Voodoo Kiss

Chapter 7 - Thrain



When Cass and I arrived at the hotel, Amber and Aidan were already waiting. I could sense the tension between them. Ever since Amber had been turned into a vampire, she kept blaming it on him, which didn't surprise me. Most mortals glamourized our world and actively searched for us, but not Amber. Maybe because she had almost died at the hands of Aidan when he sucked her dry. As if that weren't enough, her brother, Dallas, had died after the Shadows helped a blood-crazed vampire, who happened to be Aidan's ex, break into Hell to retrieve the famous book of the Shadows. Cass had stolen it from the Shadows only a few weeks previously. Seeing it from this perspective, it was all her fault, which she kept saying over and over again. Several times I tried to tell her that it was fate and Dallas's death would've happened anyway, but she couldn't be consoled. And so I just gave up and listened instead, keeping my thoughts to myself.

Our hotel accommodation was a whole penthouse suite, courtesy of Cass's father. Groaning, I dropped down on the couch in our living room, wishing I could just do this myself. A bunch of people would just slow me down. As if on cue, Aidan started taking over.

"I say we split up to comb through the city. Amber and I start on one side, and Cass and you on the other."

I snorted. "You call that a plan? It makes no sense. For one, we're immortals. Why would we have to split into two groups when we could all work alone and be twice as fast? And second, I can pick up her scent in an instant."

"Why haven't you already then?" Amber raised her thin brows. "You need us, whether you want it or not."

"She's right," Cass said from her seat at the window.

"Which part?" I mumbled. That I still hadn't picked up her scent, or that I needed them to get this mission done. I pressed my lips shut and bit the inside of my cheek to keep back a remark. I had never failed to find someone. In fact, I had been the one to find and break into Shadow land, something no one else had ever done before me. If I could find my way through magic, then I surely could pick up the scent of a mortal. I snorted as I slumped deeper into my seat, rubbing my temple in desperate need of a plan.

"Okay, so the shape shifter's in charge here now?" Amber said, pointing at me. "'Cause if he is, he's just wasting time sitting on his backside while my brother's life is hanging by a thread."

"Technically, he's already dead," I mumbled. Cass shot me a venomous look. I shrugged. "What? It's true."

Well, thanks for telling her, moron. Cass's voice echoed in my mind.

Amber pushed Aidan back, sending him tumbling against the wall. As a new vampire, she obviously still couldn't control her powers, which would keep coming and going for a few years. "You said he's still alive." She poked a finger into Cass's chest.

"He is, somewhere on one of Heaven's dimensions," Cass said.

Amber's eyes were ablaze with fury. "It's all your fault. If you didn't abduct him to Hell, he'd still live. I'll never forgive you."

"It wasn't her fault," Aidan said, pulling Amber back. For a long moment, she just stared at him, locked in that battle they seemed to keep having. I had no idea how the guy could live with her constant blame. Praise the Fates my mate wasn't mortal. Though I had yet to meet her.

Eventually Amber retreated to the back of the room, but her shoulders remained tense, her chin raised defiantly. Aidan breathed out, relieved, and joined her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to draw her close. I could feel the comforting waves wafting from him as he tried to influence her emotions to calm her down.

I sucked in a deep breath to gather my thoughts before I spoke. "I'm outta here."

"Where are you going?" Cass asked.

"Doing my job. And don't ask if you can come 'cause the answer's no. I'm better off on my own." I slammed the door shut, not waiting for an answer. Like her father, Cass could be quite persuasive, so I'd rather not give her a chance to demonstrate her authoritarian nature.

The afternoon sun shined down relentlessly as I took the backdoor and jumped over the fence onto the beach promenade. The Big Boss hadn't skimped on hotel costs when he chose this location. Maybe he had hoped his only daughter would enjoy her last two weeks on earth before she'd turn into a reaper…unless I found Sofia. As I walked down the promenade to the beach, my shoes leaving a trail in the soft sand, I smiled at some girls in tiny bikinis, then broke into a steady jog. The air smelled of sweaty bodies and expensive perfume, of the cloud of smog hovering over the city and the imminent tropic storm gathering over the nearby island.

I picked up in speed, jogging for at least an hour, before I stopped, irritated. Still no sign of Sofia, but I wouldn't give up, so I started moving and kept at it through the busy street, past imposing buildings and too much traffic. When I halted again, the sun had long set on the horizon in a million colors and the artificial light of the street lamps were casting a dim glow on the emptying streets. Running around like a stray cat had taken me nowhere. Maybe it was time to slow down and come up with a plan because my abilities didn't seem to be working here.

Burying my hands deep in my pockets, I strolled past what looked like a bar when I stumbled into something hard. Instinctively, I raised my hands to protect myself from the hazard, but nothing crashed into me. My gaze swept the area. Apart from a few young people having fun a few feet away and a few cars parked next to the sidewalk, there was nothing that could have hit me. I blinked and took another step forward, and another. And then it hit me again, almost sending me toppling backward.

"What the heck?" I murmured to myself. Was I running into an invisible shield? I had heard of them and knew they were created by magic, but I had never seen one strong enough to make me feel it. Maybe this would be my first encounter with something at least as strong as my demon blood.

I moved forward slowly but nothing happened. Figuring the barrier might not have been as powerful as I previously assumed, I shrugged it all off and crossed the street to resume my search. As soon as I zigzagged my way through the parked cars, Sofia's scent hit my nostrils. I inhaled deeply, feeling that smell of hers touch me deep inside. It was intoxicating and it made my head spin. Literally. I pressed my back against a parked car and took another whiff. It was still there. I wasn't dreaming.

I flipped my phone open and speed-dialed Cass's number. On the second ring, she picked up. "Found her. I'm going in," I whispered.

"No, you're waiting for—"

Cutting her off, I pushed my phone back inside my pocket and started down the street after Sofia's scent. A minute later I realized I wasn't alone.

"Where do you think you're going without us?" Cass said.

"How did you—" I peered at her, my irritation instantly evaporating. She was near her breaking point again. Soon the reaper in her would be forcing her to seek the nearest hospital.

"You forgot this little number." She waved her high-tech phone in front of my face, the one she had built to help her travel between earth and the dimensions of Hell until she received her full powers at eighteen.

I returned the grin. "Feel free to join the party. I'm glad you left the vampires at home."

"Who said I did?"

I followed her line of vision to the other side of the road where I had stood a few minutes ago. Of course, Aidan and Amber were there. They must have teleported, but they wouldn't have found me if Cass didn't reveal my exact whereabouts.

"What happened? Did you finally decide to get a sniffer dog?" Amber asked as she reached us.

"Don't mind her. She isn't always this insufferable," Aidan said. "Let's find the girl. Where is she?"

I pointed vaguely down the street. "Follow me. I hope you're fast because I'm not slowing down for you."

"You sound like my brother." Aidan laughed. Cass joined in, and I wondered whether she cracked up at his joke or the fact that she knew something he didn't. I sprinted through the dimly lit streets without paying attention whether the others followed behind. Sofia's scent grew stronger, enveloping my senses. My heartbeat sped up when it never did. No physical extortion ever bothered me—or provided much of a challenge—but this run did.

"We're there," I whispered, stopping in front of an old building not far from the beach.

"She's inside?" Amber's voice sounded hopeful.

I nodded.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's roll." Cass grabbed the large doorknob when Aidan held her back.

"You can't just barge in there. She's a mortal. You're going to scare her to death."

"I'll lure her out," I said.

"How?" Amber eyed me carefully.

"Just trust him," Cass whispered.

For a moment, the vampires fell silent, weighing my words. And then Aidan nodded.

I took a deep breath and pushed the door open. The entrance hall looked like no hotel I had ever seen with its faux-exotic theme in the form of carpets covering both the floor and the walls, and old lamps set up to illuminate the corners. Behind the counter, the night receptionist—a dark haired guy in his twenties—slept soundly. I inched closer and inspected his features, paying attention to the fine details because fine details were my specialty.

My tongue flicked over my lips as I concentrated. I pictured myself, from the snake tattoo across my entire chest and abdomen to my green eyes and dark hair, and then the picture slowly started to shift. My body became thinner and lost a few inches in height. The jeans and shirt I had been wearing all day changed into black slacks and a blue blazer with barely visible grease stains covering the front.

Even though I felt the same inside, I had shape shifted so many times before that I didn't need to look at myself in the mirror to know I looked exactly like the guy still sleeping in his chair. Time to make sure he'd stay that way. With my thumb and index finger, I touched his shoulder and pushed in the pressure point that would knock him out for a while, giving me enough time to persuade Sofia to leave her room. Without so much as a groan, his shape slumped into his chair and his head rolled back. I hid his thin body behind the desk.

My shoes made a squishing sound as I started up the stairs, following Sofia's scent to her room. I stopped to listen in front of her door. My demon ears picked up her shallow breathing. She was alone and asleep though something told me she was afraid of the pictures inside her mind. There were two options: either knock and risk waking up the other guests, or take her by surprise and not give her a chance to think clearly. Option two made sense to me so I picked the lock and opened the door slowly, then closed it behind me.

My eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness instantly and I looking around me. The room was small and tidy, the faintest scent of fried chicken hung in the air. Sofia lay on the bed to my right, pale legs peering from under the covers where her nightshirt had rode up her thighs. Her dark hair framed her face with high cheekbones and soft lips. I inched closer, my fingers reaching out to touch those lips, to see whether they were really as soft as I imagined them to be. My heart started to race as I pushed a thick strand of hair out of her face. She stirred with a soft moan, but didn't wake.

And then I remembered I had a job to take care of. I pulled my fingers back, wondering what was wrong with me. She was beautiful, all right, but I had seen my fair share of gorgeous girls. I shook my head at myself and leaned over her, covering my hand against her mouth as I switched on the night lamp.

Light flooded the room. Sofia's eyes flew open. Her blue gaze settled on me and I almost choked on my breath. Her eyes were of a sparkling blue as shimmering as the ocean hit by the first rays of sun. I stared at her, unable to utter a word, various emotions washing over me. She stared back, confused. The moment realization kicked in, the struggle began. She kicked hard, her leg hitting me in the chest. My grip around her tightened, my hand stifled her scream.

"Please listen. It's an emergency." My voice finally found its way out of my throat. I held her tight as I forced her to remain quiet. "I work at the reception downstairs. There's an important phone call for you. Do you remember me?" Her amazing eyes grew wide open as she nodded. I continued, "I knocked but you wouldn't answer. I'll remove my hand now and take a step back. Okay?"

She nodded again, so I pulled my hands back and took a few steps back. She eyed me carefully but didn't scream, which surprised me. The least I expected was a yelp.

"You said it's an emergency?" Sofia asked.

At the sound of her voice, I froze to the spot. Something happened—I could feel the change running through my body, like a tiny flicker of energy running through me for a brief second. Sofia's eyes grew wider. I drew in a deep breath to steady myself and focus on the illusion.

"Can you turn around or close your eyes so I can put something on then?"

I followed Sofia's demand with trepidation. Not only did I not like the idea of turning my back on her, I also wasn't keen on leaving her gorgeous legs out of sight.

"Is it Gael? Did something happen to him?" I heard her say as she slipped into her clothes. From the sound of it, it was a pair of jeans. Damn. Hopefully, they were tight ones.

"Well?" She tapped me on the shoulder and I turned to face her. The full impact of her eyes hit me. My mouth went dry. She raised her brows impatiently. "Do you understand me?"

I nodded. "The emergency is home."

"You mean my mother? What happened?" Panic crossed her face. So her mother was her weak point. I put on my most apologetic expression.

"I don't know any details."

"Right. Of course no one would tell you since you're not family."

She sure did all the work for me. "Please." I pointed at the door. She hesitated but followed me downstairs nonetheless. That was about as far as my plan went.

The reception stood as empty as before. "Where's the phone?" Sofia asked, looking around. The air crackled behind her and Amber appeared. I frowned. Sofia turned and followed my line of vision, surprise written on her face. "Where did you—"

"Just do me a favor and don't throw up all over me," Amber whispered as she wrapped her arm around Sofia's shoulder. An instant later, they were gone. My concentration broke and my body turned back into my normal self. I opened the entrance door and slammed into Aidan. Cass regarded me coolly but didn't get involved.

"She teleported her out of here," I hissed.

"So?" Aidan shrugged. "Your job's done. We're taking over from here. Go home."

That was the deal, and yet the idea enraged me. "No." A growl gathered at the back of my throat.

"Whatever, mate. Suit yourself." Aidan held out his hand. "Need a lift?"

I grabbed it and regretted it almost instantly when a vacuum pulled me in. My stomach turned, my head began to spin. It was quickly over but the feeling of nausea remained. I bowled over, ready to empty the contents of my stomach, only then noticing a pretty brunette watching me from the corner of the room.