21. Julian
Chapter twenty-one
Julian
It had been one long agonizing week, waiting to be able to go to the black market and find out more about the note. During that time, I spent a lot of time deflecting Weaver from our plans and trying to keep Jack from running around on her own without at least one of us with her.
A task that was not easy. Especially, with her parents getting more suspicious by the day.
Now, the day had finally come. I had just come back from getting someone to cover my classes to find Jack standing in front of my apartment door.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I told her, brushing past her to unlock the door. “What happened to not taking unnecessary risks?”
Jack blew a raspberry, chasing after me into my apartment. “I was safe. I went straight from my bike to your apartment. No one even saw me.”
I gave her a pointed look. Not quite believing her. “You were lucky.”
“You’re only saying that cause you wanted to do this without me.” Jack leaned her elbows on the island while I walked around the apartment, getting ready for the mission.
“Maybe there’s a reason for that.” I paused next to her, pinching her chin between my thumb and forefinger, kissing her gently. “It’s not safe.”
I went to the entry way and opened the drawer there, pulling the gun I kept there out and tucking it in the holster at the back of my pants.
Jack stood there for a moment, brows furrowed and then shook her head.
“No, no way,” Jack argued, chasing me around the apartment. “You’re not going to leave me behind. I have every right to go see this black market dealer as you. More so since it’s me they’re trying to kill!”
“All the more reason for you to stay behind,” I shot back, gathering my weapons bag from my bedroom closet. “If you show up, then they might get spooked and not tell us anything. Or they could attack you right then and there.”
Jack groaned, throwing her hands up in front of her. “They’re not going to attack me in front of all those people. That breaks their whole secret group dynamic.”
I paused at the end of my bed, setting my bag down on it to turn to her. Placing my hands on her shoulders, I peered deep into her eyes.
“Please, Jack. Don’t fight me on this. We almost lost you once. Don’t make me go through that again.”
She placed her hands on mine, leaning her forehead against my chest. “Please don’t make me stay behind and wonder. I feel so useless. Helpless. Letting other people fight my battles for me.”
“This isn’t your battle.” I tipped her chin up. “This is the council’s — your parents’ — battle. You just got stuck in the middle of it.”
“Hello!” Tate’s voice called out, the apartment door slamming shut behind him. “Anyone ready to kick some ass?”
“Come on.” I pressed my lips to hers softly and led her from my room. “They’re here.”
Tate and Kyren came to a stop in the hallway, eyes locked on Jack.
“Uh… I thought we agreed not to bring Jack with us?” Tate trailed off, shoving his hands into his pockets.
“Oh, you decided, huh?” Jack glared at me before casting her gaze around the room. “I guess, you can all decide to kiss my ass because I am coming.”
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. And here I thought I had convinced her to stay behind. Of course not now that she knew we talked about it without her.
“Uh, princess,” Tate stepped in her path, “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. You could be recognized—”
“And so can you!” she pointed out, shoving at his chest. “And I don’t care if you don’t think it’s a good idea, I’m not getting left behind.
So, you can either come to terms that I’m coming with you, or I’ll go without you.
” She crossed her arms over her chest, staring each of us down. “Which is it going to be?”
Now we really had no choice but to bring her with us. If she wouldn’t stay behind, I’d rather her be with us where we could keep an eye on her than going half-cocked on her own. That’s when shit usually hits the fan quickly.
“Fine,” I grunted, relenting reluctantly. “Come with us. But if no one talks to us because they recognize you as a Durand, you’ll only have yourself to blame.”
I watched as realization came over Jack’s face and then her eyes lit up. “Then I’ll just wear a disguise.”
Kyren made a noise in his throat. Kind of like a cross between a scoff and a laugh.
“What?” Jack snapped, spinning around to face him. “You think I haven’t had to hide who I am before? We have specific face masks for this kind of work, you know. I can be discrete when I want to be.”
“Of course you can, princess.” Tate placed his hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll do your best to blend right in. And, if things get hairy, Kyren can always get you out of there.” The werewolf shot a pointed look at the vampire.
Kyren inclined his head. “Of course.”
“Alright, then it’s settled,” Jack announced, scanning the three of us before stopping on me. “I just need to borrow your mask and then we can go.”
I could refuse her. Tell her that I didn’t have one. Then she’d have to go home and get hers or to headquarters, during which time we could get in and out of the black market without putting her in harm’s way.
Jack’s eyes narrowed on me, the longer it took me to respond. “Don’t make me use my powers on you. I know how to use them now.”
“You do?” Tate’s brow rose. “When did this happen?”
Jack turned to him with a wide grin. “Just last week. Tabby and I figured it out. I still have to work the kinks out, but I can pretty much use it on command now.”
“Pretty much isn’t completely in control,” I reminded her, while I dug through my bag searching for the face covering. “You still shouldn’t be using them so easily until you are one hundred percent sure you won’t accidentally use them on the wrong person.”
Jack shot me a look. “You’re just worried it’ll be you.”
“Yeah, I am.” I pulled the half face mask out of my bag and handed it to her. “But, more importantly, how much you’re going to blame yourself if it does happen. So please, don’t use them while we are there unless you absolutely have to.”
Blowing a raspberry with her lips, Jack took the mask from me. “Alright, I guess that makes sense.”
Without warning, she pulled her shirt off, leaving her in a lacy, royal blue bra that did nothing to hide her gorgeous swell of her breasts.
Not even realizing the effect she was having on all three of us, she pulled the half mask on, which was attached to a sleeveless shirt over her chest, before pulling her other t-shirt back on over it.
When she lifted her gaze, she noticed the three heated looks on her.
“What?”
Tate cleared his throat. “Uh, you guys ready? Yeah? Me, too. Let’s get this done.”
Lips twitching, Jack pulled the lower half mask up over her face, dragging her hands through her hair to tie it in a knot on her head.
Oh, she knew exactly what she was doing.
“Let’s get this over with.” I threw the bag over my shoulder and headed for the door.
“I’m driving!” Tate called out behind me, starting a whole argument of who would get to ride shotgun.
By the time we got to where the black market was being held, the moon was high in the sky, and Tate’s driving had become a bit aggressive.
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay being here?” I asked as we stepped out of the car. “We don’t want you wolfing out in the middle of the mission.”
“Yeah.” Tate visibly took a deep breath and then shook out his shoulders. “I’m good.”
My eyes followed Kyren’s hand as it slid along Tate’s back, moving t up and down in a soothing motion. The wolf visibly relaxed at the vampire’s touch, leaning into it.
“This is it?” Jack asked, her voice slightly muffled through the mask completely covering the lower half of her face. “Doesn’t look like much.”
She wasn’t wrong. The place didn’t look like anyone had been there for a very long time. A chain-link fence circled an open dirt area. There were broken down stalls and what looked like used to be a carnival there. It most certainly didn’t look like a black market for magical items.
“Are you sure this is the right address?” Jack asked, her brows furrowed. “Let me see the paper.”
I handed the scrap of paper to her. “Yes, this is where Tabby said to go.”
“But there’s no one here?” Tate sniffed the air. “I don’t smell or hear anyone either. Tabby must have it wrong.”
Kyren pushed ahead of us and walked through the open gate, promptly disappearing from view.
“Of course,” Jack gasped, taking a step forward. “They’re witches.”
“They probably used the same kind of charm to spell this place as the note,” I explained, feeling a bit foolish for not thinking of it before.
“Well, then come on already.” Jack grabbed Tate’s hand and then mine, dragging us through the opening Kyren had disappeared through.
The world came alive around us. Stalls lined the whole area, selling all kinds of magical wares and even some mundane objects.
Witches called out to hock their goods, offering deals and wish fulfillment.
All kinds of supernaturals wandered the stalls, vampires, witches, though, not surprisingly with the full moon high in the sky, no weres.
There were even a few human servants wandering around on their own.
“Wow,” Jack murmured, taking it all in. “Do you think the Guild knows about this place?”
“If they do, they’re allowing it,” I grunted, my eyes scanning the area for possible threats. “Likely to keep any eye on certain individuals.”
Tate stopped at my side, his arms over his chest as he sniffed the air. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the council even sanctioned it. Money talks, even hush money.”
Before I could argue with him about it, Kyren appeared out of nowhere. “I found it.”
I jerked my head in his direction, indicating for him to show us.
The four of us walked together through the aisles of stalls.
We mostly got ignored, though a few did stare at Tate.
I supposed seeing a werewolf there was quite a surprise to them.
A few skittered away from us, giving the taller man a wary look.
“I think they’re scared you’re going to wolf out on them,” Jack said through the side of her mouth, her eyes pretending to peruse the items at the stalls. “Try not to give off such an aggressive presence.”
Tate snorted. “How the hell am I supposed to do that? Tap dance? Start juggling?”
Jack grabbed his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, leaning her head against his chest. “Just act like you’re completely enamored with me, and they should back off.”
Tate leaned his head down. “But I am completely and hopelessly enamored by you, princess,” he murmured, then kissed the top of her head, making me roll my eyes.
“Here.” Kyren stopped at a tent set up among the stalls.
I wanted to ask him how he knew, but there was no scent to it, unlike those all around us. How they were able to do a no-scent charm inside of another charm was quite a feat. Not even the charms we use at the Hunter’s Guild could do that.
All four of us started to enter the tent when Tate stopped us. “Maybe we shouldn’t all go in at once? It might seem like we’re ganging up on them?”
“That makes sense,” Jack said.
“But how do we decide who goes in?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.
Tate and Kyren turned their attention to Jack, and I began to understand what they meant. They wanted Jack to stay out here. However, I didn’t trust her not to get in trouble on her own. They likely felt the same way, so someone had to stay here with her.
“Jack and I will stay out here and keep an eye out for anyone suspicious,” I announced to avoid an argument. “You two go and use your natural charms to get the answers we need.” I gave them a pointed look. “And I don’t mean killing.”
“Good idea.” Tate bobbed his head and threw an arm around Kyren’s shoulders, leading him inside before Jack could argue.
“Hey, I wanted to go inside,” Jack grumbled.
I placed an arm around her shoulders and gave one side a squeeze. “Let them do this. That way, if Tate flips out and shifts, he’s at least partially contained.”
“I guess.” Her eyes swept the area, her lower lip poking out.
Unfortunately, the charm on the tent also included sound proofing. As we couldn’t eavesdrop to what was going on inside, we kept our focus on the outside. After about ten minutes, Jack stiffened next to me.
“What is it?” I asked, my eyes following her line of sight.
A petite, dark-haired female with colored strips in her hair stood next to a stall selling charmed items. I was about to reassure Jack that she didn’t know for sure that was Xinyi when the female turned around, and my argument died on my tongue.
Before I could stop her, Jack pulled away from me and started toward her friend. I glanced back at the tent and then hurried after her.
“Xinyi,” Jack called out, drawing her friend’s attention. “What are you doing here?”
Xinyi blinked, staring at Jack for a moment before grinning from ear to ear.
“Jack, hey! Fancy meeting you here. What’s with the mask?
Also, I’m so sorry about what happened at the club.
” She grabbed Jack’s hands in hers, her eyes watering.
“We had no idea where you went and then Kyren showed up demanding you bag. I hope it was okay I gave it to him. Did you get it back?”
“Yeah, I got it,” Jack replied, squeezing Xinyi’s hands. “And don’t worry about it. You couldn’t have known what happened. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“Okay?” Xinyi looked confused. “Of course, I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be?”
I cleared my throat, reminding Jack that some things were best kept to ourselves.
“Oh, uh, never mind.” Jack looked around the area. “Where’s Iris? She didn’t let you come here by yourself, did she?”
“Oh, no. She’s off buying some herb she likes to put in her blood. But between you and me,” she lowered her voice, “it makes my nose itch.”
While Jack continued to chat with her friend, I kept an eye out around us. The fact that her friend was here meant other members of the student body probably also came here, and that could spell trouble. So far, no one had recognized Jack, and I wanted to keep it that way.
Thankfully, we didn’t have any issues being discovered by the time Tate and Kyren showed up at our side.
“Oh, hey, Xinyi,” Tate greeted. “What’s up?”
“Nothing much.” The small female grinned. “Well, I can see you have your hands full. I better go find Iris.” She gave Jack a knowing look, wagging her brows before mimicking the call me signal.
Once she was gone, I turned to the other two. “So? Did you find out who bought the charm for the note?”
Tate and Kyren exchanged a look before the wolf answered.
“Yeah, but you’re not going to like it.”