I wish I could have seen it, but I have more important wishes to focus on right now.
I paint a mocking smile on my face. “So you came back,” I say to Ciprian. “I’m honestly surprised.” It’s hard to keep my smirk in place as I take in the cold fury hidden beneath his blank expression.
“I said I would.” Ciprian plants his feet wide and crosses his arms, keeping the door at his back as if he doesn’t trust me to stand behind him. “Alistair, this is?—”
“I only care about the djinn,” I interrupt, gritting my teeth. His body language is pissing me off. It’s going to give the djinn and her entourage the idea that I can’t be trusted, which is bloody rich coming from him.
Someone huffs and pushes past the fae.
I blink a few times as I look at the bite-sized woman in front of me. It’s no wonder I couldn’t see her. She’s a full head shorter than Celine, brow furrowed, lips pursed, and wary... incredibly wary. Unlike my angel, she doesn’t strike me as the kind of woman who hopes to stumble into a fist fight.
“I’m Sheena,” she says. “Who are you?” Hervoice is low and melodic—thank the gods. I expected something squeaky and grating. Still, a supernatural of her size can’t be as powerful as the mazzikin implied.
I swallow a sigh, bow at the waist, and look her over again while I’m at it. Perhaps there’s more to her than meets the eye. “Alistair, at your service, love,” I purr. Even if she’s a fraud, I need to be sure.Charm it is.
“My eyes are up here, Alistair.” Sheena points at them, and they flash purple. I freeze. My research revealed dozens of supernatural eye colors, hundreds if you count shade variation. But only one supernatural species has purple eyes.
My mouth goes dry. “So, it’s true,” I breathe, turning to Ciprian, genuinely shocked. Is he in love with her? Is she truly as powerful as the mazzikin believes? My head buzzes with unanswered questions. But I’ve got to stay calm. In control. This is my meeting.
“Honestly,” I say, trying to sound bored. “I assumed it was another lie like every other word out of your mouth.” I’m clinging to my composure by a thread, but I need to test them.
“Don’t talk to him like that,” Sheena snaps. To emphasize her point, she steps away from her other two protectors to stand at his side. Interesting. Very interesting.
“You don’t think he’s a consummate liar, love?” I cock my head. This is the perfect opportunity to figure out the nature of their relationship and what he’s told her about me.
“I think context matters,” she says, a defiant note in her voice as she glances at Ciprian. “You act like you’ve never lied before. Never had responsibilities back your personal desires into a corner. Never been charged with protecting someone else no matter what it cost you.”
Ciprian’s eyes fall from my face to his feet, as if he’s embarrassed she’s lecturing me on his behalf. I smile. “And would you lie to protect?”
There’s a collective inhale around the stuffy storage room, and I lean into the tension, delighted. The others know my question is loaded. They also know better than to tip her off. If Sheena lies to me about lying... this whole meeting will be a wash.
When she lifts her chin and stares me down, there’s no hint of softness or indecision on her face. “Without fucking flinching,” Sheena says. “I would lie with a smile on my face, and I wouldn’t lose a wink of sleep after.”
I raise my eyebrows and let the moment linger to see if she’ll break, but Sheena doesn’t flinch.Perhaps she would fit in on the Fringes, after all.
The mazzikin wants her dead. They think she’s a harbinger of doom or something. I think she’s the best opportunity I’ve encountered in years.
I grin and reveal my fangs. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, love.”
“It’s Sheena, actually.” She reaches out to shake my hand.How human of her.
I take it, pulling her fingers to my mouth and grazing my fangs over her knuckles. She tastes like soap and nerves. Not my flavor at all. The big guy growls and everyone else freezes, as if they’re waiting to see if I dare break her skin.
“She’s loyal to you. I’ll give you that,” I tell Ciprian. “Let’s hope for her sake you don’t live to let her down.”
It’s a barb—less delicate than my last—but I want to get a rise out of him. I disliked the way he talked to me on the phone. As if I was the one who crossed the line by using Sheena against him when he started it by sneaking into our lives under false pretenses.
“What can you tell me about Lysander and his plans?” Sheena asks, drawing my attention away from Ciprian by bringing up the real reason for our meeting.
Lysander, one of the many people hunting her, is giving the enclave trouble. They’ve been unable to locate him, which tellsme he’s likely hired or coerced a witch into concealing his location. Ciprian wants me to poke around on Sheena’s behalf, demanding I do some digging before he would agree to this meeting.
What I’ve found so far is sickening and painfully thin. Lysander leads a dodgy gang of sadistic shifters. They never stay in the same place for long, everyone is happy to see them go, and no one likes to see them coming.
Everyone will be better off if the enclave disposes of them.
“Not much yet,” I admit. Sheena’s face falls, and I rush to continue before she can decide I’m useless. “But I’m happy to find out everything you need to know. For the right price.”
“We are prepared to pay,” Idris says. I hide a shiver. His voice sounds like ice brought to life... and people say I’m creepy.
