“What about other places Vayl’s lived?”
I thought about it. I knew he’d spent his early days as a Rogue, wandering Europe and parts of Asia. Then he’d settled into a Trust in Greece before moving to America.
With his kind of power and pul , Roldan could’ve easily stolen, or even bought, a few of Vayl’s old possessions. In fact, as soon as he’d found out Vayl had left the country in 1777, he could’ve robbed him blind, stomped his valuables to bits, and then thought,
“It’s conceivable,” I said.
Sterling nodded. “So let’s assume it’s a curse and move forward from there.”
“Then we’re hunting a mage tonight?”
“Shit, yeah.”
CHAPTER NINE
I was suddenly ravenous. Tearing into the bread on my plate, I tucked both my feet under my legs and munched happily, wondering what kind of preparations Sterling would need to make for our showdown tonight. I was hoping for an explosion. Somehow I felt that only splattage would make up for what I’d been through the past few days.
Sterling leaned toward me, his hair sweeping forward like an axe to cut the air for him. He shoved it back as he smiled, blinking sleepily as he gave me a good long look.
“What?” I asked through a wad of half-chewed carbs.
He rol ed his head toward the door that led to the lounge. “Someone’s coming. I’ve got a little ward up that he’s making tingle in al the right places. Tel him I’m available.”
“I thought you had a girlfriend.”
He shrugged a shoulder, his look tel ing me his tastes in love were about as flexible as his spel range.
I said, “My guys are straight, Sterling. Although maybe I could hook you up with this dude I just met named Yousef.
You never know what he might be interested in.” We turned our heads as Sterling’s lost love interest strol ed into the courtyard. He wore his black widow T-shirt, military-green Bermudas, and neon-pink flip-flops. Which he cal ed thongs, because that was the word for them in Australia, where he’d bought them. But mostly because he thought it was hilarious. And he carried a briefcase. It clashed with the outfit so badly that if they were people they’d have been throwing rocks at each other, but somehow Cole managed to pul it off.
He also looked remarkably refreshed for a guy who’d just spent the night boffing a demon. I waited for the spurt of anger. Jealousy. Whatever. Nothing happened. Which was when I realized I trusted my buddy to make the right choice in the end. And if he didn’t, it wouldn’t matter, because I was stil going to kil her.
In fact, the idea cheered me up so much that I ran to meet him halfway. “Cole! You’l never guess what I just found out!” He looked curiously over my shoulder at Sterling a couple of times as I told him about the mage and the curse.
“That dude needs to go poof,” he pronounced when I was done.
“That’s just what
“Then we’re set. Who’s your buddy?”
“Oh. That’s Sterling.”
Cole ducked a little. “The warlock?” he whispered.
“Wow. I don’t know whether to ask for an autograph or go buy a talisman.” When I raised my eyebrows he added,
“The analysts say he’s moody.”
“Oh. Wel , he hasn’t tried to hex any of his partners since—” I stopped. Hid a wince. “I’m sure you’l be fine.” I introduced them. Cole, at least, knew enough not to shake Sterling’s hand. He gave the warlock a lazy sort of salute and sat opposite him inside the gazebo, laying his briefcase on the table.
“I thought you were done with the office accessories,” I told him as he went for breakfast.
“Oh, no. You always gotta think progress,” he told me, nodding sagely. “I’m liking the shirt by the way,” he said, pointing at my chest as he stuffed half a rol into his mouth.
Around the flying crumbs he added, “Glad it fit. Got something else for you too.”
He cracked the case and slipped out a folded sheet of paper.
“What is it?” I asked.
He just smiled and rol ed one hand toward me so I’d open it and give it a read. As soon as I saw the signature I walked away from the table. It was from Vayl. The letter he’d written to me last night thinking I was an eighteenth-century damsel who could be wooed away from her badass vamp lover.
