by Trina M. Lee
I picked through the strings, ensuring each one sounded just right before moving on to the next. “I’m worried and I can’t shake it. No matter what I do, someone will get hurt.”
“What does Cinder tell you in times like this?”
“To take it one day at a time.”
“Then there you go.” She gave me an approving slap on the ass. “Leave your worries behind and pour your heart on the stage. Come on; let’s grab a drink before we play.”
We left Tash and Rubi to finish with their gear and weaved our way through the growing crowd toward the bar.
Koda made no attempt to hide his presence. He leaned against the far wall near the emergency exit where he could survey the entire building. Dressed all in black, he blended in with the rock crowd. Our eyes met across the distance. He gave a slight nod, and I jerked my gaze away, refusing to acknowledge him further. Getting pissed off about his constant stalking would only encourage it. And right now, Koda wasn’t my biggest concern, though after the shit he pulled in my lobby, he was definitely on my radar.
I’d almost made it to the bar when I noticed Jett was no longer with me. After a quick glance around, I found her at Sam and Greyson’s table, leaning over Sam to give him an eyeful of cleavage. Alexa, the owner of The Wicked Kiss, stalked away from the table, moving with a stealth and grace only the undead possessed. She looked pissed.
“What was that all about?” I asked as I joined Jett at the guys’ table, jerking my thumb to where the blonde disappeared through the exit.
“She was looking for Arrow,” Sam said, his eyes barely straying from Jett’s ample bosom. “She’s had a beef with him since her friend ODed on some of his shit. Should’ve been here the night she came in and threw him up against that pillar there. That was great.”
Sam laughed as he retold the story, but I was only half listening. Jez had ODed on stuff she’d bought from Arrow? I rarely saw her here. I’d had no idea that my neighbor was a user and that Arrow was her supplier. No wonder Alexa hated him. My own feelings toward him were conflicted, to say the least.
“You know, Sammy, if you don’t stop flirting with me, I might have to give you what you’re asking for.” With a sexy grin Jett redirected the conversation, having no problem keeping his attention. “And then you’ll be sorry.”
A spark of mischief in his dark eyes, Sam smiled and ran a hand through his short, brown hair. “That’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
Their flirty banter continued until Greyson and I shared an eye roll. I was about to drag Jett away when a low voice in my ear caused my stomach to drop.
“And here we have the light nephilim in her natural environment,” the voice purred. “But don’t be fooled. She’s not as squeaky clean as she appears.”
I spun on a heel to find myself staring into red eyes with silver flecks. Nova’s eyes.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I blurted, unable to hide my surprise. “I won that throwing star fair and square. So if you’re here for another round, you can forget it.”
Nova had the nerve to look offended. “I just told you, I’m here to see you in your natural environment. Can’t blame me for being curious about you after the fight you put up the other night.”
His appearance was drastically different from the night at the Black Market. Other than the red eyes, he looked wholly human. His long, black hair was sleek and shiny. Gone was the warrior-style robe. In a leather jacket, t-shirt, and jeans he was as human as anyone else here. Except he wasn’t. When I studied him carefully, the way Cinder had taught me, I was able to see the horns, wings, and tail I knew he had. Now that I knew how to see a demon’s real appearance, I was afraid of doing it. I imagined there were many things I’d rather not see.
“I already have one demon stalker, and I’m really not too keen on having another.” I wasn’t afraid, mostly because such a public place offered some safety. However it would be foolish not to be wary.
Nova’s gaze strayed across the room to where Koda stood. I risked a quick peek to find Koda shoving angrily through people as he came right for us.
“It seems that I’ve upset your stalker,” Nova snickered. There was no fear in him. In fact, he looked delighted.
“You know I come here to get away from demon bullshit. If you have something to say to me, find another way. And if you just want to be a creep, then don’t bother. As you can see, I’ve already got one.”
Nova’s grin met my scowl. He cocked his head to one side and studied me, his gaze traveling over my attire. “Well, you are the keeper of the Midnight Star. Unwanted attention comes with the territory. It’s not usually a woman so I imagine that really piques the curiosity.”
“Is that what piques yours?” I dared to ask, leery of peering into those incubus eyes for too long. Koda would be upon us any moment. I didn’t plan to stick around.
“Somewhat. Although it was the way you managed to kick my ass that really got me intrigued. You’ve got the fire, little thief. And I don’t just mean the element.” Nova’s cool appraisal rivaled the heat in his stare.
I took a few steps back, needing some distance between us.
Then Koda burst between us, shoving me even farther away from the incubus. Ignoring my protest, he rounded on Nova. “What the fuck are you doing?” Koda snarled, fists clenched. “You have no business here.”
Nova turned that same appraising gaze on Koda, sizing him up before laughing right in his face. “What’s wrong, Koda? Afraid I’ll seduce Ember away from you? I suppose I do have the advantage.”
“Having to mind fuck someone to seduce them isn’t really an advantage.” Koda turned to me as if he expected some kind of gratitude for coming to my rescue. “Want me to get rid of him, Spike?”
Disgusting. The entire scenario sickened me. Bitter loathing for the pathetic creature washed over me. I tried to stuff it back down inside me, knowing how easily awful feelings multiplied.
“I’d like to see you try,” I said with a smirk. “But mostly, I just want you to leave me alone. If you want to protect me from something, Koda, start with yourself.” Without so much as another glance at either of them I walked away.
Nova’s laughter followed.
Blending into the line up at the bar, I watched the door, hoping Rowen would walk in. I could really use his moral support.
As I reached to pay for my order, Nova slapped some cash down on the bar. “Did you think you’d get rid of me that easily? Not a chance, sweetheart. You’re on my radar now.”
“Lucky me.” Forcing my expression to remain neutral, I swallowed the lump of unease that choked me. I didn’t want to be on any more demon radars than I already was. “So what do you want? I have a show to play in a few minutes.”
With Jett still flirting with Sam, I felt very much alone in this crowded place thanks to Nova’s intimidating presence. Koda was nowhere to be seen, but I knew he hadn’t left. An invisible demon made for the worst kind of demon.
“Mostly I just want to watch you. But as long as I’m here, I might as well take a shot in the dark and ask if you and your wolf friend would care to do a little side work. Possibly some ass kicking. For hire, of course.” With a raised brow and a sly half smile, Nova waited for my reaction.
I took a few gulps of my drink and studied him. Was he serious? “Is this a joke? Why the hell would we want to work for you?”
“Why not? You both seem to enjoy a good fight. You have a talent far more rare than you may realize. Your father was a thief too.” Nova let that hang between us. He exuded mischief like an aroma.
“If you said that to get a reaction out of me, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. There’s nothing you can say that would make me, a white lighter, want to work for you, a friggin’ demon. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have somewhere to be.” I shoved by him, feeling frustrated and wanting nothing more than to be on stage where I could make my guitar scream.
Nova’s next words stopped me in my tracks. “Not even if it solves your
Dash problem? Help me get what I want, and I’ll take care of it for you. Then we both win.”
Just how much did Nova know about me? “Looks like you’ve been doing your homework. Obviously you know that Dash and I aren’t exactly each other’s biggest fans. That doesn’t mean I’m stupid enough to fall for your scam. I’m not doing your dirty work for you.”
“Not even if it means saving your boyfriend?” Nova’s taunt dangled in the air. His expression had gone cold.
My mind screamed that it was a trap. Demons knew exactly what someone wanted to hear. They were good at what they did. As much as I wanted to think that maybe Nova knew something that could help me stop Dash from claiming Rowen, I knew it was a lie. It had to be.
“Why do you need me? Isn’t this something you can take care of yourself?” Asking questions was stupid. It only encouraged him. Dammit.
“It should be, but it isn’t. I need you, sweet flame, because the location of the item I seek is known by Cinder. Find out where it is, help me take it from whoever has it, and not only will I throw a wrench in Dash’s plans on your behalf, but I’ll be your new best friend. At your beck and call.” A quirk of his brow, a smile that dripped charm, Nova was so damn sure he had me.
Nova was good. He knew how to slip just enough of his incubus charm into a smile or a look to get inside someone’s head. However, I knew he was doing it. Everything he said sounded as tempting as he wanted it to.
“This isn’t my first circus, Nova, and you’re not my first demon,” I said, spying Jett’s purple head in the crowd as she searched for me. “If Cinder isn’t sharing information, then I trust that there’s a good reason for that.”
Again I turned to go but Nova grabbed my arm. His grip tightened enough to squeeze a squeak of pain from me.
My gaze dropped pointedly to my arm where Nova’s hand held tight. “Don’t fucking touch me.”
“There are many who would pay a fine price to get their hands on this gem I seek. It’s in high demand. Whoever finds it will have demons fighting one another for a chance to claim it. Don’t be so quick to discount what this could do for you.” Having dropped his seductive charm, Nova’s expression had turned downright nasty.
I scoffed, refusing to show fear even though I was seconds away from sheer panic. “Let go of me, Nova. I have nothing more to say to you.”
His grip didn’t loosen, and for a moment I was sure he would get violent. Then his charming smile fluttered back into place, and he released me. “Just think about it,” he said. “All you have to do to save your boyfriend from Dash is help me find it.”
I had no intention of serving the dark by helping Nova, even if I would gain from it. It was wrong in every way to deliver some mystery object into any demon’s hands, especially if it was hidden from them. Rowen wouldn’t want me to do it. I hadn’t signed on with Cinder to serve my own selfish wants. Agreeing would be an insult to Cinder and to everything he’d done for me. I couldn’t even consider what Nova had proposed.
When I walked away this time, he let me go, but I felt his eyes on me as I made my way to the stage, stopping only to deposit my empty glass on a table filled with empties.
Hey, I’m human. Well… half. I’d be lying if I said a teeny, tiny part of me wasn’t tempted. It was. But it was wrong, and though I could never be perfect, I sure as hell wasn’t so weak willed that I’d fall for such an obviously bad deal. The repercussions for making a deal with a demon could last an eternity. Or so they say.
“What the hell is Nova doing here?” Jett was all over me the moment I reached the stage. “Damn, he’s still hot though, even without the badass horns.”
Grabbing my guitar, I slung the strap over my shoulder and pulled a pick from the mic stand. “He wants us to do a job for him. Said he’d take care of my Dash problem if I do it.”
“And? There’s a catch, right?”
“Of course. Helping a demon get his hands on a hidden object for my own selfish gain is the catch. It’s not even an option.” With a forced smile, I shrugged. “Are we ready to rock?”
Rubi sat at the drums, twirling a stick in one hand, waiting for our signal to start. At Jett’s nod she counted us in, banging the sticks together. Then, with the crash of cymbals and the cry of my guitar, we launched into the first song of our set.
The stage lights lit us up in a warm glow that would soon have us hot and sweaty, just the way we liked it. The crowd gathered around the bar broke off in chunks as people flowed toward the stage.
Nova weaved among them. He pushed through until he was close without being front and center. Having his eyes on me while I played felt oppressive. He’d gotten his answer. Now he needed to go away.
Koda stood in his usual spot, a fair distance from the stage, able to see the whole building. He looked pissed.
The vibrant blue mohawk near the entry brought a genuine smile to my face though. Rowen was alone, leaving me to wonder where Arrow went and what he could be up to.
Thoughts and emotions jumbled my mind. Questions with no answers. The stage was no place for such things. No, here I could purge the mess of my mind, leaving it all behind for as long as the music continued.
Jett’s sexy rasp drew the crowd until there were more people gathered before the stage than anywhere else in the building. A curtain of black covered my face as every note screamed from my soul through my mind and out my body, leaving me gasping for breath.
There was no better feeling on earth.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
I lost count of how many people bought us drinks after that set. Jett took over the table Sam and Greyson had claimed and was eating up the attention like the rock diva she was. The guys had since left to set up their gear and, despite my protests, had even taken ours down.
Nova had disappeared as soon as we’d finished playing. Hopefully he’d seen what he came to see and had his curiosity appeased. I didn’t have it in me to deal with him as well as Koda and Dash. Speaking of Koda… I was waiting for Rowen to get on stage before bitch slapping the demon with a few questions.
“Fashionably late, like usual,” Rowen muttered when Arrow finally showed himself.
I’d managed to detain Rowen successfully for a few minutes between our set and his. Every time I gazed into his eyes, I saw my own apprehensive expectation reflected back at me. I couldn’t help but feel like we were both waiting for the next ball to drop. When it did, would there be any coming back from it? Or would it be the final nail Dash pounded into the coffin of our relationship?
“Are you alright?” he asked, a hand on my face so he could search my eyes.
“Yeah, kind of. It’s been a weird night. I keep expecting something to happen, to remind me that we don’t have a normal life, not even here.” I welcomed the kiss that followed.
Rowen’s mouth moved on mine, a warm caress that left me breathless. And afraid. “There’s no such thing as normal, Spike.” With his forehead pressed against mine, Rowen sighed. “You know I love you, right?”
Something in his tone triggered an alarm within me. I pulled back so I could study his expression. “Yes, of course. I love you too. But why do I have such a bad feeling right now?”
Arrow shoved his way in between us like the arrogant jerk that he was. “Sorry to break up the lovefest, but it’s show time.”
His bruises had faded significantly, leaving his face almost unmarked. I doubted that would last long. Smudged eyeliner gave him a haunted appearance. The stupid beanie hat he often wore had been replaced with another. This one had the Batman logo in the black-and-red Harley Quinn pattern. Black hair peeked from beneath it, long enough to reach his shoulders. Tight black leather pants and a Joker tee completed his ensemble.
“Channeling your inner Gotham villain?” Rowen quipped.
“Sounds about right,” I added dryly.
Arrow shrugged off our ribbing. “Whatever. I’m no hero. That’s what you white lighters are for.” He gave Rowen a push. “Let’s go, dude.”
Rowen grabbed my hand, our fingers slipping apart as Arrow herded him to the stage. I watched them go, eating up the sight of my love in ripped jeans and a black t-shirt that showed off tattooed, sculpted arms, courteous of years of playing bass. His hawk was spiked up tonight except for that one long piece that fell into his eyes.
As I watched them go, my lungs released a tight, anxious breath. Something wasn’t right. I could feel it in my gut.
The sound of my name shouted above the din jerked my attention to the table where Jett was waving me over. I held up a finger to indicate I’d be back in a minute, and then I dove into the sea of people, wading through until I reached Koda.
He wasn’t alone. Arm slung around the shoulders of a tipsy blonde, his lips moved against her ear as he whispered what had to be something sinful. His scarlet gaze slid over me, making me second guess my decision to do this.
“Yes?” Both brows raised, Koda’s expectant stare unnerved me. “I can’t imagine what you could possibly want. Don’t ask me to step in now. You’re on your own with Nova.”
“This isn’t about Nova.” My gaze darted between Koda and his new friend who sneered at me. “Can we talk for a minute? Alone.”
Koda made me stand there under the full weight of his icy gaze for a solid minute. The seconds ticked by until I was about to whirl around and say screw it. Having a human hanging off him was putting a serious cramp in my plan. Although it wasn’t much of a plan, more like a whim really.
Sensing that he’d pushed me as far as he could, Koda spoke in low tones to his companion who drifted away to be swallowed up by the crowd. “This better be worth listening to,” Koda said with a scowl. “Seeing as you’re not giving it up any time soon, you can’t really expect me not to find it somewhere else.”
“You’re a pig,” I snapped, sliding a hand into my pocket to clasp the silver crossed stuffed inside. Hopefully it would be enough. I didn’t want to have to reach for the silver dagger in my boot.
“It’s always lovely talking to you, Spike.” Mustering a bored frown, Koda raised a glass of what appeared to be whiskey to his lips.
