He buries his face in her neck instead. I watch Josiah’s mouth move against Layla’s skin and I cannot understand this vampire. One minute he’s offering to murder dollhouse manufacturers and the next he’s quoting self-help books.
“I don’t know why I believed him.” Something in his voice makes my lion whimper. “I should’ve known better.”
He looks at me and my tail wraps around his wrist on instinct. He looks back at Josiah, who hasn’t stopped worshiping Layla.
“Eric’s run off. He’s with some warlock who has stolen Blackwood magic. A man named Henry.”
Josiah’s mouth stops.
He lifts his face from Layla’s neck and his eyes lock onto Aaron. My tail unwraps from Aaron’s wrist.
“Oh.” Layla’s playfulness drops. “Jo hates Henry.”
Josiah pats her thigh and she stands from his lap. He rises with her and adjusts his tie, tugs his cuffs straight.
“Henry, you say?” He grins like my fear is feeding him.
“Yeah.” Aaron’s grip tightens on my hand. “I learned about him recently. Vaguely.”
Josiah walks toward us and my lion’s ears track every step.
“Where did you see him last?”
“Downtown Detroit. In front of Brookstone and Blackburn. It’s closed now.”
Josiah shows his fangs and my tail swishes behind me.
“Can you stop him?” I ask.
He turns to me and my body locks up. His irises shift from brown to a bright bloodshot red.
“Beautiful lioness.” His voice is lower now, darker. “It would be an honor to kill him for you and your mate.”
I grab Aaron’s arm.
“Eric too,” Aaron says. “If he gets ahold of dark magic?—“
“How does King Amir feel about the Witching Glen?” Josiah asks.
Aaron goes quiet. Josiah tilts his head. “‘You can only save those who are willing to save themselves. The rest, you must love from a distance.’ Chapter fourteen.”
“So not only do you know that Amir wants to destroy the Witching Glen,” Aaron says, “you agree with him.”
“Then who will be its warden?” Josiah watches Aaron with those red eyes. “Did you come here to ask me?”
He looks at Layla. She’s back at her table with paint on her fingers, focused on her dollhouse. She doesn’t look up.
“I will not pull my Layla into such a world,” Josiah says.
“I didn’t come here to ask you that,” Aaron argues.
“Ah, but you did.”
I frown. I don’t know what just happened between them but Aaron’s shoulders have dropped.
“That seems to be the nature of Wintermoon. I am not wanted here.”
Aaron groans. “I’m sorry. I’ll admit it was a thought, but I hadn’t considered acting on it.”
