Chapter 14
Hank
Stretching, I wrap my arms around Edwina. Time is passing too quickly. All I want is to stay here with this beautiful female by my side. Although this trip to New Orleans might just put us face-to-face with danger, I’m not worried about her physically surviving that. My concerns lie with her heart. It’s too soon for her to face the incubus.
Edwina twists in my arms until she’s lying on her stomach. Her dark eyes stare at me. “Hank, I told ya I’ll be fine.”
I push her curly hair back. “Are you sure? I can deliver the message to Cash and take him wherever you say. You don’t have to put yourself through it.”
She places a kiss on my bare chest. “I appreciate ya concern, but I’ve got a job to do. Ya said ya will go with me. That’s enough.”
“Okay.” I cup my hands on either side of her face. “I just want to make you happy.”
Her lips curl into a genuine, toothy smile. “I am happy.”
I smack her bare ass. The sound echoes about the room.
“Ow,” she shouts. “What was that for?”
“Get dressed. I’m hungry, and we need to hit the road.”
Edwina sits up and tugs the sheet over her breasts. “I’m going to hit the shower. Want to join me?”
I stroke her arm. “If I do, we won’t be leaving anytime soon.”
“N’awlins will be there even if we show up an hour or two late.” She stands and heads for the bathroom.
It’s tempting, and I almost give in, but I need to make a phone call. “Go ahead, Angel. I need to take care of business.”
Edwina’s gaze lingers for another minute before she disappears around the corner. I wait until the shower turns on before reaching for my phone. Scrolling through my contacts, I place a call to Brady.
“Hey.” Laughter and clinking glasses sound in the background. “Give me a second.”
Brady tells someone he’s going to the office. The crowd noise fades, and then a door closes.
“Can you talk?” I ask.
“Yeah. The place is crazy busy tonight.” Brady lowers his voice. “Elijah Ryder and his crew stopped in.”
Cat’s got balls. “What the hell did he want?”
“Claimed to be searching for three missing brothers. Humans named Elroy, Mitch, and Dave. Said they disappeared in Ohio.” Brady pauses for a beat or two. “Know anything about it?”
“Now why would I know about missing humans?” Leave it to Brady to tap on the very topic I called about.
“Come on, Hank. I know you like I know my own brothers. I don’t need the details or your location in case someone’s listening. Just tell me if you’re close to endpoint.”
“No. I’m just checking in with you.” It’s an honest answer. “Brady, tell me how well you know Cash Martin.”
“The incubus? I know of him. He’s done some ink for some pack members. Why?”
I scrub a hand over my stubbled face. “We’ll be crossing paths. Just wondering what I’ll be up against.”
“You’re not slick, brother. I know what you’re asking, and Cash isn’t a threat to you.” Brady breathes into the phone. “His mother was in the bar a few nights ago. She said he’s living with that djinniyah. Apparently, they’re happy.”
Great. He’s found someone who brings him joy. Question is how will Edwina deal with the situation? “Thanks, Brady. Keep your ear to the ground for me. I’ll call you.”
“Hank?” Brady rushes before I disconnect.
“Yeah?”
“Be careful. I’m hearing things about Elijah. Cat’s got his hand in some deep pockets. People who have the power to make you disappear permanently.”
I cock my head to the side and tap my chin. “Any of those folks named Duchamp?”
“Bingo.” Brady disconnects the call.
“Did ya learn what ya needed?” Edwina says from the doorway.
I glance up and see she’s fully dressed. Damn, I missed the opportunity. “Yeah. Got confirmation that Ryder and Duchamp know each other.”
Edwina crosses the room and takes a seat on the desk chair. “Well, somehow we have to find where the PFC fight is and not alert Elijah that ya there.”
“Won’t be easy.” I head for the shower.
Edwina has that look about her. The one that tells me she’s got something brewing, a conversation I might not want to hear.
We go to a nearby all-night diner for a bite to eat. Smudged windows, sticky tables, and ripped vinyl booths greet us. Thankfully, we’re not here for the atmosphere. As long as they can prepare a decent steak, I’m good.
The waitress comes over, and Edwina taps the girl’s arm. As soon as she looks at Edwina, she works her magic. The robotic head movement, the far-off look in cloudy eyes, and one-word responses are evidence that the woman has been compelled.
“Ya going to bring out two of ya best steaks,” Edwina instructs in a hypnotic yet soothing voice. “The first one only char on the outside, keep it raw on the inside. Understand?”
The girl nods.
“Make the second steak completely raw. Cut it into four equal pieces, place it on a hot plate, and cover it with a lid. Bring me a large empty glass. Got it?”
“Yes.”
“Now this part is very important. Bring the bill with the food. When ya leave our table, forget ya saw us. Forget our order. Lose any receipt of our purchase.”
The waitress nods again, turns on her heel, and walks away.
I sit back in my seat and study Edwina, searching for any signs of regret. There aren’t any. “You enjoy doing that?”
Her gaze is cloudy, and she doesn’t seem to hear me. I’m about to ask again when she mutters, “What?”
“Bending people’s wills.” I start to tap my fingers against the tabletop but see the filth and change my mind. Instead, I grab a paper napkin and start wiping up the muck.
“I never think about it. Compelling allows things to be done without chaos.” Edwina plays with the salt-and-pepper shakers. She glances up before speaking again. “Ya want to know about Cash.”
It’s not a question. Instead, it’s evidence she overheard my conversation with Brady. I choose not to insult her intelligence with a response.
The waitress returns with our food. Edwina removes a crisp, fifty-dollar bill from her jacket and slides it into the girl’s apron pocket.
“Now be a good girl and take care of ya customers.”
I cut into my perfectly prepared steak as the waitress walks away. Edwina picks up each portion from her plate and squeezes the blood, like water from a sponge, into her glass. When it’s full, Edwina licks her fingers before taking a long drink. She dabs at her lips with a napkin.
Edwina catches my intense stare. “I only do this when I have no other choice. It’s a survival tip I learned a long time ago.” She takes another sip and returns to the conversation she started. “Ya wondering why I fell for Cash?”
“Something like that.” I take a bite.
“Ya first assessment was the right one. Cash hid his feelings and hated being alone. I didn’t want to share mine. Kind of made us perfect for each other. At the time we met, I was bored. He’d just turned twenty-one, and his friends challenged him to hook up with me. Cash was an eager student wanting to learn how to pleasure females.”
I shift in my seat. “Angel.”
The corners of her eyes crinkle slightly. “I’ll spare ya the details. Suffice it to say I came to enjoy his company.”
“I’m confused. If you cared about the incubus, why’d you end things with him?”
“I wanted more. Cash couldn’t give it to me. Ya know Lilin are more like humans than we are. They cling to their beliefs tighter than the best plastic wrap. Plus, Cash was too good at hiding the truth from himself. I had to drink from him to discover it.”
“Which was?” I swallow another mouthful.
“Cash was falling in love with the djinniyah. Poor fool didn’t recognize it for what it was. Instead, he kept denying his feelings for her.”
Interesting. I’d heard how vampires can learn whatever they wanted from anyone through a simple bite. “Why haven’t you drunk from me?”
Edwina reaches across the table and twists her fingers around mine. “Because of ya honesty. Ya never hide the things I really need to know. Cash was too busy concealing facts from himself and sheltering me from the rest of our community. The bottom line for him? He didn’t want to give us a chance.”
“What about Victor Duquette?” Rumors still swirl around town about Edwina’s pursuit of him.
“Victor is a boy.”
Now, who’s trying to hide things? “Angel.”
She exhales loudly. “Yes, I pursued him. I thought I’d get back into Luc’s good graces.”
“Even though he has a mate?”
A shadow crosses her beautiful face, and she withdraws her hand. “I don’t need ya judgment. We all make mistakes.”
My head bobs up and down. “No judgment intended.”
“Next time ya want info about me just ask. Ya don’t need to call somebody for it.” She drains her glass. “Since ya brought it up, seeing Cash with Qadira is going to hurt. A lot. But I’ll get through it as long as I have ya by my side.”
“Cash is a fool, but that’s an incubus for you. They don’t know what it means to struggle, to fight for what they want.” Lilin rank up there with Sirens. Neither species have to work for what they want. Just turn on the charm and humans yield to them. Each and every time. I push my empty plate aside and drop my silverware on it. “Angel, I’m not hiding you from anyone. You’ve told me you’re fine. I’m good with your word.”
“Thanks,” she says quietly.
I grasp her hand again and rub my thumb across her cool flesh. “But I’ll always worry about you. My beast protects. If it senses trouble, I’m gonna worry.”
Edwina’s eyebrows knit together. “Why do ya refer to ya beast like it’s a separate being?”
Pretty clever how she changes the subject, but I don’t mind talking about my darker side. “When my beast comes out, the human side takes a back seat. He has his own mind and desires. Things he prefers doing.” I grin as I think about some of those things.
She tilts her head to the side. “Are ya not aware of what he does?”
“I am, but it’s freeing not to care what he does. He’s a pretty single-minded creature. Hunting, eating, fucking, and sleeping make up his routine.”
She smiles wickedly across the table. “Sounds like we should meet.”
I waggle my eyebrows at her. My beast has waited to meet her for a long time. “Soon, Angel.”