Page 49 of King’s Kismet

My breaths came in heavy, filling my lungs to capacity as I padded barefoot across the gravel parking lot. His death was imminent, clinging to his skin like cheap cologne, though it wouldn’t come tonight.

“Jack,” Vaughn whispered, unsure of what to do with a raging demon like myself.

I didn’t speak, didn’t acknowledge him as I focused on Taylor.

The only true human amongst us wouldn’t be able to comprehend the kind of monsters he was pissing off. I was mild compared to the beast he was stalking.

That thought was clear in my expression as I dragged Taylor off the ground by the collar of his over-priced fake silk shirt. I held him at eye level, letting him feel the near foot of height difference between us. Letting him recognize the strength in my grip, how there was no give to my wrist, no tremor from his weight.

I just stared at him with the purest flames of Hell lighting my ebony eyes, the abyss of death hidden in my irises, inviting him to take a dive.

When he swallowed his fear, my lip curled in a slow smirk.

“If you value your life,” I murmured, the promise of violence slowing my words as I warned him. “You will keep Sloane King’s name out of your mouth. You will not come near her or her friends again. The next time I see you, or hear that you have uttered her name, I will personally hunt you down. When I find you, I will rip your still-beating heart from your chest so quickly that your last vision will be of me taking a bite out of it. Do you understand me?”

His face paled, all the blood draining and leaving him a sickly pasty color that made me fear he might puke on me. My nostrils flared as the stench of piss permeated the early morning air. I gave the Caplin asshat one last look before I tossed him away.

A little too hard…

But who would believe him?

I took a deep, cleansing breath, trying to settle my anger and forget that the idiot had almost peed on me without consent. I fought with myself, wanting to attack my prey, but he would have to wait.

Once I knew I could trust my instincts, I turned to Vaughn.

“So, that’s the creep you were talking about, yeah? If Sloane catches him stalking her, she’ll kill him herself.”

I almost snorted at the thought of Lo playing with Caplin the same way she toyed with her victims. But instead, I flashed Vaughn a knowing smile as I strode closer.

“No need to worry about that bitch,” I explained. “She’s way more bite than bark. You’d be surprised to know how many ways she can kill a man with something as simple as a spoon.”

“Are you okay, mate?” he asked cautiously. “Do you need a ride to your car or something?”

“Nah, man, I’m good. Sloane sent me. Apparently she saw him and didn’t think it was important to tell me until someone other than herself was in danger. I know you’re a high winter fae, but iron bullets are iron bullets, and that guy’s got a gun.”

I tipped my head to the unconscious Taylor Caplin, then half-shrugged as I corrected, “Uhm, had a gun.”

Vaughn nodded, lost in his thoughts for a moment, before he glanced at the gun lying between us and the idiot.

His expression confirmed Sloane’s worry. He hadn’t seen the gun before now.

“I think I can fix that gun for him,” the fae mentioned.

He wandered toward Taylor, and I watched him fight with himself. Vaughn wanted to kill this guy and be done. I shared his feelings, but we couldn’t do that so close to the club.

After he bent the barrel of the gun, he formed a ball of ice around the bullets and crushed them in his fist. When he opened his hand, I noticed the bits of iron had burned his skin, though he didn’t pay the wound any mind.

Vaughn was contemplating something… But what? I had too many guesses.

This entire thing with Taylor was uncomfortable. The human man knew more than he was saying. We had done extensive background checks on everyone at CBP, and only a handful had come back as supernatural creatures.

Even the fae had a squeaky clean record, but that was thanks to Nate King. He was a master at forged documents… Or he compelled someone else to them for him. He still wouldn’t tell me the truth.

We were going to have to dig deeper into the Caplins, though. Something wasn’t adding up with what Sloane had glimpsed versus what we knew.

“Maybe we should call an ambulance for him....” Vaughn suggested, but trailed off as the sirens rang out.

Sloane called them a few minutes after we spoke, though I wasn’t going to tell him that.