Ghostly Justice (Seven Deadly Sins, #2.5)(16)

“But you are in charge.”

“How did you guess?”

He gestured toward the bar with his whole arm. “Two men who can’t keep their eyes off you. Of course, this is no surprise to me. You are a stunning woman. What is your name?”

“Moira.”

“You’re from Ireland.”

“My accent always gives me away, luv. And you?”

“Rex. This is my place.” He took her arm with his. “Please allow me to escort you to a seating area.”

His touch did something to her. Or, rather, she felt something very much like what she felt at the willow tree earlier that day. A snapshot of time past, as if she were someone else walking with Rex through this exact club. Then it was gone.

The magic that had swirled around her outside was here, in this room, and she felt it ten times stronger as soon as Rex touched her bare arm. She couldn’t turn away from him without arousing suspicion so she worked at putting up some of her internal shields against the bombarding negative energy.

She had been so certain that the person responsible was a woman, but there was darkness here, with Rex. She glanced at him. Handsome golden boy. Strong jaw, chiseled features. Younger than she thought. Much younger. Not over twenty-five. Dressed different, he could easily pass as a college student. Maybe he was the lure. The boyfriend Amy had told Rafe about.

She’d had two brief visions, both involving Amy Carney. One at the camp when she touched the willow tree and one here, when Rex touched her. Maybe she was seeing things through Amy’s eyes. Except during the first vision she was looking at Amy. Trying to make sense of what she felt and saw, she missed what Rex was saying to her.

“Pardon me?” she said, covering her confusion with a sexy smile.

“How is this?” Rex had stopped next to a long red velvet couch in the center of the club flanked by two black leather chairs. “Please sit.”

“Thank you.” She sat, relieved to not be touching Rex anymore. She crossed her legs, revealing the garter on her right thigh, and put her hands on her knee.

Rex sat next to her and took her hand. So much for getting away from him. “Your skin is lovely. Soft, but you have strong, well-defined muscles. A contradiction. Contradictions intrigue me.”

“Is that a compliment?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Of course.” He kissed her hand, lingering a beat too long. Was this his M.O. or was he onto her?

“You’re enchanting, Goldilocks,” she said. He seemed bemused that she had a nickname for him. She leaned in and noticed his eyes flickered to her breasts before looking at her face. He was trying to be cool, but she felt him trying to work a lust spell on her with his mind. She couldn’t repel it without him sensing what she was doing, so she had to distract him. “I came with two men tonight. That’s about all I can handle.”

“On the contrary, I think you can handle as many as you want.” He kissed her hand again. “But when you return, you’ll return just for me.”

He rose and bowed again. “You will return.”

It was an influence spell, to compel her to come back to Defiance, alone.

She responded the way she was supposed to. “Yes, I think I will.”

Rex smiled at Carter and Rafe when they approached with red wine. “Gentlemen, you have a lovely woman. If you need anything, please come to me. I am available to ensure you have a pleasurable evening.”

Rafe handed Moira the wine. “It’s safe,” he said.

“I hate wine,” she said, but sipped.

“What happened? You had an odd look on your face.”

“I was trying to repel an influence spell without him knowing what I was doing.”

Rafe sat next to her. Carter sat on the other side, putting his arm around her shoulders. Rafe glared at him. “I told you at the bar,” he said in a low voice, “don’t overstep.”

“Down, boy. It’s just an act.”

Rafe’s jaw tightened and Moira leaned over and kissed him next to his ear. “Rex is a magician,” she whispered. “But he’s not responsible for the dark energy I felt outside.”

“You can tell that?”

“His magic was simpler. The other energy I feel all around is unfocused and dormant, but much more complex. And I’m almost certain it has the same signature as the spell I felt at the camp.” She looked around. Some of the people were ignoring them, but most were curious and making obvious appraisals of the three of them. “I need to draw out whoever is generating it.”

“How?”

“The dance floor. I can touch people without it seeming suspicious.” She glanced at Carter. “Do you dance?”

“I do now.”

Rafe frowned. “We don’t need him.”

“Yes. It’ll draw attention, and that’s what we want.”

“We wanted to find out if there was dark magic here, and there is.”

“There’s far more. Whoever is in charge is here. I know it.” She hesitated, knowing Rafe wasn’t going to be happy about her next admission. “I had another vision. Brief, when Rex touched my arm. It matched the earlier flash. I was looking through someone else’s eyes. I thought it was Amy, but it’s not—because I saw her at the willow tree. I’m pretty certain I’m looking through the eyes of the woman generating all this energy.”