JINXED: (Karma Series, Book Two) (21 page)

Chapter 34

Out of Stock

Hours had passed since I’d called Malokin, and he’d agreed to meet with me tomorrow. Since then, Fate’s new softer side had disappeared completely. He’d barely spoken to me since we’d argued about the new plan, and I was relieved we had company.

Half of Fate’s living room was filled with his guys, called over by Fate in preparation for tomorrow. Paddy occupied the other half of the room.

Fate’s guys couldn’t stop staring at him. Although they tried to do it discreetly, they weren’t fooling anyone. It made sense. They’d thought they knew it all and had seen it all, which was a reasonable expectation, considering their collective history.

But then there was Paddy. He looked like he had a foot in the grave, and yet he had as much presence in a room as Fate. Paddy seemed quite unperturbed by the attention and was making himself very comfortable at the bar.

“This stuff is really great!” He lifted yet another bottle. He must have made it halfway through Fate’s alcohol stash by now, but it seemed to have no effect on him at all. Since I’d changed, my tolerance was twice, maybe three times that of a normal mortal. Paddy was a bottomless pit.

“Karma!” he bellowed across the room, to where I stood in the kitchen. “Does Fate have any more of this,” he paused, holding the bottle up to read the label, “Chivas Regal?”

I wanted to yell back,
why are you asking me where he keeps his stuff
? The guys were speculating on my familiarity with Fate’s home as their eyes watched me, waiting for my response. The craziest thing was, I actually did know where he kept the liquor backups. I’d walked past the stuff in his garage enough to know right where the extras were. In the end, I’d decided it would be easier to just get the bottle for him as opposed to dragging out the subject.

“Yeah, he’s got a few spares in the garage. I’ll get you one.” I headed toward the door off the hallway, relieved to have a few minutes by myself. The coming respite was stolen when Fate appeared behind me, following me toward the garage door.

“Oh good, you can get it,” I said, not looking for the confrontation I knew was bound to be coming.

His arm wrapped around my waist, steering me along with him anyway. I took a few steps away from him, farther into the garage, preparing myself for the fight to come. He shut the door and then stood there, blocking it.

I spun, my hands on my hips, as I said, “You know, just once you could
ask
me to do something you wanted.”

He paced halfway into the garage. “I asked you this morning. Look how well that worked out.”

Fate had actually asked me several times to not call Malokin, and I’d done it anyway. I’d taken advantage of the fact that he’d been handling me with kid gloves to avoid a full-blown war. Since then, hour-by-hour, I’d watched his frustration build and knew I wasn’t out of the woods yet.

He closed the distance between us. “You aren’t going tomorrow. It’s a bad idea, and I shouldn’t have let it get this far.” His voice was firm. I wondered if I was going to have a fight to leave the garage when another possible motive for his actions slammed into me.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to know, but I asked anyway. “Is it tomorrow? Is that why you don’t want me to go? Am I going to die?” What if he said yes? Could I still do this? The question made my knees go weak and I grabbed onto the shelf, refusing to sit even though I wanted to. Because, as far as I was concerned, the question wasn’t about going or not, but what would happen when I did.

“I don’t know when it’ll happen.” He rubbed a hand on the back of his neck as he looked down.

I grabbed a bottle of Chivas off the shelf, relieved to be ignorant of the exact moment of my death. Just because I’d asked didn’t mean I wanted to know. It would make it easier to go into tomorrow without being certain I wouldn’t come back.

“Eventually, we all die,” I said, staring off into space.

“Humans do. Not us. We can live for eternity, if we want.” His hand gripped my shoulder, turning me toward him. “And you won’t die; you’ll just disappear.”

When he looked at me, I could see in his eyes that he still didn’t understand. The way his head tilted toward me and he watched my expression, as if he expected me to come to my senses at any moment.

I knew the possibilities. I wasn’t in denial. It just changed nothing.

“You know how I feel. I can’t have this fight again.” I needed everything I had to keep going. Why couldn’t he understand that this wasn’t some sort of death wish but something I had to do?

“If you won’t listen to reason, you give me no choice.” He dropped his hand from my shoulder and straightened up to his full height.

“You could stop me, but you won’t. Because that would cross a line, and you know it.”

“I forced the other issue.” He looked down at where my tattoo was.

“That was different, and we both know it.” I laid a hand over my hip, which had been wrapped and taped with gauze until there wasn’t a trace of light showing through any longer. I still felt the odd warmth there. “I understand this. I was losing myself. I wasn’t thinking rationally anymore, I was in a constant state of desperation, trying to hold the pieces together, even as they were ripping apart. But you know this is different. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t do this, and I couldn’t live with you.” I leaned my hip against the shelf.

“What if I stop you anyway?”

There was a look in his eyes that made me think it was a very real possibility. He came closer, crowding my space. There was no denying it. I was an emotional mess, and it would feel so good to just let him shoulder all of this.

His eyes settled on my lips when he was mere inches from me. His fingers trailed my jawline and then urged my chin up. His thumb gently rubbed over my lower lip, parting it slightly as his head leaned forward. His lips touched mine and his tongue teasingly darted in my mouth, daring me to respond.

It was the first kiss we’d ever had that hadn’t been coerced by Cupid. That’s what made it so alarming when my senses seemed to be drowning in the taste and feel of him, no less acute than before. Pressed along me as he was now, I had that same overwhelming urge to get as close as possible. My hands wrapped around him as he pulled my hips snug to his.

His one hand cupped my ass and his other wrapped around my back, he surrounded me. That special sort of energy that was uniquely him was on full blast and overwhelming me, and I didn’t want to fight it.

Then his lips broke contact with mine. “Say you won’t go.”

He wasn’t going to give me a chance to answer, but his words yanked me sharply back into reality. I turned my head before he could kiss me again. Putting both palms on his chest, I pushed away from him.

“Please, don’t ask me to do something I can’t.” I eyed him, wondering what the true purpose of the kiss had even been.

My eyes went back to the shelves, where the bottles of liquor sat. He had a backup of everything except Maker’s Mark. I doubted he even did his own shopping, most of the time. He probably just made a list.

“Who stocks you up? Do you do your own shopping?” I asked.

His eyes went to the bottles. If there was one thing Fate was not, it was stupid.

“I told you, I’ll get you more Maker’s Mark.” His arms crossed in front of his chest.

“Do you have a list you give someone?”

He shrugged, which I interpreted as a silent yes.

I scanned the extensive inventory until I laid eyes on the brand of wine Crow drank. It was maybe five dollars a bottle, but he loved it. Would drink nothing else.

“How often does Crow come by?” I asked, but he shrugged off the question. I knew why he wouldn’t answer. I’d never seen him even talk to Crow since I’d been at the office and yet there was his wine.

It was the birthday party all over again. I couldn’t have a slice of cake then, and I couldn’t have a drink now.

I hadn’t made the most basic list in his life, let alone the important ones. He’d stood by me last night; he’d gone against Malokin, an unknown risk, but yet, on some instinctive level, he was still resisting having me around.

“Why do you care? You don’t want me to go, but you certainly don’t want me to stay, either.” He didn’t answer, and that’s when it really hit me. I was waiting for him to tell me he cared about me. I wanted him to deny what I was saying was true, but he wasn’t saying anything. He couldn’t answer.

I shook my head and went to leave the garage, but his arm went across my shoulders and stopped me. I didn’t fight against him, but my pride kept me from looking at him.

“Just because I think you’d be better off away from here doesn’t mean anything.” His words were stiff, as if he were fighting to get them out. “It has nothing to do with what I want. It’s just what’s best, considering the situation.”

“This conversation is over.”

He didn’t move his arm, but I broke his grasp easily as I moved toward the door. I’d finally found one confrontation that Fate wasn’t prepared to have.

Chapter 35

You make my blood boil.

The building Malokin had agreed to meet me at was a high-rise in the middle of Los Angeles. The street was busy with cars, and I waited for an opening to cross. I knew two distinctly different audiences, both with differing goals in mind, were watching every step I took. 

Paddy, Fate, and his men, were stationed all around. They had eyes trained on the windows of the suite Malokin was in, from every possible angle. Once I had knowledge of Kitty’s presence, I’d stand in front of those windows and signal. If I didn’t within fifteen minutes, they’d come anyway. That was the plan.

It was pretty simple; not too many things that could go wrong. Unless you thought about the fact that a cut across the carotid artery would incapacitate me in less than a minute, and kill me in under three.

“Miss?” the doorman asked, holding the door—which might very well lead to my death—open.

I nodded and stepped forward. “Thank you.”

The lobby was a blur, and I only had eyes for the elevator, waiting at the far end of the grand entrance. He was on the top floor, but I would’ve known that without being told. Nothing but the penthouse suite would do for Malokin to vent his sadistic nature. Malokin hid his nature better than Luke, but it was there just the same.

Every step felt like I was waiting for a trap. The elevator doors slid shut and I expected it to plummet. When they opened, I waited for someone to be there with a gun to shoot me as I stepped toward the suite. Encountering no one wasn’t doing much for my unease. If anything, it might have heightened it. I was prepared for a fight, with all the accompanying adrenaline, but had yet to find my target.

I rapped once on the suite door, and Malokin’s voice called for me to come in. Not bothering to rise, he was seated by the large windows, smoking a cigar in the beautiful baroque-style room, completely alone.

As I walked toward him, I surveyed the place with the image of my death in mind. It was pristine, and had a plush carpet to lie upon, if I did end up upon it. As far as places to die went—or floors, in this case—it wasn’t the worst.

My possible murderer’s eyes didn’t leave me as I made my way closer to him. All the dread I’d felt on my way here was becoming secondary to a certain strange satisfaction. This was the first time I’d met with him in recent times that he didn’t know my every movement of the last twenty-four hours. He didn’t have every word catalogued, along with other more personal situations no one had a right to eavesdrop on. If this was to be my last day, at least it was a free one.

“Have a seat,” he said, motioning to the set of chairs I’d stopped behind.

“No. I’ll stand.”

It was such a simple statement but not between us. The act of refusing to sit was claiming my independence back. It was a polite “fuck you,” and he knew it, evidenced by the twitch in his eye.

“I would’ve had you.” After he spoke, his jaw shifted slightly to the right and then back. This was the most agitated I’d ever seen him. Actually, I wasn’t sure I’d seen him riled until this moment, and it was another salve to my agitation. Was my possible death worth the admission? No, probably not. But I wasn’t dead yet.

I placed my hands on the back of the chair in front of me and leaned forward slightly. “But you don’t have me,” I said, in a voice just above a whisper but in no ways weak.

“If you weren’t helped, I would’ve been able to do anything I wanted to you, eventually. You were pathetic.” He puffed on his cigar as he stood.

“Am I supposed to feel shame about that? Just so we’re clear, I don’t.” It was one of the few things that didn’t bother me. In fact, the only thing that was running through my mind was, if I got the opportunity, was I physically capable of killing him right now? If Kitty was dead, I wasn’t walking out of here without trying. His life would end today, if I had any say in the matter.

“Nothing’s changed. I still have her.” His eyes were glued to me as I tried to remain stoic after this revelation. Malokin knew what those words did to me. Making me cling to hope. I couldn’t turn back the clock and undo the things she and I had both seen and been put through, but sometimes just surviving had to be enough. Still, there was no going back. I felt it in myself and I saw it in Malokin. 

“And yet…I think it has. How long would you like to play this game? Why are you really meeting me? Whatever you want to call this sick relationship we had between us, we both know it’s over.” I could repeat those words a thousand more times and not feel tired of them.

I choked on the smoke from the cigar he puffed on as he took a moment. Not because he needed time, I was sure, but because he wanted to toy with me.

His eyes roved over me and not in appreciation. “However they managed to cut you off, they were thorough.”

“So you thought you could undo what was done?” I was more conscious than ever of the warmth that still radiated out from the tattoo.

“Yes. Perhaps. Now I see this was a waste of time.” He shrugged, as if it weren’t any real loss, even though I suspected he felt otherwise. After all, he’d hunted me for generations for a reason.

“What about Kitty?” he had no need to keep her alive now, let alone allow me to see her.

“She’s right in there.” He nodded to the double doors that looked like they led to a bedroom.

“What’s the catch?” My hands gripped the chair, forcing myself to not burst toward her direction.

He set his cigar down on the ashtray and turned so he stood facing me directly. “You’ve got two options. You can take your shot at me, or you can leave with her.”

I stepped away from the chair in front of me. Face to face, we appraised each other like two duelists preparing for battle. I didn’t believe for a minute he’d just let me stroll in there and get her. “You’re going to let me and her just walk out of here? That’s it?”

“Yes. That’s right. But you have to walk away from your shot at taking me down. I know how badly you want to.” Malokin smiled and waited.

“Want” was a humongous understatement. The thought of ripping into him had me salivating, and my nails were digging into the skin of my palms. My pulse picked up as I thirsted for revenge.

Palms up, he said, “Her or me. That’s your choice. You won’t get a chance at both.”

He was baiting me. He knew exactly what I wanted to do, and it’s what he wanted as well. Why, though? Was it a trap of some sort? If it was just my life, I might be willing to take the chance, but it wasn’t.

My head turned toward the bedroom doors. I believed she was in there, too. I made my move closer to the window and made the gesture that would bring reinforcements. “I choose her,” I said to him, hoping I’d still get both.

He was disappointed. He waved toward the door leading to the bedroom, slightly deflated. “Go get her.”

I didn’t move, but my eyes jumped to the door again. When I turned back he was gone. I’d let him out of my sight for less than a few seconds.

I ran and opened the double doors, expecting to be attacked at any moment. Kitty was there, as he’d claimed. She was lying tied up and unconscious on the bed. Her chest moved up and down. She was still with us.

“Kitty?” I grabbed one of the knives holstered at my ankle and started to cut through the ropes that bound her. “Kitty,” I yelled a bit louder. “You’ve got to get up.”

Her eyes opened and the breath caught in my throat. Her eyes focused on me, but she didn’t look like Kitty anymore. They must have given her something. I hoped that was all it was.

“You’ve got to get up. Do you hear me?” I was practically shouting in her face now.

She simply lay there. Her clothes—the same ones she’d had on when I’d seen her last—were filthy. Her hands…I couldn’t look at them. They’d clearly started to heal in the broken position they’d been left in.

Pity wasn’t something I had time for, right now. All I could focus on was getting us both out of there. I looped her frail arm around my shoulders and grabbed her about the waist. She was lighter than she used to be, or I wouldn’t have been able to get her out of there on my own.

As it was, the stairway—if I could find it—wasn’t an option if I had to carry her. The elevator was asking for trouble. If those doors opened to the wrong people, it would be like shooting fish in a barrel.

“Kitty.” I squeezed her waist, trying to make her more alert. “I need you to try and walk.”

She didn’t even acknowledge I’d spoken.

Struggling, I made it into the other room, her feet dragging the entire time. They’d said as soon as I’d signaled, they’d be here in less than five minutes. Where were they? Fate and the guys should’ve been storming in by now.

I’d have to choose. I’d never make it down all those stairs but wasn’t willing to wait here for them, either. Fate had said I’d die by my neck being slit. If that were true, I wasn’t going to get shot full of holes in an elevator. Choice made. I rearranged Kitty onto my back, holding her on with her arms in front of me and dragged her into the hallway.

I hit the down button and looked upward. “You got me involved in this mess. You’d better get me out!”

The doors opened seconds later. I propped Kitty up under the floor buttons, so she wouldn’t take any bullets if the doors opened to fire. I leaned slightly over her and hit the lobby button.

It was the longest elevator ride of my entire life. Malokin wouldn’t make it this easy. I looked at the walls of the elevator and I wondered if instead of saving her, I’d dragged Kitty into a metal coffin. It occurred to me now that I knew the means of my death, not hers.

Three floors.

Two floors.

The doors started to open to the lobby without gunfire, and I felt a glimmer of hope that we were going to get out of there. Relief started to bloom inside of me, and I let out half a cry from the excitement that not only did I have Kitty, but we were both alive.

“Kitty, you gotta help me and get up.” I’d deal with the lobby people, but it would be easier if I wasn’t dragging her the entire way. And where was my backup? Could they have missed my signal?

Either way, it didn’t matter now. Kitty wasn’t budging, and I needed to get moving. She wasn’t going to make this easy on me. “Hey, cat girl, get your ass moving!” I felt bad for screaming at her after everything she’d been through, but she needed to wake the hell up. We could both easily end up dead. Until we were miles from Malokin, I wasn’t going to feel safe, lobby full of people or not.

She didn’t even look at me. So much for tough love.

In my concentration on her, I hadn’t bothered to assess anything beyond the lobby hallway, but now the smell of smoke drew my attention.

Where were the people in the lobby? Why didn’t I hear them? I poked my head out of the door that was trying to close.

There was nobody there; no one behind the desk, even. But beyond it, on the street where I could see through the makeshift barred glass doors, was absolute mayhem.

The building across the street was a roaring fire, flames shooting ten feet out of the broken windows. People were running in every direction, with sticks and makeshift weapons in their hands. What the hell had happened?

I kneeled down in front of Kitty with a renewed sense of urgency. I grabbed her face between my hands. “Get. Up.”

Her eyes, which I thought were deadened a while ago, now showed so much pain that it made me physically weak myself. A tear escaped and drifted down her cheek and I wiped it away, not wanting to see it there.

“Kill me.”

My jaw dropped open, but I couldn’t speak. What had they done to her that was so bad that even in the face of freedom, she preferred death?

“No. Do you hear me? You’re getting up and coming with me. Neither of us are dying today.” I yanked her arm around my shoulders again and dragged her slowly out of the elevator with me. “If you want to die, you do it by yourself. You aren’t pulling that shit on me. You hear me?”

She didn’t answer and I didn’t care. I’d carry her all the way to South Carolina on my back, if that’s what it took. Hopefully, it wouldn’t.

Once I got us out of the elevator and behind the receptionist’s counter, I dug my phone out of my pocket and scrolled down quickly to Fate and dialed. When it went straight to machine, three times in a row, my hand started shaking. The cell towers were down.

A banging sound drew my eyes to the glass doors, and I peeked out from our position. Men and women, from every walk of life, were starting to ram the doors. A metal garbage can smashed into the glass. A long crack appeared, but it was still intact, even if it wouldn’t be for long.

I shoved the phone in my back pocket and shook out my hands. It was all me. There was no time for nerves now.

“Listen to me,” I said to Kitty, as I kneeled down on the marble surface next to her. Her eyes flickered to my face. “I don’t want to die here. Do you hear me?” She nodded. “But I will not leave here without you. So if you want to die, you’re going to kill me, too.” The words were harsh, but I would’ve said worse to get her moving.

More tears started coming down her face but I couldn’t let them affect me. “Stop crying and help me get out of here.”

She shook her head then looked down at her legs. “I can’t walk.”