Read Online Magick Marked (The DarqRealm Series) by Chauntelle Baughman - Free Book Online
Authors: Chauntelle Baughman
Ads: Link
men. Vampires had always made a point of staying away from magick. Those with the ability to manipulate it could render a vamp’s physical strength irrelevant, so it wasn’t anything to mess with. Not unless a Dweller really knew what they were doing—and she didn’t.
The one thing she did know was that Eldon had protected those rocks with old magick. He’d said so himself. She wasn’t certain what that meant or why it was important, but she intended to find out.
Butterflies flittered from her stomach to her throat as she took a long draw on her drink. The icy twang of whiskey settled like a rock in her gut, replacing the nerves and bringing her goal back into focus. They might be powerful fae men, but this was a public establishment with human occupants. No way could they pull any funny business without watchful eyes playing witness.
With a gulp, she made her way across the room. As if they’d sensed her approach, the two men set down their beverages and rotated in their chairs to face her.
“What do you want, vampire?” the man on the right asked. He was tall and frail, his thinning white hair combed over to hide his bald scalp. The iridescence to his skin was lackluster but obvious to the trained eye. Tell-tale sign of the fae.
The shorter, rounder gentleman to his left grunted.
Rho lifted her glass, as if to invite a friendly conversation. “I have a few questions and I was hoping you may be able to help me.”
“Why would we help you?” The pudgy man ran a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair before clasping the glass on the table in front of him. “We don’t help your kind.”
“It’s about magick.” Rho lowered her voice. “Old magick.”
The gray-haired man narrowed his eyes. “And just what do you know about that?”
“It’s not what I know. It’s what I need to know.” Rho set her glass down on the table, then leaned an elbow on the bar-top table.
“You know we can’t speak of this here,” pudgy said, glancing up at gray-hair.
Gray-hair nodded and surveyed the room. “It’s prohibited in this place. Too many humans. We can go to a private room.”
Unease came in a rush, settling into Rho’s bones. Being alone with two old, powerful fae didn’t sound like her brightest idea.
“We can speak in that corner over there,” Rho said, pointing to a dark, empty corner of the room.
“No.” Pudgy shook his head. “I like this bar and I’m not getting banned. We speak in private or we don’t speak at all. Your choice.”
Damn. Those weren’t the best options, but they were her only options. These men clearly knew something about magick. They could be her only lead to finding any information about the Kamens.
After a moment of silent deliberation, Rho sighed. “Fine. I’ll be right back.”
The men nodded, and she swiveled around to head back toward the bar. She might be trained in combat and skilled with a blade, but she wasn’t stupid. A soldier never went in without reporting her location.
As she approached the bar, John the bartender was hard at work blending cocktails.
“Hey, John?” Rho asked.
John glanced up. “How’d it go with your boys over there?” His hands moved quickly from glasses to ice to bottles.
She ignored the question. “I wanted to let you know I was going to have a little meeting with them somewhere… quiet.”
His hands stopped moving as his concerned stare met hers. “You sure that’s a good idea?”
“It’s the only way to get what I need.”
“So why are you telling me this?”
“I think you know why.” Rho’s eyes narrowed.
Understanding flittered across John’s features as he set the pair of glasses down on the countertop. “Be careful.”
Rho patted the outer pocket of her purse, the outline of her favorite gun beneath the layer of leather. “I always am.”
With a nod, Rho pivoted toward the corner of the bar. The same unfriendly dark-haired female set her drink down on the bar top with a loud clank, her brows
The one thing she did know was that Eldon had protected those rocks with old magick. He’d said so himself. She wasn’t certain what that meant or why it was important, but she intended to find out.
Butterflies flittered from her stomach to her throat as she took a long draw on her drink. The icy twang of whiskey settled like a rock in her gut, replacing the nerves and bringing her goal back into focus. They might be powerful fae men, but this was a public establishment with human occupants. No way could they pull any funny business without watchful eyes playing witness.
With a gulp, she made her way across the room. As if they’d sensed her approach, the two men set down their beverages and rotated in their chairs to face her.
“What do you want, vampire?” the man on the right asked. He was tall and frail, his thinning white hair combed over to hide his bald scalp. The iridescence to his skin was lackluster but obvious to the trained eye. Tell-tale sign of the fae.
The shorter, rounder gentleman to his left grunted.
Rho lifted her glass, as if to invite a friendly conversation. “I have a few questions and I was hoping you may be able to help me.”
“Why would we help you?” The pudgy man ran a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair before clasping the glass on the table in front of him. “We don’t help your kind.”
“It’s about magick.” Rho lowered her voice. “Old magick.”
The gray-haired man narrowed his eyes. “And just what do you know about that?”
“It’s not what I know. It’s what I need to know.” Rho set her glass down on the table, then leaned an elbow on the bar-top table.
“You know we can’t speak of this here,” pudgy said, glancing up at gray-hair.
Gray-hair nodded and surveyed the room. “It’s prohibited in this place. Too many humans. We can go to a private room.”
Unease came in a rush, settling into Rho’s bones. Being alone with two old, powerful fae didn’t sound like her brightest idea.
“We can speak in that corner over there,” Rho said, pointing to a dark, empty corner of the room.
“No.” Pudgy shook his head. “I like this bar and I’m not getting banned. We speak in private or we don’t speak at all. Your choice.”
Damn. Those weren’t the best options, but they were her only options. These men clearly knew something about magick. They could be her only lead to finding any information about the Kamens.
After a moment of silent deliberation, Rho sighed. “Fine. I’ll be right back.”
The men nodded, and she swiveled around to head back toward the bar. She might be trained in combat and skilled with a blade, but she wasn’t stupid. A soldier never went in without reporting her location.
As she approached the bar, John the bartender was hard at work blending cocktails.
“Hey, John?” Rho asked.
John glanced up. “How’d it go with your boys over there?” His hands moved quickly from glasses to ice to bottles.
She ignored the question. “I wanted to let you know I was going to have a little meeting with them somewhere… quiet.”
His hands stopped moving as his concerned stare met hers. “You sure that’s a good idea?”
“It’s the only way to get what I need.”
“So why are you telling me this?”
“I think you know why.” Rho’s eyes narrowed.
Understanding flittered across John’s features as he set the pair of glasses down on the countertop. “Be careful.”
Rho patted the outer pocket of her purse, the outline of her favorite gun beneath the layer of leather. “I always am.”
With a nod, Rho pivoted toward the corner of the bar. The same unfriendly dark-haired female set her drink down on the bar top with a loud clank, her brows
Similar Books
