Sharpest Sting: An Elemental Assassin Book

by Jennifer Estep

  I shook my head. I couldn’t explain the worry suddenly swirling through my body—

  Wait a second. I tilted my head to the side and listened, really listened. The whole time we’d been in the boutique, the brick storefront had been crowing about the pretty dresses, shoes, and jewelry inside, but those smug whispers had transformed into harsh mutters brimming with dark, deadly intent.

  Suddenly, I knew the text Bria had gotten from that corrupt cop was bogus, a ruse to draw her outside the store where she would be more vulnerable.

  “Bria’s in trouble!” I yelled.

  “Gin! Wait!” Lorelei hissed.

  But there was no time to wait or explain, so I rushed over, yanked open the door, and raced out into the parking lot.

  My sister was almost to her car, her gaze still focused on her phone. At the far end of the lot, an engine roared to life, and a black SUV zipped out of a parking space, heading straight for her.

  “Bria!” I screamed. “Behind you!”

  Her head snapped up, and she glanced at me, clearly startled. I stabbed my finger, telling Bria to look behind her, and she finally got the message. She whirled around, her free hand dropping to the gun holstered to her belt, but it was already too late.

  The black SUV screeched to a stop in front of her, and three giants poured out of the vehicle and trained their guns on her. Bria hesitated, as if she was thinking about fighting back, but she did the smart thing, took her hand off her weapon, and raised her arms.

  “Get her in the car! Now!” A voice bellowed from inside the vehicle.

  Maybe it was my imagination, but I could have sworn I’d heard that voice before. I’d find out exactly who it belonged to once I killed the giants who were trying to kidnap my sister.

  Two of the men latched onto Bria’s arms, yanked her forward, and forced her into the SUV. The third giant piled in after the other two and yanked the door shut behind them. Then the vehicle started rolling forward.

  Despite the fact that I’d been running this whole time, I was still on the far side of Bria’s sedan. Rather than waste time going around the car, I put on an extra burst of speed, leaped up, and slid across the hood like a hero in an action movie.

  I managed to slow down just enough so that I didn’t fall when my boots hit the ground on the other side. The second I regained my balance, I darted forward and planted myself on the pavement in front of the SUV.

  The driver slammed on the brakes, and the vehicle jerked to a stop ten feet away from me. The windshield was tinted, so I couldn’t see who was driving or how many more giants might be inside. My hands curled into fists. Didn’t much matter. I’d kill everyone in that vehicle to save Bria.

  I took a step forward and reached for my magic. I’d shoot out the tires with a spray of Ice daggers, then shatter the windshield with my cold projectiles—

  The driver stomped on the gas. I tensed, thinking they were going to zoom forward and try to flatten me into a bloody pancake, but they threw the SUV into reverse and zipped backward instead. I let out a vicious curse and sprinted forward, chasing after the vehicle.

  “Gin! Gin!” Shouts rose up behind me, and I heard Lorelei’s voice, along with Roslyn’s, but I tuned them out and kept running. I couldn’t let the giants escape with Bria.

  I pumped my arms and legs and moved even faster. The driver was running out of pavement, and they’d have to veer to one side or the other, stop, and throw the SUV into gear to leave the parking lot. The second the vehicle slowed down, I would put on a final burst of speed, flatten the tires with some Ice daggers, throw myself onto the hood, shatter the windshield, and attack whoever was inside—

  The driver slammed on the brakes again, right before the SUV would have careened back into a light pole. I put on that extra burst of speed, still sprinting toward the vehicle. What was the driver doing? Why weren’t they throwing the SUV into gear and cranking the wheel to the right to leave?

  The driver shoved the vehicle into gear, but instead of steering away, they stomped on the gas and came straight at me. The bad guys hadn’t been retreating. No, they’d wanted some distance to build up as much speed and force as possible for when they tried to mow me down.

  I threw myself to the side. The SUV raced by me and slammed into a silver sports car. The smaller vehicle crumpled up like a paper napkin at the brutal impact, although it didn’t seem to do much damage to the SUV.

  I had dived toward an empty parking space, but I misjudged the distance, and my shoulder clipped the passenger’s-side mirror on a parked sedan. The impact tossed me to the side, and the pavement rushed up to meet me. I grabbed hold of my Stone magic and hardened my skin a split second before I hit the ground. Even then, I still slammed into the asphalt with breathtaking force.

  Pain spiked through my left shoulder, arm, hip, and leg. A low groan escaped my lips, but I forced myself to stagger back up and onto my feet.

  “Gin!” Lorelei rushed over to me. “Are you okay?”

  Behind her, the SUV backed up, zoomed away from the crumpled car, and turned in our direction.

  “Watch out!” I yelled.

  I surged forward, grabbed Lorelei, and spun us around so that my back was facing the SUV. Then I churned my legs, trying to get us out of the path of the charging vehicle. I also reached for my Stone magic again, hardening my body into an impenetrable shell.

  Once again, I misjudged the distance, and the SUV’s passenger’s-side mirror clipped my shoulder, making me stagger forward and lose my balance. I still had my arms wrapped around Lorelei, and she shrieked in surprise as I took her down with me. Somehow I managed to twist my body around so that I hit the pavement first, with her landing on top of me.

  Her body slammed into mine, punching the breath out of my lungs and making my head snap back against the unyielding pavement. Despite the protective shell of my Stone magic, white stars still exploded in eyes, and my brain sloshed around inside my skull like it was made of warm gelatin.

  Lorelei lifted her head and looked at me, concern creasing her face. “Gin! Are you okay—”

  Hands grabbed Lorelei’s shoulders and yanked her away. My brain was still sloshing back and forth, but I managed to sit up. A shadow fell over me, blocking out the afternoon sun.

  A female giant around seven feet tall loomed over me. My dazed gaze focused on her black ballet flats, then traveled up her gray pantsuit and matching shirt to her face. The giant had hazel eyes, milky skin dotted with faint freckles, and a sleek bob of golden hair that curled under at the ends.

  Shock smacked into me just as hard as I had hit the pavement. I blinked several times, wondering if she was really here, but I wasn’t imagining her familiar features.

  Emery Slater, one of my many enemies.

  I hadn’t seen Emery since the night she’d fled from the Monroe family mansion after I had killed Madeline Monroe, Emery’s boss at the time. That had been several months ago, and there had been no sign of the giant anywhere in Ashland since then.

  She? Who are you going to call? My own voice floated through my mind, along with the answer from Vance, one of the giants I’d killed at the cemetery a few days ago. You’ll find out soon enough. But trust me, you won’t like the surprise.

  He had been right. I most definitely did not like the surprise. Emery Slater showing up here only meant one thing: she was working for the Circle.

  “Hello, Blanco,” Emery purred. “I’ve been looking forward to seeing you again.”

  She gave me an evil gin, then drew back her fist. I raised my hand and reached for my Stone magic again, but my brain was still sloshing around, and I couldn’t quite get a grip on my power.

  Emery Slater slammed her fist into my face, and the world went black.

  Chapter Six

  “Gin! Gin!” a voice hissed, penetrating the darkness cloaking my mind. “Are you okay?”

  I jerked my head to the side, away from the demanding voice, and immediately wished that I hadn’t, since an intense ache exploded in m
y left cheekbone and spread out through the rest of my face. In an instant, my entire head felt like it was wrapped in hot, stinging vines that were twisting tighter around my skull and pounding through it at the same time.

  “What’s going on?” I said, my words slurring.

  “You’ll find out soon enough,” another voice drawled.

  I blinked and blinked and drew in several deep breaths. Slowly, I pushed the pain down to a more manageable level and focused on my surroundings.

  I was propped up in the SUV’s middle seat, sandwiched between Bria and Lorelei. A male giant was driving, and Emery Slater was sitting in the front passenger’s seat, pointing a gun at me. Three more male giants were sitting in the seat behind Bria, Lorelei, and me, also pointing their guns at us.

  I glanced down, but Bria’s gun was still on her belt. The giants hadn’t bothered to take away my weapons either, and I was still wearing all five of my knives in their usual spots. Then again, the giants’ guns trumped my knives in this situation, and they could easily shoot us before I could palm a blade and stab any of them.

  Still, if it had just been me in the SUV, I would have hardened my skin with my Stone magic, grabbed Emery’s gun, and shoved the weapon through her teeth before attacking the driver and the other giants. But Bria and Lorelei couldn’t protect themselves the same way, and I couldn’t risk them getting shot in the crossfire. Something Emery realized, judging from her smug smirk.

  “When did you slither back into Ashland?” I asked.

  “Oh, I’ve been negotiating terms with my new employer for a few weeks,” Emery replied. “But this is my first official day on the job. So far, I’m enjoying it very much. I do so love flattening little Spiders.”

  She laughed at her lame joke, as did the other giants.

  I ignored her cackles and glanced at Bria, then Lorelei. They both looked pale and worried, but they were still in one piece. Good. Now I just had to figure out how to get us away from the giants without one of my friends getting shot.

  But I didn’t get the chance to come up with an escape plan. I didn’t know how long I’d been unconscious or how far we’d driven, but a few minutes later, the driver steered off the road and stopped at a wrought-iron gate with the letters AHA running through the black metal. I eyed the fancy cursive symbol. AHA? I’d seen those letters before, although I couldn’t remember when or where, thanks to the continued pounding in my face and skull.

  The two halves of the gate split apart and rolled back, and the driver steered the SUV through the opening and up a long, steep paved driveway lined with pear trees on both sides. About half a mile later, the driver crested the top of the hill, and the trees fell away, revealing an enormous mansion.

  I peered through the windshield. The wide, massive structure was five stories of white stone supported by thick columns that stretched from the ground all the way up to the top level. Porches wrapped around each story, although no one was lounging in the white wicker chairs, given the February chill. White stone planters full of primroses, jasmine, and other hardy flowers added splashes of color here and there, and the surrounding lawn was perfectly landscaped, despite its carpet of brown winter grass. Even among the Eaton Estate and many other Northtown mansions, this one was truly impressive, and I suddenly realized where we were.

  The Ashland Historical Association.

  This mansion served as headquarters for the preservation group and was filled with antique furniture, old photos, and vintage tools that showed the progression of life in Ashland through the years. The mansion was open for tours much of the year, and historical reenactors staged battles and festivals on the grounds during the summer months. I had been here more than once, first as a schoolkid learning about ye olden days and later on as the Spider, getting close to targets at the association’s various fund-raising events.

  I had expected the giants to take us to some deserted warehouse. What were we doing here?

  The driver parked in front of the mansion, and Emery gestured with her gun.

  “Get out,” she growled. “And don’t cause any trouble, or my men will start shooting.”

  Lorelei crawled out of the SUV first, followed by me, then Bria. The driver and the three giants in the back also got out and flanked us. They kept their guns trained on us, although Emery put her weapon away. Then again, she didn’t really need a gun, since she could easily beat us to death with her fists and her massive strength.

  I peered at the mansion again and reached out with my magic. All the other times I’d been here, the stones had sleepily murmured about the comings and goings of the association members and historical reenactors, along with long-suffering sighs from the bored schoolkids who’d shuffled through the hallways. Those quiet murmurs had vanished, and the stones now purred with pure, raw power, as though they’d been struck by lightning and jolted awake.

  A shiver rippled down my spine. I’d only sensed that sort of brute strength once before, and I knew exactly who Emery had brought us here to see, as if it hadn’t already been obvious enough.

  My friends shot me uneasy looks. Bria was an Ice elemental, and Lorelei was gifted in both Ice and metal magic. They couldn’t hear the stones’ purrs like I could, but their magic let them sense the elemental power that permeated the mansion.

  The double doors on the front opened, and two more giant guards appeared, with a third man who was shorter and leaner trailing along behind them.

  He was wearing a dark gray suit, along with a matching shirt and tie, and his black wing tips were polished to a high gloss. His black hair gleamed in the afternoon sunlight, as did his black eyes and the neat, trimmed goatee that clung to his chin. He had one of those tan, ageless faces that would make him look handsome, strong, and vital no matter how old he got, although I knew he was in his fifties, roughly the same age my parents would have been if they had lived, if this man hadn’t stood by and let them be murdered.

  Hugh Tucker walked down the steps and stopped beside Emery. The vampire looked at Bria, then Lorelei, before his gaze settled on me. He frowned. At first, I wondered what he was staring at, but then I realized that I probably had an enormous bruise from where Emery had punched me. I gingerly touched my cheek. More pain rippled through my face. Yep, definitely bruised.

  The vampire’s gaze flicked back to Lorelei, who was also bruised, dirty, and disheveled, thanks to our hitting the pavement together.

  Tucker turned to Emery. “You were only supposed to bring Bria. Unharmed. Not bang up and kidnap the whole bridal entourage.”

  The giant shrugged. “It couldn’t be helped. Blanco tried to save her sister, and then Parker joined in the fun too. Besides, what does it matter? The mansion is closed for the winter, so no one knows we’re here. Even if someone did try to rescue them, I have more than enough men to handle Finnegan Lane and Owen Grayson.”

  She obviously didn’t know my friends as well as she thought. Finn and Owen would move heaven and earth to rescue Bria and me, and Mallory would do the same for Lorelei. Still, I kept quiet. The more Emery underestimated my friends, the better chance we had of Finn and Owen finding us.

  Mallory and Roslyn would have called the guys, along with Xavier, the second they realized we’d been kidnapped. Silvio was probably already tracking my phone, which was stuffed in the back pocket of my jeans. I just hoped the device was still working and hadn’t been broken by my hard falls.

  “What if someone decides to ping Blanco’s phone? Or Bria’s to try to locate them?” Tucker asked.

  “And that’s precisely why I installed those cell-phone and other signal jammers on the grounds last week, along with the surveillance cameras in and around the mansion,” Emery replied. “No one is going to track them. We are completely secure here.”

  Well, there went my hope that Silvio could pinpoint our exact location, but maybe he could at least get close enough to stumble across the mansion. Either way, I couldn’t wait for him or anyone else to show up. I was going to rescue myself, the way I so o
ften did, and Bria and Lorelei too.

  “In my experience, no place is completely secure when Blanco and her friends are involved,” Tucker murmured.

  Well, at least he wasn’t underestimating us. Then again, my friends and I had thwarted the vampire’s plans too many times for him to dismiss our skills.

  “Maybe they weren’t secure when you were running things, but I won’t make the same mistakes you have,” Emery replied, a sneering note creeping into her voice.

  She looked down her nose at Tucker, but his face remained blank. Bria and Lorelei glanced back and forth between the two of them, as did the six giant guards, some of whom shifted on their feet, as if they weren’t sure whom to support in this war of words.

  From the sound of things, Mason had brought Emery Slater in to be his new head of security over Hugh Tucker. Interesting. Very interesting.

  I wondered what Tucker had done to make Mason so unhappy. Or perhaps the vampire’s continued failure to kill me had finally led to his demotion. Either way, Tucker kept staring at Emery, that same blank expression on his face. To most people, he would have seemed as calm as a statue, but the faint pucker of his lips and the slight narrowing of his black eyes indicated that he wasn’t happy with Emery and this new status quo.

  The giant should watch her back. Hugh Tucker had an uncanny habit of surviving the infighting that went on among Circle members. He’d already outlasted Deirdre Shaw, Damian Rivera, Bruce Porter, and Alanna Eaton, and I had a feeling he would outlive Emery Slater too.

  Especially since I planned to kill her the second I got the chance.

  The giant hated me because she thought I’d murdered her uncle, Elliot Slater, who had worked for Mab Monroe. Roslyn had actually killed Elliot, who had been stalking and harassing her, but I had taken credit for his death in order to protect my friend. If Emery knew the truth, she’d try to kill Roslyn, and I needed to eliminate the giant before that happened.

  Or perhaps Hugh Tucker would finally snap and do it for me right here and now.