Magic Strikes(9)

«What I offer is much greater than sex,» a Hispanic woman of startling beauty said. «I offer wish

fulfillment. Anything you want. Anyone you want. I can give you your fantasy. And more, I can

give you the forbidden.»

His face shifted again. Derek. A very reasonable facsimile, good enough to fool me in a bad

light. The body still remained female, however. He was getting tired. He must've chugged a gallon

of nutrients in anticipation of my arrival to be able to pull this show off.

«I can give you a friend.» Saiman-Derek grinned. «Guilt-free. Nobody would ever know. All the

secret faces you picture when you pleasure yourself? I can give them to you in the flesh.»

Derek just stared, speechless, an expression of utter disgust stamped on his face.

«Is there a point to this demonstration, besides upsetting my stomach?»

Saiman sighed. «You refuse everything I offer, Kate. It hurts my pride.»

I crossed my arms. «I refuse because no matter what shape you wear, I know it's you. And you

don't really want me for who I am. You want me because I said no.»

He considered it. «Perhaps. But the fact remains: by refusing me, you are now my ultimate

luxury. That one thing I can't have. You won't see me. You don't return my phone calls. All my

attempts to apologize for my behavior during the flare have gone unanswered. It's very difficult to

seduce a woman when she refuses to acknowledge your existence. I'm looking forward to having

you to myself for an entire night.»

«Fucking pervert.» Derek finally found adequate words to express his take on the situation.

«I prefer the term 'sexual deviant' myself,» Saiman said.

«When I get out . . .»

I raised my hand, halting Derek's promises of very painful and highly illegal things he would

have liked to inflict on Saiman. «I'll come with you to the Games.» Even if I would rather clean an

outhouse. «In return, you acknowledge that Derek never broke into your apartment and you'll

surrender all evidence of him ever being present here. Don't plan on a date. There will be no

wooing, no seduction, and no sex. That's my best offer and it's not open to negotiation. If you

choose to accept it, keep in mind that I'm still a representative of the Order, attending a highly

illegal event. Don't put me into the position where I feel compelled to do something about it.»

Saiman rose, walked over to the room that served as his lab, and returned with a stack of digital

printouts showing Derek in the cage in all his glory. He handed me the pictures, turned on a digital

camera, and wiped the memory card clean.

Derek's mask slipped and beyond it I saw guilt. Good. I planned on cashing in on that guilt to get

him talking.

Saiman raised a remote, pressed a button, and the cage door fell open. Derek surged up and I

stepped between him and Saiman before he could add murder to his list of transgressions.

«I'll pick you up at your apartment at ten,» Saiman said.

THE GLASS DOORS OF THE LOBBY SHUT BEHIND US and I let out a breath. The sunrise

was still a long way off, and the parking lot lay steeped in darkness, the night breeze cool and

cleansing after the perfumed atmosphere of the high-rise.

Derek shook his head, as if clearing fog from his skull. «Thanks.»

«Don't mention it.»

«I shouldn't have gone through the window.» Derek measured the tower with his gaze. «I figured

fifteenth floor, sure bet the window would be unprotected. But he's got the whole place booby-

trapped.»

«He had issues with breaking and entering a few years back. That's why I had to bodyguard him

for a while.» A vivid image of a man with a pencil through his left eye orbit flashed before me,

complete with bloody smudges of my fingerprints on the yellow shaft of the pencil. Thank you, dear

memory, for once again attempting to sabotage my conversation. «Saiman takes his security very

seriously.»

«Yeah.»

We reached my car. «There was a shapeshifter death on the corner of Ponce de Leon and Dead

Cat. Jim was there and a Pack crew. Know anything about it?»

A dark shadow crossed Derek's face. «No. Who died?»

«I don't know. Jim wouldn't let me get within thirty feet of the body.» I looked right into his

eyes. «Derek, did you have anything to do with it?»

«No.»

«If you did, you need to tell me now.»

«I didn't.»

I believed him. Derek had many talents, but lying wasn't one of them.

We stood by the car. Come on, boy wonder. You know you want to tell me what's going on.

«You shouldn't go with that freak.» Derek dragged his fingers through his short hair. «He's