Borrowed Souls (Soul Charmer #1)(28)

“He gave it to someone else.” Phoebe had leaned in, her voice dropped low, without skimping on the vehemence. Callie was ninety percent sure that was because Casey was causing a scene at her work. She understood the irritation. Josh had pulled a similar stunt back when she’d still been at the hospital.

Derek didn’t loosen his hold on Casey, but he did lower his hand so the guy could relax a touch. Well, as much as one could in the face of imminent bodily harm. Derek nodded toward the bartender. “Talk.”

When he went monosyllabic, he was in work mode. Callie’s trust in him bumped up at the realization. She’d gotten him to talk.

“Don’t get involved—” Casey started to say, but Derek cut him off with a rapid shake. The soul renter’s teeth gnashed together in a clank that turned Callie’s stomach.

“If I do, will you let him go?” Phoebe asked.

“Depends on what you say.” That was a no.

“That Tess something-or-other has been around here lately. You know the one.”

Callie didn’t, but Derek nodded.

“She acts like she’s hawking her frou-frou massage business, but our clientele ain’t much for woo-woo shit.”

Callie glanced around the room. Despite being in the arts district, work boots outpaced sandals three to one in the corner café. When Phoebe didn’t elaborate, Derek turned his gaze back toward Casey. “Care to add anything?”

“No,” the man squeaked.

“Wrong answer.” Derek stalked toward the door, dragging Casey along with him.

Phoebe hurried through the gate at the bar and rushed to block Derek from exiting. Whether she was brave or stupid, the lady had stones. Casey saw her coming, though, and finally piped up. “She wants souls.”

“You didn’t give her yours, though. You gave her ours.” Derek’s hiss conjured images of the Soul Charmer and his reptilian movements. Callie swallowed. Hard.

“She didn’t want mine, man.” Casey’s voice grew louder, his words now clumsy yelps.

Derek frowned. Callie should have waited for him to ask the obvious question, but apparently her mouth had other plans. “What’s wrong with yours? Every soul has its uses.” Fuck. Now she sounded like she was with the Soul Charmer.

Casey’s eyes darted between Callie and Derek, unsure of who to address. “She wanted the other one.”

His fear was so heavy it nearly turned the air rancid. There had to be more. “Why?”

“Fine, bitch. She wanted the Charmer’s soul.”

Derek sucker-punched Casey in the gut. The guy gasped and floundered as he fought for air. When he started to regain composure, Derek let go of his shirt, only to promptly throw a jab right at Casey’s nose. It snapped with a soft crack, and the power of the hit sent him flying to his back.

Derek took Callie’s hand. “We should go now, doll.”

As they sidestepped Casey’s bloody form, Callie quietly asked, “He gave us answers. Honest ones, I think. Why’d you hit him?”

“He disrespected you.”

“Oh.” Callie’s nape heated, and she licked her lips. Yes, definitely better to be on the side of the Big Bad Wolf.

Outside, the evening air had shifted from crisp to almost-winter cold. The mountains in the distance would be capped with snow tomorrow morning. Derek kept hold of her hand. The earlier wind from the day had died, and the rich moisture in the air wasn’t even close to enough to combat her simmering emotions.

They retraced their steps, walking back toward a cluster of art galleries. His motorcycle was monstrous, lit beneath the streetlight. The lamp’s glow only magnified the bike’s wicked black lines and feral glint. She’d never been a motorcycle person, but she’d make an exception for Derek’s. She stole a glance at Derek. He’d locked his jaw, the act making his cheekbone more prominent in profile.

“What’s next?”

His face relaxed when she spoke. Enjoying his reaction seemed normal to Callie. Acceptable, even. The bad guy was on her side—probably—which made him the good guy. For now. Lord, why was she so flustered?

“One more pick-up, and then I need to ask some more questions about Tess.”

“You say her name like you know her.” Unexpected jealousy tinged the words. How embarrassing.

He gave an amused grunt. “Not like that, doll.”

“Whatever. You do know her, and how to find her, right?” Callie blustered through the words as though it would make him forget the why-not-me from the first time she’d asked.

“Not exactly. I’m familiar with her, but she’s adept at only being found on her terms.”

That was a question dodge if Callie had ever heard one. “What exactly does that mean?”

“She makes a point of only being around when she’s expecting people, and she’s not too keen on taking appointments from the Charmer’s crew.” The edge of his upper lip lifted, the sneer more prizefighter than blues crooner.

“You can just say it’s woo-woo magic shit.” And they weren’t magical. Mostly.

His grin overwhelmed her. “She’s very much about the ‘woo-woo magic shit.’”

“Then can’t the Charmer handle her?”

“Not that simple. He ran her out of Gem City a couple years ago.”