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“Now you’re talking.” He grinned at her. “By the way, Kyle says thanks for intervening on his behalf. He’s convinced you’re the reason Alexei didn’t blast him out of the driver’s seat. I told him that we don’t work that way, but he’s new here, and with losing his mom…”
“I can’t imagine.” She couldn’t—not without remembering who her parentswere, let alone what they might’ve meant to her if she’d been able to grow up with them. “Is he doing okay?”
“Sedated but working with us to figure out any leads on how to find her.”
“What do you mean sedated?”
“His magic’s the kind that can get out of hand if he loses control, and we don’t know enough about his history to know whether or not he might spin out.”
“Not a healer then?” Not like her.
“No. He’s telekinetic.”
“Isn’t that rare among demon hybrids? I thought it was more of a witch-born gift.”
“Kyle got it from his father. Who knows? Maybe they had witch blood somewhere in the line. Our kind’s magic mixes better with the other species than most supernaturals.” He took her empty plate. “More?”
“Gods, no.” She could think a lot of mean things about Alexei right now, but the man could cook.
“Any idea what you’d like to do today?”
She could do whatever she wanted, go wherever she chose. Joelle had never had such freedom, and the possibilities overwhelmed. “No limits?”
“None at all.” He shot her a look that would’ve curled her toes against the tile floor if they had any chemistry.
Needing to stick to safer subjects, she asked, “How do I contact Alys?”
“Her girlfriend already programmed their numbers into your phone.”
“How?” She hadn’t let Nita or anyone else touch her phone last night.
“Bypassing passwords is one of Nita’s many skills.”
She wouldn’t have believed him except her phone rang as soon as she walked into the room where she’d been staying. No one had this number except for her brother. Yet, Alys’s name flashed on the screen. “Hello?” she asked, still half-expecting Josh to answer.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” The teasing voice was all Alys. “We’re headed your way with the file you had stashed with your brother and some clothes. Not just that sad little toddler wardrobe you had. We raided my cousin’s designer gear and bought you some new threads. Be there in ten minutes.”
“Wow, thank—” Joelle hadn’t finished talking when the call disconnected. Moments later, Alys charged through the door hauling purple luggage. Nita followed carrying two overstuffed shopping bags, fabric in a rainbow of colors spilling out of the top of each.
“Oh gods.” Alys’s voice filled with mock horror. “If you’re wearing Alexei’s robe, we got here just in time.”
“In time for what?” Joelle wanted to clutch the robe like armor when the woman came at her with a fierce scowl as though she would rip the thing off.
“For the fun to begin, silly. I talked with my cousin over the mirror, and she had some awesome ideas. With big brother gone, we can have quality girl time. I’m thinking movie nights, slumber parties, some sparring in the gym, blow up stuff with weapons training, and time in the lab since we can’t avoid all the work. I can take you to my kink club if you’re bored or we can go to the bookshop and torment the floating paperbacks.” She touched Joelle’s long hair, curling a lock around her finger. “Want to start with a makeover?”
Behind her girlfriend, Nita shook her head, her wide eyes holding a silent plea for understanding.
“Uh, no?” Joelle hadn’t recovered from the list of so-called fun.
Alys carried on as if she hadn’t spoken. “Is your hair color natural? I’ve never seen so many shades together, and yet they all complement each other.” She raked a hand through her own short locks, catching her fingers on the blue streaks. “How’d you keep it so healthy? Mine was a disaster within weeks of being in the witch prison.”
Joelle blinked, unsure how to respond. She glanced at Nita, but the woman simply made an excuse about helping herself to Alexei’s cooking and left her at Alys’s mercy. “Why did you…” She trailed off, considering how to phrasewhat landed you in jailwithout risking a fight from the woman who people calledpain-bringeras a supposed compliment. Deciding that solidarity might be the best route, she asked, “Someone imprisoned you, too?”
“Yup.” Alys moved toward the luggage. “Witch bitches, what can you do? They don’t like us. We can’t stand them, although Alexei’s working on diplomatic relations.” She paused for air quotes on the last two words. “With your brother’s girlfriend and her sisters now that they’re leading the witches. Did you see this morning’s headlines onThe Hex Report?”
“What?” The way the woman hurtled from one topic to the next boggled the mind. Joelle hadn’t answered her earlier question, and Alys seemed not to have noticed.
“The gossip tabloid that every supernatural on the planet except Alexei follows?”
