Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Lacey sighed when the hot water sprayed over her body and relished the feeling of finally being completely free of the bindings that she’d had wrapped around her breasts to make herself look like a teenage boy. She had a good notion to burn the stolen clothes she’d been wearing.

She grabbed the scrubby from where it was hanging on the tub faucet and turned the heat up a little more. For her, relaxing was a luxury she’d been unable to partake of since running away from Vincent and the horde of demons that were after her.

Vincent… even the name called up feelings of guilt and she frowned sadly. She’d met him a couple days after she’d gotten a layout of the huge museum Grandpa had sent her to. It just so happened that they had both been sent by different people to steal the same artifact.

Her lips twitched at the funny memory… the look on Vincent’s handsome face when he’d caught her breaking into the same secret room he was there to break into. If they had tried to fight over which one of them had gotten there first and who deserved the spoils, they would have alerted the heavily armed guards that were just down the hall and been busted, or worse… shot.

Glaring at each other, it took them about thirty seconds to come to a mutual decision to work together in order to gain the piece. Though thinking back on it now, she realized that Vincent would have been fine either way… he had only agreed to the tag team because he’d wanted too.

Once they’d made it safely away from the museum, they had suddenly been surrounded by five black eyed shadow demons that had taken up host inside some of the local law enforcement by possessing them.

Standing there in the flashing lights of the cop cars with hands raised and five sets of guns pointed directly at them, she’d thought for sure that they weren’t going to make it out of there alive. That was until Vincent had handed one of them the stolen artifact and been handed a huge briefcase of money in return.

Afterward, Vincent had offered to split the money with her and asked her to go into business with him. Without thinking of the consequences, she’d agreed to the partnership deciding that she could get even more things for her grandfather by using Vincent’s ties to these new aggressive collectors.

She had been excited about finally having a partner and she’d seen that he could be just as sneaky as she was. It also didn’t hurt that he was sexy as hell and had a British accent that made it sound like he was flirting with every sentence.

Lacey shook her head at her naïve thinking as she lathered her hair up with shampoo. She’d agreed to the arrangement out of greed and because he was damn sexy… her only two weaknesses.

After a night and most of the next day of hot as hell, no strings attached sex, Vincent had told her a little bit about the underground ring he belonged to. It hadn’t taken her long to figure out that being partners with him meant she was also partners with an entire network of powerful demons.

Thanks to grandpa, she hadn’t been completely clueless about demons but that didn’t mean she’d ever danced with one. Though the knowledge of what she was getting herself into had made her nervous, she’d ignored the sixth sense and had been looking forward to the thrill Vincent was offering her.

That evening, he’d taken her to meet the master demon of the underground ring… an old man that looked every bit a hundred and ten years old and went by the name of Masters, which she’d thought funny at the time.

When the old demon had coldly rejected her invite into the underground thievery ring and tried to kill her on the spot, she’d lost all sense of humor. If it hadn’t been for Vincent stepping in front of her and taking the bullet meant for her head, she’d be dead right now. She’d thought Vincent was dead when he’d jerked and groaned as the bullet entered him, sending a spray of blood across her face.

That was the first time she’d been clued in that Vincent couldn’t be killed… no matter what was done to him. He’d dug the bullet out of his shoulder as he’d argued with the black eyed demon on her behalf, saying he’d wanted a partner for years and he’d chosen her.

Seeing how Vincent was his favorite thief, Masters had reluctantly agreed, but only if he could brand her as one of his underlings, giving him rights to kill her if she ever got out of line or tried to leave the group.

Vincent had calmly looked over his bleeding shoulder at her and said, “It’s either that, or he will never let you leave this room alive. Do you agree to the deal?”

She had been taught by her grandfather not to ever make a deal with a demon but she wasn’t stupid enough to disagree with the one in front of her. As she’d looked into his cold black eyes she’d known he would indeed kill her and forget her with the same breath.

Once they’d left Masters’ huge estate, she’d turned on Vincent and glared, thinking that he was also a demon… or at least a half breed of some kind and hadn’t warned her. She quickly informed the good looking jerk that she was thankful that he’d saved her life in there, but she had a rule about not sleeping with demons.

Vincent had then calmly taken a hold of her shoulders and asked her to look closely at the blood staining his shirt… it was red. Had he been a demon it would have been black. Once she’d calmed down he’d went on to explain his… unusual circumstances. He’d informed her that he was completely human in every sense of the word but somewhere along the way he’d been cursed by the angels.

She wasn't sure what he’d meant by angels since he wouldn’t elaborate but the bottom line was Vincent just couldn’t die. Correction… he could die but never seemed to stay dead for very long. He’d even unbuttoned his shirt letting her see that the bullet wound had already stopped bleeding and was healing at a rapid pace.

Lacey empathized with his situation as she’d gotten to know him better, understanding that he’d lived for so long he was bored, fearless, lonely… and very angry that he was still alive while everyone he’d ever cared for was dead.

She and Vincent had made several agreements pertaining to their partnership and friendship. The first one was that she wouldn’t try to run away because although he couldn’t die, Vincent was pretty sure she could and would once Masters caught up with her. The other agreement was that they would continue their no strings attached relationship which she’d enjoyed immensely.

It wasn’t that she didn’t love him… she did. But it was more as a best friend, which was a good thing since he claimed to have lost the ability to give his heart away eons ago. For him, falling in love with someone would only lead to heartache as he watched them grow old and die… leaving him behind. She understood completely.

It was during her partnership with Vincent that she learned a couple truths about the greatest thief of their time… her grandfather. He’d gone by the name of Chameleon and never gave any other name. He’d also been so good at the art of deception that he had never failed a single job he’d been hired to do… and no doubt any he’d taken on in secret.

By the way they had described him as a master of disguise and the fact that he went by Chameleon, she’d known right off the bat it was Grandpa, though she’d never shared that information with anyone, not even Vincent. The most agreed upon theory was that he’d been a shape shifter, which in her opinion was the closest to the truth since no one knew grandpa had the cloaking device.

The demon world was still trying to find him but many believed he was dead. After his final job, which was to steal a soul orb from an original, he’d promptly vanished taking the orb with him. No one had been able to find him since… they’d searched, of that Lacey had no doubt. Little did they know that the soul orb in question was sitting in a concrete safe in the middle of LA surrounded by a demon ward.

Because of that, Lacey knew it would have been dangerous to get in touch with any member of her family for fear the demons would find her grandfather. She’d known better than to contact him herself. He wouldn’t have understood and probably come for her, surely getting himself killed in the process.

She’d kept her silence for more than a year, never breathing a word of his whereabouts as she became deeper and deeper entangled in the high-end thievery ring. As soon as she noticed that she was no longer being watched so closely, she started planning her great escape. She’d even warned Vincent that she was going to do it the first chance she had.

He’d reminded her about the mark Masters had placed on her shoulder, but she’d considered what to do about that. She’d ensured him her next stop would be to break into a certain safe that she knew held a spell book that would help her with the demon mark… she just didn’t tell him it was her grandfather’s safe. As far as Vincent knew, she didn’t even have a grandfather.

The last two missions they’d been sent out on had been so dangerous that she’d nearly gotten herself killed both times and would have if Vincent hadn’t been there to take the injuries for her. He’d given himself up so she could get away. Both times he’d been brutally killed and his body dumped only for him to make his way back once he’d woken up healed.

Finally agreeing that it was getting too dangerous for her to stick around, Vincent had offered to help her escape. It just so happened that the next mission landed them right back at the same museum they had met at. The job involved them stealing a device that was said to incapacitate all demons within a hundred yards of it when it was triggered. Perfect.

The plan was that only one of them would return from this job. Their hopes was that when Vincent gave the device to Masters, the demon would be focused on the device that was obviously a weapon against his kind and wouldn’t come after her right away, giving her time to get to the spell she needed to counteract the mark Masters had put on her.

They’d easily stolen the object that, to her, looked a lot like a ten sided metal Rubik’s Cube that was covered with golden symbols instead of colors. While they were there, they knocked the guards out and had stolen their weapons. Vincent had then turned and given her a cute little ‘goodbye dear friend’ speech and a quick kiss on the cheek.

The problem arose as they’d made their way out of the museum only to find Masters and a horde of demons waiting on them. Masters had laughed, saying that the mark he’d given her had given him a warning of what she was planning… right down to the fact that she was the granddaughter of the Chameleon and was running back to him where there was a whole safe of things he was now interested in… including the soul orb.

Masters had then nodded at Vincent, thanking him for keeping her distracted and unaware of the mark’s true power.

She had glared up at Vincent accusingly then snatched the device from his hand and prayed she knew what she was doing as she started quickly turning it. She’d been obsessed over a picture of the Cube before coming to the museum to steal it and used that memory to rap idly link the symbols together.

One by one, the demons started going down in agonizing pain but not Masters… no, that son of a bitch began walking straight toward her with an enraged glint in his eyes.

That’s when Vincent had moved. She’d not noticed him taking an ancient blade from the same hidden vault the Cube had been in, but there it was in his hand and he was holding it against the demon’s throat. In a movement just as quick, the demon plunged his hand all of the way through Vincent’s chest and out his back.

“Run,” Vincent growled at her just before his eyes slid shut and the demon’s head fell to the ground beside him.

All of the other demons were glaring at her from their prone positions, so she laid the Cube on the ground at her feet and did exactly what Vincent had told her to do… she ran like hell.

She had no way of knowing if Masters had told anyone what he knew about her and prayed the greedy son of a bitch hadn’t shared her secrets in fear that another demon would beat him to the legendary soul orb. Her thoughts kept straying back to Vincent, wondering if he was okay or if he was being tortured for his role in helping her escape.

They couldn’t kill him permanently, but she was well aware there were a lot worse things than staying dead… being brutally killed over and over again being one of them.

She glanced back down at her shoulder knowing she had to get that spell and counteract the mark so that Vincent’s sacrifice wasn’t for nothing. She let the hot water of the shower wash the silent tears from her face as she renewed her determination.

Upstairs, Ren suddenly stopped pacing and looked straight down hearing the water pumping through the system. A devious smirk appeared on his face when he realized that he was standing directly above the bathroom downstairs where Lacey was. His gaze followed the sound over to the wall where the pipes that ran water through the whole place went down to the floor and into the bomb shelter.

She’d been in that shower long enough and he was ready to try again with the interrogation.

Walking over to the pipes, he placed his hand on the one he wanted and closed his eyes, concentrating on the temperature gauge of the water heater. His lips pulled into a satisfied smile as frost appeared under his fingers on the brass pipe. The scream that rang through the bomb shelter made everyone except Ren jump in surprise.

In the steamy shower, the water had gone from scalding hot to freezing cold in less than a second making Lacey flinch out from under the spraying water. In the process, she slipped on the slick bottom of the tub and stumbled out nearly taking the shower curtain with her.

“Lacey!” Gypsy called out worriedly.

Lacey untangled herself from the shower curtain and pushed it aside thankful it hadn’t been pulled down.

“I’m fine,” Lacey shouted glaring at the shower head. “You need a new water heater… the damn thing just went from hot to arctic cold in less than a second.”

Gypsy frowned on the other side of the door wondering what had made the water do that. She’d taken an hour long shower earlier and the hot water had been just fine.

“I’ll have Ren check it out,” Gypsy called back through the closed door. “He has a way of manipulating machines and making them work even after they’ve stopped operating.”

Lacey turned her head and stared wide eyed at the door hearing Gypsy’s explanation and immediately knew what had happened.

“This means war,” she hissed under her breath then not having a choice, she stepped back into the chilly spray to rinse the rest of the soap out of her hair.

Ren was upstairs sitting on the floor with his back against the wall and a grin on his face. Moments later he heard footsteps on the stairway and didn’t bother to hide his smile when he saw it was Nick.

“I knew it,” Nick exclaimed in a loud whisper. “But I have to admit… that was pretty good.”

Ren patted the cold pipe beside him, “I do have my moments.”

Nick ran a hand through his hair, “I’d be careful around her… Gypsy just told her that you have a way with machines.”

Ren’s grin widened, “Well, ain’t that a damn shame.”

“You’re having way too much fun,” Nick accused.

“Of course I am,” Ren agreed. “Now let’s go back down and see if I can figure out what’s wrong with Gypsy’s poor water heater.”

Nick snorted and shook his head as Ren wandered back down to the bunker. He was so enjoying the fact that all of Ren's attention seemed to be centered on Lacey now instead of Gypsy.

Ren walked into the living room just in time to hear the shower stop running. He glanced at Gypsy seeing that she was sitting on the sofa with a frown on her face.

“What’s wrong?” Ren asked with an innocent expression.

“My water heater has suddenly stopped working,” Gypsy explained and glanced at the bathroom door. ”Lacey said it turned ice cold like that,” she snapped her fingers.

“That must have sucked,” Ren said making Nick turn around to avoid Gypsy seeing the wide grin on his face.

Lacey was shivering by the time she got out of the shower and quickly dried herself off. Wrapping the towel around her, she walked to the mirror over the sink and realized that she did look and feel better now that she wasn’t hiding under a layer of dirt and clothing that was way too big.

Taking up Gypsy’s hairbrush, she began running it through her long dark hair. Turning around, she continued brushing out her hair while she opened the large trunk… smiling when she saw all the clothes she’d left behind. She fought the urge to reach in and throw everything in the air just so she could roll around on the floor in it. Her things… she had missed them.

Reaching in, she took out an electric purple colored dress and a pair of black sandals and set them on top of the chest along with a matching set of bra and panties. Turning back to the mirror, she finished brushing her hair and put the brush back on the sink. Her head tilted to the side contemplating the small collection of cosmetics Gypsy had and made quick work at applying some and blow drying her hair.

She glanced back up in the mirror only to gasp when she saw the same mark that was on her shoulder now scrawled across it along with a silky black image staring back at her instead of her own reflection. A true scream of terror left her lips when the inky darkness reached through the mirror toward her.

Lacey stumbled backwards and nearly tripped over the trunk in her rush to stay out of its reach. Her back hit the wall of the bathroom as the overly long arms continued to reach toward her and its creepy looking lips moved in a rhythm that she could tell was some kind of chant.

She jumped when the door to the bathroom suddenly flew inward and Ren was standing in the doorway with Gypsy directly behind him. Lacey looked wide eyed from them back to the mirror and wanted to scream again in frustration when she saw the 3D image of the demon had vanished and a thin layer of ice crystals was now covering the mirror.

Ren's breath froze in his chest as he noticed her transformation from dirty street boy to soft supple skin, clean silky hair and a body that made him wish he’d been the soap. He’d known she was beautiful but again he’d underestimated her. His vision instantly narrowed in on the towel that was partially open and exposing the side of Lacey that was facing him, stopping just short of her nipple and smooth mound.

He quickly forced himself to avert his eyes by following her gaze to the mirror and frowned seeing the layer of ice that had formed there. The mirror chose that exact moment to crack from the cold temperature, the sound echoing ominously in the sudden silence.

Lacey's eyes widened seeing the suspicious look on Ren’s face and quickly thought of a way to distract him from the mirror.

“What in the hell do you think you’re doing busting through the bathroom door while I’m in here you pervert?” she yelled at him as she righted herself and tried to fix her wayward towel.

“We thought you were in trouble,” Gypsy offered softly from behind him.

Lacey sighed dramatically, “Well, as you can see I’m just fine. Thought I saw something in the mirror is all. Now if you don’t mind,” she slammed the door in Ren’s face again. “Told you that you wouldn’t be able to keep from peeking,” She taunted him through the door.

“If you say so,” Ren shot back narrowing his gaze. “I’m not the one that screamed at my own reflection.”

“Ren,” Gypsy admonished him then snapped her lips shut when she noticed the hard determined look on his face.

Lacey opened her mouth to yell something back but found she’d drawn a complete blank. She’d declared a personal war on him but could never find anything worth saying that would outdo him.

“Damn he’s good,” she whispered then looked nervously back toward the mirror. No longer feeling safe, she quickly started dressing.

Ren smirked when he heard her compliment but it didn’t last long as his thoughts turned back to the mirror and the strange ice formation. He’d made the water in the pipes cold but it would not have affected the mirror or anything else in the bathroom. No… her scream had been as real as the fear he’d seen on her face when he’d first opened the door.

Wanting to give Ren more time alone with Lacey to hopefully flame the spark that he could tell was there, Nick glanced down at the time on his cell phone then back over at Gypsy, “Are you ready? It’s almost nine o’clock.”

Gypsy's eyes brightened and she smiled up at him, looking forward to her first day back in business. She was a little more than curious on how she was going to pull off inviting her nonhuman customers one at a time into her shop when they came in contact with her barrier. It was also going to be fun when someone she’d known for years tried to come in and couldn’t… giving themselves away as a paranormal. If nothing else… today would be very informative.

“Well, this should prove interesting. I’m glad the normal humans can walk in without an invite or I’d have to stand at the door all day like a greeter at Wal-Mart. ‘Good morning, won’t you please come in,’” she giggled as she swept her hand in front of her with the invite making Nick smirk.

Gypsy looked over her shoulder at Ren, “You two play nice now.” She quickly took off up the stairs before Ren could say anything to stop her.

Nick's lips twitched but he didn’t say anything either since Ren was now sporting a brooding frown. Shoving his hands deeper into his pockets, he followed Gypsy upstairs so he could put up the Halloween sign that he’d made. Most would think it was just a Halloween decoration but it plainly stated, ‘All Paranormals Must Ask Permission Before Entering’. He intended to put it on the door right at eye level so it wouldn’t be missed.

Ren rubbed his chin as he stared thoughtfully at the bathroom door. He’d been right in thinking Lacey had been wearing a scent masking spritzer when she’d broken in here last night. Now that she’d showered all of it off, he could smell her. That helpful little power was probably coming to him from the love sick kitty that had just followed Gypsy upstairs.

He could smell her fear now, coupled with the sound of her rapid breathing as she rushed to get dressed. She had lied to him again. Whatever she’d seen in that mirror had truly scared her and he was well aware that asking her would do no good. That was when he decided that enough was enough.

Pulling out his cell phone, Ren mentally dialed Storm’s number and waited, smiling when it was picked up in the middle of the first ring.

“I’ll see if I can snag Zachary for you,” Storm said and abruptly hung up before Ren could get a word in edgewise. It didn’t even faze him when the other two men immediately appeared in Gypsy’s living room with him.

“What the hell Storm,” Zachary complained while tucking his unbuttoned shirt back into his unbuttoned pants. He was going to have to have a talk with the Time Walker about winking in and out of his bedroom like that. It was bad enough that Nighthawk had a habit of pulling that little stunt. “I was in the middle of something very important as you could damn well see.”

“This won’t take but a minute,” Ren said and smiled deviously knowing exactly what Zachary had been in the middle of. He knew Storm’s sense of humor well enough to know that the way the Time Walker saw it… timing was everything.

He took his sunglasses off and slid them into his pocket knowing that for a moment he would have to look Lacey directly in the eyes while using the Phoenix’s power.