Ante Up: A Sin City Collectors Novella Read online

  Neve headed for the door. “Then what are we waiting for? We’re half an hour into dawn. It’s time to move.”

  The plan they’d all decided on from the first moment was loose, but basically sound. Surround the hangar and go in, taking the advantage. Jake had a natural immunity to persuasion of any kind, and Sofia had explained how to shake an incubus out of their heads if they had to. Neve had fast hands and had armed herself with silver throwing stars. One in the neck would drop an incubus. Diesel, Jake, and Luke would bring pure strength. Their ace in the hole was Sofia, the master spellcaster. Once she took aim at her target, there would be no chance for him.

  The combined power of their group was greater than what the incubi could handle, and they all knew it. Sofia would signal the charge by spelling a piece of paper they now all carried.

  “We caravan out,” Diesel said over his shoulder on the way out to the parking lot. “We park three miles out and split in twos. We go in on foot from different directions. Sofia will sound the alarm with a spell, and then we charge as one. Clear?”

  “They will hear us coming at some point,” Ginger said as she walked toward Neve’s car. “But Mason is cocky. They will stay to fight.”

  “No one will hear us.” Sofia smiled. “It’s hard to hear when your eardrums won’t work.”

  Sofia and Diesel were crouched behind a rock northeast of the hangar. A small mountain range sat right behind them. There wasn’t much cover, but they’d made it work. They hadn’t spotted any movement coming from anywhere since they’d arrived ten minutes prior.

  “Are your spells working?” Diesel asked, giving her a brilliant smile. He looked ridiculously cute even crouched behind a rock.

  “Yes,” Sofia replied. “Not only can’t they hear very well, but they can’t smell us either.”

  “How do you know for sure?”

  “I get a kickback if my spells work.”

  “Making smells disappear sounds complicated.” He eyed her curiously. The man was so attractive, all she wanted to do was finish what they’d started so many times before. It was killing her.

  She curled her fingers into her palm so she wouldn’t reach out and touch him. They had a job to do. “The smells don’t actually disappear, they’re just masked. This time, I made us all smell like the animals that live around here.” She chuckled at her own cleverness. “I can also change how a person intakes scent, but that’s a more technical spell. The ear thing is much easier. I just spelled all the eardrums inside the building to freeze.”

  “That’s pretty cool,” Diesel said, continuing to grin at her.

  She wrestled her hands into her lap when they reached out to stroke the side of his face. She had to keep it together. “It’s just a small cell tweak, really.”

  “You’re pretty amazing, you know that?”

  Sofia blushed. “I’m not really amazing.” She caught his eye and winked. “Witches begin training at a very young age. There’s so much to learn. Once I figured out I had a knack for the body, I studied everything I could get my hands on. But I won’t bore you with the details.”

  “I don’t think you could bore me with anything.” His voice held raspy want.

  With effort, she turned away. They had to focus on their task. It was too important. And once she got her hands on him, she wouldn’t be able to stop. By Diesel’s slow breathing and intermittent growls, he felt the same way.

  The rock they were crouched behind faced the entrance to the hangar. It was a small door. The big roll-up garage door for the airplanes was closed. Jake and Neve had gone west to scout the area and to make sure The Sumerians hadn’t posted any guards. Luke and Ginger had taken south.

  “We’re lucky it’s so early in the morning,” Sofia commented. “If it were later, there would be much more activity around here.”

  Diesel chuckled. “There’s never much activity around here, we’re in the middle of the desert, but these guys aren’t expecting any trouble”—he shook his head—“which only heightens their idiocy. If they were ready for trouble, they’d have people stationed to sound an alarm. Mason must think he’s invincible. I bet he only brought five or six of them along for this mission.”

  “You’re right.” Sofia nodded. “When I felt the kickback from the spell, I only counted six.”

  Diesel’s nose was in the air. He glanced along the horizon one more time. “Okay, it’s time to move. We aren’t getting a better chance than this. If we fail, we’ll have to bring the agency in on it, and I’ll lose my chance to get rid of Mason. I can’t let that happen.”

  “I’ll send the signal to the others.” Sofia muttered a spell to change the color of a piece of paper. Once she was done, she and Diesel took off from behind the rock. As they ran, she spotted Neve and Jake round the end of the building, followed by Luke and Ginger on the other side.

  Diesel went first, slamming his massive leg into the small door without any preamble. As he did it, Sofia hit the door with a spell, and it flew inward at an alarming speed. She hoped it would hurt someone on the other side. One less incubus to fight.

  The scene inside was so surprising, it was hard not to gape.

  They’d all been expecting some kind of a counterattack, and each of them had dropped into a fight pose. But instead of the incubi being armed and ready to fight, they were sprawled on the ground, stark naked. None of them had so much as twitched a muscle at the intrusion.

  “What the fuck is this?” Diesel bellowed. “Some kind of joke?”

  One incubus stood in the center of the room. His back faced the door, and his hands were still raised high in the air. He was tall with dark hair and tanned skin. He turned slowly to face the six powerful supernaturals ready to fight him, no fear whatsoever in his eyes. “Ah, the prodigal son returns,” the incubus intoned, sounding bored. “I knew you’d find us here eventually, if given enough time.” His hand swept through the air. It seemed Mason had a bit of a flare for the dramatic. “And it’s so thoughtful of you to bring your friends, especially you, Ginger. We’ve missed you a great deal since your abrupt disappearance. It’s too bad you couldn’t have given us another hour, but luckily, my power has already been replenished. I can see you all have no idea what you’re dealing with, so let’s get this started, shall we?” Without warning, his arms flung out, and a powerful spell with the energy of a small bomb shot around the room.

  The entire group was blasted backward, smashing into the wall.

  It’d all happened so fast Sofia hadn’t had time to block the spell, but that wasn’t going to happen twice. She immediately activated a defensive spell around the group as they all leaped up together. “He’s a master!” she yelled as her spell rang true. She hadn’t expected him to be so powerful. Half-breeds weren’t usually as strong as purebred witches.

  “Of course I’m a master,” he scoffed as he moved forward. “How would I be able to do what I do and not be supremely powerful? I’ve spent many years honing my skills, and to my delight, my incubus side heightens my spellcasting abilities, and vice versa. It’s been an incredible supernatural pairing—not that my dear mother would agree, but Daddy did always get what he wanted. And you, my sweet”—his gazed landed on Sofia—“will be creating more of my kind once you join me as my wife. Don’t expect preferential treatment, however, because I have many brides.” He clucked his tongue. “No jealousy allowed.”

  Diesel roared his displeasure.

  Sofia had been probing for Mason’s weakness as he talked, prodding him with a few subtle spells. His vanity was front and center. Diesel had been right when he’d said that Mason believed he was invincible. It made him supremely overconfident. He would assume Sofia’s powers wouldn’t compare, which would give her exactly the edge she needed. Sofia glanced around the cavernous space. His followers were still out cold for their morning “ritual” of power-sucking. Sofia knew Mason had the ability to wake them, but he hadn’t yet.

  He wanted the glory for himself.

  She grinned.
/>   Mason’s expression changed slightly. “Oh, I have not underestimated you in the least, my dear. You’ve been on my wish list for some time. So powerful and feisty, full of life and fertility, which is the most important part. I was originally going to give you to my faithful follower when I was done, but since he’s defected, I will keep you for myself.” Sofia glanced around and saw Ginger doing the same. He was telling the truth. Damien wasn’t here. “First, I will put you to sleep, to spare you the grief, because I’m all heart. Once you awake, your friends will be gone and you’ll be all mine.” He flicked his fingers at the group, but his spell recoiled, bouncing off the barrier Sofia had erected moments before.

  “Honestly, did you think it was going to be that easy, Mason?” She addressed him by name for the first time. “I have a few tricks up my sleeve as well. That just goes to show that you have underestimated me. This isn’t a kidnapping. It’s a battle to the death—master against master. Have you ever battled a master before?” She smirked at her nemesis. “I have. And I always win.”

  “No, my peach.” He shook his head, pouting out his lower lip. “I will not kill you. Your fate is to be by my side until the end of eternity. You will learn that soon enough.”

  “We’ll see about that.” Sofia clapped her hands. The ground beneath them immediately roiled. She savored the look in Mason’s eye as he realized he’d just screwed with the wrong witch.

  Everything happened so quickly, there was no time to think. Diesel reacted as the ground opened up and took hold of the incubus, sucking him under.

  It seemed his witch did have tricks up her sleeve, powerful ones at that.

  Diesel leaped over the bodies of the downed incubi, knowing that the time to strike this bastard down was right now. Just before he took hold of Mason’s neck, another spell rang out, this time from the incubus himself, and Diesel was blasted backward.

  Damn these spellcrafters. Didn’t they know how to fight with their hands?

  Diesel rolled, smashing into a large shelving unit. It clattered around him, falling to pieces. By the time he was back up in a ready fighting position, so were the other incubi. They slunk around their master like a pack of dogs defending their bone.

  As Diesel watched, figuring out the best move, Mason eradicated himself from the hole without breaking a sweat. The dirt seemed to propel him upward like some kind of holy figure, and he looked both pleased and ready to kill something.

  So was Diesel. But before he could launch himself at the incubus once again, his brain began to fog over. Those bastards were in his head. “You will not persuade me to stop this battle!” he shouted. “So don’t even try.” Diesel swore a stream of profanity as they continued to push into his head. He caught Jake’s eye as his friend moved into a strategic position to back him up. Jake wouldn’t fall to any mind games, but Mason and his followers didn’t know that. Jake nodded at Diesel almost imperceptibly.

  Diesel began to charge the group, and when he was almost on top of them, he heard Sofia yell, “I’ll keep them out of your—”

  With glee, Mason turned, firing a spell straight at Sofia.

  Diesel watched it hit her squarely in the chest. She went down, crumpling like a rag doll. Before Diesel could redirect to check on her, Neve was in front of her, her legs braced apart, a throwing star already in motion, heading straight for Mason’s throat.

  Diesel reached the incubus at the same time the star did.

  It glanced off of Mason’s shoulder as the incubus ducked. Diesel managed to grab hold of him before he could escape, yanking him forward by the shirtfront as two of his incubi followers tried to intervene.

  Diesel tossed them off like they weighed nothing. Luke and Jake each took one as Diesel continued to wrap his arm tightly around Mason’s neck. Worried, Diesel called to the dhampir, “Why isn’t she getting up?”

  “I have no idea,” Neve shot back, “but keep fighting. I’ll make sure she stays safe.”

  Mason started to laugh. “There is no safe place here. She will not wake until I say so, and if you kill me, she dies along with me. That’s how this is going to go.”

  “You’re lying,” Diesel said through a clenched jaw. “You’d say anything to stay alive right now.” He forced the incubus down to his knees. The effort hardly took anything out of him. The sex demon was a spellcrafter, but he was no fighter.

  “I’m not bluffing,” Mason challenged. “I didn’t bluff you when I told you I’d kill your father if you tried to intervene, and I did. He ended up dying because of your meddling, and so will she. Do you want to make the same mistake twice, shifter? Your very best option is to give her up to me.”

  Diesel’s insides clenched and roiled. Fur erupted along his forearms, and his brain began to be affected by his change.

  “Wolf, he’s right. She’s not waking up,” Neve said. “I don’t want to believe him, but I have no idea about witchy stuff.” He could see the dhampir leaning over to take Sofia’s pulse.

  “Is she breathing?” Diesel called, trying hard to focus on staying in his human form. As much as he would welcome a full-moon change, as it would help him defeat Mason, he couldn’t risk it without knowing if Sofia was okay.

  “Yep, but barely.” Neve faced Diesel. “It’s up to you, but I vote we take him out and save her later. She’s strong. She can handle it.”

  “You don’t have the guts to kill me, beast,” Mason said as he began to struggle in earnest. “You’re just the same scared boy I remember.”

  “I was eight years old, you asshole. Of course I was scared. But I still came after you again and again.”

  “Yes, you did, and because of that, your father died.” He laughed. “You could’ve spared him if you’d only backed off like he begged you to do.”

  “You’re lying,” Diesel raged. “I saw what you did to my father. You weren’t going to let him live. You wanted my mother, and my father never would’ve let you take her. He was going to die, or you were.”

  “Ah, yes, your sweet, sweet mother. How is she these days? I plan to pay her a visit soon. She still has something I want very much. Plus, she’s still fertile, which is always perfect. I haven’t fathered a shifter yet, as you are all so resistant to new ideas.”

  “You’re not going to go near my mother.” A wash of red cascaded over his eyes. The only reason he hadn’t pulled Mason’s head from his body was Sofia. His beast seemed to know they had to make sure she was okay first. “My mother didn’t want you then, and she doesn’t want you now.” Diesel’s vocal cords were straining, the words becoming more and more garbled as the change took him. “You ruined my family, you bastard.”

  “Of course she didn’t want me. It never makes a difference.” Diesel put a stronger hold on Mason, but the incubus just smiled up at him. The asshole had to be toying with him. Diesel’s muscles began to slacken against his will. Mason was using his magic. It infuriated Diesel, but there was nothing he could do. “She has a unique strength, your mother. Do you know what that is? No? By the look on your face, I’m certain you do not. Your mother is a female alpha.” Mason chuckled at Diesel’s dumbfounded expression. “I know, shocking. She’s very powerful and very rare. She is one of very few known in the world. Simply stated, your mother is a prize.”

  “That’s not true,” Diesel said, shaking him hard enough to make his head rock forward and back. “I’d know if my mother was an alpha. We sense these things. We’re fucking werewolves.”

  Mason began to laugh uncontrollably. “Your mother has been very shrewd, I will grant her that. She’s done everything to protect you, and cloak herself, of course. It’s all been for the benefit of you and your dear brother. To give you ‘normal’ lives, I assume. But who knows, maybe she gets off on keeping the information to her—”

  “Enough talking, demon,” Diesel snarled. “If I can’t kill you yet, I can—”

  Mason laid one finger on Diesel’s chest, and Diesel exploded backward, feeling as though a battering ram had struck his chest. Damn i
t. He was getting sick of that trick.

  The incubus had been in control all along. But that wasn’t enough to deter Diesel. Nothing could. He’d just keep coming until the incubus finally went down. Diesel was up again in less than a second, a red haze covering his eyes so thickly he could barely see. He was in the process of a full shift. He heard Luke call his name, but he couldn’t make out what his brother was saying.

  Diesel had only one thing on his mind as he stalked forward. The incubus had the nerve to continue to laugh. Once he was close enough, the demon said, “Do you ever wonder why you have this affliction, wolf?”

  Diesel heard him but couldn’t form any coherent words to respond, but that didn’t slow his pace.

  “It’s because you’re a dual alpha.” Mason spread his hands wide. “Did you know that? That’s the reason it was so easy to tweak your genes when you were so young, to confound and confuse them. And I did it like that.” He snapped his fingers. “Both your alpha sides now battle each other each time the moon reaches its greatest gravitational pull. Having two alpha parents had made you incredibly strong, but I brought you to your knees with one spell. Your sides will always clash with each other, and they will eventually tear you apart. Your demise might be my greatest achievement to date.” Diesel plucked Mason up by the neck and lifted him off the floor. The incubus seemed unfazed. “I meted out the punishment your mother deserved for denying me and the one you deserved for interfering with my prize.” Mason hissed, his teeth gritted in anger. “If it hadn’t been for you, I would’ve had her for my own long ago.”

  Diesel shook him. “You lose now, demon.” Diesel’s voice was still rough, but miraculously his human side began to fight its way through. Diesel shook his head. The red began to ease and clarity came back. He was still in the middle of his shift, but for the first time in his life, he felt in control during a lunar lust. He smiled into the demon’s face. “You’re not going to win this one, Mason.”