Lost Soul (DarkWorld: SkinWalker Book 2) (10 page)

"I know what you mean, but you can't just go barging in there and give the pimp the shakedown," Lily countered, her hands now firmly on her hips.

I nodded. "I know. That's why I have a plan."

"Kai?" Lily said warily. "What are you up to?"

"Just come with me." I grabbed her arm and dragged her around the corner and into the first wide doorway. "Keep watch."

Lily stood at the edge of the step, her eyes flitting up and down the street. "What are you doing?" she whispered loudly, sneaking glances in my direction.

"Preparing." I shimmied out of my jeans and dragged my racer tee down my hips, sending a thankful prayer to Ailuros that I'd decided to wear it. The hem of the cotton top ended on the knee and I tried tugging it higher hoping it would stay. When I turned I shuddered at the hazy reflection in the abandoned store window, I knew it wouldn't look too out of place at all especially when I headed back around the corner.

The long, black tee and ankle-high goth boots would have to do. I grabbed a pen from my rucksack and twisted my hair up into an untidy knot, pulling a few tendrils free, then pushed the sleeves of my leather jacket up my arms. The bruise showed clearly but I knew what it would look like at first glance. A junkie's ravaged arm. And I could work with that.

A quick search in my rucksack and I loaded both the gun and the crossbow with live Wraith ammo. Even though the weapons were ones I used for practice, they were perfectly capable of completing the job.

"Right," I said, firmly trying to bolster my waning determination.

"Holy shit." Lily stared me up and down. She looked about to faint.

"What's wrong?" I asked, concerned she was about to be sick or something.

"You look hot," she said, although she didn't look particularly impressed. She just looked shocked. And horrified. "How the hell did you do that?"

I glared at her as I shoved my jeans to the bottom of the rucksack and laid the bow and gun at the top for easy reach. I considered giving the gun to Lily, but she wasn't trained enough and would just waste precious ammo.

I grabbed a dagger and flipped it over, handing it to her by the blade. Her eyes widened, the honey irises glowing stronger the more stressed she became. "What am I supposed to do with that?"

"You wanted to be my side-kick. We start now." I held her gaze not daring her to say no.

"Gee, you certainly don't give a girl time to get familiar with the job." She took the dagger and turned it over to examine the blade. Then she nodded and said, "Cool."

"Right, I need to know you have my back." It was a lot of pressure to put on her with so little training and experience. But at least she had me to show her the ropes. "Lily, you have more experience in this than I did when I started this job."

"What do you mean?" She stopped staring at the weapon and glanced up and down the street before meeting my gaze.

"I killed my first Wraith without even knowing what it was or how I was supposed to properly end its life. You've seen a Wraith. You know what they can do. And you've had some practice with weaponry." I tried to make it sound practical. Why was I even getting her involved in this?

She snorted. "That means nothing. You just happen to be a Demon Hunter. I'm nowhere near even being a hunter for dinner, let alone soul-sucking demons."

"You'll be fine." I patted her shoulder then bent to slip a dagger of my own into my boot. Better safe than sorry.

"Okay, hot stuff. Exactly what is it you want me to do?" Lily slid the dagger in one of her belt-loops at the front of her jeans and I glared at her.

"Certainly not that." I gave the dagger a pointed look and watched her grab for the handle as it cut through the fabric and began to fall.

"Oh, shit. Sorry. Man, this thing's sharp." She scowled and held tightly onto the handle.

"Yeah. Don't let it fall on your foot," I said drily.

"I won't." She sounded determined.

"I'm going to go find the pimp. He shouldn't be too far and it will be easy enough to track him. But first, I want to talk to the kid."

"She isn't a kid, you know," Lily said, and edge to her voice.

"Lily, just look at her for Ailuros' sake."

"Kai, I do love you, you know, but for all your killing and tough-guy attitude, you're still a bit naive." I scowled. She had a nerve calling me naive. "No, don't look at me like that. You are. That kid has probably been working the streets since she was ten. A life like this hardens you. I can guarantee you there isn't a thread of child in that kid. Her childhood died when she started in this business."

I glared at Lily. When did she become so hard and practical? "That doesn't mean she can't be helped."

"I didn't say that. I know you want to help her out, but I'm just warning you. There is a good chance she won't want to be helped. And if that happens, you can't punish yourself. You can't save everyone." She leaned to me and grabbed my sleeve giving it a little shake. "Did you hear me?"

I nodded, the action a little jerky. Her words were so mature, so experienced and a little lacking in hope. But I knew where she was coming from. I also knew I'd do anything to help the girl get out of this life. I just had to get in and kill the Wraith first or she was going nowhere.

"Yeah, I heard. And I know what you mean. I do." She didn't look convinced but I continued, "Now, let's get going. I need you in the alleyway behind the brothel. Find a fire escape and hide."

"How can I help you from there? Can't I come with you?" I raised an eyebrow and looked her up and down almost exactly the way she'd done to me a few minutes ago. She huffed. "Okay fine. Whatever. I'll wait outside."

"I'm going to try to get him into the alley then you can back me up in case I get into a difficult spot." She stared at me as if in a trance. "Ready?" She blinked and then nodded. "Then go. I'll wait until you are in position."

She headed off and crossed the empty street before disappearing into the shadows. She popped her head out and waved before being absorbed by the night.

***

I smeared on some lipstick, tugged the hem back up my thighs again, and headed back around the corner, sauntering across the street as I made a beeline for the girl.

Her eyes narrowed when she saw me. "What do you want?" She glared at me, her eyes slightly dilated. "This is my spot. If you don't want that pretty face of yours pulverized, then you'd better take yourself elsewhere before Gus sees you." Her words were harsh, bitter as she sized me up.

I raised an eyebrow, haughtily looking her up and down. "I'm not here to sell. I need to see your boss."

"What? Aren't you looking for a john?" She sneered. "There's enough of us here working our asses off to make a buck. We don't need another girl on the job."

"Don't worry, kid. I'm not looking for work. Though it seems to me you'd be better off finding yourself another line of work."

Her lip curled as she looked me up and down again, her eyes narrowed, stopping on my hemline before giving me another once-over with a new gleam in her eye. Somehow I'd known knee-length was not short enough. "What are you? Some kind of save-the-prostitute social worker or something?

I opened my mouth, intending to tell her she had options, but she cut me off. "Look, this is my life. There's no changing the way it is. So leave me the fuck alone." She folded her arms stiffly, giving the building behind her a dark, almost fearful glare. "If you wanna see Gus, he's on the first floor, through there. Don't blame me if you don't come out alive." She pointed behind her then turned her head stiffly away from me.

"Don't worry. I can handle myself."

She snorted then looked back down the road. I reached into my jacket pocket for the card I'd kept ready. "If you ever want to get out of this life, get clean … you can. My friend will help you, no questions asked. Here's a number." I waved the card in front of her and she took it hastily, looking around her to make sure nobody had seen the exchange.

She held it in her hand and glared at me, weaving a little unsteadily on her feet. "Don't hold your breath." She spat the words out, her pale blue eyes gleaming.

"It's up to you, kid," I said then walked past her to the entrance she'd pointed out. It reeked of urine and alcohol. I shoved the door open and headed up the thin flight of stairs. Two doors at the top. One left, one right and she hadn't said which one.

But it didn't matter. Only one door glowed with the threads of coral, announcing the Wraith within.

I slipped inside a small sitting room complete with faded red loveseat and fake potted plant. The trails of the Wraith covered the door opposite me. Clearly he didn't spend much time in his waiting room as the place was devoid of any trace of coral-colored residue.

I let my panther senses reach into the room for me. He was alone. And he stank of death.

Gripping the tarnished metal doorknob, I thrust it open and leaned against the doorjamb, jutting one hip forward. I traced a finger along my cleavage as his eyes widened.

The human he'd taken would've been model-handsome a long time ago. Before drugs and alcohol abuse had taken its toll. Now he was dead, a Wraith looking back at me through Gus's haggard eyes. The Wraith had been using him for a while.

From the looks of the red-rimmed eyes, the empty nail beds, and eroding hair, his time would soon be up. I didn't care. I wasn't planning on leaving the soul-sucking bastard here to take advantage of these women any more. What the hell was he doing here anyway? He was way too comfortable as a pimp.

"What do you want?" His gaze flitted over my shoulder. Probably checking if one of his lackeys had brought me up.

"One of those guys downstairs said you'd be up here." I kept my voice low and husky.

"Did they?" The skin at the corners of his eyes tightened. I didn't care. I wanted him just suspicious enough to follow me out.

"Yeah. I was hoping you'd be interested." I slipped a finger under the hem of my tee and drew it slowly up my thigh, stopping a few inches from danger.

"Is this a joke?" He stood. "There are enough girls out there. Why would I be interested in you?"

"They're used. Old meat." I sneered. Then pouted. "Me, on the other hand, I'm not like them. I haven't been around. Wouldn't that be something you might like?"

He remained on his feet. He opened his mouth to say something, but I could see I had him stumped. "So if you're interested, I'll be in the alley behind the building." I pushed off the doorjamb, gave him a red-hot, alluring smile—or what I hoped would pass for one—and spun on my heel.

My heart thudded as I headed out the door and down the stairs as fast as I could. I hurried to the alley, the shadows my friends as I drew my gun and dropped the rucksack beside a half-filled, stinking dumpster.

Halfway inside the alley, I leaned against the wall, gun hidden behind my back, one leg propped up behind me. Movement at the entrance of the alley drew my gaze.

Damn. He hadn't taken the bait. He'd sent one of his men. The big guy loped toward me. "What do you want? Gus is awful pissed so you better 'fess up. He don't like games."

He was human and I didn't kill humans, not unless they were threatening my life and even then I sometimes let them go. Not necessarily undamaged though.

I let him come to me. "Aw, come on, honey. I was only wanting a good time."

"Gus has plenty of good times." He was big. Big shoulders, big thighs. His muscles bulged from the sleeves of his tee shirt as he set his hands on his hips.

"So how about you then?"

"Huh? Me?" He wasn't very bright. And he stank. I cringed but I'd gotten pretty darned close to those stinking Wraiths so a stinking human wasn't much different.

I swallowed the urge to throw up, disgusted by what I was doing. "Do you get any good times?" I asked softly, hoping he'd come closer, make it easy for me
.

He did. He stepped closer, a twisted grin on his face. As soon as he was a foot from me, I punched him in the gut. He bent forward, sucking air. I slammed the gun hard at the back of his head. Hard enough to jolt the brain and knock him out. He dropped heavily to the concrete, slamming his forehead hard.

Dragging him to the end of the alley, I piled a few trash bags over him and returned to take up my previous position.

It didn't take long for the Gus-Wraith to come looking for his missing man. But when he stalked into the alley, he must have changed his mind. He turned to me, his Wraith eyes more interested than they should be.

I shuddered.

Killing a Wraith in cold blood was no problem for me. Killing one who was coming on to me was a whole other ballgame. I breathed in and his gaze traveled to my chest.

Scumbag.

Interesting that Wraiths were interested in sex. Disgusting, but interesting. I'd always thought they were just here for the power of the human souls. Something must definitely be up.

He walked forward two more paces. I drew the gun and pulled the trigger. The gun gave a soft pop as the bullet was expelled from the chamber. It slammed into his chest, splattering a little of the green goo as it entered his body.