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“Yes.” Hunter answered it with an absolute certainty that had me turning a side-eye on him. People didn’t trust me. They didn’t stand up for me. That just hadn’t ever been my place in life.
Most people hardly noticed me, and when they did, they thought me odd or dull enough to ignore. Yet Hunter, who hardly knew me, had just made it perfectly clear to a person he and Grant were nervous around that they not only believed me but refused to argue about it.
“Well, I can do as you ask. Is my normal payment acceptable?”
Hunter shook his head. “Not this time.”
Normal payment?
She looked my way, offering a slow head-to-toe perusal that showed the kind of disappointment people got when meeting the people they matched with online dating. “Because of her?”
Hunter didn’t answer.
She huffed, a haughty little sound, like a fancier snort. “I never thought you for that sort, Hunter.”
Grant whispered a few words, his other hand out. Serrish didn’t appeared worried at all, which said she’d dealt with Grant before as well, and that she trusted he wasn’t doing anything against her.
Or perhaps it was one of those times where something was dangerous enough that they didn’tneedto worry. Tigers didn’t tend to concern themselves with a kitten snarling at them.
I didn’t like being thought of in the kitten group…
A snap happened, then in Grant’s hands sat an ugly, pink creature. It shifted as if awakened and startled, and after a moment of him wrangling it, I finally identified the thing.
A hairless cat.
Grant held it out to Serrish, who let out a happy squeal—so much for being ladylike—and took the animal.
“She isn’t going to eat it, is she?” The question came out of my mouth so fast I didn’t have time to think or recall Hunter and Grant’s advice about staying quiet.
She turned a glare my way as she held the cat. “You idiot. We Elder Ones don’teatanimals. We aren’t savages like you.”
“Then what’s with the cat?”
Hunter elbowed me—hard—and spoke through gritted teeth. “Fae don’t leave their realms, and they have to repopulate them. A good price is a creature or plant they don’t already have here.”
“And hairless cats only came about sixty years ago. I figured you wouldn’t have one,” Grant added, as if to smooth over ruffled feathers.
Serrish held the cat up, gazing up into its eyes as if it were some baby she was already in love with. “We don’t, and any sort of feline is always welcome. They strengthen our magic and safeguards. This is more than a fair price for what you’ve asked.” She placed the cat back in her lap and stroked it, while I tried to ignore just how weird the creature looked.
Cats were supposed to have fur, and this abomination made that clear.
“When can we do this?” Grant asked.
“Tomorrow morning. I will set up everything tonight, then rest. The journey there, even in spirit form, isn’t easy. I have a place set for the night for you and your…pet.”
Hunter grabbed me by the arm, the action quick enough to keep me from responding. “We will see you tomorrow.”
We left her with the cat, which was good because she’d started talking to the thing.
The tent she had set up for us was similar to hers on the outside, and inside there were three beds, all singles.
Hunter took one look and chuckled. “She’s jealous.”
I turned toward him. “What did she mean aboutnormalpayment?”
I expected Hunter to hem-and-haw about it, to get uncomfortable and tell me it was just one time and I shouldn’t worry.
Instead, he cracked a smile that wasfartoo proud. “I usually sleep with her as payment.”
