We ended up on the safehouse roof – a flat expanse with a good view of the warehouse district and enough privacy to speak freely.
"Look," she said, leaning against the ledge. "I know Marco made this sound easy, but seducing a witch isn't like picking up some random girl at a bar. Vivienne is smart, powerful, and paranoid after her divorce. She'll be looking for any sign you're not what you seem."
"So I'll be convincing."
"Can you?" She studied me. "Because I've seen guys freeze up when faced with a woman like that. She's intimidating. And if she suspects anything, she'll shut you down hard."
"I can handle it."
"Prove it." She stepped closer, invading my space. "Pretend I'm her. We just met at the gallery. Could you get my number?"
I held her gaze, letting a slow smile cross my face. "I don't need your number."
"Cocky. Why not?"
"You'll be giving me your address instead."
She blinked, and I saw the faintest hint of a flush cross her cheeks before she caught herself. "Oh. But Vivienne will push harder than that."
"That fine." I leaned in slightly, not quite touching but close enough to make the air between us electric. "The harder she pushes, the more she's thinking about me. And once she's thinking about me, I've already won."
Sarah stared at me for a long moment, then laughed and pushed me away. "Okay, you might actually pull this off. Where'd you learn to talk like that?"
"Long life, lots of practice."
"How old are you, anyway? You can't be more than thirty."
I shrugged. "Old enough."
"Mysterious again. Fine, keep your secrets." She pulled out her phone. "We need to go shopping. If we're playing rich art collectors, we need to look the part. Marco's giving us an expense account."
---
Shopping with Sarah was an experience.
She transformed from a scarred, dangerous shifter into someone who could navigate high-end boutiques with ease, picking out suits and dresses like she'd been doing it her whole life.
"Military background?" I asked as she evaluated a dress in the mirror.
"Close. Private security before I went supernatural. Spent a lot of time protecting rich assholes at fancy events." She turned, modeling the dress – black, elegant, showing just enough skin to be interesting. "This work?"
"You look good."
"I look expensive. That's the goal." She grabbed another option. "Your turn. You need a suit that says 'I have money but don't need to prove it.'"
Two hours and several hundred dollars later, I had a charcoal grey suit that fit perfectly, a white shirt, and shoes that cost more than most ever spent on footwear.
Sarah had her dress, plus accessories and enough makeup to create whatever look the job required.
"Tomorrow night, we play the part," she said as we loaded the bags into her car – a beat-up sedan that didn't match our new wardrobe. "Tonight, we practice our story until we can recite it drunk and backwards."
Back at the safehouse, we commandeered a corner of the common area and went over the backstory Tommy had created.
Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Cross, married five years, made their money in tech startups, now spending it on art and travel.
We'd met at Columbia, bonded over a shared love of modern art, got married in a small ceremony in Vermont.
It was detailed enough to be believable but vague enough to avoid tripping over specifics.
"What's my favorite artist?" Sarah quizzed.
"Rothko. You love abstract expressionism but think Pollock is overrated."
"Your biggest pet peeve?"
"People who don't understand that white wine goes with fish. I'm a wine snob."
"Good." She made a note. "What's the story of how we met Vivienne?"
"We don't have one yet. That's improvised based on how the conversation flows. But we're interested in her because Tommy mentioned she's a patron of supernatural arts, and we're collectors looking to expand into that market."
"Perfect." She set down her notes. "One more thing. We need to be comfortable with each other. Married couples have a certain... ease. Can you handle that?"
"What did you have in mind?"
She stood, moved to where I sat, and settled onto my lap like it was the most natural thing in the world. Her arm draped around my shoulders, her body warm against mine.
"This," she said. "We need to be able to do this without it being weird. Can you handle having me close without getting... distracted?"
[Physical Contact: Sarah]
[Species: Werewolf]
[Essence Value: Moderate - Supernatural being]
[Current Attraction: Minimal - Professional relationship]
[Warning: Do not complicate team dynamics]
She was testing me, I realized. Seeing if I could maintain professional boundaries when faced with an attractive woman in close proximity.
I rested one hand on her waist, casual and comfortable. "I can handle it."
"Good. Because tomorrow night, we'll be playing up the married couple angle. Touching, casual affection, all of it. Vivienne needs to see us as non-threatening."
"Understood."
We practiced for another hour – sitting close, casual touches, the kind of comfortable intimacy that came with years of marriage. By the end, it felt natural enough that even Tommy, watching from across the room, gave us a thumbs up.
"You two look legit," he called over. "I'm almost convinced you actually like each other."
"Fuck off, Tommy," Sarah said without heat.
That night, I lay in my small room, thinking through the plan. Tomorrow night, I'd meet Vivienne Thornwood. I'd charm her, gain her trust, and hopefully get invited to her home.
Then I'd steal the necklace and complete my first job for the Jackals.
And if the opportunity presented itself... I'd add her to my list of corruptions.
A powerful witch would provide significantly more fragments than Melissa had. Enough to potentially push past the 2% barrier, or at least make serious progress toward it.
But I had to be careful. This wasn't like Melissa, where the situation had naturally evolved into mutual benefit. This was a job, with teammates watching and a client expecting results. I couldn't let my need for power compromise the mission.
Still, if the opportunity arose organically...
[Quest Active: The Castellano Retrieval]
[Primary Objective: Steal the Crimson Tear necklace]
[Secondary Objective: Don't get caught]
[Optional Objective: Corrupt Vivienne Thornwood]
[Reward: Payment, Reputation with Jackals, Potential Fragments]
[Time Until Event: 18 hours]
I closed my eyes, running through scenarios. How would I approach her? What would I say? How could I create an opportunity for both the theft and a potential corruption?
Tomorrow would tell.