armor of magic 02 - rising light by Simone Pond Read Free Book Online

out of bed.
    “They loved the play. Hamilton is ‘so hot’ right now, according to your daughters.”
    Dammit. Not the escort service. And vampires could have children?
    “Yes. Well, that’s it for now,” Lucius said, dismissing the man.
    “Sir, did you have a chance to look at that portfolio I put together?”
    “I gave it to one of my men. He’ll be in touch. That’s all, Cosby.”
    Cosby skulked out of the office with his head hung low.
    I walked back over to the couch, wishing I had grabbed some coffee before starting this caper. I was bored and starting to grow tired from lack of sleep. I lay back on the soft cushions, kicking up my feet.
    The office door shutting jolted me awake. I couldn’t believe I had let myself doze off on the job. A woman walked into the office and took a seat across from Lucius, who hadn’t moved from his station all morning. The woman had her dark hair cut into a sharp-angled bob and wore a black skirt and jacket. She didn’t exude any sheen or other supernatural vibe, which meant she was human. Lucius glanced up when she crossed her long legs. A wicked smile appeared and he stood up and sat across from her.
    “Deandra,” he said, shaking her hand.
    “Lucius,” she said, smiling casually.
    Though I sensed they had been intimately involved, they kept their conduct professional. She took out her tablet and began pulling up figures and details about his various companies. My ears perked up, hoping this would be the big reveal, or at least give me some sort of breadcrumb to follow.
    “The pension plans have been sold and the monies transferred into Diamond Escorts,” she told him.
    Score! My plan was finally coming to fruition. I checked the time; it was a little after ten, so Julian would probably be up. But I’d be back to the suite by lunchtime. No problem.
    “And you’re positive there’s no trail back to IP Montgomery?” Lucius asked.
    “Sir, have I ever left a trail?”
    He grinned and leaned forward, kissing her neck. Deandra moaned and reached for his crotch. Okay, so the professional part of their conversation was finished. I slinked back over to the couch, praying that they wouldn’t take it any further.
    My prayers were answered when Deandra stood up. “I have a meeting.”
    Lucius inhaled deeply and stretched out his enticing allure to embrace Deandra, but she pulled away, unaffected by his charms. Either she was a strong woman or immune to vampire magnetism. By the crushed look Lucius wore, I could tell this bothered him deeply. I’m sure he was used to getting whatever he wanted. He politely smiled and escorted Deandra to the door. I followed behind, hoping to sneak out with her. I still needed the location of the escort service.
    Before I could slip out after her, Lucius shut the door and turned to face me. “Can I help you with something?” he asked.
    I glanced over my shoulder and around the room to see who he was addressing, but the office was void of any other people.
    “I’m speaking to you, Miss Farrow.”
    “So you can see me?”
    “Of course I can.”
    So, the vampire could see through my cloak. Either he had some extra-special powers or he was getting help from somewhere. Perhaps the missing Sacred Scroll? None of the other supernaturals could detect me, which made me wonder if he was hoarding the powers all to himself. Vampires tend to be a bit selfish.
    He put his arm around my shoulder, his charm rippling through my bones and causing me to swoon. Why wasn’t the magical Armor protecting me from his allure?
    “Come, sit,” he cooed into my ear.
    Pulling away, I stood by the door for a quick exit. “I’m done sitting around. I want you to tell me a few things.”
    He walked over to the kitchenette and poured himself a steaming cup of coffee. The rich, dark roast wafted over and my mouth watered. Oh, how I needed some coffee. But I couldn’t let him wrap me into his spell.
    “What can I help you with, Miss Farrow?”
    “A couple of