Double Down on Demons (Pandora's Pride Book 1) Read online

  “He was fine,” I said. “No different from usual.”

  “A complete pain in the ass then.” She leaned back in her chair, satisfied.

  “He is part vampire,” Doran said.

  Natasha jerked her head to the side. “So is Saxon but you don’t see him acting like a horny baboon half the time.”

  Saxon snorted.

  “That’s because Saxon is also half angel,” Doran said.

  “Are you always this proprietary about them?” I asked.

  They seemed uncertain how to respond.

  “They’re our agents,” Abra finally said.

  “But you treat them like your children.”

  “I suppose we do,” the witch said. “Difficult not to when they’re so young and inexperienced.”

  Saxon flinched, clearly offended. “I wouldn’t say we’re inexperienced.”

  Abra turned to regard him. “Compared with us you are. Compared with us, you know very little and would do well to remember that.”

  Saxon clenched his rugged jaw. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Will there be anything else?” I was starting to feel desperate for a bath—or even a shower at this point. Anything to wash off remnants of Nevada.

  “There is one more thing,” Doran said. “We’d like you to move your belongings out of Salt and bring them here. We’ll have a room ready for you on one of the residential floors.”

  I balked. “You want me to live here…with all of you?” I hadn’t given that prospect much thought.

  “Is that a problem?” Abra asked. “It’s…”

  “I know. I know. Standard procedure.” I felt strangely uncertain about leaving Salt and Oren, my pervert stalker.

  “You seem hesitant,” Abra said.

  I drummed my fingers on the table. This job was only temporary, the means to an end, although it would save me a substantial sum of money if I didn’t have to pay for a hotel room.

  “What about my father?” I asked.

  “You want us to investigate his murder now?” Purvis said.

  “Yes. Those were the terms we agreed to. You said you’d help me find my father’s killer if I helped you.”

  “Yes, but the mission is incomplete,” Abra said. “While I appreciate the threat you eliminated in Nevada, Supai is still at large and Supai is the target.”

  “We have every intention of honoring our side of the bargain.” Doran maintained a calm and reassuring tone and I realized that seemed to be the angel’s specialty. “But the current mission is far more important. Lives are at stake whereas, with all due respect, your father’s life is no longer an issue.”

  Anxiety rushed through my veins. “But the longer your mission takes, the colder the trail gets. It may be that, by the time I finish helping you, you’re no longer in a position to help me.”

  Doran and Abra exchanged glances and the witch held out her hand. “The pendant, please.”

  I glanced down at the chip around my neck. “You’re going to use magic?”

  “No, I’m going to turn it over to Nita and see what she can discover about it. If magic is required, another analyst will take care of it.”

  I removed the clasp from around the back of my neck and handed the necklace to Abra. “I want this back.”

  “Not to worry,” Abra said. “I’ll have Nita crosscheck any prints she finds with K’uei demons in our system. Will that do?”

  I nodded, pleased to finally have the potential for progress. “And I’ll be staying at Salt for now. I like the view from my room.” I pushed back my chair and stood.

  “Saxon, fly Miss Wendell back to the casino, would you?”

  He rose from his chair without a word and joined me in the corridor. We walked in mutual silence to the exit. I was too drained to engage in conversation and I suspected Saxon felt the same. Only when we landed on the rooftop of Salt did he speak.

  “I know they can be difficult, but they have their reasons for doing things the way they do,” he said.

  “I’m sure they do.”

  “It isn’t that they don’t take your father’s murder seriously.”

  “I understand.” As I turned toward the rooftop entrance, he grabbed my arm.

  “Callie.”

  I looked back and saw his pained expression. “What is it?”

  He continued to hold my arm, albeit gently now. “It’s okay to have mixed feelings about what happened in Nevada. You don’t have to enjoy dealing out death, even when it’s necessary.” He hesitated. “I saw the way you looked after you realized what you’d done. I know it can be rough.”

  It took me a moment to meet his compassionate gaze. “I didn’t feel upset that I killed them,” I said quietly. “I felt upset that I killed them and that I didn’t care.” I tore my gaze away. “Makes me question who the real monster is.” Without a backward glance, I slipped out of his grip and went inside.

  Chapter Eleven

  Natasha wasn’t kidding about karaoke night. Twinkle Twinkle Little Bar was a mob scene with customers jockeying for position in the line to make their song requests. The host was a vampire in a deep rust and gold brocade jacket that looked straight out of the circus. Under the harsh glare of the artificial lights, he appeared sickly in such vibrant colors. His hair was dyed dark purple and slicked back, which only served to accentuate his pale skin and light eyes. He wore a headset with a built-in microphone to address the crowd.

  “Welcome to karaoke,” he said in a booming yet cheerful voice. The crowd cheered in response and I wondered how many were regulars. I spotted the Pride crew at the far corner of the bar and attempted to muscle my way through. It wasn’t easy. Customers had their places staked out and seemed reluctant to give an inch lest I take a mile.

  I maneuvered my way through the bodies by turning and twisting with each step, to the point where the agents applauded when I finally managed to reach them.

  “That was a test,” Liam said.

  “Which you passed with flying colors,” Nita added.

  I hadn’t expected to see the analyst out with everyone else. Pandora’s Pride seemed to be as insular as the residents of Bones Crossing.

  “Do you come here every week?” I asked. My eyes remained on the invested crowd. I’d never seen so many gathered in one place for the sole purpose of singing horribly. It was oddly fascinating.

  “Not every week,” Liam said. “Natasha loves it though. When we were younger and more easily influenced by her, we came more often. Eventually we realized we didn’t have to do everything she said outside of work hours, so we stopped.”

  “Leto likes to come every once in a blue moon,” Tate said, smiling at the werewolf. “He and Natasha sing a beautiful duet together.”

  Leto didn’t seem embarrassed by the admission. “Our voices complement each other. Hers is low and mine is even lower. We mingle well.”

  “I can’t say I’ve ever wanted to mingle anything of mine with Natasha’s,” Saxon said.

  Leto took a swig of beer. “That’s because she’s more maternal toward you. Must be the vampire connection.” He flexed his powerful arms. “I’m all werewolf, so there’s no such inclination on her part to treat me like a child.”

  “She doesn’t treat me like a child.” Saxon paused. “Anymore.”

  “How are you feeling?” Leto asked. “You sleep all day? I know I sure did.”

  “I ate a lot,” I said with a laugh. The only thing I did that qualified as work was drop off the remainder of my potion to Harmony. The rest of the day I’d spent enjoying a solo walk on the beach and dodging Oren in the casino. I was beginning to feel a little sorry for the persistent vampire. Roth and I had had a good belly laugh after we watched Oren lose track of me when a gaggle of gamblers streamed between us just as I reached the safety of my elevator bank. I’d given him the courtesy of a little wave as I sailed into the car and returned to my room.

  “I had a nightmare that a tree had grown in the middle of my room,” Liam said. “Normally I’m supp
ortive of plant life, but after the Quercus demon, I’m wary.”

  Tate shushed us. “The first one’s going up.” She clapped her hands giddily. “Please be awful. The awful ones are the best.”

  “You’re actually rooting for them to suck?” I asked, incredulous. “Isn’t it better on your ears if they’re good?”

  “Who cares as long as they’re hot?” Liam said. He signaled to the bartender for another round. “What are you drinking, Callie?”

  “A margarita. Extra salt.” I knew it couldn’t possibly be as good as the watermelon margarita I enjoyed with Kingsley Bryant, but I was willing to take my chances.

  While I waited for Liam to return with my drink, I took the opportunity to survey the crowd. I’d been in plenty of busy bars before—life as a mountain guide often meant spending time in dusty watering holes waiting for travelers to gather their liquid courage or for us to blow off steam after a particularly difficult journey. Twinkle Twinkle Little Bar served a varied clientele, not that it was a surprise. A gambling mecca like Atlantica City was bound to draw every species with opposable thumbs within striking distance.

  I settled onto a stool and studied the faces around me. What if one of these supernaturals was responsible for my father’s death? What if they lived here and frequented the same places as the members of Pandora’s Pride? It was possible that the former owner of my poker chip pendant had a connection to Salt that Ingemar wasn’t unaware of, maybe even just a frequent gambler. It occurred to me that someone like Kingsley might be a good source of information, if I could ensure she didn’t kill me first. After all, she did extend an invitation for me to return for drinks anytime. Nothing about my deal with the Pride precluded me from seeking outside help with my personal agenda.

  A figure cut through the throng of bodies, elbowing and shoving at will. I caught a flicker of annoyance in Saxon’s expression as the young woman made her way toward our group. Her thick brown hair was lush with waves and she wore an electric blue catsuit with a silver zip all the way up the front.

  “Freedom already?” Liam asked. “Seems like only yesterday when they locked you up.”

  The young woman leaned dramatically against the bar. “You could have been a good friend and busted me out. I was in there far too long. One more of Lloyd’s stories and I was ready to slit my own throat.” She held up a finger for the bartender and I realized it was her middle one. She frowned when she noticed me. “Are you the rando?”

  “This is Callie,” Saxon said. “Play nice, Evadne.”

  Evadne’s full lips curved. “Why would I do that when I know that’s not how you like it?”

  Saxon focused on me. “Evadne has been in quarantine after an unfortunate encounter with a contagious insect demon.”

  “I blame the old wizard,” Evadne said as the bartender handed her a pint of beer. “He came back from one of those coven gatherings with bugs in his beard, I know it. He should be fumigated every time he comes back from an outing.”

  “You haven’t met Lloyd yet either,” Saxon said. “He’s our resident wizard.”

  “Is he on the management team?” I asked.

  Evadne gulped down her beer like it was water. “Nope. He’s a consultant.”

  “He was an agent a long time ago,” Saxon said. “He retired, but the Pride keeps him around for his knowledge, hence, consultant.”

  “When Nita can’t find an answer to something, we call Lloyd,” Tate added.

  Nita leaned forward. “Hey! I can hear you, you know?”

  “I’m surprised with all that racket happening on stage.” Evadne blew her a kiss. “I bet you loved having me locked away for two whole weeks.”

  “She wasn’t the only one,” Saxon muttered into his glass.

  Evadne scooted closer to me. “I guess they told you all about me.”

  I hesitated, debating the appropriate response.

  “We didn’t want to scare her off,” Liam said. “So we pretended you didn’t exist.”

  Evadne bumped him with her hip. “The feeling’s mutual, babe.” She returned her attention to me. “You don’t look like much. What exactly is it that you offered them?”

  “She’s tougher than she looks,” Tate said.

  “You heard about Nevada, didn’t you?” Liam asked.

  Evadne’s brown eyes widened. “That was you? I thought Tater-Tot here managed that fiasco.” She clapped Tate on the shoulder.

  “It was a joint effort,” I said, although I didn’t want to rehash the event.

  “Just in case no one’s mentioned it, I’m the alpha of this bunch.” She took another swig of beer. “Saxon likes to think it’s him, but he’s just a stand-in when I’m otherwise engaged.”

  “If by engaged, you mean scratching yourself until you bleed because of an infestation, then yes.” Liam squeezed between us to order another beer.

  Evadne peered around him to address me. “I have the most skills of all the agents. Do you know why?” Her lips parted, making her appear slightly breathless, and I could see she was eager to share the answer.

  “Because you’ve been training longer?” I asked.

  “Not necessary. You see, I’m somewhat of an anomaly.”

  “She means a freak,” Liam said, garnering him a sharp elbow in the gut from Evadne.

  “I’m a hybrid,” Evadne said.

  If she was hoping to intimidate me, she failed. “Like Saxon and Liam.”

  She tossed her thick waves over her shoulder and laughed. “They wish they were like me. I’m everybody’s first draft pick, baby, because I’m a werewolf-vampire hybrid with traits of fae.”

  “I dare you to say that five times fast,” Liam quipped.

  I stared at Evadne. “How’s that possible?”

  She offered a carefree shrug. “Not sure. They think my werewolf parent had fae blood and I won the genetic lottery and got characteristics of all three.”

  “I’m not sure I’d call it winning,” Liam said.

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “Jealousy is an ugly color on you. Then again, every color is ugly on you.”

  “You’re actually more similar to Evadne than anyone,” I said.

  Liam downed his beer. “An unfortunate fact that haunts me on the regular.”

  Evadne eyed me curiously. “I heard you’re nothing but a mage. I’m honestly surprised they bothered to assess you. They have Tate. If they were hoping to put in a sub for me, they should’ve sent Emil, Natasha, and Purvis.” She ran an index finger around the rim of her glass, contemplating me.

  “If you’d seen her fight in Nevada, you wouldn’t be saying that right now.” Saxon shifted toward the stage, although I got the sense he was more interested in turning his back on Evadne than enjoying the performance.

  “I peeked at your training schedule,” Evadne said. “I think I should take over for Saxon tomorrow. Knowing him, he’s being far too lenient because you’re female.” She lowered her lids and gave him a sultry look. “Isn’t that right, Sax? You can’t resist a damsel in distress.”

  “Callie doesn’t remotely fit that description,” Tate interjected. “And get off your high horse before you get thrown off.”

  “Ha! I’d like to see you try.” Evadne drained the remaining drops from her beer and slid the empty glass across the counter. “I think it’s time to give the audience a real performance.”

  “Oh gods,” Liam groaned. “Tate, can’t you do a spell to stop her?”

  “And risk her wrath later? No thanks.” Tate gave an adamant shake of her head. “There’s too much riding on our current case. I can’t worry about retaliation when I least expect it.”

  “I take it Evadne’s not much of a team player,” I said. I watched as the triple threat elbowed her way through the crowd to reach the stage. She didn’t even wait in the line to put her name on the list, not that her selfishness surprised me.

  “The Pride tolerates her because they need her,” Saxon said. “No one has her multiple skill sets. I think if they
could replace her, they would.”

  Tate blew a raspberry. “They most definitely would not. They might sideline her if they found someone better, but they’d never risk getting rid of her and having her turn against them.”

  “Fair enough.” Saxon seemed to only sample his beer.

  “Don’t you like it?” I asked, nodding to the glass.

  “I’m just not in a celebratory mood,” he said.

  “You’re worried about Supai.”

  He raked a hand through his hair. “No new leads, all those kids still missing, and we’re listening to karaoke.” He paused. “Yeah, I’m worried.”

  “We need to regroup after Nevada,” Tate said. “And don’t forget we saved a lot of unsuspecting people from the Tzitzimime demons.”

  Saxon didn’t seem content with that. It seemed that Harmony was right—he was the brooding type after all.

  “We’re going to find those kids, Sax.” Tate clasped his hand and squeezed.

  The next time I glimpsed the stage, Evadne was in the center of it, singing with abandon. Although I didn’t recognize the song, the rest of the audience seemed familiar with it because they sang along with enthusiasm. I hated to admit it, but Evadne had a presence that was as electric as her blue catsuit. I was curious to see how powerful she really was.

  Tate leaned closer. “You’ll find out tomorrow.”

  I shot her a quizzical look. “Find out what?”

  Tate angled her head toward the stage. “I could see it in your eyes. You’re trying to figure out if you can beat her.”

  I laughed. “Am I that obvious?”

  “Not really. I just recognize the look. We’ve all had it at one time or another when it comes to Evadne. She’s impossible.”

  “Has anyone been successful?”

  Tate heaved a sigh. “We’ve all tried. No one has yet.”

  Well, there was nothing like a first time.

  Chapter Twelve

  Jonas was waiting for me in the lobby when I entered HQ the next morning. He handed me a printed schedule.

  “I have a schedule, thanks.”

  “There’ve been a few tweaks, as you can see,” he said. “The inner circle thought it would be more expedient if I handed you the changes when you came in this morning in case you failed to check your phone.”