“Thank God,” muttered Jules.

“Not long and we’ll have the other girls and bring them to safety,” Ruben assured Jules. “You might want to get a few Conduits on stand-by for when we do.”

Ruben’s unwavering attraction to the woman was so obvious with his electric blue gaze riveted on her face.

Damn, was that what I looked like when I stared at Isadora? We two were a sad lot. But unlike Ruben, I wasn’t going to wait a decade to go for my woman.

“I’ll have them ready,” said Jules.

Clearing my throat, I added, “I didn’t sense anything new. And our plan is solid.”

Jules’s stance became rigid as she looked at her sister. “Are you positive this grim of yours can trace these guys? I don’t want my sister put in harm’s way. Especially if I have to null her so she can play bait for this trap.”

“One hundred percent positive,” said Ruben. “I’ve met with the creator of the software and I’ve watched it run several tests until I was satisfied. The tests were effective every single time.”

“I promise I won’t let anything happen to her,” I said to Jules, keeping my eyes on Isadora.

My protective instincts pushed me like never before. She wanted to date supernaturals, including other vampires, and she had no idea how beastly we could all be. Take me for example. I was concocting ideas of sabotage because I already considered her mine. Also, I worried what deviant she might fall prey to among our kind. Of the supernaturals, we were the most cunning. For a reason, of course. We hunted and seduced humans to willingly give us the blood that flowed in their veins. Our genetics demanded we be beguiling in the most irresistible of ways.

I was so wrapped up in thoughts of Isadora I startled when Jules spoke to her, “Who is going with you to pretend to be your second party girl that night?”

“Livvy said she’d do it. She’s the only one who wasn’t with you guys at last year’s Summit cocktail party.”

Jules chewed on her bottom lip a second before replying, “I know you think this plan is foolproof, but I want Violet to do a reading on you two.” She eyed me and Ruben. “If she sees success in this operation, then I’ll be behind you one hundred percent.”

We needed the Enforcer of the district behind us, or she could call the whole operation off. And though I’d never let anything happen to Isadora, it would make me feel better if a Seer could give us a positive premonition.

Ruben gave a stiff nod. “Perhaps tomorrow?”

“I’d like to be there,” added Isadora, her brow pinched into a frown. “When and what time?”

“We could meet at our house at eight. I’m letting Mitchell close the kitchen on some nights. Violet isn’t closing the bar tomorrow.”

Isadora cleared her throat. Her pulse picked up. She was anxious about something. “Can we do it a little later?”

Jules eyed her sister, puzzled. “Why? You got a hot date or something?”

Her fingers curled into the fabric of her skirt a second before she flexed and relaxed them. Sort of. “Actually, yes. I do have a date.”

That pinching feeling was back again, twisting hard in the middle of my chest. She glanced at me then away, tapping her hands against her sides nervously.

Jules stared at her a second longer, the awkward tension stretching. “Alright then. How is ten? Eleven?”

“Oh, ten is good,” she said on a quick breath. “I won’t be staying out that late.”

Jules turned to Ruben. “Meet us at our house at ten.”

Ruben nodded.

“I’ll be there, too,” I said, eyeing Isadora, who kept darting her gaze to me then away. “Goodnight, ladies.”

I gave Ruben a sharp nod, then headed for my car with only one goal in mind. To discover when and where Isadora’s date would be tomorrow night.

Chapter 21

~ISADORA~

Fidgeting in my seat at the back of the Cauldron, I tried not to stare at the door, but it was impossible. I was basically on a blind date. I mean, sure, I’d seen his profile pic and we’d messaged via Zapp a handful of times before he asked me out and I accepted. But I basically knew nothing.

What did I know about him? Well, he liked quiet nights at home with a good meal. So did I. He also enjoyed reading biographies and books on philosophy. I wasn’t a big reader, but I could totally respect that. These were quiet pursuits. But was I playing it safe again? I didn’t know because that was all the information his limited profile listed.

The one thing that did set him apart from any guy in the past was that he was a grim reaper. I was going out with a grim! And his profile pic? Devastatingly gorgeous.

I’d chosen the Cauldron for our date because it felt familiar and made me more comfortable. Violet warned me to be safe because you never knew who you were meeting through dating apps. If this guy was dangerous, then I could wave to JJ to help me out. I glanced at the bar where he was talking to a customer. He tossed me a wink before pouring a draft for the customer.

I straightened my green cardigan sweater one more time just as my date walked through the door. Wow. Yeah, his profile pic didn’t lie. Jet black hair, smoldering eyes behind black-rimmed glasses, a fit but not athletic physique. More on the thinner side. But so was I. Something we had in common, right? Or was I already reaching?

He wore a gray sweater and dark pants, conservative but attractive. He looked good. He looked nice. Too nice? I don’t know. My brain was racing a mile a minute and I couldn’t believe I was doing this. Was this wrong?

Devraj popped into my mind. Those devastating, warm brown eyes filled with a resigned sadness when he left our family dinner on Sunday. My stomach suddenly hurt. Maybe I could still slip out the back door.

Oh, hell. My date spotted me.

He gave me a lopsided smile and headed in my direction. Confident gait. Okay, that’s good. Really good.

“Isadora?”

“That’s me.”

He held out his hand for me to shake. “Terry. It’s great to meet you in person.”

I shook his hand, which was warm and soft. Too soft? Well, for a bookish guy, that was totally normal. I mean, what did I expect? Large, long-fingered hands that looked and felt like they did more than hold books all day? Okay, maybe I did.

Stop it right now!

“Are you alright?” he asked nicely as he slid in the opposite side of the booth. “You said you’re a Conduit, right?”

“Yeah. Oh, yeah. It’s all fine,” I assured him. He obviously thought his grim magic was affecting me, but I’d automatically pushed out my own magic to shift it away.

Auras like Clara were completely unaffected by grims’ unique powers. Conduits like myself could be, but we could also shift their energy away so that it didn’t pull on our senses the way it did others.

Belinda popped over. I’d made sure not to sit in Evie’s section because sisters could be too nosy. She might say or do something to make me nervous. Like now, she was staring at Terry like he was an insect under her microscope from two tables over where she was taking a drink order.

“What can I get you guys?” asked Belinda, pretending not to know me like I’d asked her. I didn’t want my date to know how paranoid I was about dating a guy I’d met on an app.

“Chardonnay for me,” I said.

“I’ll take the same,” said Terry before Belinda flitted away. “So, Isadora, tell me all about yourself.”

He folded his arms on the table, and I blinked. I hated statements like that. I mean, all about myself? That was a lot. If I summed it up, I’d sound so boring. So I went for a semi-shortened version. “Well, I live with my sisters and work at our metaphysical shop right next door actually. I spend a lot of time in my garden and greenhouse when not working.”

“Really?” His dark eyes were nice, but they didn’t make my pulse trip faster the way Devraj’s did.

Why was I thinking of him? I was on a date with another man. I had to stop comparing.

“Interesting. What kinds of plants do you grow? Is it all for potions? What kinds of potions do you make? Do you write your own spells for customers?”

Hello, Mr. Interrogation. I wanted to ask if he was collecting data because that seemed an innate need for grims. Then again, I guess it was his nature to gather all the info he could. So I told him about the plants I grew, the different bundles I made for the shop. This was no big state secret or anything. I explained the different items we sold as well and kept answering all of his questions until I had to hold up a finger to pause him so I could take my first sip of the glass of wine Belinda had dropped and I hadn’t touched.

Before he could dive back in, I reversed the tables. “So, Terry. What about you? What do you do?”

He stared at me a minute, taking a sip of his wine, then answered, “I teach philosophy.”

“Oh, wow. That sounds cool. Where at? UNO? Loyola?”

“Wherever I can.”

Um, what?

“So, are you a university instructor?”

“Of sorts.” He let his smile widen. Okayyyy.

“That’s like being sort of pregnant.”

“Is it, though?”

Oh, my God. This guy.

“So you don’t want to talk about your job. Tell me about being a grim. I’ve never actually met one. What’s that like?”

“It’s quite…nebulous.”

I let out a little laugh. “That makes no sense.”

“Doesn’t it?”

Now his cutesy smile was irritating. Was he playing games with me? Or was this really what he was like?

“Well, tell me anything about yourself. Like anything. That wasn’t already in your profile.” Which was only two things.

He must’ve heard the frustration in my voice, and yet his answer frustrated me even more.

“I can tell you that I find you very beautiful.”

Is this guy for real? How could I date someone who refused to tell me about himself? I enjoyed a good intellectual debate as much as the next woman, but I didn’t want to play mind games just to find out where the hell this dude earned his paycheck.