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“IT’S KAI.” HIS RICH voice filtered toward her.
Adara opened the door, and a breathtaking sight greeted her. Kai wore an elegant indigo-blue suit with a slight iridescent sharkskin shimmer. His thick black hair had been brushed away from his face and allowed to fall into waves at his nape. A half smile added allure to his handsome face. If Armani were looking for their next ad campaign, this would be it.
“You look good.” Hell, that was an understatement. Kai always looked good, but at the moment his attractiveness had exploded like a supernova. She leaned close. The fresh scent of citrus and spice wafted her way. “And smell nice too.”
“The Fae spritzed me up with some sort of Trade Winds cologne.” His gaze traveled over her. Approval beamed from his half-smile. “It made me think of home. I actually got a little emotional when I smelled it.” He whistled. “I hope this doesn’t sound unprofessional, but you’re freaking gorgeous! This dress is killer on you. Man, oh, man. Who knew?” A hazy, faraway look softened his expression. “For certain you’re going to attract attention inside the convention.”
Stunned by his overwhelming response, she forgot to breathe, think, or respond in a polite manner. “Which Fae assistant did you work with? I had no idea there were so many Fae in Vegas. Did you?”
“I’ve only been here a few months. Gisele is the first Fae I’ve ever met. Nice lady.”
“She did an amazing job, didn’t she? What was her assistant’s name?”
He shook his head. “What assistant? Gisele went with me. She chose this suit and gave me quite a bossy lecture about my personal life too.”
“That’s not possible. Gisele was in here helping me.”
A big grin did little to mask his confusion. “I don’t think so. Gisele took me into the hotel’s premier boutique and helped me pick out this suit. Sorry we were gone so long, but we had the suit altered on the spot. Then we made a trip to the jewelry store. We spent almost forty-five minutes there.” He tugged his sleeves down and revealed a pair of glittering sapphire cufflinks. “Nice, aren’t they?”
“No way! I’ve been here for thirty minutes tops. Gisele did my makeup in a rush, handed me the dress, and left.”
“I’m digging the dress.” His sensuous eyes fell to half-mast. “You look like a pinup.”
The part of her that was used to being the invisible woman who roamed the gaming pit peeking at other people’s thoughts felt genuinely exposed for the first time in her life. She wasn’t sure how to react. A quick glance at her phone confirmed her suspicions. “It’s almost five! The occult arts convention officially opens in ten minutes. We haven’t even done any recon. I haven’t reviewed a list of attendees. I’m totally unprepared. Roy is probably hysterical by now. I wonder how many more people have died during our missing-time incident.”
“Calm down. I’ve checked in with Roy a couple times. We’re good. Nothing new has happened.”
Her heart raced. “Okay, but there’s something else. I called my mother to ask if she knew a Fae named Gisele. She did, but also mentioned Gisele had a twin sister.”
He raised his hands. “Well, there you go. Mystery solved.”
She struggled to collect her thoughts, but it wasn’t easy with Kai staring at her like she was a decadent chocolate sundae with a cherry on top. “What about the missing time?”
“Time is relative. To be honest, I was enjoying myself.”
“But wait, there’s more. One of the twin Fae, Ophelia, is a troublemaker and probably shouldn’t be trusted.”
Turning in a slow circle, he made an appeal to an imaginary audience. “Check out this rockin’ suit! Eight grand off the rack. They just handed it to me, no questions asked. Same thing at the jewelry store. I’m pretty sure I got the good twin.”
“Stop modeling the merchandise and let’s get some intel from Roy before we walk into the convention cold.”
“Unnecessary.” Kai withdrew a slender portfolio from the lining of his jacket and opened it. “Roy threw this together. Everything we need is here. VIP passes to get into the convention. That means premium booze on the house. Too bad we can’t drink on the job. We have fake IDs.” He squinted at a laminated card and frowned. “Well, lookie here. I’m Jason Bourne.”
“No way!” She tried to grab the card from his hand, but he held it beyond reach.
“I’m joking.” He cleared his throat. “The name’s Bond. Jason Bond.”
“Not very convincing.” She giggled. “Who am I?”
Kai smiled like a big, sweet-natured kid. “Pussy Galore.”
“It’s not!”
“How about Curvy Swervy? Bunny Booty? Busty McYum?”
Laughter bubbled out of her. “Roy wouldn’t do that to me.”
“No, he wouldn’t.” He showed Adara her ID card. “Susan Smith.”
“Uh. How dull. He couldn’t even give Smith a y and an e?”
“Smith’s just a placeholder.” Kai reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. He handed it to her. “This is a loan from the jewelry store.”
She opened the box. A delicate gold band with a vibrant square-cut aquamarine glittered inside. The moment she saw it, her heart leaped. “It’s beautiful! I get to wear this?”
He plucked the ring from the box and slipped it onto her ring finger. “Our cover is we came to Vegas for the convention as a team. Roy has something planned. I’m not clear on the details, but the general idea is we’re going to deliberately draw attention and provoke jealousy. So we need to act like a couple.”
“Oh, that’s right. I almost forgot.”
“I didn’t.” The way he looked at her was so intense she had a hard time returning his gaze. He rummaged through the portfolio and pulled out two golden key cards. “It gets even better. Roy booked us into Poseidon’s penthouse suite. The big one.”
She was giddy. “No!”
“Yes.” A faint smile shimmered on his lips as he handed her a card. “It’s ours, all three thousand square feet of it. I’ll admit I wasn’t crazy about the idea at first, but I’ll assume Roy knows what he’s doing. We’re supposed to be a successful power couple, and this is part of our profile.” He pulled a glittering silver clutch the shape of a tiny seashell from the interior of his jacket. “Empty the pockets of your uniform and put everything inside this.” He handed her the purse.
“I love it!” She turned it over. “It can’t hold much more than a lipstick and a phone.”
“And a key card.”
“That’s right. I almost forgot I’m not going home to my little rental guesthouse tonight.” She gazed at him with admiration. Damn, the man looked like sex in a suit. “Gisele did a great job dressing you, us. I was afraid we were going to be handed floor-length black dusters and a gnarled staff with a cobra head carved on the tip, and pointed into Ballroom C. The Fae got it right. I love all of it. The purse, ring—”
His chin dipped. A flirty looked crossed his face. “Gisele chose the purse. I chose the ring.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I enjoyed doing it, which sort of came as a surprise. Shopping’s usually not my thing. It took a long time to narrow it down. I wanted to get it right.”
“You could have chosen anything. We’re just pretending to be a couple.”
“I still wanted to see you smile.”
Adara glanced at her hand. The stone sparkled like warm tide lapping on the beach. “You did great. I’ll be honest, I feel like Cinderella. When the clock strikes midnight, it’s going to be pretty hard to give all the goodies back.”
He motioned toward her uniform and handed her a large Mylar envelope. “Bag it. Burt will drop by and pick it up. He’s working on the inside with us. Make sure your real ID is inside. Don’t take it into the convention. Is your phone fully charged?”
“Yes.”
“Good. We’re not going to risk wearing a wire. Roy’s got mics and a bird’s-eye view of every angle of the ballroom.” He looped the VIP pass around her neck and brushed a strand of fiery hair from her bare shoulder. His gentle touch lingered a heartbeat too long then traced down the side of her bare arm. “Ready?”
“No.” She sighed. “I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.”
The glowing lights on the vanity were reflected in his eyes. “Neither do I. We’ll just have to improvise and play the part. You and I will go up there and start meeting and greeting and see if we can’t figure out what this weird gathering of wizards, sorcerers, and shit is all about. With luck, we’ll stop the killer and help put the right perp behind bars. Does that sound like a plan?”
She straightened her hem. “Let’s go before my nerves get the better of me.”
With a flourish, he offered his crooked arm. “Come along, Susan. It’s time to get into character.”
* * * *
THEY ARRIVED OUTSIDE Ballroom C. The doors were shut and a sign-in table draped in black crepe dominated the entrance. An eccentrically dressed crowd had gathered. A large innocuous plaque devoid of any hint of arcane associations was placed on an easel near the entrance: WELCOME OAC MEMBERS.
Arm in arm, they strolled past the mob and waited in front of the door, apart from the others. Kai enjoyed having Adara at his side. It surprised him how comfortable it was to be in her company. She was smart and funny, which was a good thing since they were going to have to pawn themselves off as a couple until Roy said stop.
She looked gorgeous too, everything he loved in a woman rolled into one package. He’d always thought she was cute, but hot damn, the aqua dress was going to test his moral resolve to the max. Thank God she couldn’t read his thoughts because he was wishing they could skip the convention altogether and head straight to the penthouse to break a headboard and mess up the sheets.
He allowed his hand to settle on the small of her back and noticed she was trembling. The desire to shield her surged to the surface. He questioned Roy’s judgment in exposing her to so many metaphysical landmines. What if a jealous wizard or sorceress decided to turn on her and rip her heart out? In all likelihood, he could do nothing to prevent it. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “How are you feeling, Susan?”
“Antsy, Jason. Very antsy,” she mumbled. “Especially after what we saw earlier today. Somebody in this crowd is capable of committing some nasty shit. I’m still flying blind too. I can’t read any of these people.”
“Just remember,” he whispered tenderly, “we’re a team, and I’ve got your back.”
She smiled and his heart melted. “I just want to go inside and get this over with. I hope to God no one recognizes us as hotel employees.”
“Hey, you!” A snarling man nearly lost inside a baggy monk-like robe and cowl pointed at Kai and Adara. “Can’t you s-see there’s a line?” A lisp made the man sound like a talking snake. “No cuts-s-s!” Spittle sprayed from his mouth. “Read the s-s-sign. We don’t tolerate gate-crashing. Show your ID and s-sign in like everyone else!”
With a slight eye roll, Adara moved toward the sign-in area.
Spittle man lisped. “S-s-show your ID.”
She fished it out of the sparkly purse. “Here you go.” With a flick of her finger, she brought his attention to her VIP pass.
“S-smith.” More moisture flew through the air. “Nice name.” He shot her a dubious look. “S-s-sign here.” He shoved a clipboard into her hands. “You’ll have to initial the s-s-safety waiver at the bottom releasing the OAC of all liability.”
Kai leaned over Adara’s shoulder to steal a peek. “There’s a safety waiver? Is that necessary?”
“You bet it is-s!” The man’s eyes bugged. “There will be a lot going on in the way of commercial recruitment. Professional-level wizardry, s-sorcery, and what-have-you will be demonstrated in the open. The competition for the highest-paying contracts-s is going to be fierce. Once the doors-s open, you’re on your own, s-suckers.”
Adara grabbed a pen from the table and signed the waiver. “Sounds exciting.” She handed the clipboard to Kai. “Here you go, Jason. You need to sign.”
He accepted the pen from Adara and almost scribbled his real name before hastily scrawling J. Bond. He set the clipboard on the table then led Adara by the hand to back of the line.
Along the way, they attracted the interest of their fellow convention goers, who gave them a thorough once-over. When they reached the end of the queue, he drew her close and kissed the crown of her head. Then he brought her hand to his lips and slowly kissed each finger one by one.
She looked at him with cheeks flushed. “What was that for?”
He brushed his lips against her ear. “I’m just establishing to the group that we come as a pair.”
“Oh.” She nodded.
“Kiss me.” His voice was husky.
“What?”
“Don’t argue, kiss me. There’s a woman standing a few yards behind you who has a very disturbing vibe. She’s staring at us with daggers for eyes. Let’s see if we can provoke her a little more.”
“Why would she care if I kissed you?”
“Just do it.”
“I will, but only because I’m a professional.” With a smile, Adara placed her hand on his face. Even in heels, she was forced to stand on tiptoe. Her fingertips grazed the rough stubble on his jaw. She brushed her lips against his then pressed harder with a real kiss that lingered and took his breath. When she pulled away, her eyes were full of fire.
He grasped her wrist and held on, wanting the moment to last. “I know we’re doing this for work, but damn, I like it.”
The look on her face was one of startled wonder. For a moment, he was genuinely afraid he might have started a fire he couldn’t control. Anyone watching would have sensed the electricity zipping between them like the catalyst to a nuclear reaction. The feeling was intense and came on fast. Adara was so unlike any woman from his past, but hell, considering his lousy track record, that was probably a good thing.
A gong was struck and the crowd murmured. The woman in black who’d been staring snatched her gaze away. The twin doors of the cavernous ballroom swung open to reveal a raucous party atmosphere in full swing. It looked more like a discotheque than a gathering of serious occult practitioners. The room was dimly lit with a spinning mirror ball above shooting rainbow light in every direction. Multiple big-screen televisions were set up around the room, playing various loops of footage. A central raised stage was draped in black cloth.
A pretty girl dressed as an usherette motioned for everyone to enter. “Have your passes ready!” she shouted above the din of a live DJ spinning records. When they reached the front of the line, Kai displayed his VIP pass.
The usherette flashed a sunny smile. “VIP has open-bar privileges. Our sponsor, Red Eagle Corp, would like to invite you both into their private VIPs-only lounge.”
He wrapped his arm around Adara’s waist. “And where is the lounge?”
“Inside to your left. Wait at the velvet rope and a bodyguard will let you in.”
The woman in black stood a few yards away, scowling.
Adara turned away from the dour woman and leaned close. “Well, you were right. That odd woman is definitely staring at us, and she doesn’t look happy.”
Kai glanced over his shoulder. The woman’s ink-black hair was pulled away from her face. Tinted sunglasses masked her eyes. Her sallow complexion was paired with a shapeless black dress and elbow-length gloves. The outfit was unembellished by color or jewelry of any kind, lending her the overall appearance of a Greek widow. All that was missing was a dark veil. Wishing to draw her out, he used his friendliest voice. “This is our first occult arts convention. How about you?”
The lady seemed startled to be spoken to. “I attended last year’s.” The tone of her voice was formal and her pronunciation correct.
“Jason Bond.” He turned and offered his hand, and for the second time that day it went unclaimed. “My specialty is hexing encodements; you know, magic-infused industrial encryption... decryptions, that sort of stuff.” Oh, God, he was just rambling. If he wasn’t careful he’d quickly forget what he’d told her.
Adara jumped in. “He’s being modest. Jason is an expert in virtual security. That’s how we met. I asked him to mentor me. It worked out well.”
The lady’s gaze traveled back and forth between them like a tennis volley. “When did you meet?”
“About a year ago,” he blurted.
“Six months ago,” Adara chimed at almost the same moment.
The woman frowned “Which is it?”
“A year and six months ago.” Adara’s answer was breathy.
“Interesting.” The woman leaned closer to examine Adara’s VIP pass. “Susan Smith? It’s funny, you don’t look like a Susan, but you do look familiar. I’m good with faces and voices. I never forget one. Help me out.” The line of her mouth drew taut. “Where have I seen you before?”
“I—I don’t,” Adara verbally stumbled. “I don’t know.”
“I do.” The woman paused. A smug smile flickered on her lips. “You work as a croupier in the casino, don’t you?”
“You must be mistaken.” Adara shrank back.
“I don’t think so.” The woman reached into a black satin bag and pulled out a black business card embossed with a silver spider web. The card listed a phone number and the words, ‘La Araña.’ She tapped a gloved finger to the printed name. “Don’t lose the card. You’ll want to call me. In the future we’ll be working together.”
Adara stroked her palm against Kai’s chest in a sweet but possessive way that he had to admit he enjoyed. “I work with him.”
La Araña lifted her empty hands to Heaven. “I sense you’re the talented one. I have no use for him.”
Adara recoiled. “Sorry. We come as a pair.” She burrowed her hand inside his jacket.
“What a pity.” With her chin held high, La Araña walked through the open doors.
Kai watched La Araña go, not liking her focused interest in Adara. “That was uncomfortable.” He pulled Adara aside so others could enter the ballroom. Once a line of people passed, he spoke softly. “We haven’t even entered the convention and we’ve already been recognized. So much for Roy’s plan. What do you think? Should we keep going as is, or improvise?”
“I don’t know. I wish my soulscanning skills were working. But no special skills needed to know La Araña gave me the creeps. She said I looked familiar, but so did she. I suppose she could have been hanging around the pit and I’ve forgotten her.”
He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. “I don’t like that she singled you out and didn’t want me. She had a divide-and-conquer attitude. I’m not turning my back on you for a moment.”
She fondled the VIP pass. “What do we do? Walk around with these ridiculous nametags and just ask people if they’re the killer?” Her face flushed pink and steam rose off her shoulders. The edge of the pass melted in her hands and released a burning plastic smell. “Oh!” She blew on the singed material to cool it. “Terrific! Now I have to deal with this.”
He stared mouth agape. “What just happened?”
“I’m embarrassed. It’s involuntary. When I get anxious, my inner firebrand kicks in.”
“You’re an empath and a firebrand too? Wow, double threat.”
“I’ve never been able to develop or control it. My skills are nothing like my father’s. He’s impressive.”
“So this only happens when you’re nervous or scared?”
“You’ve gotta understand, I’m not used to being in a crowd and being unable to read anyone. My armor has been stripped away. It’s frustrating to know a killer is loose and likely choosing his next victim right this minute and I can’t pinpoint them.”
The worried look on her face tugged at his heart. Poor thing, she was scared. Hell, they both might be in over their heads. “That does it. I’m calling Roy and requesting he put us on the investigation from another angle. This just isn’t going to work.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and hit speed dial.
She looked appalled. “Kai, wait! Don’t make me sorry that I confided in you.”
Roy picked up on the second ring. “What’s up? Where are you and Adara? You should be inside by now.”
He licked his lips, questioning if he was doing the right thing. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. Adara’s vulnerable and she’s already been recognized. I want to take her out of the situation.”
She tried to get hold of the phone, but he wouldn’t let her.
“No!” Roy’s response was almost desperate. “Homicide has got nothing. They don’t know what they’re dealing with and still haven’t found a trace of Charles Coldburn’s heart. I need you both in there, if only as two more pairs of ears and eyes. I’ve got your backs. Burt’s working the floor too, and he’s a mere human, for Christ’s sake. Can’t you just walk around the convention and eavesdrop a little? On the off chance we discover something, we can point the Vegas Metro PD in the right direction.”
Adara nodded. “Roy’s right. Let’s do it.”
He hung his head. “Okay, but you stay at my side, all right?”
They walked inside the convention and were instantly assaulted by loud music and flashing lights.
* * * *
“WOW.” ADARA WINCED at the harsh lights and siren-like music. “We’re being clubbed to death by the DJ.”
Kai laughed at her awful joke. He was such a nice guy. She loved that he was protective of her. For once in her life, she’d been paired with a nonhuman—er, half human—and damn if it didn’t feel right. A fellow elemental, even an opposite one, was surprisingly easy to be with. The situation was too new to know how to feel, but every time she looked his way her heart did a funny little somersault.
He placed his hand on her waist and steered her through the crowd. Kai attracted many admiring glances. The beautiful aquamarine on her finger shimmered. She was quick to remind herself they were on a mission that would end the moment a killer was caught. Soon her dress, the ring, and even Kai’s looks of approval would turn back into pumpkins.
They strolled past a bustling bar, four deep with patrons. A waiter bumped against her arm. She glanced at him, expecting a muttered apology, and heard a familiar voice instead.
“Howdy, miss.” Burt winked and handed her a tall amber drink garnished with mint and lemon.
Happy to see a friend’s face, she accepted the glass. “Are you accidentally on purpose handing me a Long Island Iced Tea?” she asked hopefully.
Burt shook his head. “It’s just plain iced tea. Sorry.” He offered a highball to Kai.
Kai examined the beverage. “I suppose it’s safe to assume this isn’t fifty-year-aged Glenfiddich?”
“It’s fifty-minute-aged Lipton’s, enjoy.” Burt scratched beneath his cuffs. “That damn cat really did a number on my arms. I’m itching like crazy.”
Adara stared at him with concern. Burt didn’t look right. He appeared feverish and wild-eyed. “I thought you had the rest of the day off?”
Burt shrugged. “I decided I was good to work. Besides, I’m the only nonparanormal on this case who knows about the two of you. I’m watching your back.” He tilted his head and stared over her shoulder. “You have a few weirdos checking you out right now. By the way, be sure to hit the buffet. No disappointment there. The grilled lion’s paw scallops glazed in apricot sugar are delicious. I’ve eaten four already and I’m going back for more.”
Adara toasted him with her tea. “I better get to work.” She turned and surveyed the room. Aside from the excess of skull-themed jewelry and pentagrams embellished on everything, the crowd was disappointingly average in appearance. There were a few in elegant business attire, no doubt dressing to impress. She mentally put herself and Kai in that category. The rest were a sea of baseball caps and quarter-sleeve shirts who looked like they would be equally comfortable attending a sporting goods convention. No one stood out as particularly malignant.
Kai leaned close. “I feel better knowing Burt’s in here with us.”
“Me too.” She glanced at the faces in the crowd, none of which she could get a read on. “Although, the poor guy didn’t look good.”
“No, he didn’t.” He scanned the room. “Maybe we should be keeping an eye on Burt.”
“That’s not a bad idea. Why don’t I do a little recon by myself and see if I can lure the lady in black to talk to me again?”
“Okay, but stay in the room. I haven’t eaten all day. I’m going to get a couple of those lion’s paw scallops before they run out. Do you want anything?”
“I’m good. I think I’ll take a stroll around the room and see who’s here.”
He kissed her cheek. “Be careful. Call if you need me.”
Her skin tinged from his touch. “Did you do that for show?” she whispered.
His dark eyes sparkled. “No. I kissed you because you look amazing in that dress. I know the moment I walk out of sight, a pack of hungry wolves will come sniffing around and circle you.” He winked. “I’ll be right back to chase them away.”
She loved the way he looked at her and hoped that maybe, just maybe, a bit of the parts they were playing could actually be real. No man had ever acted so protective of her in a crowd or made her wish they were alone in a broom closet, ripping the clothes off one another.
As soon as she stepped away from Kai, several men looked in her direction and followed her with their gazes. The sensation of being coveted or studied was novel and unsettling. One man stared at her ass and smirked.
“This is what women put up with every day? Jeez,” she muttered.
Was it the dress, or something more? For once, men were definitely looking at her with interest. The first few minutes standing alone with others actively checking her out was disconcerting. With her soulscanning abilities deactivated, had she somehow become less invisible to humans?
She wished Kai were at her side and realized she should have let him bring back a damn lion’s paw scallop. Aside from being a broad-shouldered hunk, he seemed like the sort of guy who knew what he wanted from life and wouldn’t let go once he had it. Being with someone decisive like that would sure make life easier. She needed someone to say, “Hey, you, get in my bed! Let’s make each other happy for the next fifty years.”
A vibrant sense of self-confidence and pride to be working with him overwhelmed her. She was supposed to be searching for a killer in the crowd, but instead she couldn’t stop thinking about Kai. With a gentle touch, she took hold of the necklace and stroked the crystal heart.
Maybe Gisele’s enchantment was legit? Could this be what the first stage of falling in love was like—obsession? She’d always thought Kai was attractive, but had she ever really noticed how quick-witted and kind he was? No, of course not. This was all new. The aquamarine was heavenly. He’d put some effort into his choice of a ring and hell, he barely knew her. It felt great to receive a gift from him, even if it was just a loaner.
Worry set in. What if the boon went sour? Trusting a Fae was a sure way to reap disappointment. Why had she done it? She knew better. Was she really so pathetic and lonely that she’d fall for an illusion sure to fade? What a drag. Enchantments be damned; they were probably unnecessary anyway. She suspected she would have made Kai her first choice of a first lover under any circumstances.
Taking slow aimless steps, she strolled through the crowd. Everyone was chatting, exchanging business cards, or draining drinks as fast as they could pluck them from the waiters’ trays. None of the activity looked suspicious, let alone evil. She didn’t get far before a well-dressed man with silver temples approached.
“Look at us!” He lifted the pass that was hung around his neck. “We’re both VIPs. Cool.”
A silent observer by nature, she had no easy response beyond a nod.
He shifted his stance. “When I saw you in line, I promised myself I was going to talk to you. There’s something different about you. I can’t put my finger on exactly what that might be, but my guess is you’re something special. I’ve got a sixth sense for that sort of thing. Nothing gets past me. Please tell me you’re ready to ditch Mr. GQ and have some real fun?”
Where do these guys come from? Do women ever respond favorably to this sort of crap? Adara held up the ring. “Me and GQ are an item.”
“A man’s gotta right to ask.” A sheepish grin crossed his face. “So, when do you think this event will really kick off?”
She waved a hand through the air. “Hasn’t it already started? It looks like everyone is inside. I heard the buffet is good.”
His gray eyes narrowed to slits. “If I were you, I wouldn’t touch the buffet.” He pointed at her glass. “Or the drinks.”
A hint of alarm entered her voice. “Why is that?”
“Have you ever been to one of these gatherings?”
His overt interest in her left her on high alert. “This is my first.”
Offering his hand, he loomed closer. “My name’s Marvin Appledore. I’m a White Star, dark order of the unholy Morg, master of molecular chemistry. What’s your specialty?”
“Intel,” she blurted.
“How do you gather it? Chemically coerced, or otherwise physically forced confession? Dark enchantments?”
What a disgusting accusation. She shook her head. “Etheric. Noninvasive.”
Leaning in to her face, he gently touched the tip of his finger to the crystal heart dangling below the hollow of her throat. “I figured something like that. You don’t look like a mean witch.”
She was tempted to swat his wandering hand away from her precious necklace, but managed to restrain herself. “I’m not mean or a witch.”
He looked intrigued. “What are you, sweetheart?”
Adara hoped she sounded flirty and not nervous as shit. “It’s a secret.”
“You can tell me anything.” With a wink and a smirk, he took the drink from her hand and placed it on a near table. His gaze lingered on her VIP pass and breasts. “It’s nice to meet you, Susan. Whatever you are. You look like a nice girl, so I’m going to do you a favor and clue you in. This is definitely a BYOB type of event.”
Wishing Kai were at her side to hear what this guy had to say in person, she scanned the buffet line but didn’t see him. “Why is that?”
“Seriously?” He laughed, exposing white horse-like teeth. “Think about it. Look at the herd milling around the buffet. Hexing the food would be the easiest way to get most of the competition to turn around and stampede back to their hotel rooms clutching their bellies. That is, if they make it. Most won’t. When the tummies start rumbling, it’s time to duck and cover, drop and roll. Housekeeping will have a bitch of a time steam-cleaning this much carpeting.” He looked amused. “All I’m sayin’ is, craps ain’t just a table game. Vegas humor. Get it?”
Alarm made her voice crack. “Why would someone poison their fellow conventioneers?”
“Not poison.” With a hand-spinning gesture, he attempted to clear her comment from the air. “Hex. I use my molecular mastery skills mostly in food industry applications, but I’m looking to upsell my marketability. Ever eaten a Rancheeto potato chip, the kind with extra ranch dressing and nacho cheese flavor? Of course you have. They’re fucking delicious. Let me ask you this—have you ever ripped open a fresh bag, eaten the recommended ten potato chip serving, and stopped there? Of course not. No one does. I did that.” He tapped his chest. “You’re looking at the man who made Rancheetos irresistible. After the third chip, everyone turns into a ravaging bottomless pit. My spell was genius, but the idiot CEO of Rancheetos didn’t see it that way and fired me for breach of public safety. I kissed that unappreciative bullshit good-bye. Now, I’m looking for the sort of employer who can see my true worth. I say think big or go home.”
Where the hell was Kai? “Isn’t that a dangerous admission to make? What if I decide to report you?”
“Admission? This is my calling card! I want everyone here to know I did it. Baby doll, this event is my entry to the big time. Once the higher-ups see what I can do, I’ll be writing my own ticket. To celebrate, I rented the grand suite. That’s where you come into my plan. I always need good intel. We could help each other. Maybe we should talk later. You know, in my suite?”
This was almost too easy. Marvin was singing like a bird. “Which employer’s attention are you trying to get?”
“No way.” He glanced away, face flustered. “You’re not going to trick me into saying his name. You’ll have to prove you’re trustworthy first. A beautiful girl like you could waltz right past me and leave me in the dust. If you want the supersized payday and a ride in the private jet, you’ve got to be on my team.”
“You have a private jet?”
“Not yet, but I will. Look at the big picture. Remember, others are watching this convention from remote locations.”
“For real?”
“Hell yeah. This isn’t just a party to meet peers—it’s an annual showcase event. You do know that, don’t you? If I gain the patronage of a certain eccentric billionaire who will not be named, I’ll win an exclusive contract to commit industrial black sorcery with all the perks thrown in. A huge prize has been offered to the winner or the winning team who demonstrates the most valuable skill set. That’s why I’m in Vegas! I came here to build my ‘A-Team.’ I’m all about winning. We should join forces.”
She fought the impulse to roll her eyes. “Pity the fool who can’t see you’re a genius.”
He nodded. “Exactly.”
A woman at the buffet table threw back her head and released a string of loud chicken clucks. “Pock, pock, pock!” With elbows bent, she wildly flapped her arms and turned in a circle, causing others to scatter. “Pock, pock, pock!”
“Look!” Marvin tsked with glee. “She ate the Buffalo wings.” He beamed a self-satisfied smile. “And so it begins.”
“Oh, my God.” Adara reached for her phone, ready to call for help. “Is this your handiwork? What did you do to her?” She rushed forward.
“You know the saying ‘you are what you eat’?” Marvin seized Adara’s arm and drew her back. “I’d keep a safe distance if I were you.”
“I’m not going to stand here and do nothing. What if she needs medical assistance?” She broke free of Marvin’s grip and rushed toward the buffet.
“Wait!” He followed close behind, grabbed her shoulder, and brought her to a halt. “An Alka-Seltzer and an early night and she’ll be fine tomorrow. The woman either has a highly susceptible temperament or else she simply ate a shitload of hot wings.”
La Araña sauntered past and shot Adara an inscrutable look. She headed to the buffet and dramatically plucked her hands free of the opera-length gloves one finger at a time, then leaned over a heaped platter of steamed crustaceans. After selecting a long, spindly Alaskan king crab leg, she turned to face Adara and made a show of sucking the meat from the hollow tube like she was fellating it. The lewd gesture was topped off with a few sloppy licks. With nonchalance, she discarded the empty shell on the table and sucked her fingers clean.
The disgusting sight was so distracting it took a moment to realize what she had missed. When she saw it, her blood ran cold. What a versatile actress this woman was—her English was perfect. La Araña had a large tattoo of a black tarantula on her wrist.
She reached for her phone. Roy needed to know this, now. As she was dialing, a man bumped into her and kept going. He glided by with his lips pursed in a pouty fish face and fanning his hands through the air like fins. His eyes were devoid of thought as he gracefully ‘swam’ around the room pretending to blow bubbles.
Marvin grinned. “Looks like somebody enjoyed the smoked lox. Let’s watch as he swims upstream to spawn.”
She broke away from Marvin. “Excuse me. I have to make a call.” The phone rang and went to Roy’s voice mail. Damn. Where was Kai, or any security personnel for that matter?
La Araña finished ravishing a second king crab leg and tossed it aside. She stilled with face blanched and released a violent hiccup. Her hand went to her belly and, for a moment, she appeared to be on the verge of panic. Inexplicably, she widened her stance as if she had mounted a Clydesdale. With knees bowed, she squatted low and scuttled sideways, back and forth, opening and closing her hands like pincers. Her swift movements were erratic and she smacked into a man holding a plate full of food, sending the startled gentleman and his buffet choices to the floor with a wet plop.
On tiptoe, La Araña stepped over the fallen man and kept running sideways.
“Idiot!” The man on the floor glowered with coconut shrimp stuck to his cheek.
“This isn’t funny.” Where was Burt? Why wasn’t the rest of the security team already on this?
“Rrrrrw!” The booming roar of a lion brought everyone in the room to a halt.
The DJ stopped playing music and ducked behind his console.
Burt leaped onto the buffet table, snarling and shaking his shaggy mullet like a mane. “Rrrrrw!” He tossed platters of hors d’oeuvres aside and slashed at the air.
People near the buffet dodged the flying plates of food, screaming.
Burt slunk on all fours along the length of the buffet table, crushing or toppling decorative towers of fresh fruit. With claw-like fingers, he batted at a bubbling fountain of lemonade. He growled then bit into a hunk of prime rib and shook it hard, splattering everything in the vicinity with au jus.
Chicken lady glanced at Burt with terror in her eyes. Her flapping arms sped as she raced in circles frantically clucking.
Marvin’s face flushed with pride. “Wow. This is going far better than I dared to hope.”
Burt tilted his head to watch the chicken woman’s chaotic flight. He coiled and, with a powerful burst of momentum, pounced from the table to the floor and chased the frightened woman. He jumped onto her back and knocked her down. With furtive glances, Burt grabbed hold of the woman’s collar with his teeth and dragged her under the buffet table.
“This has to stop! People are getting hurt.” Adara shoved Marvin’s chest. “Undo your hex!”
“Sorry.” He shook his head. “No off switch. Once you eat it, you can’t delete it. They’ll just have to ride it out.”
From the corner of her eye, she saw Kai leap through the air like he was going for an intercept. He landed near the buffet with a somersault and roll. In a single swoosh, he reached under the table, grabbed hold of Burt, and pulled the protesting man away from his prey.
“Dude.” Kai held Burt firmly by the shoulders. “Pull yourself together. We’re going to get you out of here.”
Burt’s behavior was feral. He tried to bite Kai.
The fire department entered the hall, followed by Vegas PD. The exits were sealed and the lights turned up. She saw the true extent of the chaos. Food covered the floors. People hid under tables with their bellies making threatening rumbles.
The sight of gingery hair on one of the cops caught her attention. “Sam!” she called. “Over here!”
Sam headed her way.
Adara grabbed hold of Marvin’s wrists, yanked them behind his back and, with a twist of his thumb, pinned him in an arm lock. She intended to make it as painful as possible and knew she’d succeeded when a high-pitched squeal escaped him. Buckling his knee, she knocked him off balance and sent him to the floor. “Arrest this man!”
Sam leaped on Marvin and cuffed his hands behind back. “What has he done?”
“All of this.” Adara pointed at Mr. Salmon and the chicken lady. “He tainted the buffet. These people will require medical supervision until the effects wear off. I recommend all the uneaten food be collected and treated as biohazard.”
“Oh, God!” The man with coconut shrimp stuck to his face vomited.
“Jeez. What a sicko.” Sam hauled Marvin to his feet. “Typhoid Mary, I gotta read you your rights.”
“Too late!” Marvin bellowed. “I’ve already made my case in public with great success. You’ll never be able to prove anything against me. Two hours from now there will no trace of my hex.”
Blinking, Sam’s mouth gaped. “Did he say hex? What the fuck is he talking about?”
Marvin scowled at Adara. “You’re a disappointment. No private jet for you.”
With a shove, Sam propelled Marvin forward.
“Wait.” She hurried to catch up and slipped La Araña’s card in Sam’s pocket. “The cleaning lady is a fake. I don’t know what she said in her statement this morning, but whatever it was, it’s likely a lie. She’s here dressed in black and scrambling around like a crab.”
Sam looked confused.
She wriggled her fingers in a scurrying motion. “La Araña—‘the spider.’ The woman with the tarantula tattoo? Take a second look at her. Odds are good she’s guilty of something. Get homicide on this ASAP.”
He scanned the room. “Point her out.”
Adara surveyed the crowd. Medics had arrived and the convention hall was looking like a triage station. “I don’t see her. She’s gone.” A fire exit on the far wall had been left ajar. “Holy crap, she might have escaped. We gotta find her.”
Near the buffet, a woman screamed the nerve-shredding cry of a harpy. She fell to the floor sobbing at the foot of a massive mound of shaved ice sculpted into the shape of Mount Fuji.
A crowd gathered to comfort the woman and see what had triggered her anguish.
One glance and the cause was clear. Beneath colorful pieces of sushi, the ice had shifted to reveal the stiffened body of a man. His face was blue and his pale eyes stared at nothing. An apple had been shoved in his distended mouth.