“Although The Ten Winds would be happy to help, you should probably contact her and deliver it yourself.” Her eyes narrow, and she looks skeptical for a moment or two.
“I just handle the deliveries. This,” I tap the envelope again, “is way above my pay grade. I have another ten deliveries to make before lunch.” I roll my eyes. “You know how it is?”
“Absolutely.” I can see she wants to roll her eyes as well, but that wouldn’t be acceptable behavior for a receptionist in an establishment like this one, so she holds back.
“As I said, it’s important she get this ASAP. Can I trust you to help me out?”
Her eyes widen. “Of course. I’ll see to it that she gets this.”
“You’ll personally see to it?” I’m tempted to hand her a crisp bill but decide not to at the last minute. I have her hook, line, and sinker. I might lose her if I try to bribe her. I’ve learned that there are those who are swayed by money and those who are put off by it.
She gets this look of determination. “I will personally make sure that Miss Hunter receives this.” She touches the envelope.
“You’re a lifesaver,” I push out, sounding relieved.
“No problem! I’ll let her know right away that it’s here,” she says.
I glance at her name badge. “You have been a huge help, Candice.” I smile at her.
“I’m here to help.” She winks at me, her hand already reaching for the telephone in front of her.
I give her a small nod and walk to the elevator, ignoring the surprised looks on the faces of M and M. I step into the elevator and head down to the parking area.
I’ll wait a minute or two, and then, if need be, I’ll contact them with instructions. I don’t have to wait. The elevator dings half a minute later, and Mike and Mandy get out. “What the hell was that?” Mandy spits.
“I could see that you weren’t getting anywhere with that receptionist, so I went to plan B.”
“You should have run any plans past us first,” Mike chimes in.
“There wasn’t time. I needed to act.” I relay the plan.
Mandy folds her arms. “I doubt it’ll work.”
“Waste of time.” Mike frowns. “The harpy would never fall for it.”
“It will work,” I assure them. I highly doubt that the woman staying in this hotel is the harpy. The Lilith who screwed over my partner and I wouldn’t fall for this envelope trick. If no one comes down, it’ll give me the heads up that it probably is the harpy. Either way, I’ll know. “I need the two of you to sit in one of those lounges closer to the reception. Order coffee.” I try not to sound frustrated. “Lilith Hunter will be down shortly to collect her mail.”
“I swear if you’re wasting our—”
“Please, Mandy. If you don’t hurry, you might miss her.”
“One cup of coffee,” Mike says. “If she hasn’t been down to collect her mail by then, we’ll have to figure something else out.”
“Understood,” I say, irritation clawing at me. I doubt it, but it might take a couple of hours for Lilith to collect the envelope. We need to be here to ID this woman. My plan needs to be given a chance.
Mandy nods once. She doesn’t look happy.
“Oh, and keep an eye on the exits,” I say to their retreating backs.
“Do we look like amateurs?”
I smile brightly in answer.
Mike gives me a dirty look, and then they get back into the elevator. The doors close. I start pacing. I need to keep an eye on the rear exits. If this is a harpy, she might try to run. I find a door at the back with an exit sign. I turn the lock and head out into an alley. There are large, foul-smelling dumpsters and steam pouring out of a pipe. This is either the laundry or the kitchen.
I take my phone out of my pocket to text M and M – I need to let them know I’m here – and notice that there are two unread texts. They’re from him. Lyre. My lip twitches and I feel slightly better. I’m not sure why he insists on messaging me several times a day, especially since I don’t reply, but he does it anyway. He sends arbitrary things. It’s stupid, but I have caught myself checking my phone anyway. I’ve started looking forward to seeing what he has to say. I should have tossed this burner by now. It would solve several problems. One of which is his constant contact with me, but I haven’t. He could still pan out to be a real lead. I fire off a message to M and M. Then I open the texts.
Hi, Miss Stubborn. Hope you are having a good day? Did you know that roughly one million dogs in the US have been named as heirs in their owners’ wills? I know, I was shocked too.
I choke out a laugh. It’s stupid! I read the second text, which came through fifteen minutes after the first
No answer… Still living up to your name, I see. Oh well! I guess it is what it is. I’m nothing if not tenacious. I have a busy day lined up, so you won’t hear from me until later…maybe even tomorrow. Let me know when you’re ready to meet in person. Have a good day!
My brows go up. It’s the first time he’s suggested meeting with me in all the weeks he’s been texting. He hasn’t asked me about Lilith either. He’s kept everything light-hearted and… fun. Having said that, we both know why he keeps messaging me. It isn’t to make friends with me. It isn’t to brighten my day, even though he’s done a good job of that on most of them, even if it was just for a few seconds. This guy, Lyre, if that’s even his real name, wants information on Lilith. He’s also a liar, and I hate those.
Me: Hi Mr. Pushy! I’ll meet you when you have something to say. Something real. Something factual.
Him: Everything I’ve said has been factual and real.
Me: Factual, real, and useless. One million dog heirs. It was a 9-foot, 100-year-old turtle yesterday and the 1000-gallon inflatable pool that was stolen without a drop of water being spilled, the day before. I know what you’ve been eating and some of the shit you’ve been doing. I’m sorry to say, but it hasn’t been very helpful. Give me something I can actually use.
Him: I’m glad you’re paying such close attention I have lots to say that you can actually use, Miss Stubborn.
Me: Prove it! Right now!
Him: Who’s being pushy now? I’m not giving you anything telephonically. Meet with me.
Me: Not interested! Stop texting me. Either give me something, and we’ll meet…or get lost.
I’m not meeting with some asshole just because he insists he has information. It would most likely be a colossal waste of my time. More importantly, it could be another trap. I hold my breath, staring at my phone.
Him: No can do, Miss Stubborn, I’m pushy, remember?
I try not to smile and fail. I stuff my phone back in my pocket and focus on monitoring the exits.
Lyre
I stare at my phone for a good half a minute before putting it down on the table.
I should have given up on the mystery woman a long time ago. The problem is that we’ve hit a dead end. I have no idea where Gabby is, or what she is, or why she took my power. All I have is this woman. Miss Stubborn. I feel my lip twitch. She finally answered one of my messages. She was just as short as the first time we spoke. I look down at my device; I itch to call her. To try to talk her into meeting me. The problem is that I would have nothing to say to her. Nothing real or true. How would I lead the conversation?
‘Gabby or Lilith, or whatever her name is, stole my powers. Yes, you heard correctly. I’m not human. I’m a dragon demigod. My father is Apollo. I know it’s hard to swallow, but it’s all true, I swear. Gabby stole my power, and I need to find her so that I can get it back. Do you want to work together?’
Yeah…no! It wouldn’t be well received. I might end up in the looney bin. She would block my number and never speak to me again.
I need to keep chipping away at her. I feel like I am getting somewhere. One of these days she’s going to come around. I’ll find out what she knows, and hopefully, it will lead somewhere. One thing is certain, she definitely knows something.
“
I’d love to know who you just texted,” Jarrod says, smirking. “You went from smiling to seriously frowning and all in the space of a couple of minutes. Plus, you’re letting your food get cold.” He looks down at my half-eaten omelet. “Although, I probably wouldn’t eat that either. An omelet made with only egg whites?” He makes this face and then picks up a piece of bacon and stuffs it into his mouth, making a noise of enjoyment.
“My omelet is healthy,” I throw back, glad the conversation has moved on.
“I’m guessing it’s a woman,” Stephan smirks, glancing down at my phone.
They won’t let it go! Of course not, that would have been too easy. “It’s not!” I answer immediately. “I mean, it is, but it’s not like that.”
“Sure, it isn’t,” Jarrod laughs, mouth full of bacon. “It never is…like that.”
“It’s not. I’ve never met her.”
“Kinky,” Jarrod says.
“You know what happened to me.” I lower my voice. “I’m definitely not going to be jumping into anything with anyone anytime soon.”
Jarrod sighs. “I guess not. Who is she then?”
“Someone I’m hoping will be able to help me with finding Gabriella, only she’s refusing to meet with me unless I give her a reason to.”
“I’m sure you can come up with a reason.” Stephan bobs his brows.
I give him a dirty look and take a bite of my food.
Both Stephan and Jarrod laugh.
“It’s not like I can tell her what actually happened, and she refuses to believe the reasons I gave her. I told her that Gabby lifted my wallet, a watch, and some other stuff. I mentioned that the watch was important to me and that there was a reward. She basically called me a liar. She said that Gabby – she calls her Lilith – wouldn’t have been interested in those things.” I lift my eyes in thought. “How can she know that? She must know something worthwhile.”
“Interesting.” Stephan puts his knife and fork down on his empty plate and rubs his chin. “It almost sounds like she knows something real about this Gabby/Lilith person.”
“What do you plan on doing?” Jarrod asks.
I shrug. “I’ve been texting her for weeks, and today she responded for the first time, so I think it’s working. I’ll keep at it.”
“I’m going to assume you traced her phone,” Jarrod says.
I nod. “Burner.” I push out a breath. “I need her to agree to see me without giving her anything. I can’t give her anything. It’s not like I can tell her who I am.” I widen my eyes.
“No, you cannot.” Jarrod shakes his head.
“Nope.” Stephanus shakes his head. “You can’t. It wouldn’t—”
The waitress arrives at our table. “Did you enjoy your meal?” she asks Stephan. She touches him on the arm before leaning down and taking his plate.
Oh shit!
Stephan’s eyes widen, and he sits up taller in his seat, sucking in a breath. “Yes, thanks.” His words are stilted.
“Good to know.” She winks at him. Then she looks down at our plates, noting that we’re still busy. “Anything else?” She lifts her brows.
“We’re good,” I say.
We watch her saunter off.
“Was it bad?” I cringe.
“No.” Stephan shakes his head. “Thankfully, she only touched me for a second.”
Poor guy. Actually, they both have shitty powers, in my opinion. Sure, they can come in handy at times, but – for the most part – they’re trouble.
Stephan can see into the future. If a human touches him – boom – he sees. The longer they touch him, the further into their future he sees. It can be a real buzzkill if you’re trying to get to know someone better.
I notice that Stephan is watching her. The waitress. He’s keeping his eyes on her. He does this for several minutes while I finish my omelet. I’m nearly done when he sighs. “Excuse me for a moment.”
“Here we go,” Jarrod says, rolling his eyes.
I chuckle.
“So, you’re just going to keep texting this woman?” Jarrod asks once Stephan is gone.
“That’s the only plan I have. Keep chipping away until she agrees to see me. I figure that she hasn’t blocked me so…” I shrug.
“It’s worth a—”
There is a yell. I turn my head and see Stephan grab onto the waitress’s tray – and just in time too, otherwise a whole stack of dirty plates would’ve fallen onto the ground.
“Oh my gosh.” The waitress sounds out of breath. “Thank you,” she gushes. “That was lucky. You happened to be here, and you have quick reflexes.” Her eyes are wide.
“Glad I could help. You got it now?” He looks down at the tray, which he is still holding.
The waitress has one hand on the tray. She puts the other one over his hand. Stephan’s eyes widen.
Oh no!
Jarrod and I lock eyes. We laugh. The poor schmuck just got another blast of her future.
“I have it.” She nods, taking the tray from him. “Thanks again.” She giggles.
Stephan is glowering when he comes back to the table.
“That was your own fault,” Jarrod says. “You should have left well enough alone,” he adds.
“I couldn’t,” Stephanus says, sitting down. “She would have been fired if I hadn’t helped out. I think she might be clumsy. In my vision, her boss said something about it being the second accident this week.” He shakes his head. “I couldn’t just watch her mess up like that. I’m sure she needs this job.”
“Please tell me you didn’t get any major insights from that last reading.” Jarrod cocks his head.
Stephan looks like someone kicked his puppy. “Her house will be broken into in the coming days…maybe weeks. It won’t be too far in the future.”
“Oh,” I say.
“I’m sure she has insurance.” Jarrod sounds irritated.
“I’m sure she does.” Stephan nods. “Unfortunately, she will be home at the time of the robbery, since it happens in the middle of the night. She will be intimidated and badly beaten. It will start a spiral of depression and anxiety. I didn’t get much more….only to say that her future is not headed in the right direction and she’s a really nice person. The course of her life will be altered for the good if we can stop her from being robbed.”
Jarrod groans. He throws down his cutlery in disgust. “So, what’s the plan?”
“I’ll follow her home after her shift today, and we can…” he pauses, wincing, “take turns watching over her from sundown to sunrise.”
Jarrod slumps back in his chair. “Fine,” he pushes out.
“The two of you are great guys,” I say, laughing. “I would offer to help, but I can’t afford to be anything other than one hundred percent on my game. That means plenty of rest,” I point at my plate, “healthy food…the whole nine yards.”
“Completely understandable,” Stephan says.
“We’ll handle it,” Jarrod agrees with a sigh. “I’m hoping it goes down within the next three weeks.” He frowns. “Otherwise, we might miss our trip. You might need to stay home closer to our flight,” he tells Stephan.
“Oh, yes,” I say. “You guys have that crazy trip planned. Remind me where you’re going again.” I frown.
“Armenia,” Jarrod says.
“Hiking in Armenia.” I smile. “Sounds interesting, I’ll give you that.”
“I can’t wait,” Stephan sighs. “We’re doing a tour of Yerevan city and then heading out for eleven days of bliss.” He gets this serene look. “No people. No electronic devices. We’re going to be completely off the grid. It’ll be just us and nature.”
“I have to say…it sounds amazing. Life feels like one big rat race at the moment.” My schedule is so full. With that in mind, I look down at my phone, clenching my jaw. “I need to get to work, I have surgery scheduled for this afternoon and need to do my rounds before then.”
“Breakfast is on us,” Jarrod says as I take out my wallet. I no
d. “Thanks, the next one is on me.” We say our goodbyes and I head out. A knot of worry is eating at me. I’m not used to feeling this way. Apprehensive. I always go into surgery knowing I’ll nail it, one way or the other. I don’t rely on my power every day. In fact, most days I’m fine without it. I’m good at what I do. Damn good, and yet, it’s good knowing that there’s a safety net. Just like it’s terrible knowing that my net isn’t there. My patient could die. I wouldn’t be able to do a damn thing about it.
I’ve got this.
I’ll figure it out.
I have to.
6
Three days later…
Morgan
Tom is sitting in a booth on the far side of the diner, which is almost empty. Then again, it is an odd time of the day. Just after three. The lunch rush is over, and it’s too soon for dinner.
The few people who are here have a cup of bottomless coffee in front of them. One or two have pie loaded with whipped cream. The type you squirt out of a can.
I pull in a deep breath as I near the booth.
Tom is eating a waffle. It’s topped with banana, melted chocolate, syrup, and a ton of whipped cream. He is sipping his coffee as I slide into the booth.
“You’re pulling me,” I say. “Why?”
“Nice to see you too,” Tom says.
I swallow hard. “Sorry.” I exhale, scrubbing a hand over my face. “How are you?”
“Doing okay. Well as can be expected. Coffee?” he asks as a waitress arrives. She puts a mug in front of me and pours.
“Thank you.”
She places a menu on the table.
“I won’t need anything else,” I say. My stomach is all wound up.
Tom cuts off a big chunk of waffle and stuffs it into his mouth.
“M and M told me to see you. They wouldn’t tell me why or give any explanations, which tells me plenty. Why are you pulling me? It’s only been a couple of weeks.”
Lord of Life (The Dragon Demigods Book 4) Page 5
