Free armor of magic 02 - rising light by Simone Pond Page A

this?”
    “Diamond is doing a purge, getting rid of those he thinks oppose his ‘big plans’ to gain more power. My name’s on the list,” he said.
    I laughed. “There’s a list?”
    “A long one. He’s even murdered some of his most trusted escorts who were trying to get out of the business. Funny part is, I was on Diamond’s side. I was committed to him. But he’s gotten paranoid and dangerous. I don’t want to die, Miss Farrow.” He stared deep into my eyes. “I need you to capture him. He needs to be taught a lesson.”
    “I have no incentive to help you, hybrid. So, I’m gonna go ahead and leave with my friend. Good luck with the whole boss revenge plot.”
    I edged over to the booth and tried to pull Charlotte out, but she screeched like a bat and clawed at me, slicing a decent-sized gash across my cheek.
    “Taking her with you isn’t a good idea,” Cosby said.
    “Yeah, no shit. What’s this spell? Can you break it?”
    “We can’t do anything without the Sacred Scroll.”
    I could see where Cosby was going with this whole thing. “And I suppose you know where that is?”
    “Perhaps …”
    I was growing bored with the passive aggressive hybrid. “And let me guess, you’ll tell me where it is if I promise to capture Diamond for you?”
    Cosby smirked, the reek of bologna growing stronger. The gloating prig had all the leverage now.
    “That sounds about right,” he said. “After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
    “Let’s get one thing straight: we are not friends. We’ll never be friends. This girl right here, she’s my friend. You’re an evil nobody with a lame vendetta.”
    “Fair enough. But if you want to help your friend, you’ll need to get that Scroll, and I can tell you where it might be.”
    I was beyond irritated, being forced into making a deal with a vampire-demon hybrid who smelled like bologna. I glanced over at Charlotte. “Fine. What’s next, then?”
    “You capture Lucius Diamond, you’ll get the Scroll.”
    “How’s that?”
    “The Scroll is always on him. He never goes anywhere without it.”
    “So, why wouldn’t I just capture him, take the Scroll and leave the city with Charlotte? Why do I need you?”
    Once again with the evil smirk. “Diamond will never tell you how to break the spell. But I will.”
    Touché.
    I never would’ve guessed the smarmy hybrid had it in him, but he had me cornered with no wiggle room. “So you’re suggesting I just snatch up the king of the vampires and bring him to you? Can’t I just slay him for you and be done with it?”
    Cosby shook his head almost frantically. “No. No. You must keep him alive.”
    “Not my first choice, but if that’s what it will take to break the spell, fine by me. You can have the bastard. Any tips on how to capture the all-powerful vampire?”
    “Silver,” he said.

fourteen
    I made it back to The Plaza sometime after midnight. Julian and Rocco were still hanging out in the living room of the suite. Rocco was sipping a scotch on the rocks, and Julian was flipping through a fashion magazine.
    “Look who’s back,” Rocco said.
    I tossed a box of donuts onto the coffee table and plunked down on the couch. “Why are you still up? We have a big morning ahead of us.”
    “I was waiting for those donuts,” Rocco said.
    “I got a little sidetracked, but I have some good news.” Neither seemed to care. Who could blame them? I wasn’t exactly being a team player. “Okay, I guess if you’re not interested …” I grabbed the box of donuts and headed to my bedroom.
    “Wait!” Rocco said.
    Julian sat up a little straighter. “Yeah, just chill out. We’re interested. But dude, seriously, you gotta stop going rogue on us.”
    Hearing the word rogue made my heart leap, thinking about Asher and how he had gone rogue from the Monarchy and was now being held somewhere, awaiting trial. I really missed him, but this was no time to get all maudlin and sentimental. I’d find him when