Free Magick Marked (The DarqRealm Series) by Chauntelle Baughman

his gaze traveling over Rho as if scrutinizing every detail of her expression. She tried to relax her features and offered up the best poker face she could summon.
    “You know,” he started, a menacing grin crossing his face. “I heard a rumor recently about some special objects going missing. You wouldn’t happen to be speaking about the very same thing, would you?”
    Shit. Shit. Shit. The Kamens. How did he know about the Kamens? She shook her head. “I’m talking about something stolen from my family.”
    “Are you sure?” His brow lifted in interest. “You weren’t protecting an ancient relic that’s recently disappeared?”
    “Sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” They were on to her. She needed to get out of this place immediately. She rose from her chair and swung her purse over her shoulder. “I think I’ve gotten all the information I need from you, gentlemen. Thank you for all your help, but I really need to get going.”
    Lanky barked a laugh. “You’re not going anywhere, vampire.”
    “You can’t keep me here.” Her gun was still positioned on the center of the table, teasing her with its proximity but still too far away to do her any good. Why didn’t she bring her backup gun? And why did she change into these stupid high heels? She couldn’t stash knives in shoes like these.
    “To the contrary. I’ll keep you here as long as I like.” Lanky rose to stand on the opposite side of the table. “Now tell me where the relic was hidden.”
    “My family’s business doesn’t concern you.”
    “But your family’s possessions do.” He circled the table, each step bringing him closer to her. “What line are you from? Who is your maker?”
    No way was she bringing Frederick into this. Knowing that she held a position of power could only lead to bigger problems. “Let me go.” Gun or no gun, she needed to get the hell out of here. Now.
    “Who is your maker?”
    She took a step back. “Bite me.”
    Lanky lunged forward, landing on Rho and knocking her backwards. His knees landed against her shoulders and he pinned her to the ground. She twisted to throw him off, but failed to move an inch. Vibrations of electrical energy pulsed through her body where they touched, freezing her in place.
    “Give me your necklace!” He shouted to the chubby man, who was still sitting in his chair.
    The round man sprang up and rushed to his companion’s side, silver chain in hand.
    Oh, no. Silver.
    Rho struggled and squirmed, but no amount of exertion freed her from his hold. Nothing hurt a vampire worse than silver, and she’d experienced it firsthand—more than once.
    “Tell me who your maker is, and I’ll make this easy on you,” Lanky growled.
    “Why do you care?” Rho grunted beneath him, pissed at her body for not responding to her commands.
    “Because I know someone who would pay a pretty penny for some intel on that relic, and you’re going to give it to me.”
    Yeah, that would happen right about never . “Fuck you.” Who the hell wanted intel on the Kamens? Were they fae?
    Lanky suspended a silver pentagram only an inch from her face, dangling it from the chain in his hand. “Even better—maybe you know where the Kamen disappeared to. Oh, yes, they’ll pay well for knowledge like that. Or did you take it and hide it somewhere?”
    She turned her face away, as if somehow that could improve the distance between her and the silver. “Why would I hide it? I’m trying to find it, dumbass.”
    He dropped the chain and it grazed her skin, setting her cheek on fire. Unable to hold back, she screamed as the metal burned her flesh.
    He lifted it away. “Tell me where you hid it!”
    “I didn’t hide it!”
    The fireball of pain exploded, engulfing her face in flames. She screamed again, pushing her face further into the concrete floor. There was no way to move her body away from the source of the anguish, but she tried anyway.
    “Unhand her immediately,” a voice boomed