt threatened by their abilities, and rightly so. A powerful sex demon could enchant even the strongest supernatural. But she didn’t have time now to school him in the ways of incubi and succubi, or explain that most had strong moral compasses, craved monogamy and solid friendships, which fed their emotional levels better than indiscriminate sex, and could turn off their persuasion whenever they pleased.

  Instead, Sofia stood and made her way around the bar.

  She felt Diesel’s eyes on her the entire time. Once she got to the door, she tossed her hair carelessly over her shoulder and gave him a sly smile. “I’ll see you soon.”

  As she walked out, she allowed herself to relish in Diesel’s reaction to her as she’d made her grand exit from the bar. There was no doubt he’d been affected by her. More so than she’d thought possible when she’d arrived tonight. His reaction to her words, the way he’d leaned over and given her his focused attention made her breath hitch as she strode across the parking lot. At the end he’d looked as though he wanted to gobble her up. There was no doubting it now, they had a shared mutual connection. She was pleased.

  The anticipation of what could be was enough for her. For now.

  She made her way over to her new sports car, a silver Mercedes convertible, just off the lot. Sofia hadn’t lied to the group. She was interested in becoming a Collector, but she wasn’t in it for the money. She had plenty of that. Spellcasters made serious bank, and she was at the top of her game. She was one of the best. Being a Collector wouldn’t put big money in her pocket, but it would give her something she desperately needed: a new sense of purpose and adventure. When she’d been younger, life had been fun, but now her life had become rote. Predictable and boring.

  She smiled as she slid into the leather interior, inhaling deeply. It was entirely possible that a big, hunky shifter could fix her slump for good. She looked forward to exploring that avenue.

  She turned the key, and the car purred to life.

  Her new home was in an area called The Lakes about ten miles out of town. Jake’s bar was just off the Strip, which made navigating traffic out of the city easier. Once she’d eased onto Interstate 215, her phone went off in her purse.

  She plucked it out and glanced at the name. Ginger.

  “Ginger! I’ve been trying to call you for days,” Sofia all but shouted into the phone. “Please tell me you’re here in Vegas and safe.”

  “Sofia…I can’t talk…my phone is…being traced…” There was so much buzzing and interference on the other end, Sofia could barely hear her friend. “My brother…is coming with his—”

  The phone went dead in her hand.

  Sofia held it out in front of her and punched redial, but it just rang and rang. Disgruntled, she tossed it onto the passenger
seat.

  Brother? What brother?

  As far as Sofia knew, Ginger was an only child.

  She shook her head and clucked her disappointment, but she shouldn’t have been surprised. This was yet another secret in a long line of secrets her pseudo-sister had kept from her. It was beginning to appear that they hadn’t really known each other at all, even though they’d lived together for years. The rift between them had started when Ginger had gone missing for two weeks. Sofia had been so worried something dreadful had happened to her best friend, she’d been beside herself. When Ginger had finally shown up, she’d made up a story about attending a family gathering at the last minute.

  But Sofia had uncovered the truth. Ginger hadn’t been with family at all. She’d actually been detained by the Gotham City Collection agency (GCC). Ginger had ultimately been released, the charges dropped—which hadn’t mattered, because Sofia hadn’t believed Ginger had committed the crimes in the first place—but the two had fought about the lie. It had placed them at odds and had broken something between them. And much to Sofia’s dismay, her friend—the one who’d been like family to her for more years than she could count—had moved out of their home the next day and had refused to answer any of Sofia’s calls or letters.

  With a heavy heart, Sofia had finally given up trying to reach her.

  They’d been estranged for more than twenty years, until Ginger’s frantic phone call last week. When Ginger finally arrived, they’d have a lot to go over. If they were going to have any kind of friendship, they were going to have to start over from scratch.

  Starting with the truth.

  Now, with this new information, the real question was: Who was her brother? And why was Ginger trying to warn her?

  Ginger’s voice had been strained with worry, and that wasn’t a good sign. Even though they’d been apart for a chunk of time, Sofia knew her friend—and some things didn’t change. Something was very wrong, and Sofia couldn’t help but be concerned.

  She eased off the highway and turned right, making her way to her new home. She lived in a gated community right on a golf course. But just to make sure she was on top of it, she flicked her wrist, warding her car with an extra spell as she drove toward the guard station.

  If someone decided to mess with her, they weren’t going to like the outcome.

  Diesel gripped a large envelope in one hand and a beer in the other. It was four a.m., and it had been a long-ass night.

  “I don’t understand everything you’re saying, but I’m in. Of course I’m in.” Luke sat in a seat across from him. “You don’t need to ask me twice.”

  Hellhounds was officially closed, and Jake had just gone home for the night. The envelope had been delivered to the bar not fifteen minutes ago. Diesel had taken it into the office immediately and read it through. After that, he’d called his brother in.

  “I know it’s a little confusing, but I can’t discuss the particulars with you,” Diesel replied. “But after what went down tonight, I’m definitely going to need you there for backup.” He set his beer down on Jake’s desk and ran his hand along the back of his neck. “Man, I can’t shake my emotions tonight. I feel high-strung, and I’m so tense my muscles feel like they’re going to jump out of my skin.” Before his brother could comment, he finished with a wry grin, “Okay, a little more than they usually do.”

  “Yeah, that was a close call tonight,” Luke agreed. “You’re not usually this wound-up until the moon goes totally full. That guy nearly lost his arm.”

  “That guy was an asshole. Gremlins usually are. And remember, he picked a fight with me. But yeah, I’m having trouble getting a grip on it. I have a feeling this moon cycle is going to be one of the worst I’ve had in years. You might have to get the room ready.”

  Luke leaned back in his chair. “Could it have anything to do with a particularly enchanting witch?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Bro, nobody missed your interest in Sofia the Beautiful Witch. You almost took my head off when I sat next to her today. And who could blame you? There’s definitely something about her. She’s not only gorgeous, but she’s confident and smart. We call that a ‘true’ beauty.”

  Diesel grumbled, “No, it’s not her.” At least, he hoped it wasn’t. After she’d left, he’d felt a little agitated, but he’d chalked that up to the extra adrenaline racing through his system whenever he thought about his assignment for Louie. “She’s…interesting, I’ll admit it.” Luke grunted at his casual tone. “But I think it’s what’s going on in here that has me bothered.”

  He shook the envelope.

  As much as he’d wanted to, he couldn’t tell his brother they were going after a sex demon. If the job went to hell, Luke would find out eventually, but Diesel was keeping his word to Louie for now. He wasn’t really worried about his brother finding out, because Luke would die rather than break a confidence. His brother lived by a strong code of moral ethics and would keep this mission quiet. Diesel was more worried about the emotional impact the news would have on his younger brother than anything else.

  Their father was dead because of an incubus.

  In a horrific chain of events, the demon had gone after their mother, and in turn, their father had gone after him. But he’d lost. The incubus had lulled their father into complacency with his mind tricks and killed him. Their mother had managed to escape in the end, but not without the help of the entire Vegas pack. Diesel and Luke had only been boys, but they’d witnessed enough. As teens, they’d made a pact to kill any sex demons who crossed their paths. But after several bloodied fights in their later years, they’d both realized that avenging their father by killing demons who were not directly responsible was not the answer. But it’d felt good at the time.

  Diesel cracked his knuckles, settling back in Jake’s desk chair.

  “So when do we start this…thing?” Luke asked, gesturing to the envelope on the desk.

  “The info says tomorrow at midnight. I told Jake I was taking the next few nights off, and he’s cool with it.” Jake knew without having to be told that Diesel had agreed to do a job for Louie. They had a few backup bouncers to call on the scant few days Diesel didn’t work, like Father’s Day. He never worked on that particular Sunday. That day was sacred.

  Luke nodded. “Gotcha. I’ll meet you here at eleven thirty tomorrow night, but I gotta run now. I have an early-morning appointment to get to.” Luke grinned as he stood, making his way toward the office door.

  Diesel said, “I’d rather swing by and pick you up. I don’t want to take any chances we could be tailed.”

  “Fine by me. I’ll see you then.”

  Luke left, shutting the door behind him. Diesel picked up the large manila envelope once again, sliding the contents onto the desk so he could examine them more closely.

  He held up the blurry picture of his target.

  The incubus’s name was Damien Stamos. The picture appeared to have been taken quite a few years ago, but as supes took years to age, it wasn’t a big deal. The demon likely hadn’t changed much, and he was a handsome son of a bitch, with dark curls and thick, dark lashes. “I bet the ladies wet their pants when they see you coming, even without your dirty mind tricks,” Diesel muttered.

  He put down the photo and picked up the report. Diesel scrubbed a hand over his face as he kept reading. There was little information on The Sumerians. As Louie had said, the incubi had kept their organization under wraps for centuries, staying just out of reach of any wrongdoing.

  Diesel skimmed over the documents.

  It seemed that each incubus had to pick a life partner when they came “of age.” It didn’t say how old. After picking their prospective mate, they stayed true. Diesel flipped the page over, but there were no other details about their marriages.

  Damien was reportedly on his way to Vegas, his method of entering the city unclear. He was due at any moment and presumed to be heading to the address listed. Diesel noted the street number.
It was unfamiliar to him, but he knew the area. The Lakes was a ritzy neighborhood about ten miles off the Strip.

  He rifled through the rest of the info, but there wasn’t much there. One page outlined the incubi’s powers, but Diesel didn’t need a refresher. He knew they could manipulate the thoughts of even the strongest of their kind. They could seduce you without exerting much effort at all, and once you were down, you were theirs for the taking.

  Diesel stacked the papers on the desk and leaned back. With his head angled up to the ceiling, he blew out a long breath. He wasn’t allowed to kill this incubus, and feeling vulnerable wasn’t an option either. The only way this was going to work was to take this asshole by surprise. If the demon didn’t see him coming, he couldn’t mind-fuck him.

  That was the only way to do it.

  Sofia woke with a start, panting.

  Her brain felt hazy, but she chalked it up to lack of sleep. She hadn’t gotten a lot in the last few weeks. The move had consumed most of her time, and she was bone-tired. Her house was well warded, and no alarms had been triggered, so she turned and nestled deeper under the covers, pulling her soft duvet cover around her for warmth. She had to cocoon herself against the frigid air conditioning, which she’d have to turn down tomorrow.

  It was much too cold in here.

  As she drifted back to sleep, she smiled as sensual thoughts of Diesel began to run through her mind. Her nipples tightened as images of him naked and hard began to infiltrate her consciousness. He paced toward her bed, smiling his lopsided grin, his head angled down as he drank her in from head to toe. Somehow, her covers vanished, but now the cold temp felt delicious as it tickled over her bare breasts. She beamed at him, half-delirious in sleep. “You finally came.”

  “Of course I did. I’ve always been yours. You can’t hide from me any longer, my sweet,” he whispered as he bent over the bed.