The laces loosened as he moved downward, baring her skin to him. Exposing her back to his gaze, from her shoulders to her hips.
Realizing it, Rune went hot all over.
“If you’d told me, we wouldn’t be in this—”
Before he could tug the dress off, the knocking arrived at their door.
“What do you want?” he roared, transferring his anger from Rune to whoever was knocking.
“Police! Open up!”
They both froze.
Rune nodded for him to answer it. He hesitated, then finally went as she wriggled free from the dress. Dropping it and his jacket on the ground, she kicked both pieces of clothing under the bed.
Rune needed to illusion herself, and fast.
Gideon swung the door open, angling it to hide Rune, who now stood in her underwear.
Unsheathing the knife at her thigh, she pressed its honed edge to her calf, where a multitude of silvery casting scars shone, carefully fashioned into the image of moths in flight. The moths started at her ankle and fluttered up the back of her leg.
Rune added a cut to the newest half-formed moth.
“Yes?” Unfettered annoyance dripped from Gideon’s voice.
Rune pressed her fingers to the blood welling up.
“S-sorry to disturb you, sir,” came a woman’s voice.
Rune didn’t envy her. The sight of Gideon shirtless was enough to stun any woman.
She drew the Mirage’s spellmark on her ankle in blood.
“Are you the Sharpes?”
The name clanged like a discordant bell in Rune’s ears.The Sharpes.It’s who she and Alex would have been. To hear it referring to her and Gideon…
“That’s right,” said Gideon. “What do you want?”
Finally, the tang of magic burst on her tongue as the illusion took hold. She hoped it was enough.
“We have some questions for you.”
Knowing she needed to make an appearance, Rune called out: “Who’s there, pumpkin?”
She could almost feel Gideon wither beneath the pet name.
“No one important,sugarplum.” There was an edge to his voice. Like a wolf’s warning growl. He turned his attention back to the police. “As you can see, we’re a little busy. I’m sure you understand.”
He started to close the door, but an officer stepped forward, stopping it from shutting.
“This will only take a minute.”
Standing in only her underwear, Rune glanced at hersuitcase. Was there enough time to find something to throw on? She was about to try when the officer pushed the door open wider, searching for Mrs. Sharpe.
Drat.
Her crimson moth signature flared in the air, directly in front of her.
