Read Online Soul Surrender by Katana Collins - Free Book Online Page B

resonated, numbing my limbs. “Thank you,” I whispered.
    â€œYou can thank me by running the ladies at this establishment. Come now.” He popped up from his seat. “Let’s get ready for the tavern. Your job will be to flirt with the men—help get the word out that the brothel is opening tonight. You can choose which men you take and how often.”
    â€œWill men even be interested in our services? What with the war consuming everyone’s time?”
    Lucien chuckled. “You really don’t understand men, do you?”
    I should have been offended by such a statement. Yet I couldn’t argue that he was incorrect.
    He raked a hand through his raven locks and tightened his ponytail hanging at the nape of his neck. “Wartime is when brothels thrive most.”
    I considered this for a moment. “Will you be fighting with them or against?”
    Lucien scoffed. “With, of course. Demons love a good rebellion.” He winked and chucked my chin.

9
    A low hum of chatter and speculation rolled through the audience, growing louder with each passing second. “Where the fuck is he?” Kayce asked in a shaky voice.
    I shook my head. Buckley’s eyes met mine; they were wide, fearful. His fingers twitched in my direction—subtly asking me to wait. Wait for what, exactly?
    â€œPerhaps that little devil decided to discover his feminine side!” He walked over to the brunette rogue angel and, placing a palm at the top of her head, traveled his hand down the length of her body. As his hand dipped, the brunette morphed into Lucien.
    Steam rose from my head, and I was certain at any minute my I might explode in anger. “Lucien” held his hands out, giant smile stretching across his sharp features. Lucien didn’t smile that wide. Ever. I’d seen that trick done just last night in the private dance room—it was merely another one of Buckley’s glamour tricks. The fake Lucien shook Buckley’s hand and trotted back to the seat next to me. He scooted passed Kayce, falling beside me.
    My eyes narrowed. “You can tell your boss he won’t get away with this,” I said to the disguised brunette.
    She—he, ugh, whatever—leaned in closer to me without making eye contact. “You can tell him yourself after the show. He wants me to bring you all back to see him.”
    â€œWell, then, Buckley’s a braver man than I gave him credit for,” I sneered, folding my arms.
    Â 
    When we were brought backstage, the fake Lucien led us directly to Buckley’s dressing room. He was no longer in the Raul costume, but back to being the boyishly handsome, emerald-eyed magician I knew and hated.
    â€œAngel,” he said, and held two palms up facing me—as if this simple act would stop me from ripping his throat out.
    â€œDon’t you ‘angel’ me.” I advanced on him, snatching his tuxedo lapels in my fists and shoving him into his vanity. “Where is Lucien?”
    â€œI don’t know.”
    â€œBullshit!”
    â€œMonica, stop!” Kayce’s voice was husky and yet still shaky. “Look at him—his aura. I don’t think he’s lying.”
    I didn’t tear my eyes away from Buckley. His were wide, earnest. Coppery hair curled over his ears and flopped into his eyes. “Only an angel could know that for certain,” I hissed. “And you don’t know him, Kayce. He knows how to mask his aura.” I angled my chin closer to his face, dropping my voice equally low. “Remember when you told me you loved me? Yeah—that was a good one.”
    With two fingers, he plucked my grasp off his lapel. “Angel,” he started, and I growled in his direction. “Monica,” he tried again, “I do love you. I did in 1740 and I still do now. Why on Earth would I take from you the one demon I know you care the most about?” His eyebrows arched along his