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“Why would Henry need your help, anyway?” a new voice asks. It’s gravelly and male, but the guy’s disdain for me is just as strong as Nadine’s. “You’re just a human.”
“Um, newsflash, they aren’t holding us hostage; they plan to sacrifice you all tonight during the blood moon to steal your life force using dark magic. Henry stole me because I’m not without my own gifts. And I would have gotten you all out if not for Henry’s damn compulsion. I was close. I’m not your ordinary human.”
“No,” a cheerful voice interrupts from the other side of the room. The lights flicker on, and Elijah comes to stand in front of my cage. “You aren’t just an ordinary human, are you? Though, I’m a bit disappointed to learn you’re only human after all. A summer fey, Nora? Royalty, no less?” He shakes his head, tsking, all the while smirking at me. “Someone’s been a naughty little liar.”
I laugh darkly. “I’m not the only one who’s been naughty, am I? Messing with dark magic, Elijah? Stealing underworlders? I’m pretty sure those are bigger no-nos than my pretending to be a full-blooded underworlder.”
“You say that like you aren’t full human.”
“I’m not, asshole. I have underworlder blood in me. How do you think I fooled you with my blood?”
Elijah walks right up to my cage and grips the bars as he stares at me with a curious expression. “Youarefull human. Underworlders can tell.”
“You couldn’t,” I say. “You must be a pretty weak underworlder. Mid-level sorcerer, my ass.”
Rage sparks in Elijah’s eyes. I’ve hit a sore spot. And the truth. He’s not as powerful as he claims. Otherwise he would have known I was human, and he would have definitely figured out Nick Gorgeous isn’t.
“I doubted your little story all along,” he grumbles. “But thereissomething about you that’s different, too.”
“It’s her blood,” Nadine says. “I can smell it from here. It doesn’t smell like normal human blood. It’s much more enticing.”
“Gee thanks, Nadine.” I shoot Maya a look. “Now I know why you called her a bitch. No sense of fellow inmate loyalty there, huh?”
“I owe you nothing, human.”
“I really hope I survive to tell Henry about how you sold me up a river. He’ll probably rip your throat out for it. He’s more obsessed with me than Elijah.”
Elijah laughs. It’s totally sinister. “Soon you’ll be as devoted to me as I am to you, Nora.”
It’s my turn to laugh. Mine is obnoxious, not sinister. “Yeah, sure. I’ve resisted Henry Stadther, Parker Reed, Nick Gorgeous, and Cecile the succubus. But hey. You must be right. I’m totally going to worship at your feet, since you’re so much more tempting than any of them.”
Elijah narrows his eyes at me and paces the length of my cage. Finally, he stops and looks directly at me. “Perhaps you’re right. Maybe I need to think bigger than a mate bond.”
I force myself to my feet. I’m already feeling a lot better since having puked out the rest of my magical roofie. “What do you mean?” I ask slowly, making my way to the front of my cage. I stay out of arm’s reach but get close enough to feel like I’m having a real conversation.
“It’s risky,” Elijah mutters more to himself than me. “But it would definitely work, no matter what powers of resistance you might have.”
Okay, that doesn’t sound good. “Risky how? Just what kind of bond are we talking about? I don’t do the Princess Leia/Jabba the Hut love slave relationship.”
Elijah frowns at me. “I don’t need magic to get my women, Nora. As you may eventually realize. No, the bond I’m thinking about is much more complex than a love spell. I’ll make you my familiar.”
The word takes me by surprise. I don’t know anything about familiars other than that they are a sort of magical companion to a sorcerer or sorceress. “Aren’t those just animals? Like cats?”
Elijah chuckles. “Usually. Though, using dark magic, it can be done with humans as well. It’s a special relationship, Nora. We would be bonding our life forces, and in return be sharing power.”
Yeah, right.Sharing?“You’ll give me your power?”
“A fraction of it, yes, and you will share your gifts with me.”
“So, you’ll have control over me for afractionof your power? Doesn’t sound like such a great deal to me.”
“I won’t have control over you,” he insists. “But I’ll have your loyalty.” He meets my gaze again. “And you would have mine. And my protection as well. I am serious about being devoted to you, Nora. I’ll make a good mate. I swear.”
I don’t need his protection or loyalty. I’ve got Terrance’s. And Oliver’s. And I sure as hell don’t need a mate—good or otherwise. But I do need to get out of this cage, and my best chances of doing that are, sadly, probably trying to seduce him into thinking I’m going along with his dumb plan. “You really like me?” I ask. I make the question wary, but try to push a little hope into it as well. He’s egotistical enough that he’ll believe I want him, but not if I come on too strong too fast. “This isn’t just about my power?”
Elijah stops pacing, surprised by my question. His face actually softens with genuine affection. “We’ll be happy together. You’ll see.”
“I would be tied to just you?” I ask. “Not the rest of those twelve idiots? Because you mentioned sharing my blood with all of them, and I’m not too crazy about that idea.”
