Page 21 of Broken

I hadn’t even thought about that. “Bond me? I wouldn’t call that an honor.”

“To bond with a Chameleon, regardless of how much life we have left? Leviathan, you are a treasure. It will be an honor.”

***

I struggle out of Amand’s hold, only to see Rowan standing there, searching my expression. “I’ll be fine. He doesn’t know anything. He’s probably just calling to get the case file back. I’ll give it to him and then he’ll give me whatever other information or tell me to back down or some shit. Cole has been found so as far as Vince knows, I’ve finished my current case and I’ve gotten paid. It’ll be fine.”

They finally let me go, their magic following me out to the car and halfway down the street. I know the moment I leave their sight, the chilly absence lingering in my car in the wake of their presence as I speed toward the café. My mind is a chaos of horrors and every instinct I have is on fire. In no world is this an innocent meeting but Rowan and Amand need to believe that so I can get to the bottom of this.

If I have to confront Vince today, I will.

Just before walking inside, Amand calls to make sure I made it safe. How he knows I just arrived, I have no idea but it’s comforting. “I’m fine,” I push out before hanging up.

By the time I slip into the booth across from Vince, I realize that this is his game now. That I’m playing into whatever hand he needs me to. He’s no longer the officer I know but the magic user hidden in the shadows, his magic bleating around him like a dark cloud. It’s a heavy, disgusting smell that assaults my senses as I realize he’s not the innocent human who just got in way over his head.

“You called? They found the Omega?”

Vince snorts. “Let’s stop the theatrics, Lev. You were the one who rescued the Omega. As you always do. You’re always one step ahead of everyone. Your skills are top-tier even though you don’t know your designation. Did you ever get any farther with that?”

I frown, tilting my head to the side. He seems oddly interested in my designation when we still have a witch out there stealing omegas. Even if I didn’t know that Vince was the magic user at that bar, his focus would be odd. “Sure. I figured out some things. What do we know about the case? Did you find the witch?”

“Lev,” his voice lowers as he leans forward across the table. “I know that you stole one of those case folders from my desk.” I hastily pull it out and slide it across the table when he just shakes his head. “Which is how I’m pretty sure you know more about me than you let on. I also happen to know a few things about you as well.”

The color drains from my face as I press back against the booth, confused and a little terrified of Vince’s intentions. Unfortunately, my tongue doesn’t feel the same way. “You stole those Omegas. They were scared and you stole them and delivered them to a witch! Why? What good reason could you have to do that?”

“I had a bill to pay. She needed pure energy and I had the means to give it.”

My brows furrow at the simplistic explanation when it involves death. “Omegas died because of you.”

“I did not kill them. That’s on Briar. That will always be on her. She would have gotten them without my help.”

I don’t understand Vince’s reasoning. He always seemed to be such an upstanding citizen with a bit of a weird edge to him. I would have never expected it to be something like this. “So, what did you want me here for if you know what I am and I know what you are? Congratulations, we’re at an impasse.”

He snorts, shaking his head. “And that’s where you’re wrong. I wanted you to know that you aren’t the only unknown creature lurking around. I’ve done my due diligence and solved my cases. One bad decision and it’s going to ruin me? No, that won’t happen.”

Vince sounds like he’s about to make a villain’s speech at the café and I’m not having it. “Who fucking cares about ruining you when you’ve been handing off innocent kids? Most of them are under 25! Unmated, too. They haven’t even lived.”

“Like you? You’ve just met your mates and it would be a shame for you to suffer some kind of-”

I laugh, cutting him off. “No. I’m going to find that witch and bring her to justice and then I’ll do the same to you.” Unfortunately, I’m not fast enough, the witch’s scent filling my nose. The woman slides in beside me, casing me in as she offers me a smile that makes my stomach churn. “Why the fuck would you invite her here?”

“Such language,” the woman purrs. “Just so happens that he’s short a creature and you happen to be the most fascinating thing around. He said he had a Chameleon but goodness, I didn’t believe it.” She snakes a finger down my cheek, my entire body freezing up until my magic overtakes me. “Goddess, that’s beautiful. It’s also perfect. Vince? Your debt is paid.”

I go to speak, to tell them that they’re both vile people when I realize that the combination of their magic keeps me in my seat. I can’t move, much less say a word, my throat suddenly dry and my tongue limp in my mouth. Vince chuckles, patting the table a few times before standing. “Good luck, Lev. If you had just listened to me about leaving this case alone, maybe things would have been different. Now? You’re sacrificing your life for it.”

The witch turns to me, reaching to run a few fingers through my curls. She’s smaller than I am and this close, I can see a few wrinkles set in her cheeks and her forehead. Still, she gives off a dark beauty, her eyes betraying her soft smile. “You’ll be just what I need. Now, you can either willingly walk with me or I can make you. Don’t bother screaming or doing anything else as stupid. Everyone is programmed to ignore you.”

I nod as I slide from the booth but not before I shove my hand into my pocket to redial my last number.

Her magic loosens as a smile slips onto her face, her steps turning into skips. I use the opportunity to ask the one question hanging on the edge of my tongue. “Where are you taking me?”

A little growl falls from Ginny's lips as her magic tightens around my vocal cords again. “You aren’t the first one I’ve taken, little Chameleon. Hopefully, you’ll be the last. Where I’m taking you won’t matter if this works. You won’t be alive to see it.”

I follow silently, not shocked when she heads directly for the woods that surround the edge of our city. If we had no idea that bar was located deep in the woods, I’m sure we would have no idea that this witch’s dirty dealings were also set up somewhere out here.

Hopefully, Amand and Rowan picked up and are listening because they might be my only way out of here.

Chapter 18

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