“And then, after you pitilessly murdered your human lover, you disappeared, seemingly into thin air”—Sabrina’s fingers flicked outward in a sort ofpoofgesture—“and managed to entirely escape punishment for taking the life of an innocent person.”
Now Edie sat forward too, because they were finally coming to the crucial bit. The context. The part of the story Sabrina had gotten wrong, which would explain what he’d done and why.
“Innocent?” Max actually laughed, long and hard. “Yes. Of course. Poor, innocent Jacquette, slain by her cruel vampire lover despite her utter blamelessness.”
“Are you—” Sabrina’s nostrils flared, her cheeks darkening with her enraged flush. “Are you smearing the reputation of a woman youmurdered, vamp?”
“I’d explain more, but…” He waved a dismissive hand. “My apologies. I can see you rendered your verdict long ago, witch. I’d only waste your time by arguing my case now.”
The thought of Sabrina—of everyone in this room—believing such a terrible thing of Max for even one more minute…
No. They needed to hear the truth. Theentiretruth. Because it would absolve him of blame, and they needed to believe in his fundamental trustworthiness before entering battle with him tomorrow. Otherwise, the only one who’d have his back would be Edie, and she couldn’t be everywhere at once. She didn’t have the strength of a troll, or the potential power of witches and oracles and telepaths, or…
Or whatever the half-fae Girl Explorers had. Other than badges. And delicious cookies.
“I want to hear it, Max.” Remembering his half-delirious confession the previous night, Edie immediately commenced Operation Doe Eyes, tugging on his arm until he had no choice but to look down at her and confront her wide, pleading stare. “Tell me what happened. Please.”
As he met her gaze, she might have fluttered her lashes once or twice. Then one of those lashes must have detached and fallen onto her freaking eyeball, because suddenly she was squinting and blinking involuntarily, her right eye watering. Dammit.
“My coveralls-clad femme fatale,” he murmured, and brushed away the moisture from the crest of her cheek. “I think it’s out now, darling. Better?”
After she nodded, he spoke to her. Only to her, albeit at full volume.
“Feeding directly from a human is a vulnerable act for everyone involved, my Edie.” He took her hand in his and laced their fingers together. “We can easily kill our blood source, of course.”
“Of course,” said Sabrina with bitter sarcasm.
He ignored her. “But drinking fresh blood is an intimate, pleasurable process for vampires, with or without sex. It’s such a powerful relief of hunger, it naturally engenders goodwill andtrust toward our human suppliers. Whether or not they deserve that trust. And the more often you feed on the same person, the easier it gets to become attached and…careless. Particularly if sexispart of the experience.”
“Basically, you catch feelings,” Edie said. “Even if the relationship is meant to be entirely transactional, but especially if it’s not.”
She was trying her best not to envision Max holding other lovers’ hands over the centuries. Combing through other lovers’ hair with gentle fingers. Watching other lovers with soft denim-blue eyes.
But she wouldn’t have wanted him to be alone all that time, would she? And those previous men and women had helped him develop the dicking-related skills he’d displayed last night, so…maybe she wasn’t jealous of all those exes after all. Maybe she was grateful to them.
Other than this Jacquette fucker. Without even knowing the full story, Edie already hated her for betraying Max. For forcing him into violence and turning him even more cynical. For driving him into total isolation.
“So you trusted…Jacquette.” The other woman’s name tasted bitter on Edie’s tongue. “And then you got careless.”
His thumb skimmed over the back of her hand. “After the Battle for Containment, I was tapped to become a SERC representative. I was reluctant to get so deeply involved in political wrangling among and within various species—”
Edie snorted. “I bet.”
Max wouldn’t have been known for his tactful diplomacy and goodwill toward all, even back then. Not after centuries ofbloodshed and infighting and hiding from those who’d gladly eradicate his kind, andespeciallynot after what happened to his parents. Edie would lay good money onthat.
“—but my mentor, my late mother’s truest friend, convinced me the Council needed a vampire presence, especially one with my longevity and power. So I agreed to serve. Jacquette supported me in that decision.”
The only sound in the room came from a shadowy corner, where a clock perched on a bookshelf ticked away their remaining hours. Otherwise there was utter silence.
“There are very few Enhanced humans with two separate, distinct talents.” The muscles in Max’s jaw jumped. “I knew Jacquette was a necromancer, but she didn’t tell me about her second ability. Pyrokinesis.”
Gwen’s palm rested protectively over her belly. “She could set fires with her mind?”
A stake through my heart will kill me, he’d once told Edie.So will removing my head or…burning me alive.
His voice had gone a bit funny at that last part, if she remembered correctly. And he’d swallowed hard enough that she’d noted his discomfort.
Oh shit.
