Tainted: Book Three - Enslaved

5. Into the Lions Den

Chance Parker

Before Kerry lifted the heavy, flat boulder, I looked around to make sure no one was watching, but I needn't have bothered. This part of Central Park was dead empty at two in the morning. Still, I stood guard as he moved the giant rock and grabbed something from a deep recess. Then we made tracks to where the others waited.

"Rome, let me sit up front so I can give Chance directions. I need to see landmarks," Kerry explained.

I waited until they'd switched places, then got into the driver's seat again.

"Where to, good sir?" I wasn't sure humor would help in this situation - and he was fairly unaware of it most times, anyway - but my nature drove me to make people feel safe and comfortable.

He mumbled directions while he rummaged around in his leather-wrapped wooden box. When something jingled, I glanced over to see him slip a bundle of silver bangles into his coat pocket.

"Is that your ill-gotten loot?" Jax leaned over the seat and braced his arms between us.

Good thing Mira's car was so big; Kerry wouldn't have been able to stand it if Jax were any closer.

"Yeah." He tossed Jax two cartons of cigarettes. "Here. Ditch these before I'm tempted."

"At least your loot is going to good use now," I said. "And your knowledge of how the Diabolical world works is going to save our friends' lives."

"What all do you have in there?" Jax reached for the box, and Kerry handed it to him.

I listened as Jax listed off the contents: Zipper bags packed with dust, strapped stacks of hundred-dollar bills, a flash drive, five fake driver's licenses in a variety of names, envelopes stuffed with incriminating photographs, fine jewelry, gold coins, and a black velvet bag of—

"Are these diamonds?" Jax screeched. "Really real diamonds?"

"Yeah," Kerry said.

"Can I have one? Wait. They aren't cursed or anything, are they?"

"No, they ain't cursed. What are you gonna do with it?"

"Eventually, I'm going to ask Gigi to marry me. A ring with one of these babies would impress her."

Wow. He's so sure we're going to get Gigi back that he's planning his future proposal. That's some powerful positive thinking.

"Oh. Sure. Go ahead and take one. Save yourself twenty grand."

"How much?"

"I haven't been following the market lately, so they could be worth more. They're high quality." He dug the Divinity detector out of his pocket and passed it back. "And here. Put this in one of the black bags. I don't want it glowing every time someone opens the box."

"How much do nephilim sell for?" I wheeled the big car between a limo and a taxi.

"They'll want a hundred for Gigi and probably one fifty for Boots."

"Whoa. Wait." Jax held up one hand. "That's all we're worth? A benjamin?"

"I think he's talking thousands," I said.

"A hundred thousand? A hundred thousand dollars?"

"Well, yeah." Kerry shrugged.

"It'll take me a century to pay you back!"

"Shut up! I never wanna hear anyone talk about paying me back. I have plenty of money hidden around the city, and they're my friends, too. 'Sides, like Chance said, I'm glad to put it to good use."