him. “Maybe you should have a drink while you wait. Calm your nerves.”
“A glass of wine, perhaps.” JP smiled then and took a deep breath. “I am sure you’re right, but I’ll be glad to know for certain.” He waited with her, hovering by her side until the elevator came and she stepped inside.
JP was still standing there, watching, when the doors slid closed. Worry lined his brow and there was tension in the line of his shoulders. For all that, he was one attractive man.
Maybe Stacy had found a keeper.
What Cassie didn’t see was JP taking a seat in the bar after she’d gone upstairs. He glanced around, then reached into his pocket. He removed a silver vial, the exterior covered with strange markings.
He rolled it in his hand, deliberately recalling Chen’s precise directions. Cassie would meet him here shortly. The fact was that wherever Cassie was, Lorenzo would inevitably follow.
And then he’d smell this.
Which would open the minds of both of them to
possibilities
.
JP tipped out a pinch of the dark powder within, then capped the vial tightly. He blew the dark dust off his palm into the air.
It twinkled, dissolving into nothing before his eyes.
But the invisible cloud it created was palpable.
JP felt a flush of heat.
Followed by a tightening in his groin and a hunger that only a great deal of sex would satisfy. This was every bit as potent as Chen had warned.
The waitress wiped the table in front of him and for a heartbeat, he thought of jumping her bones.
“Drink?” she asked with a smile.
JP took a steadying breath. He tucked the vial back into his pocket, smiled at her, and ordered two glasses of the wine Cassie had been drinking earlier.
Chen had been convinced that the Dragon Bone Powder heated a firestorm to a fever pitch, even after the firestorm was satisfied. He’d said that the powder sharpened the desire of all
Pyr
, making them insatiable.
JP, even having changed to the
Slayer
team, was feeling more insatiable himself than he could ever recall. He felt all tingly and could hear his blood thumping. He was aware of the scent of women’s perfumes mingling in the hotel bar. He noticed the curves of cheeks and buttocks and breasts and wanted to claim them all. He wanted to go upstairs and check on Stacy himself.
No, he wanted to do more than check on her.
He decided that his reaction was a good sign, and that Chen’s plan would work.
So JP waited, and played his role.
He reminded himself that his reward would be worth any short-term sacrifice. To be Chen’s right hand when that
Slayer
ruled the world would be no small thing.
He could do whatever he wanted to the
Pyr
then.
He could avenge his brother Lucien.
He could make those
Pyr
who had killed Lucien pay.
With interest.
The prospect made JP smile.
Chapter 5
C assie heard her friend’s snores as soon as she unlocked the door. The sound made her smile with relief.
The lights were still on in the room, and Stacy was still dressed. It looked as if she had staggered through the door, dropped her purse, and landed—mostly—on the mattress. One foot dangled in the air, a fuchsia sling back hanging on for dear life.
Cassie tugged off her friend’s shoes and put them in the closet. She picked up Stacy’s purse and put it on the dresser. She considered her friend, debating the merits of getting her undressed against potentially waking her.
Stacy stirred and moaned, then rolled to her back. “Owww.”
“Too many frilly drinks?” Cassie asked, her tone teasing. They’d been through this scene before a few times, and for years had taken turns playing the lead.
“Just two,” Stacy said with a grimace. She peered at Cassie from behind her hand. “What do they put in those things?”
Cassie smiled. “Some of the recipes look like they clean out the bar.”
“You’re smarter to stick with wine.”
“Live and learn. You okay?”
Stacy sat up carefully but still winced. She pressed her fingers to her
“A glass of wine, perhaps.” JP smiled then and took a deep breath. “I am sure you’re right, but I’ll be glad to know for certain.” He waited with her, hovering by her side until the elevator came and she stepped inside.
JP was still standing there, watching, when the doors slid closed. Worry lined his brow and there was tension in the line of his shoulders. For all that, he was one attractive man.
Maybe Stacy had found a keeper.
What Cassie didn’t see was JP taking a seat in the bar after she’d gone upstairs. He glanced around, then reached into his pocket. He removed a silver vial, the exterior covered with strange markings.
He rolled it in his hand, deliberately recalling Chen’s precise directions. Cassie would meet him here shortly. The fact was that wherever Cassie was, Lorenzo would inevitably follow.
And then he’d smell this.
Which would open the minds of both of them to
possibilities
.
JP tipped out a pinch of the dark powder within, then capped the vial tightly. He blew the dark dust off his palm into the air.
It twinkled, dissolving into nothing before his eyes.
But the invisible cloud it created was palpable.
JP felt a flush of heat.
Followed by a tightening in his groin and a hunger that only a great deal of sex would satisfy. This was every bit as potent as Chen had warned.
The waitress wiped the table in front of him and for a heartbeat, he thought of jumping her bones.
“Drink?” she asked with a smile.
JP took a steadying breath. He tucked the vial back into his pocket, smiled at her, and ordered two glasses of the wine Cassie had been drinking earlier.
Chen had been convinced that the Dragon Bone Powder heated a firestorm to a fever pitch, even after the firestorm was satisfied. He’d said that the powder sharpened the desire of all
Pyr
, making them insatiable.
JP, even having changed to the
Slayer
team, was feeling more insatiable himself than he could ever recall. He felt all tingly and could hear his blood thumping. He was aware of the scent of women’s perfumes mingling in the hotel bar. He noticed the curves of cheeks and buttocks and breasts and wanted to claim them all. He wanted to go upstairs and check on Stacy himself.
No, he wanted to do more than check on her.
He decided that his reaction was a good sign, and that Chen’s plan would work.
So JP waited, and played his role.
He reminded himself that his reward would be worth any short-term sacrifice. To be Chen’s right hand when that
Slayer
ruled the world would be no small thing.
He could do whatever he wanted to the
Pyr
then.
He could avenge his brother Lucien.
He could make those
Pyr
who had killed Lucien pay.
With interest.
The prospect made JP smile.
Chapter 5
C assie heard her friend’s snores as soon as she unlocked the door. The sound made her smile with relief.
The lights were still on in the room, and Stacy was still dressed. It looked as if she had staggered through the door, dropped her purse, and landed—mostly—on the mattress. One foot dangled in the air, a fuchsia sling back hanging on for dear life.
Cassie tugged off her friend’s shoes and put them in the closet. She picked up Stacy’s purse and put it on the dresser. She considered her friend, debating the merits of getting her undressed against potentially waking her.
Stacy stirred and moaned, then rolled to her back. “Owww.”
“Too many frilly drinks?” Cassie asked, her tone teasing. They’d been through this scene before a few times, and for years had taken turns playing the lead.
“Just two,” Stacy said with a grimace. She peered at Cassie from behind her hand. “What do they put in those things?”
Cassie smiled. “Some of the recipes look like they clean out the bar.”
“You’re smarter to stick with wine.”
“Live and learn. You okay?”
Stacy sat up carefully but still winced. She pressed her fingers to her
Similar Books
