Human teams.
Theo lifted a shoulder toward Jared, who was silently waiting in the snow for the human duo to pass by the house. Immortals would be able to sense them, but apparently Saul felt safe enough with humans around. That was odd. There had only been four shifter guards near the house. Shouldn’t there be more? Theo closed his eyes and tuned in to the world around him.
Nothing. Just the billowing wind and piercing cold.
He stilled and held up his hand for his brothers to stop. Why weren’t there immortal signatures around? He moved closer to the white clapboard two-story. Shifters could mask their signatures, but there should still be some sort of hint. A blur of the atmosphere.
He was getting nothing.
The human guards finally passed, good-naturedly arguing about some movie.
Theo was just about to call his brothers over when he spotted movement inside the home. Ducking low, he moved to the window to see Saul Libscombe inside a rec room complete with wall-wide television, pool table, and dartboards. Last year’s Superbowl was playing across the screen in vivid color.
The bastard had a glass of amber-colored whiskey in one hand and the remote control in the other. Apparently torturing Ginny earlier that day hadn’t fazed him any. Oh, he was going to bleed.
Theo gave the hand signal, and his brothers disappeared around the corners.
He brushed snow from his eyes and angled back around toward the door. Chalton had already cut the feed for the alarm, so unless there were sensors Chalton hadn’t found, which was pretty much impossible, Theo could walk right in. Taking a deep breath, he slid the wide door open and crossed into warmth, just as quietly closing the door.
The sound of the game in the other room was the only noise. He couldn’t sense Saul, which was intriguing. The guy certainly had a way with electronics. Once Theo sliced him open, he’d have to search the place to see what all Saul had invented. After he turned off that damn ankle bracelet.
The ability to mask immortal signatures would be very much sought after. How had Saul done it?
Theo moved silently through the house, easily reaching the rec room just as Chalton and Jared entered from the other doors, their weapons already in their hands. Theo wanted to use his knife this time.
Saul turned. “Evening.”
Theo stilled. Something wasn’t right. He moved directly into the room. Holy fuck. The entire room was one massive screen. A modern-day hologram that looked fucking real from outside. “Retreat,” he yelled, turning and rushing for the door. He’d almost reached the back when the ground rumbled and the air bunched.
The home exploded, throwing him high and far into the wild storm. Pain pierced through his skull. His last thought was of Ginny and her pretty blue eyes. Then blackness caught him before he hit the ground.
Chapter 10
Ginny stood outside the double protected bank vault. The Realm had gone with massive cast iron, concrete, and steel rods for reinforcement. It figured the king would use modern designs. Human designs, actually. Getting into the bank had been fairly easy, even though her command of the elements wasn’t up to par.
Good thing she didn’t need fire for this.
Oh, she still swirled around the oxygen and created a bit of ice, but that was much easier than fire to make. Apparently the king of the Realm wasn’t too afraid of witches breaching his security.
He should know better.
The lock had a dual control mechanism with a time delay that was damn impressive. The biometric requirements were daunting as well. Of course, she’d helped to design this one as a side job more than a year ago.
One should never hire a thief to create security.
Humming softly, she drew out her key card and bypassed the design elements she’d installed. A backdoor was an absolute necessity, now wasn’t it? The thrill of the hunt raced through her.
Could she truly give this up? Unlikely. Though she wouldn’t steal from the king again. This was a one-time deal, and only because Saul had been torturing her for a decade. If he’d hurt her father, she’d destroy him. Three clicks echoed and then three more. The massive vault swung her way.
It was almost too easy.
She paused. It shouldn’t be so easy. Wait a minute. She glanced up and then to the left. Aha. So the king had made a few adjustments. Nice laser and heat sensors. Good thing she was a witch. It would cost her, but she could reduce her heat signature to nothing. Drawing in air, she did so and then eyed the floor, which consisted of a series of square cement tiles. Interesting. A pattern.
Drawing out a device she’d invented nearly twenty years ago, she ran a laser with a gas medium over the floor. Two to the left, one right, two forward on the squares. She hopped, truly enjoying herself. Then she had to perform a cartwheel that made her almost giddy. Before she knew it, she was in front of Saul’s safety deposit box. A wave of her hand, and any cameras went dark. Of course, when she waved, she blew high-pollinated PT dust, which she’d also invented. It would ruin the cameras for good.
She should probably figure out a way to send money anonymously to the Realm.
The actual box needed two keys. She withdrew the two masters from around her neck and inserted them, easily pulling out the drawer. One white envelope took up the entire thing.
