Billow (13 page)

Aubrey sure had intense fans.

We navigated through a small, busy kitchen and out a set of swinging doors into the main lounge.

Silk was one of Lyondale's exclusive bars, catering to the young and successful. Done in modern white and glass furniture with accents of aquamarine blue silk, it definitely had a moneyed vibe.

This was the kind of place people came to be seen. The fact that Gilroy came here alone every week said a lot about him. Maybe I could use it to my advantage.

Attractive men and women in their twenties and early thirties flirted at the crowded bar. A few others stood around tall, circular tables that were too small to serve any other purpose than decoration.

Heavy makeup made me look older and Aubrey selected an outfit to help me blend in. Black fitted pants, pale green tunic sweater, belted wool coat, and purse made by some designer whose name I couldn't pronounce costumed me like armor.

Much to her chagrin, the one thing I'd insisted on was flat boots. It wasn't flattering, but if something happened I needed to be able to move.

My dagger, tucked into the right boot, pressed against my calf. During winter, layers of clothing prevented me from keeping it in its usual place at my lower back.

Todd leaned over so I could hear him through the buzz of inebriated voices. "What do you want to drink?"

"Coke." I needed to stay on my toes and the caffeine would give an energy boost.

"He's sitting at the far left booth in the back. I'll be right there."

I made my way through the sea of bodies eager to enjoy their Friday night. Rounded booths lined the back wall, blue cushions a sharp contrast to the white seats and glass tables.

Gilroy sat with his back to the main entrance. Another interesting detail.

I slid in and faced him. Broad-shouldered and in his mid-thirties, he looked exactly like the photo Ian showed us.

The designer button-down shirt fit badly and its color made his skin look pasty. Greasy, dark blonde hair an entire bottle of gel exploded on and a gaudy gold watch added to the mismatch. The smell of his cologne was overpowering.

An expensive beer sat in front of him, the kind that was for show rather than flavor.

Instead of achieving the powerful, wealthy bachelor image he was going for, he came across sleazy and desperate.

Todd was right. Taste wasn't this guy's forte.

"Hello, Gilroy."

Out of habit, my Virtue reached in.

Curiosity. Paranoia. Distrust.

And something else I couldn't identify. It almost felt like the bottom of a tree. A web of thick, dark roots tangled among his emotions.

His face tensed and I hastily reigned in the magic. Someone that skittish wouldn't like cutting a deal with an Empath.

"Well, well." His slick voice rubbed me the wrong way. "A little ondine."

I forced a smile. "A little ondine who found you."

Todd brought over my drink. "Here you go. Everything okay?"

Gilroy used the interruption to check out the rest of the bar. Besides the
pedaillon
, nixes also identified chevaliers and gardinels by their sharp, overly aware eyes.

"Everything's fine," I told Todd. "Thanks."

He tilted his head toward the bar before heading back. He was there if I needed him.

I waited until Gilroy's eyes returned to mine.

"As you can see, I came alone," I said smoothly. "I'm interested in doing business."

Wariness crossed his face. "I don't do business with people who use magic."

Damn it.

I lifted my hands in apology. "I won't use it anymore."

Suspicious pale blue eyes narrowed. If I didn't fix this, he'd walk away.

"Just keep an eye on my aura," I said easily. "You'll know if I use it and you can back out."

He mulled that over for a few moments and finally gave a slow nod.

He took a long drink of his crap beer. "You got a name?"

"Kendra."

"You're the Governor's granddaughter. The
sondaleur
."

I took a sip of soda. "Is that a problem?"

"Nope." Shrewd eyes watched me. "Just interesting."

Tread carefully
.

I kept my expression blank and let him make the first move.

"So." He leaned back and gave me an appraising look. "What does the
sondaleur
think I can do for her?"

"I need information on Aquidae."

"Why would I know about them? I run an antique store. You interested in purchasing a mirror?"

I stared levelly at him and waited it out.

The silence extended for a full minute.

He shifted and his fingers twitched.

"What a shame." I shook my head. "Heard you were the best for this type of thing. Guess I was wrong."

I stood and took two steps.

"Wait."

I hid a smile.

"Now I'm not saying I know anything," he said carefully, "but I do know there's no one better than me."

Instead of rolling my eyes, I adopted a skeptical expression and took my seat again with reluctance.

He chewed on his lower lip and eyes darted to the bar again. "Why do you want to know about Aquidae?"

"I'm an ondine. I want info to stay safe."

"Bull," he sneered. "How do I know you're not here to report me to the chevaliers?"

I shrugged. "You don't."

"That kind of answer's not going to get you what you want."

It had to seem like I was giving something I didn't want to give. He'd consider it a minor victory and the overconfidence would make him more pliable.

I feigned hesitation. "Look." My voice lowered with concern. "I didn't think you'd know who I was."

Glee flashed through his eyes.

"Of course I know. Nothing escapes me."

Repressing the urge to smack that oily smirk off his face, I gave a small sigh. "You know what I'm prophesied to do. Problem is, gardinels and chevaliers keep me on a tight leash. So I'm trying to make headway by myself."

The lie, like all good ones, had just enough truth to make it sound real.

He gave a slow nod as if I'd confirmed something. "Heard you like working on your own."

I reigned in my impatience and waited.

Come on. Take the bait
.

"I might have some information," he finally said. "How much you gonna pay?"

Good. We were moving into the second phase.

"I need proof first."

His fingers curled tighter around his beer. Perfect.

"Why?"

"I need to know you can get me what I want." I drummed my fingers against the table with a thoughtful expression. "Maybe you're good but, no offense, what if you're not as good as I need?"

His eyes darkened at the insinuation. "What kind of proof you want?"

"You really know about the Aquidae in Lyondale?"

"Of course," he scoffed.

"Prove it."

"I know you took out Arthur and Gina back in May," he said. "Couple dozen or so were left, but they had no organization. Some of them left Lyondale, others kept to themselves. Didn't want to attract unnecessary attention."

My expression made it clear I was unimpressed. "And?"

"About two weeks ago, bunch of Aquidae started showing up," he added.

I raised my brow. "How many is a bunch?"

"So far? Close to a hundred."

"Where are they coming from?"

"All over. It's like they're assembling for something. Whatever it is looks big."

The auction
.

If movement started two weeks ago, it meant they were still focused on the kidnappings. The auction wouldn't take place until they had enough people to sell.

We had time to shut it down.

"You got your proof." Greed glinted in his eyes. "Let's talk price."

I took another sip. "Do you really expect me to agree to a price when I haven't told you what I'm buying yet?"

His lips twisted in annoyance. "What are you looking for?"

"I'm looking for one Aquidae. Someone named Callan."

His eyes widened. Asking about one Aquidae was like asking about a penny dropped in an overgrown yard.

But Ian warned me not to bring up the auction in front of Gilroy. Giving him that kind of knowledge could seriously come back to bite us on the ass. He told me it was better to focus solely on Callan since he was the key to everything.

"What do you need on this guy?"

"Everything you can find out. Where he's holed up. Who he's been in contact with. What sort of activities he's been up to." I ticked off each requirement with my finger.

"Anything else?"

"If we make this deal, your time starts now. It becomes first priority. As soon as I pay, you leave this place and start working."

He scowled. "I have other things going on —"

"Every buyer wants their purchase as quickly as possible."

His brows furrowed. He took several long drinks of his beer.

Oh, come on
.

"Maybe it's too hard," I said in a delicate tone. "Overall Aquidae movement is one thing, but finding one of them may be over your —"

"I'll do it." 

I made sure my face didn't betray anything. "All right. Now we can negotiate."

"Forty," he said immediately.

"Eight."

He laughed. "Give me a break. Thirty-five. Fifteen up front."

"Forget it. Twelve. Four up front."

He steepled his fingers. "Twenty-eight. Twelve up front."

Almost there. I saw it in his eyes.

I'd worked him over enough that his curiosity was piqued. He wanted to do this. Wanted to know why the
sondaleur
was so interested in one Aquidae. Pride wouldn't allow him to leave without a deal in hand.

I made him sweat for another minute by pretending to consider the offer.

"Too much. Sorry, Gilroy." I shrugged and partially got out of my seat. "No deal."

"Twenty. Ten up front. It's a bargain."

Triumph flashed through me. He'd dropped to half his initial price. Time for the only proposal I intended to make.

"Seventeen. Seven up front. My final offer."

An indignant expression came over his face. "That's highway robbery!"

"Do you want to do this or not?"

He muttered a few nasty words. "Fine."

"How do I reach you?"

I immediately dialed the number he gave me and his pocket buzzed. It was valid.

"Had to check. You understand."

"Wouldn't expect any less," he answered.

I pulled the envelope stuffed with wads of cash out of my purse and tossed it on the table. "Seven thousand. It's all there."

"How do I get in touch?"

"Don't call. Too many chevaliers and gardinels." I scribbled my email address on a napkin. "Send a message when you have the info. We'll meet and I'll have the rest of the money."

Of course, I had no intention of giving it.

Today's meeting was about trust. Next time we met, he'd assume I came alone again. Once he gave me what I was looking for, I'd bring the gardinels down on his ass.

"Deal was you start now."

Irritation flickered across his face, but he stood to go. He stepped away from the booth and I grabbed his wrist. Fingers circled tight.

"Nice doing business with you, Gilroy," I said in a low, dangerous tone. The threat in my eyes was unmistakable.

Betray me and I will hunt you down.

He paled and gave a shaky nod. Message received loud and clear.

The text from Alex came to my cell a few minutes later. I headed for the kitchen and Todd caught my eye.

Thanks,
I mouthed.

He grinned in acknowledgement. A beautiful brunette distracted him by pouting for another drink.

I silently let myself out the back exit into the night.

ELEVEN

Aubrey's car pulled up and my shoulders dropped in relief. I gave them a quick rundown on what happened.

She let out a breath. "It worked."

I nodded and turned to Alex. "Anything strange when he came out?"

"Nope. Got straight in his car and left."

"I'll run a trace on his cell tomorrow," she said.

"How are you doing that?" Curiosity flickered across his face.

She grinned. "Cell phone companies have the worst security in the world. We'll know where he is."

That was why I'd called his phone. I didn't trust Gilroy for one second. We needed to keep tabs on him so he didn't double-cross us.

Her face lit up. "Ian's going to be happy."

The corners of Alex's mouth tipped up. "You should be the one to tell him."

"You think?"

"Guy's shy." His brow gave a suggestive wiggle. "You should encourage him during your alone time."

She laughed. Hearing the relief and pride behind their playful banter, I tried to share their enthusiasm. We'd planned something and it went off exactly as we'd hoped.

So why did I feel dissatisfied?

Restlessness stirred. It wasn't enough.

I still had to wait for results. Still had to sit and hope this one lead worked out.

And something inside wanted more.

Tuning Aubrey and Alex out, I unfiltered my Virtue and swept outward.

I concentrated on pushing the magic harder.

Over one, two, three blocks.

Until I sensed what I really wanted.

The two empty voids invoked an immediate visceral response.

A crack appeared in the dam I'd set into place for so many months.

I found you.

"Kendra?" Aubrey's voice was nervous.

"Aquidae." Dagger was already in hand. "Two of them."

Alex tensed. "Where?"

"Four blocks west."

Obsessive, dark demands leaked, throbbing in my veins with a bitter insistence.

"Come on, Irisavie," he said tersely. "Get in my car. Let's go."

But I couldn't.

This was what I craved. It came from the depths of darkness festering day by day behind the concrete wall of control.

The ravenous desire that had grown over the months.