King for a Day (The King Trilogy #2)(10)
Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

“Actually, I guess it’s more of a stone. About the size of a grape.”

“What does it do?” I asked.

Justin shook his head. “I don’t have a f**king clue, but when I held that thing in my hand, it practically burned a hole right through it. And…”

“What?”

Justin scratched his head. “I don’t really know how to explain it. It made me see things. Horrible things.”

“Like what?”

He stared at his feet for a moment and shrugged. “They were faces of people screaming and crying.”

I cringed. “What did they say?”

“I couldn’t understand them, but whatever that rock is, it’s evil. Really evil.”

I blew out a breath. The Artifact was a rock. An evil rock. “Didn’t Vaughn mention anything?”

Justin shook his head no. “Not really. He said it was a stupid, worthless piece of crap that only King would be foolish enough to trade his life for. In fact, Vaughn couldn’t understand why I’d run when I found it.”

“Why did you run?” Because when he had, Vaughn killed Justin’s entire team in retribution.

Justin shrugged. “I got scared. I knew the Artifact was something dangerous and was going to get rid of it, but I couldn’t shake Vaughn’s men. Of course, the fact they were after me only confirmed it was something they shouldn’t have. They’re not nice people, Mia.”

“Dammit, Justin.” I shook my head. None of this had to happen. “So the last time you talked to King was right before you dropped the Artifact in the empty apartment in London?”

“Yes.”

All right. King knew Vaughn would be waiting but would have attempted to retrieve the Artifact anyway. King said he would be prepared, so had something gone wrong? Or had they snagged King before he even got to the apartment?

“I’m hosed. Hosed.” I looked at my watch. Now I felt like King, always checking the time. Only King had a weird tattoo of a sundial on his wrist that he looked at instead. I never learned why. “I have to go. Tell Mom and Dad I’ll be back in the morning.” I hoped.

“Wait.” Justin grabbed my arm to prevent me from leaving. “Where are you going?”

“I have less than twenty-four hours to make good on King’s debts or I’m toast.”

“Let me talk to Vaughn,” Justin argued. “Maybe I can make a deal with him.”

“With what, Justin?” I yelled. “Your life again?” I shoved my finger in his face. “No more deals, Justin. That’s why we’re in this mess. And the last thing Mom needs is to have both kids disappear.”

“Mia, I can’t let them take you.”

“They won’t. I’ll figure this out. I just have to find out what King had on his plate and…” I swallowed, “be him.” I could do this. I could be King, especially if I had Mack’s help. I just prayed that whatever deals he’d made and services he’d committed to perform didn’t include hunting for heads.

“Mia, I’m sorry for all of this. If I’d known at the time—”

“It’s okay.” I held out my hand. “I know you didn’t mean for this to happen. It’ll be okay. I’ll fix this. I’ll find King.” And I’ll get out of being his.

I hoped. Oh Lord, I hoped.

“I’ll call you later,” I said and marched down the stairs toward the exit. When I got outside, the rain started to pour. I looked up at the night sky, cursing my “blessed” luck. Why did it always seem to rain when my life was at its worst and I was in need of a cab?

I’d give anything for an Arno right now. Especially since the clock was ticking.

~~

9:30 P.M.

After thirty minutes, I finally flagged down a cab and made it back to the warehouse. I felt eternally grateful that the driver knew his alternate routes because traffic was a nightmare. San Francisco was an incredibly small city, seven by seven miles. That made the trip to just about anywhere inside city limits a short journey, provided the cars were actually moving, which most of the time, they weren’t.

I paid the driver and dashed out into the pouring rain, heading for the warehouse door. I shoved my hand in my pocket for the key, and when I did, I somehow slipped that enormous ring on my finger. It was like the damned thing wanted to be there. When I pulled my hand back out, gripping the key, the ring was firmly stuck. Yes. On the ring finger.

What the…? I shook my hand, trying to get the creepy thing off while unlocking the door, but it just wouldn’t budge. I found it disturbing, just as I did the entire situation. Especially the part about King claiming me as his prized piece of ass. I mean, did the man think I wouldn’t find out the truth? Did he really believe he could manipulate me into accepting him in that way? And why couldn’t I stop that little tingle of excitement deep inside my stomach every time I looked at the ring?

Shit. Don’t start, Mia. I had to accept that King made me feel things I shouldn’t. But that didn’t make them real or right.

I pushed on the steel door and slipped inside the warehouse, shaking the rain from my hair. I slipped off my wet coat. “Hello? Mack?”

No answer.

He wasn’t back yet, and frankly I didn’t want to go exploring, especially on the second floor. Heads were on that floor. Live heads.

I shivered. I didn’t even want to think about why King would do such a heinous thing to anyone. Deserving or not, it was horrific. And they were still alive. Alive!

How’s that even possible? What is he?

Your betrothed? Again, my stomach tingled.

No. Stop that. I looked at the ring again and tried to slip it off. The damned thing was stuck. Seriously stuck. Great. I’m useless. Totally usel—

When the sound of classical music caught my attention, I held my breath. Where the hell is that coming from? Did I really want to find out?

“Mack? Is that you?”

No reply.

“Heads? Is that you?”

Thankfully, there was no reply either.

Before I realized it, I was halfway down the center aisle, heading toward the bank of stairs on the opposite side of the warehouse. The music grew louder as I got closer.

“Hello?” I stopped and was about to return toward the entrance, but something started to pull, telling me that I had to continue up the stairs despite the action being against my better judgment.

In fact, it felt like… King?

I shuffled up the stairs, passed the second-floor landing, and followed the soft sounds. The horrible, menacing vibe that had been present before was completely gone now. In fact, the air was fragrant with spices and the delicious scent of King’s cologne.