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“I saw them,” I said. “You were right.” I glanced to my right, where a window overlooked the courtyard. The place was deserted at this hour. Most vampires didn’t rouse until about seven, and the other acolytes were all in class.
“Of course I was right,” Clovis said. He rose and came around the desk. He perched in front of me, his leg touching mine.
Seeing my opportunity, I leaned forward. “I shouldn’t have doubted you. The Dominae need to be stopped.”
Clovis reached for my hand and pulled me up. I went willingly, allowing him to bring me between his thighs. “Have you given any more thought to my offer?” His voice was husky, seductive. I gritted my teeth, trying to resist the pull he had on me when we were close.
“Which offer is that?” I moved in closer, licking my lips.
His eyes flared at the blatant invitation. With one hand, he stroked my cheek. I closed my eyes and moved into the caress. With my right hand, I slowly reached under my leather jacket, feeling for my gun in my rear waistband.
“To share my bed,” he whispered.
I opened my eyes to meet his. His eyes were glowing again. I hesitated with my hand on the gun as a wave of arousal hit me. That’s when I realized he must be using some demon mojo on me, causing me to feel this synthetic arousal. The knowledge freed me somewhat from the haze threatening to distract me from my task.
Smiling, I leaned in further, placing my lips at his ear. Gripping the gun now, I said, “All I’m going to share with you is—”
A knock on the door interrupted. My heart skipped a beat and I jerked back a fraction, hiding the gun at my side. Frank stuck his head in. “Boss,” he said. “Oh, hey, Sabina.” He dismissed me and focused on Clovis. “We’ve got a problem.”
“What is it?” Clovis said in a clipped voice.
When Clovis stood, I fell back behind him in shock. My hand went damp as it gripped the butt of my gun. I stood behind Clovis, my heart still hammering against my ribs. It would be so easy to take my gun and place it against the back of his head. Before he or Frank would know what was happening, I could pull the trigger. Bang. Clovis is dead.
Only, if I did that, Frank would put a bullet between my eyes before I got to the window and freedom. I struggled, trying to figure out what to do. Clearly, if it were up to my grandmother, I’d forfeit my life to get the job done.
“… mancy was found trying to break into the compound.”
Frank’s words ended my internal struggle. Surely, Adam wasn’t that stupid.
“We’ve detained him in a holding room.”
“Has he talked?”
“Not yet, sir, but we’re working on it.” Frank’s gaze drifted toward me. “However, he did ask to see Sabina.”
I closed my eyes and prayed for patience. The gun slid easily into my rear waistband.
“Sabina, do you know anything about this?” Clovis asked. I opened my eyes to find both Clovis and Frank eyeing me with suspicion.
“Maybe,” I said. “Is he a tall guy with sandy hair?”
Frank nodded.
“Then, yeah, I think I know him. Stop beating him, please.”
Frank looked to Clovis for instruction. “Bring him in here.” Frank nodded and spoke into a walkie-talkie, telling the guard on the other end to bring in the prisoner.
Clovis looked at me again. “Want to tell me what this is all about?”
I heaved a big sigh. “It’s a long story.”
“Humor me.”
I gave Clovis the CliffsNotes version of my experience thus far with Adam, leaving out his claims about my mancy family sending him. I hoped Clovis wouldn’t notice my hands shaking as I talked. Adrenaline still gushed through me. Inside, I was berating myself for failing the Dominae. The truth was, even though the interruption wasn’t my fault, I still could have taken one for the team and accomplished my mission. But I’d been scared. I didn’t want to die.
Just as I wrapped up my story, another guard entered the room, pushing Adam ahead of him. The mage’s right eye was swelling shut and his arms were bound behind him with handcuffs. The cuffs must have been lined with brass, which flattens and grounds magical energy.
Adam wouldn’t meet my eyes as I stared him down. He was too busy having a one-eyed stare-off with Clovis.
“And who might you be?” Clovis’s tone was casual.
“Adam Lazarus,” he said. He stood straight with his shoulders back and his abraded face stubborn.
“Would you mind explaining to me why you were breaking into my sanctuary? Was the front door too obvious a choice?”
“This was the only way I knew to get in to see you,” Adam said. “And her.” His head jerked in my direction, but he still didn’t look at me. If he had, he probably would have rethought his little plan. I was pretty sure my eyes would have fried him on the spot.
“Well, you’ve got your audience,” Clovis said. He leaned back in his chair. “Speak your piece.”
Adam seemed confused by the ease at which he was given the stage, but he recovered quickly. “I was sent by the Hekate Council to investigate the disappearance of several mages. I have reason to believe you have information regarding this matter.” He paused for Clovis’s reaction, but received none except a slight nod.
“Sabina admitted she knew where the mages were being held, but wouldn’t give me any more information.” His eyes cut to me then, unapologetic. “So I followed her here, since she’s obviously working for you.”
“And?” Clovis asked, sounding bored. I was so tense, my nails dug into the armrests of the chair. Part of me wanted to punch Adam for his stunt, and the other was scared for him.
“And I want in,” Adam said.
“What use do I have for another mage when I have Sabina sitting right here?” Clovis said, nodding to me. I started to protest but his look shut me up.
“With all due respect to Sabina, she is untrained in magic. While I’m convinced she has latent skills, she is unable to use them.”
Clovis rubbed his bottom lip, as if weighing this information. “And how do I know I can trust you?”
“A simple phone call to the Hekate Council will verify my identity.”
“Therein lies the rub,” Clovis said. “I’m afraid the Hekate Council must remain in the dark about certain aspects of this situation.”
Adam’s jaw tensed. “If you don’t let me in on this, I will tell them that you are withholding information that affects the well-being of their followers.”
