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I push my own powers forward, seeking the feelings of the inhabitants inside.
“What are you getting?” Sloane whispers.
“Stress frequencies are low. Anger, too.” I stretch my mind further, imagining it like tendrils of smoke coiling through the air, latching onto whatever body it finds and absorbing their emotions like scent off their skin. “A sense of floating. Dizziness. I’m guessing someone’s drunk. I’m also picking up a hint of annoyance.” One foot crosses the other as we draw closer to the entrance. “Overall, the energies are good.” I look at my sister with a subtle nod. “I think we’re okay.”
She steps in front of me. My older sister has always been the protector in the family. There’s only two years between us, but after our mother died, Sloane’s protectiveness grew tenfold.
An air of alertness radiates from Sloane as we pass through the door. A tall, oak desk sits straight ahead, with a wide staircase to the left. The open doorway to the right reveals a near-empty bar. A few guys fill the tables as a football game plays on one of the TVs hanging on the wall. There’s another guy behind the bar with a towel thrown over one huge shoulder. His inked forearms ripple as he cleans glasses.
“Hello.”
Sloane and I jump into defense mode, startled by the new voice.
“Sorry.” A young woman chuckles from her post behind the desk. “Were you looking for a room or a table?”
“You have a room available?” I ask, stepping around Sloane.
“Sure do.” She taps a few keys on her laptop. “I have one room with a king bed or two rooms with a queen each.”
“Two queens.” Sloane and I answer together.
“Nikita.” A rough growl comes from behind us. The bartender stands with one hand gripping the doorframe. The air shifts with frantic energy, laced with clawing need and burning desire. My powers allow me to pick up the emotions of anyone in close proximity. On occasion, they’re so strong they take over me without my say-so. I fan my T-shirt against my chest, trying to get some cool air on my rapidly heating skin.
“What’s wrong?” the girl, Nikita, asks. The guy answers with a tilt of his chin toward us.
“New guests, just checking in,” she says.
His deep brown eyes fly to my sister and with them, the burning increases.
“Did you ladies want to order anything from the kitchen?” Nikita asks, keeping her confused gaze narrowed on the man.
“I’d kill for a cheeseburger.” Sloane doesn’t have passive powers like I do; hers are more defensive, so she’s immune to whatever fever this guy is putting out.
“Done,” the guy grunts.
“Mustard and pickles?” Sloane asks, almost a challenge in her tone.
He nods then walks away, leaving us alone, with Sloane oblivious and Nikita blinking in confusion.
Shaking her head, she shifts her attention back to the computer. “How many nights will you be staying with us?”
“Until Monday, and could we get a late check out if possible, please?” I ask, reaching into my bag for my purse and pulling out my card.
“We can manage that,” Nikita says, tucking a wave of long, brown hair behind her ear before reaching for two sets of keys from a drawer as I pay for our rooms. “Follow me.”
She leads us upstairs, the skirt of her white dress swishing with every step. The inn has a warm and welcoming ambience with its dark, antique wood features, the fall harvest designs on the wallpaper, and the cinnamon and toffee scent that drifts through the halls.
The farther we get from the lobby, the cooler the air grows, the intense need fading along with it.
“I’m Nikita, by the way.” She stops in front of the last door at the end of the hall and unlocks it.
“Sloane.” My sister reaches out a hand to shake hers, then points back at me with her head, huffing a lock of hair from her face as she enters the room and dumps her bag on the end of the bed. “This is my sister, Sera.”
“Nice to meet you.” I smile, standing in the doorway of Sloane’s room.
Nikita moves to the other side of the hall and unlocks a second door. I follow her, setting my bag on the bed.
“I’ll bring your food up shortly. If you need anything during your stay, dial one on the phone or just pop by the front desk, and be sure to visit Cupid’s Crumb while you’re here.”
