Under Wraps: The Underworld Detection Agency Chronicles by Hannah Jayne

Author:Hannah Jayne [Jayne Hannah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2011-03-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Dirt was located in an old church just off the Haight on a dark side street. The high ceilings and large, Gothic windows of the old structure made for one heck of a bar. Which would have been incredibly swanky if it weren’t for the bloodless clientele and the occasional three-horned Asimian demons delivering drinks.

We strolled up to the front door and my breath caught in my throat when Vlad—dressed entirely in black, as usual—stepped out of the shadows, a pale-faced young woman curled around him. The girl blinked at me, her crimson contacts barely obscuring her blue eyes. Her hair had been dyed Crayola black, the blunt-cut ends streaked with deep red. Her white pancake makeup made her pretty face look flawless; the heavy coal eyeliner made her large eyes swim under her pointed bangs and long false eyelashes. She looked me, Parker, and Nina over slowly, her matte, deep purple lips pursed, then rested her head against Vlad’s chest, exposing a thick, red, satin ribbon tied around her neck.

“This is Lucy,” Vlad said by way of explanation.

“Oh, please,” Nina groaned. “And I’m Van Helsing.”

“Hi there, Ms. Helsing.”

We all turned to look in the direction of the sultry voice and I looked at my shoes, hiding my smile when Nina’s eyes went big.

“It is Ms., I hope.” Standing directly in front of Nina, staring her down with his beady hazel eyes was a “breather,” dressed to kill in a stretchy red velvet T-shirt pulled over a pair of black skinny jeans leaden with chains. He may have been Nina’s height originally, but his feet were stuffed into boots with a four-inch stacked heel.

“Oh my gosh,” I whispered.

“Is he hitting on her?” Parker muttered into my ear.

Nina’s breather friend propped his elbow against the wall and fiddled with his shoulder-length black hair, grinning the whole time, his eyes boring into Nina’s. He scanned our group quickly and then went back to staring Nina down.

“The name is Reggie, and you know, you and I seem to have a lot in common.”

Nina crossed her arms, jutted out one hip. “Is that right, Reggie? You think so? Now why would you think that?”

“Well, it looks like you and I are both the odd men out in our respective groups.”

Nina peered over Reggie’s shoulder. “I don’t see any group with you.”

He just shrugged, an arrogant smile playing on his thin lips. “So, what’s say we make this foursome a six-some?”

I tried to fight the bubble of laughter that started in my stomach. I leaned against Parker and could feel his body shaking with silent laughter. I gripped his hand, willed us both to remain silent.

“You mean, because we have so much in common?” Nina asked Reggie.

“We’re both obviously good-looking people. Both have this whole”—his eyes slid over Nina from tip to toe appraisingly—“dark-side vibe going on.” He licked his lips. “I think you and I could have a lot of fun together.”

I saw Nina’s lips purse, a single challenging eyebrow raised. “Well, all that may be very true, but there is one very significant difference between us.

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