Steal the Sun (Thieves #4)(94)

“I guess it was just my day, friend,” the faery replied.

“Oh, for the goddess’s sake, Tully, we’ve been made,” one of the leprechauns said.

“Well, we certainly have been now.” Tully got his frown on.

Neil returned, dressed in slacks and a polo and carrying my secret weapon. I just hoped its battery was still good or we’d be screwed.

Daniel walked up to the wee folk. “I don’t give a damn about the con, guys. I could care less if you want to take those idiots for everything they have. My wife is looking for something and we think you have it.”

Tully looked at me, his arms crossed defensively. “Look, lady, no refunds. If you were dumb enough to fall for the game, then you deserved to lose whatever it is you’re looking for.”

“I didn’t lose anything. Someone else did,” I explained.

“Well, then she deserved to lose,” Tully replied with a frown. “We won that money fair and…well, we won that money.”

“I’m not saying you didn’t.” I got into Tully’s space. “Look, we said we didn’t care about the con. I’m looking for something and I’m willing to pay for it.”

“Really?” Tully stared down at me, a speculative look in his dark eyes. “Just what are you willing to pay with?”

Daniel growled and the leprechauns looked at Tully liked he’d lost his mind.

“Did you not watch the fight?” They asked the question in perfect stereo.

“Are ya trying to make the vampire angry? He said that’s his wife. They don’t take kindly to men hitting on their wives,” the one in Lee’s left hand asked.

“He could decide to eat ya, ya dolt,” the right side interjected. “And I’m not about to stop him. We can find another just like ya.”

“He ain’t gonna eat me, Corben,” Tully said with more assurance than he should have had. “If he’d been hungry, he’d have eaten all those idiots who insulted him and talked bad about his lovely bride. I did neither. I actually think she’s kinda cute, if you ask me, and she’s definitely a con. So’s he. I can see it in their faces.”

“I’m not a con,” I said.

“A thief, then,” Tully insisted, looking between Daniel and myself. “Ya ain’t legit, honey. I know a girl on the game when I see one.”

I smiled because he did have good instincts. “I’m a thief and a damn good one at that. I’m showing you some respect by offering to buy the item I’m looking for.”

“How much are we talking?” Lefty asked.

“What exactly are ya looking for, darling?” Righty wanted to know.

“It’s a stone.” I made a circle with my thumb and forefinger, showing them the approximate size. “About this big. When the sun hits it, it looks like blood.”

All three faces fell and I knew I’d lost them.

“Never heard of it,” the leprechauns said in unison.

I looked at Tully, giving him a disbelieving glare. He shrugged. “We only accept coin. Right, boys?”

The little men shook their heads. “Cash only, that’s the way.”

Daniel took lefty off Lee’s hands and brought him up to eye level. “I don’t believe you.”

“We know you took the Blood Stone from a woman named Hildie,” I stated flatly.

“Never heard of her.” Tully’s expression never changed. He was a cool customer.

I was going to have to play a little rough. Luckily, I had just the tools I needed. I looked over at Neil and nodded. He brought over my cell phone. I hadn’t brought it to make a call. There were no cell towers in Faery. No, I had a different use for it here. I’d brought it for entertainment, but it was about to come in handy. Neil plugged it into the portable speakers. “Danny, you should let the boys down now.”

Daniel looked at Lee, who set his leprechaun down beside Daniel’s. “Don’t take your eyes off them. Don’t even blink.”

Lee watched both of them, his eyes never wavering.

The leprechauns moved closer together, obviously wary of what we were going to do next.

“What’s that thing?” one of them asked.

“That’s for me to know and you to find out.” The menu popped up and I scrolled down until I found what I was looking for. “Just consider it an addition to your party.”

I hit play and a thumping beat started.

It’s a well-known fact about the wee people that they love a good party. Give a leprechaun a cold brew, some good grub, and couple of hot chicks and they are happy campers. But if you turn on some music, you get real entertainment. Once a leprechaun starts to dance, they can’t stop until the music is done. And the minute the music starts, a leprechaun can’t help but dance.

“What is this?” one of them asked as their feet began to move of their own volition.

Neil and I bopped along with the heavy thrum of the drums.

I looked over at Lee. “You can blink now,” I told him. “They’re stuck until I hit stop. I should warn you, boys, I got like eight hours of music on that sucker.”

“Is it all this bad?” one of the dancers asked.

“This ain’t music,” the other said. “I don’t know why I’m moving.”