Sucker for Love by Kimberly Raye Read Free Book Online

security code a half hour after you called melast night. It looks as if he left the hotel and stopped by his apartment to pack up a few things.”
    “He’s going somewhere.”
    Ash nodded. “The ritual requires that he make the sacrifice on his birthday which, according to my sources, isn’t until next Friday.”
    My curiosity piqued and my mind started to race. While I knew Ash was a badass demon, I’d yet to realize the extent of his powers. I knew he could read minds because he was forever dipping into mine and I couldn’t help but wonder what other tricks he had up his sleeve. “Scrying cup? Tarot cards? Magic 8 Ball?”
    “Driver’s license.” He didn’t miss my disappointment because he added, “I only use the Magic 8 Ball for special occasions.”
    “Very funny.” I swallowed the sudden lump that had jumped into my throat. “So why kidnap her early?”
    “Nabbing her in advance gives him time to prepare the sacrifice. He’ll start by starving her first to cleanse her system and then he’ll slice and dice slowly. A little skin here. A little skin there. She won’t be able to heal if she isn’t eating, which means she’ll suffer appropriately—”
    “I really don’t want to hear this.”
    He gave me a strange look.
    “Not that I can’t take the blood and gore,” I blurted. “I love blood and gore. It’s just that I don’twant to hear about what might happen. I’d rather live in the moment, and at the moment she’s alive.” At his pointed stare, I added, “Right?”
    He nodded. “That’s the assumption we’re going on.”
    “Which means we have time to find her if we can figure out where he took her. Can we figure out where he took her?”
    “The ritual requires that the sacrifice be made at a place of supreme power.”
    “Like an ancient burial ground?”
    “No, this is more personalized. It has to be at a place of supreme power for the individual warlock. A place where Mordred has been. A place where he felt extremely powerful. Unfortunately, we don’t know where that is at this time, but we’re running a check on all outgoing flights at JFK and La-Guardia.”
    “Do you really think he checked a trussed-up vampire with baggage claim? Or worse, used her as a carry-on?”
    Ash shrugged. “We’re also contacting the local charter companies, train stations, local cabbies and rental car companies.”
    “Crawling into a cab with an unconscious vampire in tow? Wouldn’t that be much too conspicuous?”
    “For most. But he’s a powerful warlock. He could easily work a spell to make her invisible or glamour any eyewitnesses.”
    “So why even bother asking around? He’ll make sure no one remembers anything.”
    “Probably. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the last two thousand years, it’s that everyone slips up once in a while. Witch, warlock, vampire, werewolf, demon—they all make mistakes. Not often, but it only takes one time. A chink in the armor, so to speak. What?” he added when I just stared at him as if he’d hauled his pants up to his armpits.
    “You’re two thousand years old?”
    “Give or take a few hundred.” Before I could ask any more questions, his cell phone rang. He took one look at the display and said, “It’s Zee. I really have to go.”
    “Is it about Esther?”
    He shook his head and pressed a few buttons before sliding the phone back into his pocket. “Another case I’m working on. Listen, I’ve been checking into this because you asked me to, but I have to bow out now. It involves sorcery and magic, which puts it out of my jurisdiction.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out a white business card and handed it to me. “This is the name of the investigator who’ll be heading up things. If you can think of anything else about last night, anything you might have forgotten, just give him a call.”
    “Merle N. Ambrose?” The name echoed through my head and the pieces started to click. “Merlin? The Merlin?”
    He