With a graceful arc, Ivan plunged the knife into the witch’s throat and then twisted.
Fire burned up his arm.
He bit back a curse and finished slicing through the last bit of cartilage. Rudger’s head rolled off his body and under the desk.
The smell of blood and burned flesh filled the room. A truly grotesque scent. Ivan wiped the bloody knife on the headless corpse. “Millicent?” he called out.
His secretary, a mousy demon with dirty blond hair and oddly fat thighs, lumbered inside. “Yes, sir?”
“Clean this up.”
Daire crossed his arms over his chest, facing inside the cabin’s cozy bedroom and blocking the way out. He didn’t give one shit whether or not he looked intimidating. He was finished handling Cee Cee with kid gloves, and he was done trying to hold on to patience. He’d never had any, and trying to find some with her had only backfired. So the woman could just get used to the real him, cranky bastard or not. “Talk.”
She backed away until her thighs hit the bed.
After their jaunt in the forest, her eyes glowed with bright contentment, and a flush covered her fine cheekbones. All of her glorious hair cascaded down her back, drying slowly. Her hand trembled as she reached for the bed and sat, scooting back until her shoulders rested against the headboard. “You don’t want to know. Just trust me.”
He barked out a laugh. “Trust you? No dice. Try again.” While he kept his voice hard, he had to appreciate her gumption. Even now, she was trying to play him, which wasn’t easy and definitely took balls. “We’re not moving until you talk.”
She eyed his body, the door, and the rest of the room.
He grinned. “We can fight first, but I don’t play fair, baby.” His legs tensed with the anticipation of a good tackle.
She rolled her eyes. “I’ve already kicked you in the head, and apparently there’s nothing in there. The kick didn’t knock one semblance of sense into you.”
Warmth rolled through his chest. Spunky and cute, wasn’t she? “I do have a hard head.” As did she. In fact, he hadn’t met anybody more stubborn than the little demon. But the woman had a heart, and he could get to it. Though she tried to hide her soft side, she wasn’t very good at it. “You’re hurting my feelings by not trusting me.”
Her eyelashes fluttered, and she studied him, her fingers picking at the bedspread. “I’m trying to protect you from having to make impossible choices, you big oaf.”
“How sweet,” he drawled. “How about you let the big, bad enforcer protect himself?” And her. Whether she liked it or not.
She shook her head. “Go away.”
“Nope.” He let loose his brogue. “Not garna happen. You have a choice here. Either start talking, or I’ll see if you’re ticklish.”
Her eyes widened, and she wrapped her arms around her legs. “You’re joking. The big, bad enforcer tickles for information?”
He slowly nodded, enjoying her discomfort. Yeah, he’d thought she was ticklish after sleeping with her in the tent. When his foot had rubbed the bottom of hers, she’d nearly jumped out of the sleeping bag. Was that only a couple of days ago? “I often tickle for data, and by the panic in your eyes, I’m thinking I’d get what I want.”
She swallowed and didn’t move.
“All right.” He prowled toward her, keeping his movements slow. Where to start? Feet or ribs? He liked her ribs. Then he put one knee on the bed.
“Wait.” She held out a hand. “Fine.”
He bit back another grin. She must be incredibly ticklish, and boy, was he going to explore that later. “Well?”
She drew in a deep breath and then exhaled, dark regret filling her eyes. “Fine, but I warned you. One of the banks I’m planning to rob holds evidence against Simone Brightston, the woman you love as a sister. She’s involved with Bychkov and Rudger, and she owns two of the mines currently supplying planekite to the manufacturer of Apollo.”
Chapter 17
Fire crackled and spread warmth across the cabin’s main room. Felicity sat at the long table and moved from the maps to the laptop, quickly accessing her online storage server. “I’m sorry, but I’ve looked at the documents I could find, and I’ve traced the original incorporation documents to the bank in the Caymans.”
Daire shook his head, no warmth in his gaze. “Impossible.”
She shivered, not realizing until right that second how heated he’d been with her. “It’s true. Simone initially signed on to a limited liability corporation with Trevan Demidov, another witch, and when he died, his son took over. It’s called Triad Financing, and it owns the land that contains the mines owned by Ivan.”
Daire frowned. “Ivan doesn’t own the land?”
“No. He, or rather, his people control the mineral rights and several easements to bring material in and out. He actually does not own the property.” The arrangement was fairly normal, even in the Pacific Northwest with silver mines.
Daire relaxed. “Trevan was Simone’s lover, and he used her to go after our family. He died decades ago, and his son died very recently.”
“I figured.” There hadn’t been any activity in Yuri Demidov’s accounts for the last week, and considering his connection to the planekite mines, she’d figured the enforcers had taken him down. “Did you kill him?”
“No. Kellach did.” Daire leaned back. “So any connection Simone had with Demidov ended years ago, and she must’ve forgotten about the corporation.”
Felicity’s stomach cramped. “The corporation has gone through several restructurings, and one time, Simone was even out of the documents. But she joined back in about five years ago and has been an integral part of moving property.” She swallowed. “The connection of Triad to the planekite mines was difficult to find, but I’ve had years to plan and study Bychkov. He’s in bed with a witch, and they’re going after the Coven Nine, I believe.”
Daire shook his head. “Simone wouldn’t ever do that.”
Felicity sighed. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” His face darkened. “For years, she got involved with one bad choice after another, but that’s over.”
No, it wasn’t. Ivan was handsome and charming, and even though Simone was a tough bitch, Felicity had studied her from afar. The woman had a gooey center and was looking for love. “You might be blind where family is concerned.”
“I am not.” He crossed his arms, muscles flexing. “Simone doesn’t know anything about Triad, and her involvement stopped when Trevan Demidov died.”
Felicity twirled the laptop so he could see the screen. “Simone made a series of bank transfers a week ago, and here’s her signature.”
Daire leaned over, his expression revealing nothing. Yet his jaw clenched. “That’s her signature, but it was just to transfer money.”
Felicity swallowed, trying not to throw up as she reclaimed the laptop and typed in keys. “And here?”
He crossed around to read over her shoulder. “Aye. That’s her signature.”
“This was on a shipping manifest from Russia to Seattle that should arrive any day.” Keys clacked as she typed in an order, and the manifest came up in full view. “This is one of the five shipments from planekite mines, and the manifest states that it is mining materials and minerals to be studied at the University of Washington.”
Daire moved away, taking his heat with him. A clank of crystal on crystal echoed behind her. “Tell me you didn’t drug all of the cognac,” he muttered.
She stiffened. “No. Just your glass.”
“Good.” Swirling a snifter, he prowled toward the fireplace. “Simone would never bring planekite into the country, and she’d never betray her family or her people. There’s no reason.”
An extremely strong urge to bang her head on the table made Felicity clench her teeth. “There’s a movement, a strong one, to remove Simone from the Coven Nine.”
The line of Daire’s back tensed. “Bullshit.”
“I’m sorry,” Felicity whispered. “Sim
one has been in the States for too long and has made it apparent she doesn’t want to return to Dublin. She has a history of affairs with bad men, enemies of the Coven Nine, and she no longer is representative of the mild council. You know they’re trying to redo their image into wholesome and kind.”
He jerked around. “Simone is both wholesome and kind.”
“Simone is perceived as a wild woman with terrible taste in men. There’s a demon in her past, and while I think that should be a mark in her favor, apparently it is not with your people.” Felicity sat back, wanting to offer comfort but knowing better.
Daire growled. “Simone’s affair with Nicholai Veis happened a century ago.”
“Right. Then she took up with a few renegades, a couple of mercenaries, and finally Trevan Demidov, the guy who wanted to take down the Realm.” Felicity winced. “I believe she also dated Dage Kayrs, the king of the Realm?”
Anger flushed across Daire’s rugged face. “So?”
“So? Considering the Realm has now aligned itself with the main demon nation, pissing them off is a bad idea. Having any awkwardness at functions is a bad idea, and you freakin’ witches love functions and balls and stuff like that.”
She drummed her fingers on the tabletop. “The movement is gaining force, and even her mother won’t be able to keep her from being challenged. Tell me, Daire. When was the last time Simone actively fought another witch?”
He jerked his head. “She doesn’t fight. I do.”
Felicity bit her lip. “Right. But if she’s challenged, she either has to fight, or she has to step down. Would she win a fight?”
He didn’t answer.
“I didn’t think so.” She didn’t want to finish this conversation. “If Simone found out she was about to be ousted from the Coven Nine, her entire existence and sense of purpose, what would she do?”
Daire swigged back the remainder of the cognac. “She wouldna’ do this.”
Felicity shook her head. “You’re being blind, and as an enforcer, you have a duty to report any threat to the Coven Nine.” Which was exactly why she’d tried to drug him and go rob banks on her own.
He wiped off his bottom lip. “You’re wrong, and I’m going to prove it.” Grabbing his phone off the table, he quickly dialed. His nostrils flared. “Simone? Call me when you get this message.” He shoved the phone in his pocket. “Looks like we’re off to rob the Cayman bank first, baby, so I can get my hands on those papers that show Simone’s trail.”
“You think it’s possible Simone is involved?”
“Hell, no. But I’ll need the papers to save her ass, if somebody is setting her up. Pack a bag, and get ready to be a Bonnie to my Clyde.”
Daire settled himself into the leather seat, forcing his fingers to remain uncurled on the armrest as the private airplane rose into the air. He’d hated flying even before crashing into the Arctic, and now he knew how quickly metal plummeted from the sky.
This plane was a rental and probably hadn’t even been checked out properly. Even the chairs, six in all, were sprawled around the cabin in an odd configuration he couldn’t quite figure out. Yet the pilots were his—a couple of witches the Coven Nine kept on retainer, and boy, could they fly. Thank the gods.
Felicity reached over and patted his hand, hers several shades lighter and far more delicate. What was he thinking, taking her away from safety in Seattle? Her kindness warmed his chest as she tried to offer comfort.
Adam loped in from the cockpit, eating a ham sandwich. He wore long dark slacks with a button-down shirt, looking more like a paid assassin than ever. His eyes were serious, and his jaw hard. “I swear, if Alexandra doesn’t take care of the issue of a bear shifter dating her younger sister, I will.”
Felicity sat back and released Daire. “Tori seemed to be in her mid-twenties and more than able to choose her own dates.”
Adam muttered a bunch of somethings about shifters being lower than dung as he dropped into a chair.
Daire barely caught Felicity’s quick grin before she smoothed her pretty lips into a straight line. The woman was just messing with Adam. Brave girl. She opened her mouth to say something that would probably put Adam over the edge, so Daire leaned over and yanked her hair.
Her expression was priceless. “Did you just pull my hair?”
Man, he loved when she got all regal and royal on him. “Aye.”
She turned all sorts of crimson, clearly searching for something to say. “I thought you’d be mad at me.”
“Nope. You’re wrong about Simone, but your research was good.” His body relaxed as the plane leveled off. “Protecting me for my own good was a bad idea, and I hope to hell you don’t try that one again. In fact, I strongly recommend you don’t.”
Adam finished off his sandwich. “You two going to fight?”
“No.” Daire released his seat belt and stretched to his full height. “I have a phone call to make, and you two need to play nice while I’m gone.”
Adam’s brow wrinkled, and Felicity’s lips smoothed into an innocent smile.
Oh man. Daire shook his head, fought the urge to pull her hair again, and stalked toward the cockpit. A console desk was located to the left of the two witches flying the plane. He gave a head jerk to the co-pilot before sitting at the desk, turning on the monitor and dialing a call. As the call went through space, he drew headphones down over his ears and positioned the microphone closer to his mouth.
Vivienne Northcutt took shape before him. She’d pulled her dark hair back in a ponytail that could’ve been softened with some escaping curls. But not Aunt Viv. No curls and no softness. Dark red lipstick slashed across her mouth, and deep coal made up her dark eyes.
She was a looker, but a severe one.
“Aunt Viv,” he murmured.
She leaned toward the camera, her lips pursed. “I’ve heard a rumor you’ve become intimate with the demonness.”
He blinked slowly. “My personal life is irrelevant.”
Viv waved perfectly manicured nails. “Don’t be ridiculous. A mating between a Coven enforcer and the mother of the demon leader would be very advantageous for us. Talk about allies that remain allies.” Her eyes widened. “If you procreated, that’d be even better.”
“Then I’d better go fuck her silly,” he ground out before he could stop himself.
Viv paused and then rolled her eyes. “For goodness’ sake. Political matings have taken place for eons, and often they’re the ones where people seem to be the happiest. Stop being such a wimp.”
His shoulders went back. “Watch it, Auntie, or I’ll come up with an imminent threat and have to shut you down somewhere safe.” For an eternity.
She sighed, and quite possibly mouthed the word pussy, but he must have misread her. “Fine. Update me on the situation in Seattle.”
He gave a quick rundown of the recent human deaths as well as the known five shipments headed for Seattle. “No more attacks on witches that we know about.” The previous week, somebody had fired darts of Apollo into several witches in the area, who had died torturous deaths. “We think Titans of Fire is still distributing Apollo, and we intercepted an e-mail message about a week ago, but it was routed through several different servers all over the world, and we can’t trace the source.”
“Who was the message meant for?” Viv asked.
“Parker Monzelle. We took his phone when he was arrested again.”
Viv sat back. “I’m surprised that human is still alive, considering.”
Aye. Monzelle was actually Alexandra and Tori’s father, and he’d shot Alexandra not too long ago. The police had taken him away before Kellach could rip out his heart, and Daire wouldn’t be surprised if Kell still had a plan to rid his mate of Monzelle forever. “For now, Aunt Viv, Kellach is the closest to the leaders of the Titan’s of Fire MC, and he’s still in Dublin.”
Viv nodded. “Your point is well taken. I will send Kell and Alexandra back to Seattle tomorrow.”
Daire lifted an eyebrow
. “Alexandra works for the Seattle Police Department, not the Coven Nine.”
Viv shrugged. “She’s mated to Kellach, which means she does work for us now. Or she will in a century or so, since she can’t very well stay in Seattle as the fact that she’s not aging becomes apparent.” She pursed her lips. “I like Alexandra, quite a bit, although she doesn’t seem taken with the idea of being immortal.”
Daire grinned. His brother’s mate was a paradox, to be sure. When a human mated a witch, the mating increased the human’s chromosomal pairs, leaving the mate immortal. Alexandra hadn’t quite wrapped her mind around that reality. “Aunt Viv, is there a movement to remove your daughter from the Coven Nine?”
Viv leaned away from the camera. “The political workings of the Nine are not an enforcer’s business.”
“I’m asking as Simone’s cousin,” he said simply.
Viv inhaled. “Yes.”
Holy motherfucker. “Are you kidding?” Daire leaned forward and ignored the fire dancing between his fingers. “Who’s leading the charge?”
“I haven’t figured it out.” Her shoulders slumped, and for the first time, dark circles slashed below her eyes. “There are rumblings everywhere, and I have no doubt Simone will be challenged for the seat within the year.”
Daire rubbed his chin. “It’s interesting this coincides with the appearance of Apollo.” He examined scenarios and banished anger. Now was the time for strategy . . . later he’d use the power derived from righteous fury. “Is Simone being targeted because she’s the weakest member, or is this attack personal to her?”
Viv shook her head. “I don’t know. She is the wildest member with the, ah, most interesting lifestyle. Before her adventures were viewed as a possible strength, but there are rumors going around that she’s joined up with Nicholai Veis again, and you know about his troubled past.”