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“Money firstly, of course. But the promise to teach them my powers proved even more enticing. I am now a qualified practitioner of Mirage.” Matteus stroked a gloved hand through his dark hair. His hands were his least attractive feature, black, papery and veined, hence he kept them covered, except when… She gulped back bile and forced herself to focus. “Remember I had started my apprenticeship while we were together?”
She nodded. She knew he’d developed invisibility for short periods, but this sounded more alarming. “Tell me more,” she breathed softly. Matteus had such a big ego, he’d probably talk for hours about himself. Which was what she needed. She had to buy time.
“Igor Doskominov, the grand master of Mirage, realized that if vampires could be invisible in a mirror, they could do the inner work to be invisible for much longer periods, anywhere, at our own choosing. Since you and I split, I’ve been under his intense tutelage. He persuaded me to stop trying to contact you, to work on my inner strengths and wait…” He bared his fangs at her. “Unfortunately, because you got involved with the orc, I’ve had to break my rigid training regime and bring my plans forward.” He sighed theatrically. “But timing is never perfect, is it?”
Oh gods, Matteus was more dangerous than she’d thought. With his powers increasing, and now his corrupt influence over some of the human councilors, where would this end?
Suddenly he was at her side without her knowing how he’d got there. She blinked as he forced her face up to his with a long finger under her chin, his mouth hovering close. “I’ve heard another rumor, that you are negotiating a deal for that ugly orc on the sale of a certain island.”
She tried to veil her surprise. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sweet little liar. I can see the truth in your eyes. No matter. Later tonight it will be irrelevant. I’ve had my sights set on Green Island for a while. It would be the most stunning place to set up a training center for Mirage, don’t you think?”
All the color drained from her cheeks. And clearly Matteus saw it. He chuckled low in his throat, and it sounded to Shona like a death knell.
“Let’s drink to it, shall we?”
He clinked his glass against hers, then laid a kiss on the side of her mouth. “To us. And to our paradise island, little dove. For eternity.”
Chapter
Nineteen
Tor raked a hand through his braids, striding up and down in the VIP airport lounge. Outside, he could see his private jet being prepared; he’d be boarding any minute. But it would still take an hour and a half to reach Motham.
He called his sister. “Any news?”
“Grayson is onto it. He’s checked Matteus’s city house, but there’s no one there. Now we’re contacting Vlad. If he doesn’t tell us…”
“Lucia—you don’t think she told anyone.”
There was silence, then his sister said, her voice cold as ice, “Tor, that was low of you.”
He grimaced. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Fuck, I just don’t know what to think, what to do. Kat, I’m going crazy here just thinking she may be hurt—” He heard the crack in his voice, and Katrina must have too, because her tone gentled. “It’s okay, Tor. We’ll find her, and we’ll bring her back safe.” But he could detect a waver in his sister’s usually confident voice, and the hollow sound of her uncertainty was still ringing in his ears as he strode across the tarmac to the waiting plane.
When they touched down in Motham, Katrina was there to meet him.
She came racing across the tarmac as Tor disembarked. “We’ve found out where she is.”
“Oh gods, where?”
Katrina pulled him toward a waiting hovercopter, explaining as they ran. “Matteus is holding her in the foothills north of Twill. Somehow, she got a message to her parents through a goblin employee and her dad phoned Tower Security. I’m not going to lie to you, Tor. She’s in grave danger.”
Fear tightened his scalp as Katrina rushed on. “Grayson is on his way there now, with reinforcements. Ethan Blade has provided us with this super-fast army level hovercopter to get there fast.”
As they strapped themselves into the aircraft, Tor’s brain was spinning. How was a vampire in the foothills? Did Matteus somehow own a property there? And if so, what the hell were the humans playing at? Didn’t they remember what a risk vampires posed to humans?
The risk this vampire posed to his human? Holy gods in heaven. What if it was too late? What if Matteus had already turned her?
His fists balled tight as he stared out at the star-spangled sky. Never had he felt so helpless inside this big green body. Every muscle coiled tight, and his breathing grew fast and shallow. Tor could do nothing but strap himself in beside Katrina and pray they’d get there in time.
“Dinner is served, sir,” the po-faced sheep waiter said.
“Come.” Matteus smiled down at her, hand extended. As she went to stand, Shona suddenly felt dizzy. “Oops,” she said, stumbling slightly. She felt his arm slide around her waist.
She wanted to push him off, but a strange syrupy feeling was invading her body. Her arms and legs felt like soft spaghetti. She hadn’t eaten, she realized—she’d only had water all day. The few sips of wine she’d drunk must have gone straight to her head.
The wine!
