Hunter in Seattle - Supernatural City Book 2

1 Grayson

Grayson stood in the corner of the posh downtown hotel's ballroom with his hands deep in the pockets of his leather jacket, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. His partner, Ztari, chided him when Grayson laid out the clothes he would wear to this event, saying he needed to dress to a higher class to fit in. At the time he scoffed, but looking around, Grayson wished he listened. It was impossible to blend in when the least expensive garment in the room cost more than he made in a year.

Two tables behind him stood the woman he had been hunting for. He'd followed her movements for weeks, ever since he found out she was the purveyor of death coins. Perhaps that was too harsh. She didn't know the sales of those coins would end in the demise of the buyers. It seemed the first owner of the coins, a powerful blood witch, was interested in reclaiming them. No one would be safe while the blood witch was on the prowl and she had the coins in her sight.

They acted as a beacon, calling to the beast. It amazed Grayson the woman had stayed one step ahead of the witch for this long. He attributed the luck to her constant traveling, moving from one place to another like a gypsy, selling the coins to different collections.

Finishing with the man she was talking to, the woman handed him her business card before he moved on. Now was his chance. With casual nonchalance, Grayson walked over to her and gave her a charming smile. "Good evening. I hear you are the lady to speak with about locating rare coinage."

"I am." Her eyes flicked over him, clearly unimpressed though she gave him a beaming smile which didn't reach her eyes. "Ashley Anderson. How may I help you?"

Grayson took the hand she offered, giving it a firm shake before releasing her and reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a shilling from the sixteen-fifties and handed it to her. "I was wondering what you can tell me about this."

With great care, she took the coin from him while pulling a loupe out of the pocket of her smart navy coat. He admired her while she looked over the coin. Tall and thin, her physique reminded him of a dancer at rest. Ashley's movements were graceful as she turned the coin in her fingers, her lips pursed in concentration. The most gorgeous eyes he'd ever seen, bluer than the waters of Crater Lake, flicked up at him.

Clearing her throat when she noticed his perusal, she handed the coin back to him and tucked a stray lock of caramel colored hair behind her ear. "This is a fake."

Grayson knew, but he feigned surprise. "The dealer I purchased from was certain it was a legitimate coin from the Massachusetts area."

"The oak tree on the back of the coin doesn't have the correct number of branches. If you would like, I can have one of my associates give you a second opinion." The look in her eyes and the words she spoke were at odds with one another. He knew a dismissal better than anyone, and she was finished with him.

"Before you go," Grayson slipped the coin back into his pocket and continued, "Can you tell me if you have any more coins from the Northeast around the colonial era?"

"I have two that will go to auction on the fifteenth of next month."

"Can you tell me what collection they are from?"

Ashley's eyes narrowed a hair fraction, the flicker so small he almost thought he imagined it. "They are from a private collection. Unfortunately, the seller wishes to remain anonymous."

"These two coins, they wouldn't happen to have come from around the Salem area, would they?" He didn't want to play his hand but, if he was reading her as well as he thought, this would be his only chance to speak with her. Unless he accosted her in a dark alley somewhere. He hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Ashley played the master of calm as she gave him no reaction other than to look over his shoulder. When her eyes came back to him, she smiled again and spoke in a low tone so no one would overhear what she said. "I don't know who you are though I have an inkling you are the same gentleman who accosted one of my associates last week. I will not give you any more information about the provenance of those coins than I already have. If you come near me again, I will not hesitate to have you arrested for stalking." The smile never dropped from her soft beige lips as she spoke. Grayson had the most intense urge to goad her on just so she would keep talking to him.

"Excuse me, sir." Grayson turned at the voice behind him. Standing close enough to be uncomfortable, their postures screaming intimidation, were two black-suited security guards. "This is a private event. Please show us your invitation."

Of course, he didn't have an invitation. You had to know people for that. The gentleman who hired him to track down the witch may have the proper connections to supply him with one, but there hadn't been time. He needed to speak with Ashley before she left on another business trip and this was the only event on her schedule.

Patting his pockets, he gave the two guards a sheepish look. "It seems I've forgotten it in my other coat." As the guards flanked him to lead him out, he glanced over his shoulder towards the table Ashely had been standing next to. She was gone, disappeared into the bowels of the hotel, and he cursed. This shit would be a lot easier with Ztari to read and control these people's minds. His partner, however, was useless before dark and this was a day event.

The security guards led him out the rotating doors and into the street. They stood in the doorway and watched him, making sure he disappeared into the crowded after work foot traffic before returning to the warm hotel lobby. Steeling himself against the frigid February wind, Grayson hunched down and started back towards the hotel room he was sharing with his partner. He would arrive as Ztari woke up and then the chase would begin in earnest. After all, he was a hunter, and she was tasty little morsel.