Page 19 of Crazy as Hell

Viktor froze as a powerful wave of déjà vu washed over him. It was so sudden and vivid that for a moment, he was left feeling completely disoriented.

He was currently stalking through the woods surrounding a private estate outside of Seattle with his assistant, Cassian. They had spent the better part of the night watching from a distance, carefully observing who came to the property from the thick cover of trees after they had followed one of the suspected traffickers to the location. But now that they were trying to get closer to the building without alerting anyone inside, it was far more dangerous than merely watching.

The estate was heavily secured with layers of safeguards that prevented intruders from getting close. There were also enough guards patrolling the grounds to make it clear that whoever owned the place had something to hide.

Viktor and Cassian suspected the estate was being used to host a black market auction. Wealthy clients were willing to spend obscene amounts of money on things they could never acquire through legitimate channels. Illegal relics, prohibited spells, cursed objects, hexes, charms, and other highly valuable magical artifacts changed hands for the right price.

Most of the buyers preferred to keep their dealings discreet. They valued secrecy, keeping their transactions private through intermediaries, shell companies, and carefully constructed aliases. But there were others who treated the black market as an exclusive club where they could display their wealth and influence.

For them, a black market auction wasn’t merely business.

It was a competition of egos.

Champagne flowed like rivers, while extravagant food was served on silver platters. Guests dressed in elegant designer clothing and the glittering jewels they wore sparkled beneath elaborate chandeliers. Bidding became personal wars fought through bank accounts, and fortunes were wagered with a casualness most people used to order dinner.

It was a world of dark desires and hedonistic pleasure.

And the more forbidden the event was, the more fiercely they wanted to attend.

In order to confirm they had the right location for the auction, they had to get closer. It was a risk, but it was better to be sure than to send a team into an unknown situation unprepared. They had waited until dawn to make their move. People were usually far more vigilant at night, especially supernaturals. It took time to unravel the magical wards protecting the area enough to sneak through, and they had to be extremely cautious for any hidden traps. However, before they could get any closer, that intense sensation crept down Viktor’s spine, making him hesitate.

He had been there before.

Of that, he was sure.

But he was also certain that he had never physically stepped foot on that property before today, so that was causing a lot of confusion. If his déjà vu was anything like his premonitions, that could only mean one thing.

Something was about to go terribly wrong.

Taking it as a warning, he reached out and placed a hand on Cassian’s shoulder to stop him from moving forward. Standing in the shadows near the trunk of a large tree, he scanned the area to make sure they were safe for the moment. They were wearing black uniforms that helped them blend in, but they couldn’t be too careful. They also had a protective shield around them, yet there was always a chance some of the guards might be able to sense a hint of the unknown magic in the woods and get curious.

“What’s wrong?” Cassian asked softly. “Have we been discovered?”

“No. It’s not that.”

“You said we needed to get closer to the house in order to confirm we have the right location.”

“I did, but I sense something unusual.”

“Unusual as in, we should continue to investigate, or as in, oh shit, we are going to die soon?”

Viktor snorted out a laugh. “I don’t know…yet.”

“That’s comforting,” Cassian said dryly. “Even if the auction isn’t being held here, these people are acting pretty damn suspicious. Maybe we should just call in the team from The Manor to deal with them anyway.”

“Too late for that.”

Viktor froze at the sound of the feminine voice. He spun around until he was facing a female with long, curly brown hair and glowing blue eyes who was dressed in a bright blue tailored pantsuit and mile-high heels that were completely unsuitable for the woods. Despite her outfit, the power radiating from her told him that she was a formidable foe.

She had managed to sneak up on them without making a sound, moving with a stealth that was damn dangerous. He had spent years tracking other supernaturals and knew exactly how lethal someone could be when they possessed the ability to sneak around without being detected.

Stalking forward, she came to a stop right outside of his protection shield and tapped a long fingernail against the magical barrier.

“Well, well. What do we have here? I’m honored to find two guardians sneaking around outside my home. Let me give you a proper welcome.”

She smiled viciously, then she thrust one hand toward the shield. A blast of magic erupted from her palm, the force slamming against the protective barrier. For one brief second, the shield held, glowing brighter as it tried to repel the attack.

Then, it fractured before shattering into pieces.