can’t sell it either because this is going to make the news. Covens everywhere got upset when it was taken from the witches and into the hands of that collector. Do you know what would happen if you started approaching covens to sell it to them? They’d come at you to get it from you. They’d rat you out in an instant over that artifact if it meant getting their hands on it.”
“I know the risks, Hauser. I’ll find someplace to hide it that doesn’t lead back to me.”
“If you pull this off, the supernatural community will know. There are only four thieves out there that could pull this off. I’ll protect you, but you know the other two. They’ll rat us out.”
I just laughed. I’d thought of that part too. I’d planned this down to a T.
“Yeah, but one of those thieves is a witch without a coven. They’ll go to Venus long enough for me to contact my ancestors and get it somewhere safe.”
Hauser sighed.
“Put your demon side away for a minute. I taught you better than that. I know we don’t like Venus, but you know what they will do to her before they give up it wasn’t her, right?”
“She has it coming after what she did to you when you took that job together. She stole all the money, you nearly got caught, and she stole the loot for another buyer, leaving you with a pissed off client after your hide. You got your ass beat by an entire clan of Vampires three times. I give zero shits about sending angry witches after her. She earned it when she betrayed you.”
“Do you remember how I stopped you when you wanted to visit her and beat her ass? I’m hoping to do that now.”
“Will you just trust me, Hauser? I’ve planned everything. I won’t get caught. Nothing about this will tie back to me. I even have my hiding place planned after I do the ritual. You taught me well. Trust me that I can handle this.”
“Fine, Rei. I’ll support you on this because I know how much you want these answers. Promise me after this, it’s business as usual. No more stealing unless it’s for someone else.”
“Pinky swear, Hauser.”
“Do you need any help? You usually don’t anymore, but the stakes are higher this time.”
“Come over with a beer and celebrate with me when I get home? If all goes as planned, I’ll be back at two in the morning.”
“I’ll even cook you a steak like old times.”
I groaned. Hauser did amazing things to meat. This was it. Tomorrow, I was getting that amulet and finding out why humans raised me.
Chapter 2
Rei
I
t was time. I didn’t have any family to teach me this. Hauser and I had to figure it out on our own. It took ages, but I learned how to open portals. That was Hauser’s rule number six. Plan your transportation in a way that can’t be tied back to you. No public transit and don’t use your own vehicle. Cameras were everywhere now, and they could track license plates and cars. Hauser got to the mark by his wolf. If we needed to go to another country to steal, well, we both had safes with fake passports for that.
The Museum of the Profane had the best security probably in the entire world. It had never been successfully robbed before, and there was a ton of good shit in there that the supernatural community would have wanted to get their hands on. With all the goodies in here, I was shocked it didn’t get broken into more. I couldn’t be the only one who wanted something from here, and it wasn’t like the Library of the Profane where they would let me use it if they granted me a library card. All these fantastic relics were behind glass cases, and no one could use them anymore. Honestly, some of them were dangerous, and I got why they were on display now, but some of them should have been back with their people.
My portal opened into an air vent above the central security office. It was super cramped, but Hauser didn’t sometimes call me runt for no reason. It was a tight fit, but I could do what I needed here. Hauser opened up an entire world for me when he told me I wasn’t just a fox shifter. Some shit that always seemed to happen around me started making sense.
Five monitors were watching the museum,