My eyes squinted. But ticked off was better than being turned on. You should have come to me right away, I said. It will be harder now.
We thought it was you, Ms. Morgan. We had to make sure it wasnt. Now that we know for sure, we wish to engage your services.
Engage my services. How old is this guy? Youve been following me, I said, remembering that itchy feeling between my shoulder blades whenever I was out: the grocery store, the shoe mall, the movies. I had thought it was Wayde, but maybe not. Crap, how long had they been shadowing me?
Three weeks, Wayde said, answering my unspoken question. I didnt know it was the I.S. or I would have told you.
I turned to him, appalled. You knew someone was following me and didnt think I needed to know? Isnt that your job? I snapped, and Nina chuckled.
His expression closed, Wayde looked first at Nina, then at me. Its my job, and my call.
We believe theres more than one person responsible for the crimes, Nina broke in, and my attention was recaptured by his/her silken, aged voice. It was still Ninas, but the self-assurance was mesmerizing. There seem to be two modes of operation, harvesting, then dumping. Witches. All the bodies were those of witches.
My expression twisted. I didnt like the sound of that. Harvesting? Thats ugly.
Nina took a deep breath, almost as if shed forgotten to breathewhich was a distinct possibility. Its the dumping thats disturbing us the most. Nina will escort you through the newest site, and by the time youre done, a courier will have delivered to your church the information we have on the earlier crimes. Id rather you not come into the I.S. tower, if you dont mind.
Not a problem, I said softly, thinking it over. Demonlike crime, not demon crime. I didnt want to risk the demons knowing that I was still alive. But if it was truly demonic work, it would be all over the airways. Demons are not subtle. No, it was probably a group of wannabe witches dabbling in black magic, giving demons a bad name. Taking them out would not only make me feel good but it might help me get my citizenship pushed through.
Okay, I said, and her soft, pleased sigh slipped over my skin like a silk scarf, raising gooseflesh. I have to make a call. And thats even assuming I take the job. What does it pay?
Nina reclined in her chair as if she owned the entire building. What do you want? she asked, her slim fingers gesturing gracefully, the red-painted nails catching the light. Money?
The word held a badly hidden disdain, but no, I didnt need money. My purse was plenty fat. Literally. My credit cards had been canceled, my bank account, my phone plan, everything. I was unwillingly off the grid and carrying cash thanks to the money Trent Kalamack had given me, money originally from the Withons, a small (by his standards, not mine) token amount hed demanded as an apology for their trying to kill him. Good thing I had a bodyguard.
A valid drivers license would be nice, I said, fighting not to look at the form on the desk. With that, I might get my bank account back. And my car registered in my name. The independence would do wonders for my self-esteem.
Leaning forward with a masculine huff of air, Nina brushed her long fingers through the forms between us, making me wonder what it would feel like to have those sensitive fingertips on me, and I shivered again. It wasnt her/him, it was the vamp pheromones rising in here, and I leaned past Wayde to crack the door. Office chatter, loud and excited, drifted in, and the undead vampire smiled, knowing why I had cracked it, though Nina wouldnt have had a clue.
Id appreciate a list of the curses and how theyre performed so we can decide which are legal and which are not, she said, and I caught back a bitter laugh.
You have a library card, right? I said flippantly. Its all in there.
Nina cocked her head and eyed me from around her long, beautiful eyelashes, making my heart thump. Not all of it, she said softly, her words like an old jazz song down my spine.
I licked my lips and sat straighter, knees pressed together and hands clasped in my lap. I dont deal with my legal kinNina, I said tightly, not liking the undead playing on my libido, and not through a young, innocent woman. Raising my hand, I jiggled the band of silver preventing me from tapping a line. He knew I had it. They all did. Im a limited-magic demon. Give me my car registration and my license, and Ill find them for you. Thats my offer.
Done, Nina said so quickly that I wished Id asked for more.
Nina leaned forward, her long hand extended. I took it, and as we shook, the undead vampire left and I was suddenly shaking Nina the DMV workers hand.
Ninas eyes widened as she gasped and pulled away. The scent of sweat rose, thick, and she fell back into her chair, her head lolling as her legs splayed awkwardly under the desk. Wow, she gasped to the ceiling, her lungs heaving as she struggled to catch up on the air her guest had probably forgotten to take in. Her face was pale and her fingers were trembling, but her eyes were so bright it was as if electricity was arcing through her. What a rush!