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I NEEDED TO GET THE hell out of this bar. Red’s leg on the bench seat was close enough to mine that I could feel her warmth, and my fingers itched to reach out and squeeze her thigh. How in god’s name did she move in those tight leather pants, anyway?
She leaned in, her wine-colored lips grinning at me. “So, are you here on business or pleasure?”
That was the million-dollar question, wasn’t it? I’d believed I was here to find out more about what sort of trouble Alexia was into and to hopefully track down her killer. That was clearly business. But by her letter she’d clearly intended something else entirely.
Dear V – Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. I set you up. Damn right I did. You see I’ve been to the Hotel about half a dozen times over the last several months, and until this week I’d never once taken the time to enjoy it. But a paradigm shift happens when you know your own death is imminent. You realize the things that have been missing in your life and decide to do something about it.
So to answer your first question, yes, I received my death vision. In just a few days I’ll get killed in a bar while tailing my contact, a squirrely little dude. He’s got oops, almost forgot what the plan is here. Don’t worry, I’ll give you more information after you’ve enjoyed your little vacay. Just go to Selena and she’ll give you the second envelope ...
Speaking of that sexy vixen . . . I did everything I could to get her to entertain me during my last stay, but she shot me down each time. All that is to say, don’t bother... there must be a rule of hers about sleeping with guests. But never fear ... I found another outstanding female companion to pass the time with and even knowing my days are numbered, it was well worth it.
So get out there, V. Take a load off and have some fun. It’s okay to smile. To laugh. To fuck like a bunny. <wink, wink>
Now while I still have the balls to admit it, I want you to know how much I appreciate the kind of friend you’ve been to me. You took a runny-nosed brat and gave her a chance to prove herself as a Neutralizer. I don’t care what the big guy upstairs says. You’re one helluva an angel to me.
Yours, Alexia
“Hello? Did I lose you?”
I shook my head and looked back at Red. “Business. Maybe.”
The leather of the seat protested as it rubbed against the same material encasing her shapely leg when she moved to cross it over her thigh. “You know, this is a first for me. I’ve never had a man get lost staring out into space when I’m trying to come on to him.”
My mouth opened to retort, but she waved her hand in front of me to stop my words. I was struck again by her wanton allure. The contrast of auburn hair to ivory skin made it nearly impossible not to reach up and touch her. I wanted to run my finger from the spot just beneath her ear down her neck to the swell of her breast.
“Whew!” She licked her lips and inched away from me. “You run hot and cold, don’t you? One minute you’re blowing me off, and the next you’re looking like you want me to blow you. So, I’m going to do you a favor here. Clearly you’ve got something pretty important on your mind, so I’m going to sit back away from you and let you get it off your chest.”
“I don’t need to get anything off my chest.” As soon as I said the words, my eyes once again delved down to her rack. I cleared my throat and picked up my glass.
“C’mon, I’m a good listener. And I can be trusted with secrets. You can even change the names to protect the innocent. Or not so innocent, if that be the case.”
Gritting my teeth, I tried to ignore her, but even though she’d moved as far away from me as possible on the booth, I could still feel her presence like a beacon.
“Is it about a girl? It is, isn’t it?”
The woman was as tenacious as a dog with a bone.
“Yes, but not in the way you’re suggesting. She was a protégé of mine. Strictly business.”
Business? She considered you a friend. Can’t you at least admit she meant something to you, too?
Red’s head bobbed up and down, and she exchanged her playful expression for a somber one. “She was a protégé. Meaning she’s dead.”
It wasn’t a question, and I didn’t respond. I just brought the glass to my lips and swallowed down the last of my liquor. Immediately I wanted another. And as if by magic, there was Selena with a refill.
“Thanks,” I muttered.
“So is your ‘business” what led to her death? No, no, I’m not asking for details about what you do, just trying to get it lined up in my brain.”
“Yes. What we do is dangerous,” I admitted, tapping the table with my index finger.
“And you feel responsible.”
I opened my mouth to argue, then snapped it closed. My brooding frown turned into a scowl. Refusing to look at the woman sitting next to me, I simply stared at the amber liquid in my glass. After a second, my eyes flicked to the bright blue drink in hers, and I cocked my head to the side. “What the hell is that, anyway?”
“A blue devil. My favorite. Well, let me clarify. It is my favorite here at the Hotel. I’ve never found anyone anywhere else who can make it like Selena.” I leaned in as if revealing a secret. “I think she spikes it with demon blood.”
Narrowing my eyes, I stared at her, then exhaled loudly. “Are you always so sarcastic?”
“I’m always full of shit, yes.”
She brought the blue-filled glass to her lips, eyeing me over the rim as she drank. I watched her throat move as she swallowed, and my mouth turned dry as I imagined suckling the beautiful skin there.
Shaking my head, I forced my vision away again. “I do feel responsible. I was told she might need help. But another friend needed me, and I went to her first. By the time I could look for my protégé, it was too late.”
“That gnaws on a person. Tough pill to swallow when you let something come between you and your job and then things go bad.”
I had the feeling she was speaking from experience. I studied her as she let her eyes wander a little, clearly lost in her own thoughts. “What kind of work are you in?”
After just a moment’s hesitation, the impish smile returned to her face. “Ah, ah, ah. You ask me, and I’ll have to ask you. It’s all fun and games until someone spills their guts.”
“How do I know you can’t read my thoughts anyway? I haven’t been able to figure what kind of MAUC you are.”
“Well, just rest easy. I can’t read your mind.”
She didn’t offer any more, and I figured telling me what kind of MAUC she happened to be was off-limits, so I let that subject drop. My gaze wandered the bar, my mind sensing the different emotions of the inhabitants. I couldn’t read minds either, but my powers allowed me to sense the emotive signals most people gave off. I was picking up a certain indicator in particular at that moment. “You could have your pick of almost any man in this place. They all have their eyes on you right this minute. Why are you sitting here wasting your time on me? I told you I wasn’t interested.”
“Well, I always did love a challenge. And you’re absolutely interested. You just don’t want to admit it yet.”
The woman was unbelievably exasperating.
“Also, I want to take you back to my room and do very naughty things to you. I want that so badly that I’m willing to take the chance of being humiliated if you shoot me down again. So, what do you say, Vicente? Care to leave all that guilt and angst behind and take a tumble in the sheets with me?”