Page 114 of Seducing Hope (The Hope Legacy)

I cheer up instantly. “Oh, goody! I get to use my badass moves avoiding laser beams and such.” Aaden rolls his eyes, and Zee chuckles. “What? I like it—it’s like an obstacle course.”

“One where you might die—again,” grumbles Duncan, without looking up from his book.

After returning my dishes to the kitchen and collecting empty plates along the way, I slink up to Duncan, bat my eyelids, and use my sweetest voice. “Can we go tonight? Pretty please?”

He focuses on me. “Okay.”Well, that was easy.

“Do you want to call Jed?” Aaden asks.

Running my hand through my hair, I sigh. “My gut says yes. But we’re looking into an artifact his boss is planning to use. We don’t know what it does… so no.”

Zee taps me on the shoulder, and when I turn around, he’s holding my swords. I cradle them to my chest. “My babies,” I croon. I must have left them at the warehouse. “Thank you.”

“How grateful are you? Like kiss on the lips? Open mouthed, of course,” Zee asks with a cheeky smile and a wink. I give him a peck on the cheek, and he grumbles something about rewards not being in keeping with the prize.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Natia

Tauruses have the willpower and determination to get whatever they want, and they aren’t too bothered by rules, either.

Squashed in a van with Duncan, Aaden, and Zee outside the Vatican, I scratch my scalp that’s irritated from the wig I wore earlier when Zee and I took a tour to scope out the security. The exhibition’s in the most secure part of the building, with multiple security measures and four guards walking on a constant rotation, leaving a two-minute gap when the replica Jar isn’t being guarded.

Zee peers at his watch. “1 a.m. It’s time.”

Aaden feeds the security cameras a false loop, while Duncan teleports Zee into the office next to the exhibition. Zee checks the communication devices.

“Hey, baby, get your leather-clad ass in here so I have something pretty to look at. This place is boring, and Duncan’s not my type.”

“Communication’s working, then,” mumbles Aaden, his steel gray eyes hardening. He gets pissed when we don’t take his tech seriously.

“See you soon.” I nod at Aaden. “If anything happens, abort and go home. If Duncan can’t get to you, there are plane tickets. I’ve sent the details to your email.”

He narrows his eyes. “Follow the plan. I’ll see you later.” Duncan reappears and wraps his arm around my waist. My body gets sucked into the familiar twisting sensation. I’ve almost gotten used to teleporting—almost. Landing, I stumble and lose my balance, tumbling into Zee’s arms.

“I knew you were head over heels for me.” I put my finger over Zee’s lips and smack him over the head, and he gives me a wicked grin.

“Timing?” I ask Aaden.

“You’re a go in thirty seconds.”

Counting down, I blow out a breath, causing the stray hairs from my ponytail to lift off my face. On zero, I step silently into the gleaming marble hallway, which leads to the open archway of the exhibition. I click the timer on my watch—two minutes before the security guard does another sweep. The Jar is located at the back of the room, encased in glass.

“Lights off?” I check with Aaden.

“Affirmative. One minute forty-five.”

“I wish you wouldn’t do that… It puts me under unnecessary pressure.”

“One minute forty.”

Zee climbs the opulent white and gold wall using special grips. I cringe, hoping he doesn’t leave any dirty marks. Snipping wires, he disables the pepper spray meant to flood the room if the pressure sensors on the floor are triggered. It’s a separate security measure from the main alarm, and should I trigger it, we don’t want our getaway hampered by blinding gas.

Flinging two tethers at the domed ceiling, I jump through the arch and keep the tension tight, avoiding the floor as I’m suspended above the Jar.

“One minute,” Aaden helpfully informs us.

I nod to Duncan to remove the glass. He flicks his wrist, and it disappears. Ha, cool. Maybe if we were less altruistic, we could become international thieves.

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