I woke to the sound of someone pounding on my door.
"Wake up, fresh meat! Breakfast in ten, then briefing!"
Sarah's voice, loud and far too cheerful for whatever ungodly hour it was. I checked the phone – 6:47 AM. Of course.
"I'm up," I called back, hearing her footsteps retreat down the hallway.
The communal bathroom was occupied, so I waited my turn, noting the various Jackals moving through the safehouse with practiced efficiency. This wasn't just a crash pad – it was a base of operations, and everyone here had a role.
By the time I made it downstairs, the smell of coffee and something frying hit me. The kitchen area was surprisingly well-equipped, and a massive man – easily six and a half feet tall, built like a truck – was manning the stove.
"You must be Cain," he rumbled without turning around. "I'm Viktor. You eat meat?"
"Yeah."
"Good. Vegans don't last long here." He slid a plate across the counter – eggs, bacon, toast. "Eat fast. Marco doesn't like to wait."
I ate standing up, watching the Jackals filter in. There were more than I'd seen last night – maybe fifteen total, all different species and backgrounds. A vampire sat reading a newspaper, carefully avoiding the sunlight streaming through the eastern windows. Two shifters argued good-naturedly about something. A woman with tattoos that looked suspiciously like magical wards typed rapidly on a laptop.
"New guy!"
I turned to find a young man – early twenties, maybe – grinning at me. He had that manic energy that suggested either too much coffee or naturally irritating personality.
"Tommy," he introduced himself. "Tech and information. If it's digital, I can hack it, track it, or fake it."
"Useful skills."
"Damn right. What's your thing? Marco said you fight, but everyone here fights. What makes you special?"
"I guess we'll see."
"Mysterious. I like it." He grabbed a coffee mug that said 'I void warranties' and leaned against the counter. "Word of advice – don't piss off Elena. She's the witch over there with the tattoos. Looks hot, is terrifying. Last guy who hit on her ended up with boils in places you don't want boils."
"Noted."
"And Viktor seems nice, but he's a berserker. Like, actual Norse berserker bloodline. So if he says move, you move."
"Anything else?"
"Yeah. The retrieval job you're on? The target witch is supposed to be smoking hot. Just... you know. Don't get distracted. We're professionals."
[Target Information Acquired]
[Vampire's Ex-Wife: Confirmed attractive]
[Corruption opportunity: Moderate]
[Recommendation: Maintain professional cover while assessing]
Marco appeared in the doorway, coffee in hand. "Everyone here? Good. Briefing room, now."
We filed into what had probably been an office – now converted to a planning space with a large table, screens on the walls, and enough weapons stored in the corner to make me wonder what kind of jobs the Jackals typically took.
Marco pulled up an image on the main screen. It showed a woman, mid-thirties, with long dark hair and sharp features. She wore an elegant black dress and was photographed at some kind of social event.
"This is our target. Vivienne Thornwood, formerly Vivienne Castellano before she divorced her vampire husband six months ago."
The photo didn't do her justice, even I could tell.
There was something in her eyes – intelligence, power, maybe a hint of danger. She stood with perfect posture, one hand holding a wine glass, the other resting on her hip in a way that suggested complete confidence.
"She's a witch," Marco continued. "Mid-level power, specializing in wards and protective magic. Member of the Thornwood Coven, which gives her political backing and resources. The divorce was... messy."
"Messy how?" Sarah asked.
"He cheated. She found out. She took half his assets in the settlement, plus several items she claimed were gifts during the marriage. Our client, Victor Castellano, disputes one of those items." Marco pulled up another image – an ornate necklace with a blood-red stone. "This. The Crimson Tear. It's been in the Castellano family for four centuries, supposedly has some kind of vampiric enchantment. He wants it back."
"And she won't give it up," I guessed.
"Correct. She claims it was a gift, legally hers. He claims it's a family heirloom that should have stayed with him. The courts are dragging their feet because it's supernatural property and human law doesn't really apply. So he hired us."
Tommy pulled up schematics on a side screen. "She lives in a townhouse in the Garden District. Nice area, warded to hell and back. I'm talking detection spells, alarm triggers, probably some nasty surprises for anyone who breaks in uninvited."
"So we get invited," Sarah said.
"Exactly." Marco looked at me. "That's where you come in, Cain."
I raised an eyebrow. "Me?"
"You're new. Unknown. Fresh face." He smiled. "Vivienne is part of the social scene – charity events, gallery openings, all that upper-class bullshit. She's also been single for six months and, according to our intel, not exactly mourning the loss of her ex."
"You want me to seduce her," I said flatly.
"I want you to get close to her. Make contact at an event, strike up a conversation, get an invitation to her place. Once you're inside as a guest, the wards won't trigger. Then you find the necklace and signal us."
"And if she catches me?"
"That's why Sarah goes with you. As your date." He gestured to the shifter, who rolled her eyes.
"I hate playing dress-up," she muttered.
"You look great in a dress," Tommy said. "Very Pretty Woman."
"Shut up, Tommy."
Marco pulled up another image – an invitation to a gallery opening tomorrow night. "Vivienne will be here. It's a fundraiser for some supernatural-friendly charity, invitation only, very exclusive. Tommy already got you two on the list as Mr. and Mrs. Cross, art collectors from Boston."
"Married couple," I noted.
"Gives you a reason to be together, and it makes you seem less threatening. Rich married guy appreciating art is less suspicious than single guy hitting on the target." Marco looked between Sarah and me. "You two need to be convincing. Practice your backstory, get comfortable with each other. Sarah will handle any physical threats. Cain, your job is to charm Vivienne and get that invitation."
"What if she doesn't invite me?"
"Then we move to Plan B, which involves breaking in the hard way and probably pissing off the entire Thornwood Coven." Marco's expression made it clear that wasn't the preferred option. "So don't fuck it up."
The briefing continued for another hour – details about the event, the necklace's likely location, backup plans, extraction routes.
By the end, I had a headache from information overload, but I understood the job.
Get close to Vivienne Thornwood. Gain her trust. Get invited to her home. Steal the necklace.
Simple. Except for the part where she was a powerful witch who'd probably turn me into a toad if she caught me.
After the briefing, Sarah cornered me. "We need to talk. Privately."