Page 61 of Inevitably Yves

Tiago and Hale open the doors, and we’re hit with a most unnatural scent. Vivienne scrunches her nose.

“Eww. Whatever magic he’s using is rotting,” she says. “That’s actually good news.”

“Why?” I ask.

“Oh, right,” Viper says. “Rotting magic means it’s got limited usage. Meaning it wears off. Right, Viv?”

She nods. “Right. So even though it’s powerful shit, it’s got a shelf life, and judging from the smell of this place, it’s a short one. Twelve hours, maybe.”

“So if he’s using something to taint vampires…” Eros muses, glances around.

“Then he’s got limited time to use it,” Syn answers. “That is good to know.”

“Except that it will make him more desperate and impulsive,” Damiano adds.

“Yes,” I agree. “Well, at least we know what we’re dealing with. Can we do anything about the smell?”

“Cane is here, remember,” Raphael says. “He’s adding to it.”

I rub my forehead. “Right. Is there somewhere we can put him for now to keep his body safe?”

“The freezer,” Tiago says.

I wave my hand with a head nod. “That’s fine.”

I plop down on the velvet bench where I always sit inside Lair, glancing around the darkened and tainted club. Gone are the happy bodies writhing to music and looking for sex and blood. A feeling tugs at me, bouncing through me. It’s a warning. Hadrian is near.

Everything I’ve spent decades—hell, centuries—building is at risk. I lift my head, looking in the direction of the doors.

“A vampire is close,” I whisper just as my phone rings. “Hello?”

“Bloody hell, Yves, are you trying to kill us all?” the female voice asks.

“Lucinda?” The slightly unhinged vampire who visits the club sometimes seems to be outside which is more than odd.

“The one and only. Damn near sizzled my arm off trying to get to the door of the club.”

“You’re here?”

“Right outside. There’s some seriously dangerous shit going on. Came to warn you about it.”

“I’ll be right there.” Though something in her overly casual tone bothers me, I should still see what she wants to tell me.

I start to slide out of the seat, but Midnight grabs my forearm. “Be careful with her. She’s trouble. The last time she was here she almost killed a guy.”

“I’m well aware.”

“I’m coming with you,” Damiano says, joining me.

As we walk toward the door, the air seems to thicken around us. “Do you feel that?” I ask.

“Yeah. Something’s not right.”

Lucinda is a live wire on a good day. I’m not entirely sure why she would come to Lair to warn me of anything, but I can’t ignore an opportunity for information. I push the door open and stand back just in case.

Lucinda is standing just in front of the entry, about five feet away, her arms wrapped around herself with her back facing us.

“Lucinda?”

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