The Wicked City Read Online Free Page A

eyeballs means extra delicious.”
    June was titillated—yes, titillated—to be called out on her sarcasm.
    “Just imagine,” Robbie spoke up. “Once, none of this was here. It was just a peaceful river flowing through the wilderness. No people, no buildings, no cars, no pollution. You couldn’t look at it and imagine that someday civilization would rise up on its decimated banks and all this terrible progress would stand where once there were trees and hills.”
    Everyone stared at him, even Cindy.
    “I wish we’d brought the Jack Daniels with us.” June envisioned smashing the bottle over Robbie’s head.
    Robbie looked over his shoulder at her.
    “What’s Sacramento like?” Micha asked.
    June shrugged. “Smaller. Brighter. More laid back.”
    “Is there a prevalent paranormal community there?”
    “Not really. It’s not as out in the open as it is here.”
    “Do they have organizations for paranormal people?”
    “I don’t get into that stuff.” The buildings crawled past. “Ending up here is a reminder why.”
    “I read in the Tribune ,” Micha said, “you were discovered by an entertainment reporter.”
    She snorted. “Yeah. This girl from a local rag came into my shop to get some work done. I’ve known her for a long time, did most of her ink. She was talking about supernatural stuff, and I let it slip, told her about Jason and me. I thought I could trust her. Then she went and wrote a frickin’ article about it.” She fidgeted, looking down at her fingers. “Jason was pissed. Hell, I was pissed. He’s an actor, and he thought if it got out it would hurt his career, thought people would assume he’s charming his way into roles. Not that he would ever do that.”
    “If he did, he’d have an Oscar by now,” Micha said. “A million of them.”
    “Still, I didn’t think anyone read that stupid paper, certainly not people in Chicago.”
    “The Institute is vigilant,” Micha said. “They keep a sharp eye out for the smallest things. The paranormal is still an underground community for many reasons, so they have to canvas far and wide. And your power is uncommon, being an aural captivator, a Siren.” He scoffed. “‘Siren’ is such a misleading term, though. Sirens are mythological creatures. Hypnotic voice phenomenon isn’t gender specific, either.”
    “Thank you, Mr. Encyclopedia. I don’t give a damn. I should have kept my mouth shut. That’s what I get for trusting people. I don’t understand why you like being so involved in it.”
    “My family had a lot of paranormal friends when I was growing up. Before it was recognized scientifically. Back then it was all about getting people to accept it as a reality. People like my mother campaigned for her friends to get recognition. Now I’m trying to convince people not to hurt them.”
    “So you inherited a legacy.”
    “And my family is paranormal.” He waved this off as if it were a lesser reason. “My sisters both have paranormal abilities. So does one of my aunts. Marked telepathy and mild telekinesis, but Emily, my oldest sister, is also a pyrokinetic.”
    “A pyrokinetic? She sets things on fire with her mind? Like that Drew Barrymore movie?”
    Micha's voice darkened. “It’s not exactly like that. She can make certain substances heat up. If they’re flammable, yes, they can catch on fire. It’s not easy to do, though.”
    “So you’re the odd one out. In this case, the white sheep of the family.”
    “It bothered me when I was younger. I guess I felt left out. But not many people in this city want to be paranormal.”
    June turned her attention back out her window. A building with a diamond-shaped roof loomed over them, and she craned her neck. “Well, go ahead and feel like you’re doing something noble. Me, I don’t shove it in everyone’s face. It’s my damn business.”
    “It’s hard, isn’t it?” Cindy said. “I mean, you’re persecuted on two fronts. Society is so goddamn prejudiced, it