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“It would be great to have clean clothes,” Ven adds, looking mournfully at her dirty dress on the floor.
“Check the wardrobe there,” I suggest, pointing to the massive thing next to the bed.
She shrugs and stands up. She’s completely naked, but she seems to either not notice or not care. It’s a marked difference from her attitude the night before. But again, that was before I fingered her, so maybe she’s decided to drop the pretenses. I let out an internal sigh of relief. She seems to have gotten over being pissed with me.
When she opens the wardrobe doors, she lets out a happy gasp. “Oh, perfect! You don’t think Fitzgerald will mind?” She lifts out a pale blue sundress that looks similar to the one she’d worn before.
“He’s the consummate host. No doubt that’s why it’s there.”
After Ven slides on the dress, we trade places and I find a clean pair of shorts and a button-down shirt. We both grab hiking boots, too. Everything fits so well—the wardrobe has got to be enchanted. It wouldn’t surprise me, in Fitz’s line of work.
Once dressed, we head through the gardens back down to the building where the party had been. We find Fenric there, squeezing fresh juice. There’s also an array of pastries and fruit.
“Fitz is still sleeping,” he says. “But help yourself. I’ll go wake him.”
We try to protest the waking part, but Fenric waves a hand in dismissal and heads off anyways. Ven makes herself a plate of food. I grab some coffee and a pastry, and we sit down to eat.
“About last night,” Ven says.
I freeze, coffee mug halfway to my lips.
“We need to keep our relationship strictly professional from now on.” She folds her hands neatly on the table, her expression serious, no hint of emotion. “No more letting off steam. No more flirting. No more competitions.”
My stomach sinks. I was wrong—she’s still mad. I should just apologize. Really, I should have done it last night. But maybe this is better. As crazy as our attraction is, I don’t like how I lose control with Ven. How she reminds me of the past. Whatever this is between us is dangerous, and if I’m smart, I’ll let her walk away.
So, I shrug. “Sure, if that’s what you want.”
“I do.” She nods emphatically. “I just want to focus on getting my friend back and figuring out how to get out of our deal with Dante and this crazy orb situation. Then we can go back to our lives as they were before. Go our separate ways.”
“Of course. Wasn’t that always the plan?” I take the sip of coffee she’d interrupted before. “This is just official business for the Raven Society. Me paying back a favor for Xander.”
“Exactly. Glad we’re in agreement.” She smiles sweetly and sips her juice.
“Definitely. Total agreement.”
I busy myself with drinking my coffee and pretending to read a newspaper that’s sitting on the table, ignoring the heavy weight that forms in my stomach.
Fitz joins us a moment later, saving me from my thoughts. He’s wearing a royal purple velvet lounge robe with a gold sash around the waist. “Morning, loves! How did you sleep?”
With the worst blue balls of my life…
“Terrific!” Ven beams up at him, radiant like an angel.
“You are the perfect host,” I add.
“So, now it’s down to business, yes? The reason you came?” Fitz eyes us both. “Let me grab some of this divine juice Fenric made and I’ll be right back.”
When he sits down across from us a couple minutes later, he leans back in a wicker chair and props his feet up in the adjacent one. “So, you told me last night about the orb spell, but I don’t have the whole story. What adventures have you gotten yourself into this time, Ryder?”
“Well, it’s really Ven here who is responsible for the adventure.” I gesture over to her.
“My friend Luciana is missing,” she says with a frown.
We fill Fitz in on all the details thus far. The drix being sold at the clubs. The hell hounds. What Dante told us about the Night Guild. The hidden cove and the crazy magical security system.
“Well, my my!” the demon says when we’re done, shaking his head. “This tale is wild, even for you, Ryder. You two certainly do make a pair.”
“Oh, no,” Ven says. “Just business partners.” She shoots me a pointed look.
