Page 62 of These Deadly Dreams

“Can we stop for another coffee?” Ellis asks blearily.

“Did you already finish that one?” I shoot a glance in the review mirror. Her head is tipped back on the seat, and her eyes are closed. But she holds up her empty coffee cup and shakes it at me. “Is it an emergency?” I ask.

“That depends on how much you want to deal with a cranky Ellis,” Kai chimes in.

Not asleep then. And definitely not afraid for his safety.

Ellis sits up and smacks his shoulder. “Fuck off, dick.”

Kai looks at me with one raised brow. “I’d say it’s an emergency.”

I hold my snort in, mainly because I don’t want to die. Ellis is cranky when she’s tired, and I’m not willing to risk it. The rest of the drive to the city is, thankfully, quiet. I’m just driving in the city limits when Kai suddenly sits up straight in his seat.

“Pull in here. Now.” He says pointing to a parking lot to the right.

“What the fuck!” I turn the wheel sharply and the tires squeal as the car veers to the right. I’m dimly aware of Ellis rubbing the back of her head and complaining, but my attention is glued to our surroundings, searching for any sign of danger. Purple sparks light up at my fingertips, ready to protect my soul-bonded. “What is it? Kai?”

“Huh?” He’s distracted as he looks out his window, and when I see what he’s looking at I curse.

“Really, Kai? What the hell?” I throw the Charger into park, and Kai hops out immediately.

“What’s going on?” Ellis asks, eyes wide and face pale.

“Oh, nothing. Just Kai getting a new car, apparently. ” I hop out and open Ellis’s door, grabbing her hand and following Kai.

“A new car? Right now?” She glances at her phone to check the time. “We have thirty-minutes. This will take too long.”

“It won’t take half that time. Kai’s too good at this, and with his name, we’ll be done with plenty of time to get to the gym.”

My point is proven when we catch up with Kai and he’s already working the salesman. He’s not even using his compulsion. Just his name and his charm, and he has these people in his pocket. Ten minutes later, the keys are handed over, and Kai is the owner of a brand new car.

Before he walks away, he lowers his head to stare into the salesman’s eyes. “You won’t remember who you sold this car to.” His voice is tranquil but authoritative, and the salesman's eyes glaze over as Kai’s compulsion takes hold. When the man nods, Kai smiles and pats him on the cheek. “Good deal. Thanks for the new ride.” He turns to us with a grin, holding up the keys and jingling them.

“What did you get?” I ask, heading back to the Charger to get all of our stuff out of it to put into the new car.

“A Hummer,” he says, slipping his sunglasses back on.

“You just bought a fucking Hummer in ten minutes?” Ellis’s eyes are wide, her voice raised an octave.

“Yep. No more worrying about taking the Charger up that damn mountain. Plus, it’s electric. You know me. Whatever I can do for the environment.”

“Right,” she drawls. “A total conservationist. Why the thrall, though?”

“All of our vehicles, or what’s left of them, are too recognizable,” he explains. “This way we can try to keep this car as underwraps as possible. If I hadn’t wiped his memory of this, it would be all over the tabloids. ‘Vampire Prince buys new Hummer EV. Saving the world one car at time.’”

I snort. “You think so highly of yourself. Here.” I shove a bunch of his shit into his hands, and grab the rest. “Where’s this Hummer?”

He leads us to a dark gray SUV and we all climb in. Literally for Ellis. The damn car is so high off the ground she almost needs a boost to get in.

“I feel like I’m in a spaceship,” she mutters once we’re on the road. “Who needs a screen that big for their car?”

I chuckle. “Not going to lie, I’m kind of jealous. This is a nice ride.”

“Please,” Kai says. “You end up driving my car more than me anyway. For fuck’s sake, you’re driving it before I get to!”

“Not my fault you’re a baby and can’t handle the sunlight.”

Kai grumbles. “I’d hit you, but I don’t want to risk you wrecking.”

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