Nevermore (Crossbreed Series Book 6)

Armed with the truth, I drove to Lenore’s mansion, ready to take on yet another risk. Confronting her might mean losing my chance to auction the necklace, but I refused to let her manipulate me into thinking she was my only hope. General had one thing right about me—I was a good hustler. Maybe Wyatt could auction off the necklace on the black market website, but I had my doubts. Buyers there were only interested in human trafficking and illegal contraband. I might be lucky enough to find a rich buyer through personal connections, but Lenore was my best option, so I wanted the deal to stand. But not under the guise that I was going to be her bitch.

While briefly stuck in traffic, I fantasized about how convenient it would have been to take out General. So what if there might have been a few eyewitnesses driving over the bridge? I had enough to worry about with Fletcher, but now I had to deal with a psychopathic loan shark with bad hair? Good thing I hadn’t done anything rash. We were outnumbered, and his brothers would have avenged his death. General could also be working for someone higher up.

My dark fantasies were a manifestation of the anger I felt about confronting Lenore. Seeing her so soon was like rubbing salt in my wound.

When I steered up to her palatial home, an elderly man in fashionable coattails greeted me by the curb. Once I got out of the truck, he shut the door.

“Is there something I can help you with, ma’am?”

“I’m here to see Lenore.”

“I don’t have anyone in my appointment book to meet with Miss Parrish. Not until late afternoon.”

Ignoring him, I walked to the door and stepped inside. “Lenore!”

“I’m afraid you’ll have to leave,” the older man insisted. “You can’t be here without an appointment.”

“Jefferson, leave us alone,” Lenore commanded from a doorway to the right. She brushed her hands over her wide pants as if to straighten the wrinkles, a gesture that seemed more self-conscious than natural. “I wasn’t expecting visitors. I’m so very tired today and wish to rest.”

“Cut the bullshit, Lenore. Vamps don’t get tired.”

She looked at me with disdain and did an eye flutter that was close to an eye roll. “Now I see why Viktor paired you with Christian. Both of you have a dirty mouth.”

I folded my arms. “Funny. You didn’t seem to mind his dirty mouth all over you last night.”

“What I meant was that you have an obscene vocabulary.”

“I know what you meant.”

“Is that what you’re here about, darling? I have no patience for petty jealousy.”

“You wanted him all along, didn’t you? That’s why you kept putting all those thoughts in my head about what a great guy Switch is. You want Christian all to yourself with no competition. Well, as it so happens, I’m a competitive player. So let the games begin.”

“You’re still in need of my help. Or have you forgotten?”

“I ask for help. I don’t beg.”

She turned toward the room ahead and went through the doors.

I followed.

Once inside, she shut the doors and gave me a scathing glance. “What is it you want?”

“I just wanted you to know that I see your duplicitous tactics for what they are. Don’t smile in my face while you’re stabbing me in the back. And if you want to hold that against me and back out of our deal, then fine. I’ll tell everyone your word is as good as fool’s gold.”

“Slander is against the law.”

“Test how far I’m willing to go. Since you love dishing out advice, I’ll give you a little of my own: don’t fuck with me again.”

She sighed with a laugh buried beneath. “You’re not the one I wanted to fuck.”

Lenore was trying to ruffle my feathers, but I wasn’t going to ruffle easily.

“Christian told me about you two.” I strutted over to a statue and leaned against it. “I can see why men like you. But if you can’t see why Christian likes me, then you don’t know anything about him at all.”

“Says the tattered little Mage. Do you really believe he would ever choose someone like you over me? You’re just the shiny new thing.”

“Why are you so fixated on him? Is his blood that addictive that you can’t walk away from it after all these years? Maybe you shouldn’t have broken it off with him to begin with.”

“I never drank from Christian. The very thought of it is repugnant.” Then she cast a sharp eye toward me. “Did you drink his blood? Oh, you foolish girl.” Lenore laughed blithely, and it made me cringe. “Vampire blood is too powerful for the likes of a Mage. Maybe you need to sleep it off for a hundred years.”

Could it be true? Had she never tasted his blood? The delicious, intoxicating life that flowed in his veins? I suddenly wanted him all to myself, knowing that I’d enjoyed him in a way that she never had.

Lenore glided across the room and admired a nude bust. “Relax. I didn’t cross the ocean for Christian. You paint a wicked image of me, Raven, but you have it all wrong. I have a life of my own, a career, and more important concerns than a jealous Mage who clings to the illusion of love and monogamy. Love makes you weak. A man who desires you is loyal and eager to please. But a man who loves you is destructive and will tear you down if you’re not careful.”

I took on a more conciliatory tone. “Am I in the auction or not?”

She fooled with a swath of hair until every strand was perfectly shaped. “I have a keen interest in what might happen, so your reservation stands.”

“When?”

Lenore circled the statue, her smile widening. “Such urgency. Why don’t I call when it’s time?”

“You said a week.”

She gracefully strolled past me. “Yes, but as it turns out, getting an unauthorized name on the list isn’t as easy as one would think. They only agreed under the condition that my name was listed as the seller.”

Dumbstruck, I turned my back to her so I could hide my frustration. “Explain.”

“To ensure no one is swindled, items are listed by authorized sellers only. For the trouble and risk to my reputation, I want a cut of the profit.”

I swung my eyes up to the gold ceiling. “How much?”

“Sixty percent.”

I whirled around. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“It’s more than fair for putting my integrity on the line. How much could you possibly need?”

I did the numbers in my head. Sixty percent meant I needed at least a two-and-a-half million-dollar bid. “You’re not the only fat cat in town.”

“True. But I’m the only one who can get you that money in a short period of time. Try selling that thing on the streets. No one can vouch for its authenticity. Do you think you’ll get anything near its worth? When you look desperate for money, it puts you at a disadvantage.” She tipped her head to the side. “Face it, Raven. You need me.”

“Why not buy it from me direct? You can give me what I want and then turn around and sell it at auction. You’ll make a hell of a profit.”

“You want me to purchase something that was originally bought for me? What kind of fool do you take me for?”

I paced around and contemplated my options. Frankly, I had none. The only thing I had of value was the necklace. A necklace I should have wanted to be buried with, but now it didn’t hold the same sentiment as it once had, because it was never really mine to begin with.

“Fine. You can have your sixty percent. But only if the auction’s before the seventeenth, or there’s no deal.”

“You have my word. But keep in mind that a successful sale always relies on giving buyers advance notice of the items going up for bid. People have to do their research, make business arrangements, and travel. The less time we give them, the more unlikely it is that you’ll find interested buyers. A week or two isn’t enough, so I would advise that you book something in the summer to maximize your profits.”

“I don’t have that kind of time.”

“It’s your necklace.”

I reached around my neck and took it off. “Not anymore.”

After sending General a message to confirm our deal, I headed back to Keystone. Not for good, just to let Viktor know that I had every intention of returning.

Switch called to assure me that Wizard would be working at the trailer all day, and with General off my back, I felt more at ease with leaving Crush alone. Somehow the fear of Fletcher going after him had diminished. As long as he was a free man, my father would always be in danger, but the threat didn’t appear to be imminent. I had to come to terms with my job putting those I loved in harm’s way. At least I could check on him more often. And nothing between us would ever be left unsaid.

When I pulled into the underground garage, I was relieved to see that Christian’s bike was gone. All big decisions deserve consideration, so it was important that I allow him time to think about it—to think about us. There was a lot at stake, but hopefully we could be civilized adults and continue as partners no matter what he decided.

Deep down, I was bracing for rejection. That would be the easiest choice. I couldn’t even entertain the alternative of him saying yes. The risk was as great as the payoff, and it scared the hell out of me. Would it be a mistake? All I could do was trust my instincts. Lenore’s return suddenly gave him options, and though he promised there was nothing between them, I couldn’t read his mind, let alone his heart.

When I entered Keystone, I smelled popcorn. I followed the scent trail up the stairs until I reached Wyatt’s office.

As I quietly peered in, Wyatt’s fingers were fastidiously typing away on the keyboard. Gem was on the sofa, filing her nails, with Claude snoozing on the other side. The only person watching TV was Hunter. I could see the top of his head poking out from one of the beanbag chairs. A strange feeling washed over me, something I had experienced when walking into Crush’s trailer. This place was more than just a roof over my head, and these people were more than just coworkers.

I belonged here.

Before I had a chance to announce my arrival, someone came up from behind and pulled me away from the door.

I turned and looked up at Niko, wondering why he was behaving so strangely.

He led me away from the room. “Your absence has been felt by us all. Have you returned for good?”

We stopped by a door, and I leaned against it. “Not yet. I have some unfinished business to wrap up, but I hope to come back.”

His black lashes fanned over his crystal-blue eyes as he looked down. “What makes you believe you won’t come back?”

He probably assumed I wanted to return to my old life and live with my father. That would explain my long absence. “I want to come back, Niko. I just don’t know what’s going to happen. I can’t talk about it.”

“Does it have to do with Christian?”

My eyebrows popped up. “Why would you ask that?”

“He’s been distant these past weeks. It’s not easy partnering up with others. Blue and I don’t always agree, but we don’t let it fracture the trust we have between each other.”

I rocked on my heels. “Once I finish up family matters, I’m coming back. I’ll just have to see what happens afterward. But right now, I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

“Your light is troubled. Are these grave matters? Is your father ill?”

I folded my arms and reclined my head against the door. “Nothing like that, but I can’t leave him right now. I assume Viktor told everyone, so I don’t care if you know. Hell, I’d rather you know. We have to leave behind our human life for obvious reasons, but I’ve never heard any rules regarding trusted humans. So from this point forward, he’s in my life again. I’m well aware of the dangers, but he’s already in enough trouble of his own.” I looked down at Niko’s black pants and saw he was barefoot. He must have followed my energy trail upstairs from the gym. “Is that what you wanted to ask me about? Why I left?”

He glanced around before answering. “I wanted to pull you aside and speak with you privately while I had the chance. Viktor knows about Cyrus.”

My jaw slackened. “I didn’t tell him.”

“I know. I did.”

“Did something happen?”

“It’s what I was afraid might happen if I didn’t make him aware of the danger. Patrick’s beheading left me unsettled. Cyrus isn’t here to lie low and wait for me to change my mind. He’s here to cause destruction, and it’s what I cannot predict he’ll do that concerns me the most. Shepherd also knows.”

“What did Viktor say?”

“He wants me to stay close to home. I can’t remain locked in here forever, nor will I. It’s unreasonable to expect me to always have an escort when I leave the house; that will hinder my ability to serve Keystone. Viktor hopes my absence will encourage Cyrus to come forward with demands and we can go from there. But as of yet we have received no message.” Niko leaned in, eyes looking right through me. “Have you seen Cyrus or his men during your time away? Think hard.”

“He’s not following me if that’s your concern. I would have called you if I’d seen him, especially since I’m hanging out in Shifter territory these days.”

“I know you’ve been busy. I just want you to be more alert since you’re away from Keystone. Everyone else has stayed close to the mansion. Even Claude has taken this opportunity to distance himself from the salon, only going in for his high-priority customers.”

My hamster wheel started spinning. Claude had a lot of access to the upper crust. “Does Claude ever mention his clients by name?”

“Occasionally.”

“See if Lenore Parrish is on his list. If not, maybe put the idea in his head that she’s someone we should watch. It wouldn’t hurt to have him build a rapport with her.”

Niko frowned. “Miss Parrish is one of the new officials. Do you have reason not to trust her?”

Honestly, I didn’t. As far as I knew, Lenore had a clean record, so I didn’t want to create any conspiracy around her when the only issue I had was personal.

I lowered my arms and checked to make sure no one was listening. “I just think it’s a good idea that we make sure the new officials aren’t as corrupt as the previous ones. Lenore is the only one I’ve met since I’ve been away for the past few weeks. But it wouldn’t hurt to refer all of them to his salon. Maybe we need to be more diligent about watching the ones in charge instead of just focusing on criminals. Discreetly, of course. Viktor’s careful about not introducing us to everyone at parties, so most people—aside from his trusted contacts—have no idea that Claude works for Keystone. Hell, most people have never even heard of us. Those who have think we spend our days hunting down outlaws. Viktor doesn’t explain our work in detail to anyone.”

“Excellent point. It’s possible Claude already does this as part of his job, but I’ll mention it.” Niko reached out to find me and put his hand on my shoulder. I felt a small flutter of energy escape his fingertips. “How are you doing otherwise?”

“Is this what it’s like to be immortal? Spending the rest of our lives looking over our shoulders for a Cyrus or a Fletcher or a General?”

He lowered his arm. “Who’s General?”

“No one. So… how’s the kid fitting in? I saw him in Wyatt’s office.”

Niko smiled, his eyes shaping into crescent moons. He was handsome when he smiled and didn’t do it as often as he should. “Hunter is acclimating to his new surroundings very well.”

“Who watches him?”

“Most of us take turns. Kira has much to do, and Hunter grows restless when she makes him stay within her sight. He sometimes slips away.”

“When I come back, you and I have a date in the gym.”

He inclined his head. “Is that so?”

“I’m a little out of shape. Plus I’d like to learn some new moves. Especially when it comes to fighting against a group of people.”

We both turned when the sound of toenails clicking on the floor rushed in our direction. Viktor’s wolf skidded around the corner as he raced toward us. When he came to a stop, he briefly sniffed my hand before licking it and trotting off.

“What was that about?” I watched the wolf head into Wyatt’s office. “He usually shifts outside.”

“Viktor must have bottled up his urge to shift for too long because of the boy. Ever since he introduced his wolf to Hunter, his shifts have lasted longer. I’ve heard it sometimes happens when a Shifter suppresses his animal and refuses to let them out. When they’re finally free, they do the same.”

“Sounds like payback.” I sighed and stepped around Niko. “So much for talking to Viktor. Can you tell him I stopped by?”

“As you wish.”

“I just wanted to tell him in person that I was coming back soon so he didn’t jump to conclusions. I could have called, but you know how he likes to look a person in the eye when it comes to serious conversation. I’m not sure when the vacation ends, but if for some reason you take a job within the next week and need help, let me know.” I clasped his arm, feeling his taut muscles. “Later, alligator.”

As I reached the stairs, I heard him answer, “After a while, crocodile.”