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“I’m not sure how Karma gets her names. She told me to target this guy at a grocery store. I had a pic and everything. Time and place. My target showed up, and I was supposed to set him up to get caught hitting on me so his girlfriend would catch us. Then, I felt this presence walk up behind me. I turned, and the presence was a pleasant-looking guy, but he radiated danger. My skin erupted in goose-bumps…”
“Did he hurt you?”
“Nothing like that. The death agent told me,‘He isn’t yours to take.’”
“He said exactly that?” I remember those are the same words I said to Dimples, the energy vampire just before I killed him.
My hands go numb with anxiety.
“Yeah.” Chara shivers, recalling her brush with death. “Freaked me out. I had been caught by another agent, but I didn’t know who he was. I thought maybe he was another instant karma agent, but then the death guy strolled over to the man and closed his eyes. I swear it felt like the man’s soul was literally sucked out of his body.”
“Do you think this death guy was an agent like us?” I ask.
“Probably. I mean, Instant Karma radiates an intense energy that’s kind of overwhelming. I would guess Death himself would be more like that. Still, the man I met was more powerful than any karma agent I’ve met.”
“I guess that makes sense,” I agree. “Death is older and more prevalent than the concept of karma, which would equate to more raw power.”
“That tracks. In the years I’ve been working for her, I’ve noticed my power increases as the notion of karma grows. It’s becoming commonplace to hear the concept being used on mainstream television, books…”
“And social media,” I add, knowing the goddess’s pressure to hashtag our jobs. “So the more the idea of karma spreads, the more powerful she becomes.”
“Makingusmore powerful,” Chara says cheerfully.
“Wow. True.” I plaster on a smile for her. “Thanks for sharing your story and talking with me.”
“No problem.” Chara saunters toward the stairs. “And don’t let those guys give you any more shit.”
I mutter, “Working on it.”
I run into my room and ready the bugs for each of their rooms. I pull my lockpick kit from my hidden compartment in my suitcase. Then I strain my ears and open my senses when I step into the hallway, but I can’t feel anyone else’s energy in the bedrooms. Most are out with their jobs, and I sense that Chara is now with William in the kitchen.
I try the door handle and find Dante’s room locked, so I swiftly use my picks on the tumblers. The door clicks, and I race inside.
I glance around to see if there’s anything incriminating lying around. Although, I didn’t think they’d be that careless—Dante in particular. If he’s supposed to seduce me, then he wouldn’t have stuff out for me to find if he got me into his bed.
I check his drawers, under the bed, and the back of his closet, but there’s nothing I shouldn’t find. But I suppose I don’t know what I expect. I unscrew a lightbulb, attach the listening device, and screw it back in. I feel like an asshole, but I remind myself that if I don’t investigate them, then I’m only setting myself up for disaster.
Once upon a time, I was trusting. Okay, sort of trusting. I let my guard down and hoped that not every person was a dickhead. I was let down every single time, and on several occasions, I was almost killed for trusting someone. So trusting three guys I’ve only known for a couple of weeks is just reckless.
Next, I break into Kurtis’s room, then Evan’s, setting up my devices. Now, each time someone speaks in their rooms or car, it will record to my new cloud account. I just have to install a device in Dante’s car tonight, and I will be set to discover where their loyalty lies and maybe their plans for me.
* * *
I’m running on the treadmill when the guys return.
“Wow. She really is messed up if she volunteered to run,” Kurtis jokes.
“I haven’t complained in three whole days.” I glare at him. “Now that I’m not winded just from stepping onto the treadmill.”
I have quickly built up my endurance, and I’m pleasantly surprised by how strong I am now.
Dante slowly approaches. “Are you feeling better?”
“Yep,” I say without looking at him. I can’t have them suspect me of anything or make them aware of my suspicions of them. I must keep Dante at a comfortable arm’s length to do that. The incident with the social media girl is a perfect excuse to push him securely back into the friend zone without raising alarms.
“Tessa?” Dante calls, trying to get me to look at him.
“Yes?” I answer coolly without making eye contact.
