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Marcel turns to address Finn. “So, Mr Roe, I hear you’ve been making friends with a couple of exiled vampires.” He smacks his lips together in the pleasure of knowing he’s surprised Finn with what he’s said. Hell, throw away surprise, I’m outright shocked. How could Marcel know about the alliance we’ve made with Ethan and company?
“Who gave you that impression?” Finn asks. “A wrong impression, I’ll add. I don’t associate with vamps, exile or not.”
He’s got an excellent poker face, I’ll give him that. I feel like saying something to further deny Marcel’s accusatory statement, but I clamp my mouth shut. Sometimes protesting things just makes you look more guilty. Still, it can’t be good news that Marcel knows about our rag tag crew. Having Theodore on his side is clearly doing wonders for his position. In the back of my mind I momentarily ponder if Theodore is behind the radical change in Indigo’s décor. Then I laugh internally at the idea of him turning it into a franchise.
Marcel tuts, not believing Finn for a second. “You can make friends with as many vampires as you wish. They’ll not be a match for my grandfather.”
Finn doesn’t bother to say anything in reply. If Marcel knows, then he knows. There are no clever comebacks that will be able to change that.
“So,” Marcel goes on, eyes resting on me before they return to Finn. “How are you and Mr. Cristescu getting along? I seem to remember you two having quite the bone to pick with one another. Not to mention you both have a soft spot for this one.” He flicks his head briefly back to me.
Finn’s jaw visibly tightens. I’m surprised that he allows his temper to get the better of him when he bites back, “Fuck off, Marcel.”
Marcel laughs. “Oh my. Hit a sore point, did I?”
Finn shakes his head and looks away. I study him for a moment. What has him so pissed off? I know he wouldn’t say no to a roll in the hay with me, but from his reaction to Marcel’s jibe I’d almost think he was jealous of the small bit of history I have with Ethan.
I’m distracted from this thought when I get a strange little tickle in my throat. At first it’s only a mild irritation, but it soon transforms into full on coughing. I double over. Finn rushes to my side and tries patting me on the back.
“Are you okay, Tegan?” he asks with concern, clearly thinking I’m somehow choking on something. I’m not choking though. It feels like my entire throat is on fire and it itches to the point of insanity. The next thing I know, Marcel is standing before me brandishing a glass of water. I grab it quickly and knock the whole thing back in one long gulp. Strangely, once I’ve downed the glass of water the itchiness vanishes and my throat feels perfectly fine, like it did only moments ago.
“Thank you,” I say, handing the glass back to Marcel.
He looks down into it eagerly, as though inspecting whether or not I drank every drop of the liquid that had been inside. That’s when my suspicions begin to pique. Why was it so important that I drink all of it? Come to think of it, where on earth did that coughing fit come from in the first place?
I step away from Marcel, almost falling back into Ira. The shapeshifter steadies me by placing both of his big, warm hands on my shoulders.
“What have you done to me?” I demand of Marcel, my words laced with accusation.
A slow grin forms on his lips. “Nothing, my dear,” he replies, trying to sound as innocent as possible. “Absolutely nothing at all.”
The thing I’ve come to learn about Marcel is that he’s got a knack for coming across as a good-natured old hippy, when beneath that lies a shark – lethal, dangerous and opportunistic.
Finn advances on him, backing him all the way up against one of the cash registers. Some shoppers cast wary glances at Finn and then hurry out the door. Others stay to watch.
Finn, who stands about an inch taller than Marcel, smiles menacingly down at him.
“What trick have you played, old man?” he asks, gripping Marcel’s button down hemp shirt in his fist.
Marcel swallows and calmly raises his hand to gently push Finn’s fist away. “Please, Mr Roe, this is a place of business. Try not to make a scene. I have played no trick. I swear I have no qualms with you people. It’s the vampires and their governor who I consider to be my true enemies.”
Finn’s temper lessens just slightly. He turns to face me. “How do you feel?”
I pause and take stock of myself, but I don’t notice anything out of the ordinary. “Fine, I guess. It just felt like that cough came out of nowhere. I thought it might be magic or something.”
He turns back to Marcel. “If we find out later on that you’ve done anything to her, anything, I’ll be paying you another visit. And the next time I won’t be quite so polite or understanding.”
Marcel pales just slightly. Finn stalks his way out of the shop. I glance at Ira and nod for him to follow me as I trail after Finn.
Chapter Three
If You Smell Something Burning, It’s My Heart
When we get back to the car Finn curses and bangs his hands against the steering wheel. He starts the engine and pulls out of the parking spot abruptly, before I’ve even had the chance to secure my seatbelt. His jaw is screwed up tight; it looks like he’s chewing on the inside of his mouth.
I know Finn’s hardly overjoyed to be putting up with having a couple vampires on his side, but I didn’t think he could become this worked up about it. Marcel seems to be devious like that. He knows exactly what to point out in order to push people’s buttons.
“Look at you, you’re letting him get to you,” I say to Finn as he silently drives.
