Pretty When They Collide (3 page)

Aimee rubbed her arm, feeling chilled to the bone. She hated how easily the men spoke of living, sentient creatures that could easily fit into human society as mere commodities. But this was who Frank really was. It had taken years for her to gain his trust enough to invite her into his dark world. She had thought he was some sort of king of the vampires. Instead, he had revealed
that he
was a dealer of monster slavery. For a while she had believed that the supernatural creatures he had caught and sold weren
’
t much more than beasts. Then last year she had seen a teenage werecat sobbing for her mother while she was dragged away in silver chains by the vampire who had bought her. In that moment she realized how greatly she had erred in her estimation of Frank and his business. It was the first and only time she had accompanied Frank in turning over an acquisition.

“
A pair is going to cost you, but I can see what I can do,” Frank answered.

The people at the table fell silent when the waiter arrived with a fresh drink and Frank ordered one for himself.

Arnost studied Frank thoughtfully. “You really think you can provide what my European connections could not?”

“
I am a man of many surprises,” Frank answered confidently.

Arnost shook his head. “I think you
’
re full of shit. I cannot believe I flew into this shithole city to meet with the man who used to procure human freaks for the courts of Europe. You always were a glorified ringmaster of your own circus.”

“
Yet, you need me,” Frank said, his gaze darkening dangerously. “You must be dying for another drink of warm werewolf blood.”

Arnost snorted, shrugged, and settled back into his seat. The man beside him was very still, taking on a more menacing demeanor. Aimee remained with her hands folded on the table, her head lowered.

“
I
’
m desperate. I will admit to that. I deal with beautiful human commodities for wealthy, perverse individuals. It
’
s a dangerous game. Yet you claim to be able to find some of the rarest, most violent creatures that have ever roamed the earth.”

“
You
’
ve heard of my reputation.” Frank lifted a shoulder dismissively.

“
Reputations can be paid for,” Arnost pointed out.

“
I can find your werewolves, Arnost. I can procure them. All I ask is for a small stipend to begin the process.”

“
I would not call your stipend small by any definition of the word. How do I know you won
’
t be a conniving little bitch like you have been in the past and abscond with my money? No one even knows where your home is.”

“
I
’
m really not a full disclosure kind of guy.” Frank flashed his charming smile. “Let me ask you
,
what is the rarest creature on the face of this earth?”

Arnost looked exasperated, but said, “A phasmagnus.”

“
Those are extinct. I
’
m talking about a creature rumored to still exist.”

“
A full-blooded witch,” Arnost answered, shrugging.

“
Exactly. Not the little half-breed ones that usually end up playing with demons and black magic, but a full-blooded witch.”

“
What is your point?”

“
Have you ever met one?”

Arnost
’
s eyes shifted to Aimee, doubt filling them. “No. No one has.”

“
That
’
s where you are wrong.” Frank waited for the waiter to set his glass of wine before him and slipped him a sizable bill before dismissing him.

“
You
’
re going to have your little girl do a parlor trick?” Arnost and his companion laughed in mocking tones.

“
Not really. Aimee, do you mind?”

Looking up, Aimee flexed her hands. Her power flowed out of her, white, hot and bright. She felt it wrap around Arnost and she pulled it tight. Through the surge of her power, she felt his ribs popping, splintering, and stabbing into his organs. She only did enough damage that he could heal immediately before releasing him.

Arnost
’
s face flushed red and his forehead beaded with bits of blood that his companion quickly dabbed with a handkerchief. As Arnost healed, he stared at Aimee with awe, fear, and desire. “How much for her?” he finally managed to say.

“
Not for sale,” Frank said and took a sip of his wine. “But if I can find a full-blood witch what can I do for you?”

Arnost gave his companion a curt nod. “Transfer the stipend.”

The man quickly pulled out his cellphone and made a call.

“
I
’
ll be in touch,” Frank said, sipping his wine, then sliding out of the booth. “Oh, Aimee, do that one final thing.”

Reluctantly, Aimee opened her purse and drew out the spell she had previously created. Crushing the dried bundle in her hand, she flung it in
the
faces of Arnost and his man. Coughing, the Serbian vampire looked at her in terror.

“
That
’
s just a precaution. You speak of my witch and you
’
ll wish you never had,” Frank said with a smile. Taking her clean hand, Frank drew Aimee to her feet. Without another word, he escorted her out of the lounge, their guards following in their wake.

“
Which spell did you make this time?” Frank asked curiously.

“
He speaks of me and he
’
ll bleed out of every orifice for three days straight and feel like he is dying,” Aimee answered.

Frank laughed with delight. “You
’
re so wonderful.”

Aimee couldn
’
t help but smile. It was one of her favorite spells. She had tried it out on one of Frank
’
s most despicable men. It had felt like justice.

“
I
’
m so glad my little bond keeps you from doing anything like that to me. Because I know you would do it in a heartbeat, wouldn
’
t you?”

Aimee gave him her most innocent look.

Frank winked at her. “I thought so.”

Guiding her to the entrance to The Venetian, Frank had a bit more spark in his step. He was in a good mood now that he had a new client.

“
Where to now?” Aimee was hoping they
’
d just head home. She longed to dawdle in her garden
. They
’
d been traveling for over a month. Partly to shop for new clothing, furniture, and other luxuries, but also to secure a few magical relics for Aimee to use.

“
The Stratosphere.”

“
How many times do you have to go up to the observation deck?” Aimee gave him a plaintive look. “Can
’
t we just go home?”

“
No, no. I am meeting a courier there. I managed to snag something I
’
ve been after for years. Just a quick exchange and we
’
ll be on our way home.” Frank handed her his kerchief. “You might want t
o wipe off that spell before we
get into the limousine.”

Aimee wanted to resist, but the compulsion of the blood bond she had with Frank forced her to obey.

“
That
’
s my sweet witch,” Frank said approvingly. “I don
’
t know why I worry so much about you. I know you
’
d never leave me, would you?” His kiss was searing against her lips. “My little witch. No one will ever steal you away from me,” he whispered as he guided her out of the lobby and into the night.

Chapter 3
:

Escapes and Encounters

Cassandra gulped down one last drought of cold vampire blood before licking the wound closed. Giddy with the power surging through her, she relished the feel of the blood expanding her nature, pushing her beyond the boundaries of mere humanity. It felt as if she had been deflated of life and now she was restored. Sliding off Leonard, she ran her tongue over her lips, feeling her sharp teeth raking it. This was the most disturbing part of her nature. She could live the life of an everyday mortal young woman, but once she fed, she felt far removed from her humanity. The power inside her sang with the need to destroy. It was the nature of the vampire-human hybrids to kill their vampire fathers and feed on their mortal mothers.

Closing her eyes, she fought through the need to kill and crush the vampire on the bed behind her and tried to recapture her humanity. She concentrated on her mother, her friends -- even her ex-girlfriend. The thought of them anchored her and when she opened her eyes again she was focused on her
true
purpose.

“
Leonard,” she said in her normal voice.

The vampire opened his eyes slowly. His skin looked as delicate and thin as old parchment.

“
Yes, I know who you are,” she said
,
seeing the question in his gaze. “Where is the relic?”

His gl
a
ssy brown eyes blinked in terror.

“
Yeah. I want the relic. Just give it to me and I
’
ll be on my way.”

There was defiance in his eyes she hadn
’
t expected.

“
Oh, so whoever this bad guy or gal that you are delivering it to isn
’
t one to be fucked with, huh?”

It was amazing how much emotion and information eyes could exude when someone was reliant on them as their only form of communication.

“
Well, Leonard, I
’
m not one to be fucked with either. So who would you rather take your chances with? Someone who isn
’
t here yet, or the pissed off dhamphir sitting at the end of your bed?” Cassandra yanked the heel off her other shoe and flicked out the blade hidden within it. “I realize that certain baddies are scary in theory, but I always think the baddie sitting right next to you with a very sharp silver knife in their hand is the one you should be more worried about, don
’
t you?”

The vampire
’
s eyes were the only thing he could move though he was
obviously
straining
to break
free of the paralysis brought on by the silver driven through his heart. She watched him struggle for about a moment before tucking the tip of her blade under his chin.

“
Oh, Leonard, time
’
s up. I want you to pay careful attention. I
’
m going to prop your scrawny ass up on this bed and I
’
m going to move around this suite and you
’
re going to blink your eyes when I get close to where you hid the relic. Understand?”

The insolence in his eyes continued.

“
Fine. We
’
ll do it the hard way,” Cassandra said with a sigh. Shoving the dagger up through his chin, she speared his face, shattering teeth and his cheekbone. Bloody tears flooded his eyes. “If I had angled that blade just a little differently you would be missing a nice chunk of your brain.”

In spite of his fear, Leonard
’
s expression was clear. He was not about to capitulate. Annoyed, Cassandra withdrew her blade from his pale flesh and cleaned it on his shirt before tucking it into her garter. She flicked off what was left of her shoes, and walked barefoot across the floor while fishing thin gloves out of her bra. She tugged them on and set her hands on her hips. The suite wasn
’
t that big and she quickly located his luggage. Pawing through it, she found nothing.

Scott, her broker, had been quite clear that the relic was an ugly lump of wood that no one would prescribe any worth to at a glance. It was what was hidden inside the petrified wood that was the big prize. Studying the suite, Cass pulled at the red dress with one hand. She was going to be very happy to get out of it.

Prowling around the suite, she opened drawers, checked behind curtains, and rummaged around in the cushions of the chairs and sofa. Her time was ticking away. If Scott was correct, the exchange was supposed to happen tonight.

“
If I was a creepy guy with delusions of grandeur where would I hide a rare relic?” she muttered under her breath. Running her hands
through
her hair and feeling the clips to her extensions, Cassandra watched the vampire thoughtfully. “Of course.”

Cassandra walked over to the bed, lifted the corner of the mattress easily with one hand, and was rewarded with the sight of a hunk
of rounded wood with strange c
a
r
vings in the dark surface resting in the center of the bed. Leonard tumbled off the slanted mattress and onto the floor, making too much noise for comfort. Snatching up the relic, she watched the door
,
waiting to see if the guards burst in. She lowered the mattress and tiptoed to where Leonard lay face down on the floor. Gripping his shoulder, she rolled him over. The silver
stiletto
caught on the carpet and slid out of his chest.

Instantly, Leonard
’
s hands closed on her throat, his long fangs sliding out to press against his bottom lip. They fell over, grappling with each other. Leonard growled wordlessly as he sought to throttle her into unconsciousness. She managed to get the heel of her hand under his wounded chin and shoved upward. The fingers pressing into her throat didn
’
t relent, but she was infused with enough vampire blood that the lack of oxygen was not yet affecting her. It was obvious that Leonard had no idea how to deal with her kind. The vampire struggled to straddle her body and get leverage to choke her, but she kept twisting, knocking him off balance. Out of the corner of her eye she caught the glint of the bloody stiletto heel and lashed out
to grab
it.

Leonard saw the flash of movement and his eyes shot to the weapon clutched in her hand.

“
You should have called for help,” she said,
punching
the stiletto into his temple.

The vampire toppled over, his face locked in an expression of disbelief. After the
number
of women he had tortured and murdered, Cassandra felt satisfied that she had been the end of him. Grabbing the razor sharp knife from her garter, she flicked it open while grabbing his thin hair in one hand. One brutal swipe and his head came free of his body. She carried it to the bathroom and flung it into the garden tub.

Cassandra used the edge of her dress to turn on the water and wash off her face and gloved hands. Once clean, she reclaimed the relic from where she had dropped it. She had been incredibly overconfident
,
and it could have gone a lot worse than it had. Luckily, Leonard had been too arrogant to call for help. Otherwise she would have had to deal with the guards who were likely infused with vampire blood.

Picking up her shoes, she reattached the heels and reluctantly put them back on. Next she yanked a small linen bag out of her bra and dropped the relic into it. She hung the bag over her neck and tucked it into her dress. A quick check on Leonard
’
s parts revealed that he was swiftly decomposing into muddy sludge.

She had known from the moment she had taken the job that she would have to do something she hated doing. Sometimes being a dhamphir was a little too disturbing when it came to some of her more odd abilities. Yet she needed to be discreet and avoid the client that Leonard was meeting with shortly. Scott had been very clear that she was not to engage the client. She suspected it was someone that Scott occasionally worked for.

The air vent wasn
’
t too high up the wall and she pulled out her small tool kit from her bra. Being nearly flat-chested had its advantages sometimes when it came to storage space. She removed the vent and held the cover in one hand. With inhuman dexterity, she swung her body upward and thrust her feet into the opening. Instantly her body began to contract to fit into the narrow space. Whereas some vampires could turn into a mist, her body was able to collapse to allow her passage through tight spots. The old legends called dhamphirs boneless
,
and that
’
s exactly what it felt like. Her hips and rib cage squished inward, the relic an uncomfortable pressure against her skin, as she wedged her body into the vent. She kept one hand on the cover and wiggled her body until she was firmly inside the narrow shaft. Carefully, she tugged the cover into place and secured it with bits of putty from her tool kit.

Pushing with her hands, she slid herself through the air duct until she reached the vent that opened to the small storage area the maids used while cleaning the rooms. She had earlier removed the screws and easily popped it out. Gripping the edges of the opening, she unfurled her body from the vent in a snake-like motion. Immediately her bones and muscles shifted back into place and she dropped to the floor.

Once she returned the cover to the vent, she found the small bag she had hidden behind the towels and linen earlier in the day when she had solidified her extraction plan. She was relieved
to
peel off the gloves, and
yank off
the red dress, bra, and high heels. Replacing them with slim black jeans, a white tank top, and
a
black cropped thin-leather jacket, she hurriedly tugged on her low heeled boots and tied the laces. The rooms had already been cleaned for the day, but she needed to move fast if she was to avoid trouble. There was the distinct possibility of the guards finding Leonard soon.

The hair clips gave her a little trouble, but she finally got the extensions out and ran her fingers through her wavy hair. To destroy the glamour all she had to do was remove the enchanted earrings she was wearing. She rolled up her clothes and shoved everything into the bag. She then took apart the shoes to make sure they fit, before finally adding the baseball sized relic to the bag. Securing the straps, she tossed it over her shoulder and took a peek out of the storage room door. The hallway was empty.

Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for the worst and hoped for the best before sauntering through the hallway. She had to pass Leonard
’
s room to reach the elevators, which meant walking past the guards. Even though she knew the glamour was gone, it was still a nerve-wracking moment when she strolled past them. Ramon glanced at her appreciatively while the other guard ignored her completely.

She couldn
’
t help but smile at Ramon. At least he wasn
’
t into vapid slutty women.

The area around the elevators was surprisingly devoid of people. She pressed the button and impatiently waited. Hotel elevators always took forever to make the journey to the selected floor. So many people were getting on and off it was amazing it ever reached its destination.

Combing her fingers through her hair, she fidgeted. She had taken longer than she planned and she didn
’
t want to be around for the discovery of Leonard
’
s body and the missing relic. Taking her cellphone out the pocket of her bag, she checked the time. If Scott
’
s information was correct, she was definitely cutting it close. Hopefully, the client wouldn
’
t be early.

The elevator doors slid open
,
revealing a
very handsome
man with gleaming black hair dressed in a tuxedo and red-tinted glasses. He flashed a charming smile in her direction and she instantly knew he was a vampire. Fearfully, she took a step to the side, hoping he wouldn
’
t sense her true nature. After his initial smile he barely acknowledged her as he stepped into the corridor. Desperate to get into the elevator and away from him, Cassandra darted into the car and crashed into the woman following in the vampire
’
s wake, knocking them both off balance. Instinctively, they both grabbed onto each other.

The moment Cassandra
’
s hands closed on the woman
’
s forearms, she felt a jolt of power sizzle through her body. The other woman
’
s pink lips parted in surprise.

“
I
’
m sorry,” Cassandra muttered. “I didn
’
t mean to bump into you.”

“
It
’
s okay,” the
beautiful blond
answered, her blue eyes sparkling beneath the gold fringe of her eyelashes.