“There’s nothing morbid about what I do.”
I turned on my heel, inches from his face. “Except for those women you sold on the black market. Oops.” I shouldered away from him and looked around the room. “If you’re not following me, why are you here? Are you a part of this?” I sat on the armrest of the leather sofa. “I know you’re in cahoots with Lenore.”
Houdini’s laughter pealed out. “Cahoots? I haven’t heard that word in a while.”
“But you don’t deny you know Lenore.”
“Of course not. I know Lenore, but I’m not in league with her. I mentored her long ago—made her into the immortal she is today.”
I scoffed at the remark. “I guess she has every man in Cognito wrapped around her little finger.”
“Oh, come off it.” He leaned against the liquor cabinet. “I never said we were lovers. When we met, a failed relationship had traumatized her. I’ve known many Vampires to walk into the fire or have someone take their head, all because of heartache. What a waste. I saw potential in her, so I taught her everything she knows about survival.”
“Like how to be a conniving bitch who’s spiking my boss’s drinks in order to win his love?” I gestured to the bottle on the lower shelf. “Did you give her that?”
Houdini bent over to look. “Those are ubiquitous on the black market, but yes, I gave it to her. Interesting. I didn’t know what she needed it for.” When he straightened up again, he was smiling. “How is Kazan feeling these days about his one true love?”
“I’m putting a stop to it.” I pulled my dress together where my leg was showing. “Lenore isn’t coming back anytime soon, if that’s who you’re waiting for.”
He put his hands in his pockets. “I wanted to see if the hourglass changed our situation. Then I grew curious as to who might join Godfrey’s fantasy of taking over the world. The men downstairs are inept and haven’t noticed that I’m still here. My confidence in his plan is waning.”
“You’re not worried about our situation? We might lose our powers or become invisible.”
He folded his arms and tilted his head to the side. “You’re afraid that you’ll lose your lover. Or is it your job you love more? Whateverwill you do?”
“This isn’t a game.”
“Ah, but it is. One with a time limit and no rulebook.” He crossed one foot over the other. “Sparrow created a realm he doesn’t fully understand. He may have enviable power, but he’s a dilettante in our world. Just because you create something doesn’t mean you can control it.” Houdini winked. “Take you, for example. My wayward youngling.”
The bald-headed Vampire stalked into the room right past Houdini and gave me a black look. “This isn’t a hotel. Get the hell out or I’ll put you through a window.”
Before I could retort, a long steel blade severed the man’s head. When Houdini kicked him, it caused the head to drop to the floor. Blood jetted out of open arteries as the body slumped against me. I shoved it away, staring in horror at the blood spatters all over my arms and dress.
Houdini kicked the head across the room as if it were a soccer ball. “People like you are a waste of immortality.” He bent over and used the man’s jacket to wipe clean his sword before putting it back in the sheath beneath his coat. “I do tire of asinine people. As I was saying, I don’t believe Sparrow created this realm. I think he accidentally found the doorway using his power. His arrogance will be his downfall if he truly believes he has control.” Houdini returned to the alcohol cabinet and poured himself a glass of whiskey. “Sadly, nothing in the living world holds any taste. But if this realm already existed, then it’s possible there are things that exist only within this realm.” He turned, glass in hand. “Isn’t that exciting? We’re explorers of a new frontier.”
I watched the ghost of the Vampire rise up and then vanish. “If you want to waste your time exploring the dead zone, be my guest. But don’t expect me to join you.”
“It might not be your choice.” Houdini finished his drink and set the empty glass behind him. The alcohol he’d taken from the bottle replenished.
I wiped my hands on my dress and stepped over the body. “I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. But I’m using my ten days to get out of this nightmare.” I reached around him and snatched the vodka bottle. “Some mentor you are, Frankenstein.”
He gripped my arm before I could leave. “What does that mean?”
“You created a monster, and now that monster wants me dead. I wonder who you’re rooting for—your protégée or your youngling? But it’s all in good fun, right?”
Houdini released his hold and gazed down at me with hazel eyes that held more secrets than I would ever know. “I can’t control what others desire.”
“I thought about apologizing to you, but now that I know you were her mentor, I won’t.” When I noticed his quizzical stare, I spelled it out. “Lenore Parrish was the one who buried me. She never intended for me to escape that coffin. She thinks I’m a Mage, so she wanted me to suffer for a long time before dying.”
Houdini winced.“Lie.”
“Really? You think I have nothing better to do than make up stories when we’re fighting for our lives?” I tapped the bottle of vodka against my leg. “Your protégée saw me as a threat and tried to dispose of me like garbage. And all that time she was grooming me. I haven’t confronted her on it, and I probably shouldn’t have told you since you’re old pals. Do you know what it’s like to slowly run out of air? To gasp in the darkness and not even know why you’re in there? If I ever get the chance, I want to pay her back in kind. But right now I have a curse to break.”
Without a word, Houdini stalked to the window, ripped the drapes away, and opened the sash. As he stepped onto the sill and crouched, he looked back at me. “First and foremost, you’ll always be my youngling. See you when I see you, Butterfly.” Houdini sprang out the window, shifting into a white owl.
With the vodka in hand, I returned to the first level to get Niko. The redhead was passing through the room with all the statues and paintings when he spotted me.
“Hold it right there,” he demanded, noticing all the blood.
