CHAPTER 6

 

 

 

 

Oh, shit. She wasn’t built for this line of work. The kind of work that involved being aggressive, beating heads, and taking names to go along with them. She’d never been good with names, either.

Her body didn’t want to respond to anything adrenaline-related right now, let alone the threat of an attack. More than a threat, judging from the unblinking look in the shifter’s eyes. Especially when a single scratch could earn her banishment to the sewers with less than reputable company.

“What are we going to do?” she asked Pike. “Please don’t tell me you want me to fight them one on one. I don’t have it in me. It’s past my bedtime.”

Pike pressed the weight of his powerful form into hers, pushing her against the wall and keeping a forearm glued to her shoulder. “Stay back.” His eyes were fierce. “I’ll let you know when I need you.”

“Oh, good. Good.”

Lavinia was too frightened to move, anyway. Let alone breathe. Her mind froze right along with her and she was unable to concentrate on anything but Pike. She shuddered against him.

“We can talk this out amicably,” she said from the space between Pike’s arm and torso. “There’s no need to teach anyone a lesson. I’m sorry for…for whatever it was I said that made you go mental. I can make it up to you in any way that doesn’t involve me personally getting naked or staying down here with you.”

Why was trouble always finding her? It was as if she had a giant glowing beacon over her head. Or a target painted on her back. Hadn’t there been enough misfortune in her life to last for…well, a lifetime? She still had plenty of years ahead of her. If they were all going to be as rough—grueling, even—as the last decade, then maybe she could hand her immortality back to whatever gave her the power in the first place.

“Pike, do something,” she hissed.

“What would you like me to do, love?” He made a show of nonchalance. Still, Lavinia felt the tension in his body. “Not like there’s anywhere to run. They’re blocking the exits.”

Herb sent a screeching command out to the other three. “He’s really mad. Why did you bring me here?” She asked the question with a moan. “Is this part of your plan?” Pike must have done something to set the shifters off. Beyond his natural animosity with other males.

“Because I thought you needed to learn.”

“Learn what? How to get the smell of crap out of my clothes? Or how to navigate the sewers in the dark once they make me one of them?”

“Let’s try Learning to Deflect a Shifter 101.”

“I never went to college.”

Herb and his cronies crowded closer. Lavinia wanted to crawl into a hole, preferably one with a two-person-sized Jacuzzi and enough towels to wrap entirely around her body. Twice.

“Grab the necklace,” Pike hissed from the corner of his mouth.

“Grab the— Are you crazy?”

“Too late for any surprise moves, Radclyffe. Cover me, Martin.” Herb stepped forward another foot, and at the same time one of his rats leaped out from behind him with surprising grace. They charged.

Dammit, they were fast. Too fast for her. Lavinia pivoted, scooping her hand down into the muck where the necklace had dropped. It was too much luck to ask for, finding it on the first try. With Pike taking the brunt of the attack, she dropped down to her knees. Grunting. Gagging.

She watched the fight out of the corner of her eye. Pike used the rat’s momentum to throw him headfirst into the storm drain behind them. The wall caved in and chunks of cement dropped into the water. The rat shuddered, slumped, while the others circled.

Her fingers fished through the murky depths of the sewer and Lavinia tried not to think of the diseases she could catch from the exposure. A tetanus shot was definitely overdue. It didn’t pay to take immortality for granted. She didn’t feel like testing the boundaries.

Pike held up his hands and gestured for the rest of them to come on. When Herb hesitated, her dark knight used the momentary hesitation to race them toward the opposite wall. He threw his leg up and smacked the closest one across the temple. The female rat went down with a hiss before slumping against the wall. A second rat reached for his ankle and Pike kicked free. An agonized screech blasted through the chamber.

Lavinia fought the urge to cover her ears. Hurry it up! She knew Pike wouldn’t be able to hold them off forever. Not that he wasn’t doing a fabulous job of it now. Nevertheless, wherever there was one rat—or four in this case—there were more. An entire pack waiting for the word.

She continued to fish when Pike fell back, nearly landing on top of her. Her one-hundred-and-five-pound-soaking-wet frame wasn’t enough to hold him. Together they went down hard.

“Tell me you’ve made a little headway.”

His grunted response was cut short when one of the shifters hauled him up, yanking his arms painfully behind his back.

Something inside of her ignited at the sight. She roared and stood up, muck and mire dripping off her clothes.

“Lavinia!” The urgency in Pike’s voice had her momentary fury abating. “Find the goddamn necklace.”

The female shifter rebounded quickly, unexpectedly, and swung for Pike’s face. He managed to twist in time to avoid it, dropping to his knees and using his elbow to slam against the rat holding him. The force of the blow had the man spinning backward, though he came back repeatedly.

Lavinia dodged out of the way to avoid a knee to the nose. What the hell was taking so long? The water was stagnant, so the necklace couldn’t have gone far.

There was a horrible ringing in her ears. Just when her stomach felt like a bowl of overcooked pasta and she wondered if they were ever getting out of there, her fingers tangled in the silver chain.

“Yes!” She swung to her feet a second time and held the necklace aloft, triumphant. “Okay, now what do you want me to do with it?”

Herb blindsided her at full force. Her back slammed against the wall, eyes locked onto the fierce gaze of the head shifter.

It didn’t take a vision to know most weres were allergic to silver. The knowledge clicked in her head like a missing puzzle piece. She didn’t break contact as she lifted the pendant to Herb’s forehead and set the piece against his skin.

Smoke billowed from the wound within seconds. The shifter howled, falling back and clutching his forehead. The others were too horrified to do anything more than stare.

“You nasty bitch!” Herb snarled.

“Hey, watch your mouth.”

Pike sent a final round of blows to the two remaining rats. Once they were down, Herb still screaming and writhing in pain, he straightened. Took the lapels of his jacket in hand and tugged to straighten them. Took another moment to smooth his hair into place, swiping a grime mark off his cheek.

“There,” he said. “I’m satisfied.”

It was probably the third or fourth time within the hour that Lavinia felt her eyes bug out. “Are you kidding me?”

“Normal silver wouldn’t elicit such a severe reaction. A shaman in Tibet enchanted the amulet I lent you a thousand years ago. It’s…priceless. Please try to hold onto it.” He walked over to her as coolly as stepping across a Gucci showroom. “Better yet, hand it over. I’m not sure I trust you to keep it safe. You did drop it.”

Physical pain shot up her wrist and forearm when she was forced to hand it over. “So, no more cloaking spell?”

“No more cloaking spell, which doesn’t negate its incredible value. Please, love. Give it to me.”

She dropped the necklace into his hand with some reluctance. If only she’d been able to hold onto it the first time around. Maybe then Pike would have more faith in her. God, what she wouldn’t give for one day wearing the thing. A day where she didn’t have to worry about who was waiting outside her front door.

“Why didn’t you tell me when I first put it on?”

“I didn’t want to ruin the surprise,” he said.

“You knew they would attack!” Surprise colored her words. “Come on. Tell the truth.”

“I had a feeling. Honestly, I’m surprised they lasted as long as they did. Herb, damn him, has never been one for conversation.”

Lavinia stared at the squirming half-man, half-rat mess, and quickly averted her gaze. “Is he going to be okay?”

“He’ll recover in about six months. Don’t worry.” Pike slipped the chain around his neck before offering his arm. “Now, shall we?”

She gladly slipped her hand through the offered elbow. Their feet squelched through the mire on their way back to the surface. Ducking her head, Lavinia grimaced. “Please tell me the rest of your plan for the evening involves a shower and a massage. I’d do anything.”

He chuckled when she blinked seductively at him. “I hadn’t thought much further than ten minutes ago.”

Sure, she could believe that. He wasn’t the type to think ahead for every possible outcome. She was surprised he’d thought of the necklace. Where had he gotten a thing like that, anyway?

“You know,” she began slowly, “I’ve been thinking.”

“Dangerous, for you.”

“If you can find an amulet to empower with a cloaking spell, like the one you gave me tonight, then there must be more out there. Other magical objects we can procure one way or another.”

“Sure there are.”

“And if there are more out there, then, potentially, I can find one for myself. One that will last, say, for the rest of my unnaturally long life.” Her sentence ended on a cheerful note. Hopeful, even.

“Lavinia, stop,” Pike demanded.

“What?”

“I know what you’re getting at, and the answer is no. There is no quick fix for your problems.”

“But there are spells out there,” she insisted.

“With repercussions. Haven’t you ever heard to be careful what you wish for?”

“It’s magic, Pike.” She removed her hand from his arm and took a step ahead. “It would save my life. I wouldn’t have to look over my shoulder every day. I wouldn’t have to worry about my mother while I’m at work, relying on Internet wards to make sure she’s safe.”

“These spells are big magic. They may take something else from you. From someone you love. Would you risk your mother’s life for a spell to keep you invisible? You can’t even summon a vision to save your life.”

Her gaze hardened. “Don’t even say such a thing. You know I wouldn’t risk my mother for anything. I’d do whatever I can.”

“I’m just using her as an example.”

“Don’t you understand? I want to be able to walk outside without wondering who is going to attack me.” Her gaze fell on the necklace nestled against Pike’s chest. Sure, the cloaking spell was gone, but there had to be another way. What did she have to offer, to convince Pike to help?

Wasn’t he helping her enough? She was pathetic.

“This is why we’re working on it. Trust me, love. Whatever you think magic will do for you, it’s better to trust yourself. To know what you’re capable of doing. Don’t risk the consequences.”

She sighed, the sound full of misery. “I guess you’re right.”

“I’m always right.”

Lavinia let her irritated expression answer for her. They stepped through another storm drain. As far as she was concerned, the subject wasn’t completely dead in the water. She may be used to hiding and covering her rear end, but it wouldn’t always be that way.

They’d reached the ladder leading to the street. She stared at the grimy rungs with distaste.

“Another few steps and we’ll be up,” Pike said to her.

“The people on the streets are going to wonder what the hell we’ve been doing down here.” She ran a finger along the dirtied hem of her shirt. Not caring to look lower at the mess she’d made of her pants and lace-up boots. “I’m disgusting and I stink like something dead left in a dirty diaper in one-thousand-degree weather.”

“I’m sorry.”

His apology was less than sincere and left her feeling dirtier. So much for being supportive. The man needed sensitivity training.

“They won’t see a thing,” Pike continued. “The entrance has been charmed.”

“Go figure.”

“Here. I brought something.”

She watched him reach into his pocket and pull out a tissue. “Oh, gee whiz. You’re full of surprises.”

“It’s another spell. This one keeps the tissue clean and wet no matter what kind of dirt gets on it.”

“And you still say magic can’t solve my problems?”

“I’m a hypocrite. And this is small. Nothing large.”

She gratefully took the tissue from him and rubbed it on her face, hands, and arms. Anywhere her bare skin showed.

“Here, let me.” He took the tissue from her hand and ran it along the edge of her cheek. She stared at him while he helped clean the grime from her face. At that moment, she could have died happy.

Pike led the way to the surface, offering her assistance once he reached the top. Lavinia took hold of him and shrieked in surprise when he effortlessly pulled her through the storm drain, her feet landing on the asphalt. They stepped out onto the street and she turned toward him, raising her hand to her hair before letting it drop again. She drew in a deep lungful of cold air. It wasn’t enough to mask the stench from the sewers, but it helped.

“Thanks again. Even though you got me into this mess in the first place, you helped get me out, and I appreciate it.”

“My pleasure.”

Pike walked ahead down the street and Lavinia took a moment to stare at him. The confident sway of his hips back and forth. The way his jacket hitched over his shoulders and moonlight caught the tones of brown in his hair and turned them to burnished copper. Never had a more beautiful man been made under the sun, she knew. Just as she knew the devil was beautiful.

She went to step forward and found the air knocked from her chest when her boot caught. She glanced over her shoulder, her laces wedged along the edge of the opening. “Hey, Pike?” The faint echo of his whistle caught on the wind. She waved her arms to catch his attention. “My boot is stuck!”

“So get it unstuck.”

“I’m serious.” She bent down to give her ankle a tug. Surprised when not only did her boot refuse to move, but a sharp twinge of pain traveled up the length of her leg. “What the hell?”

“You’re a big girl. I’m sure you can manage.”

Manage, sure. If this were an ordinary case of clumsiness. Her eyes snapped down on the ruddy claws reaching through the grate a split second before the shifter took hold of her ankle and pulled.

“Pike!” she screamed. Her cheek slapped into the pavement, fingers scrabbling for purchase. She swiveled her body perpendicular to the sidewalk, reaching for something to help her. Anything. The shifter gave another tug and she fought bag against the movement.

Headlights slashed through the night in her direction. Air caught in her lungs and her heart beat hard enough to explode out of her chest. Her free leg lashed out, making contact with the storm drain even as the shifter pulled her back.

“Pike, help me!”

She scrambled for an opening, any way to twist her body out of oncoming traffic. The rat’s eyes gleamed in the truck’s lights and Lavinia knew she wouldn’t have to worry about forever anymore. A tire over the head would probably mean immortality was out the window.

She felt the heat from the truck. Felt the hot gust of air from the exhaust pipe. Felt her bones crack and shift when she slammed into the sidewalk with Pike on top of her.

Traffic passed with no one noticing the man and woman on the ground. He kept his hands over her ears, his cheek pressed to hers.

“Lavinia? Are you okay?” he asked when all went quiet again.

The pain from her leg shot higher until it reached her hip. “I can’t breathe.”

“Oh, fuck. Sorry.” Pike shifted until the pressure on her lungs eased. “Better?”

It took effort to nod. “What…the hell…was that?”

“Rat twat. Are you sure you’re all right? Need me to take you to the hospital?”

“I’ll be okay. Once I figure out…something. You’re always saving me,” she murmured. Her fingertips caressed his cheek, the scruff leading down to his chin.

“This time you didn’t need my help. Not really,” he said with an inane grin. “I’m sure you would have gotten away in time.”

She didn’t smile back. “I’ll always need you.”

He shook his head and pushed onto his knees before helping her to her feet. “There’s going to be a time when I’m not around. I guarantee you’re better off without me. And you lost your boot.”

“Isn’t that the kind of thing all bad boys say?”

“Because it’s the truth. Deep down, you know it too.”

Whether or not he had some kind of ulterior motive for being with her, Lavinia didn’t care. He’d placed a spell on her from the first moment they locked eyes. When his tongue darted out between his lips, she had the overwhelming desire to lean forward and take a bite.

Worse was the way her stomach was doing crazy things. Bubbling and knotting.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

He was too close. That’s what. She could smell his skin, the friction between them like ozone in the air. “Nothing.”

“I don’t believe it. You’re a bad liar.”

Her mind went blank when his fingers trailed along her hairline. Maybe it was better to be blank. Any kind of thought at this point would only get her in trouble. Did he know how gorgeous his lips were? How the sight of his scowl sent a shiver along her skin.

His eyes narrowed when she failed to answer. “Do you feel sick? Here.” He shifted until they were seated next to each other, giving her the breathing room she’d asked for. “Better?”

All she wanted to do was crawl on his lap despite the persistent and niggling sense of déjà vu. Her vision. Her broken heart.

She didn’t care.

He didn’t need to say all the right things. Pike could call her a wanker and she’d wet her panties. With a clear head and unimpeded thoughts, she turned her head to face him and dove in, threading her hands through his hair and kissing him hard. His shoulders stiffened and his mouth opened in shock. Opened enough so that her tongue darted out across his. He tasted as scintillating as he smelled. Sweet and spicy. A hint of something very much like chocolate.

Lavinia was more than doomed. She was on the fast track toward destruction.