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The man who came in riveted my attention, not because of his looks, but because the geas didn’t dig in to let me know he was off limits. Anyone weaker than me the geas stopped me from being able to have sex with because Silver had worried I might hurt the men I was with otherwise. But thus far I’d only met four men in the Capitol who weren’t off-limits to me: Silver and Flint, both Judges; Robert Dumont, a retired battlemage; and now this man.
Which meant this man was powerful. But how? And why?
He gazed at me, then raised a brow as I stared back, but I didn’t look away because I liked what I saw. The man was tall, strong-looking, and dressed in a dark suit, with a reader in his hand. He had blue-black hair pulled back into a braid that went down his back. A style that drew attention to the strong lines of his jaw and the curves of his lips. He bore a red jewel on his forehead, which meant if he was working here, he was a scion of a Senatorial family who worked for a living. Basically, a rich kid with a job.
He turned to face Silver. “Why have I been told I need to work for Special Investigations?”
I liked the sound of him. Warm, rough, and low. Even though he was complaining about having to work with Silver. Not that I blamed him. I complained about it all the time… in my head. It was just sometimes funny to see the rich people whining about something they could just not do.
“Have you heard of knocking?” While his posture remained stiff, Silver’s voice was more amused than annoyed.
“You didn’t have the privacy light on.” The other man’s eyes, dark and lively, crinkled in the corners with mock alarm. “Did I disturb you and your lady friend?”
I snorted.Lady friend?Was he actually implying we were friends, or that I was banging my boss? Either way, this man was wrong.
Silver sighed, gesturing for the other man to sit. “No at all, we were just not quite finished.”
“So, would you prefer I come back another time?” The stranger’s voice wasn’t quite annoyed, more like surprised at even the idea that he might have to come back.
Silver glanced at me again, then turned off the slideshow. “Perhaps we can finish another time.”
I stiffened. “But, I had a few more questions.” Not about this shit. About my son.
The stranger lifted a brow, but there was amusement in his gaze. “By all means, let the lady finish.”
Focused too much on the stranger, I jumped as the door slammed open.
This time, several people filed in. There were three of them. An unfamiliar man, flanked by two Wardens personnel in civilian guise. The strange man smiled with surprise when he spotted me. His appreciative gaze wandered slowly from my toes to the crown of my head. It might have been flattering except for the unsettling aura he brought with him. An aura that instantly made me feel unsettled.
He wore expensive clothing, his golden hair in a haircut that flattered his round face and bore a green gem on his forehead, which meant he was a representative of the government. Probably arrogant and an all-around rich asshole like all the others, but someone I had to play nice with. I’d seen him before, somewhere, possibly on the holo while I was kicking back and eating while watching a better show, but couldn’t think of his name. Regardless, I didn’t like how he felt.
“Well,” he began. Intense blue eyes issued an invitation. He extended his hand. “You are?”
“Alys Quinn.” Even though my hand was bare, I reluctantly offered it, even knowing that my empathic senses wouldn’t like touching this man.
His grip was firm, but the cool film of his magic made my muscles twitch. An uncomfortable sensation came, that of something twining around my fingers, subtle and sticky. My hand felt as if a residue lingered, some type of emotional working that slid off me.
Swallowing hard, I took a step back, pulling my gloves from my belt.
“This is President Cohen, Alys. Here’s your mission brief. You’re late; go.” The usual calm neutrality of Silver’s voice snapped my attention back to him as he tossed me a preloaded reader.
I was dismissed more abruptly than usual, which probably meant something. But, regardless, I had to obey, so I did, even though I had so many more questions about my next mission and my son. My feet took me out the door, reader and gloves clenched in my hand, as Cohen settled into the chair I’d vacated. I hadn’t even gotten the name of the man I actually wanted to meet, the handsome one that my geas seemed to believe was powerful. Powerful enough for me to bed.
But who was he?
I shook with barely contained curiosity and anger, though I wasn’t sure at whom. All I knew was that I wanted to react with anger. To break something. To hurt someone. Or fuck someone. I didn’t know what, but the geas was stopping me from doing what I wanted, which only pissed me off more.
In the hall, the compulsion lessened, my need for action of some kind calming, and I slapped my palm against the white wall, letting just a little of my emotions out. Punching it would only break my knuckles again, but I needed to do something to vent the frustration and pain boiling in me. Without all the people in the room with me, my focus narrowed to my son. None of that other bullshit really mattered.
Being ordered away from Dmitri had hurt more than I’d imagined when my sentence was handed down, months before he was born. My assigned quarters were in DC, and in the early months of my pregnancy, I’d explored it and met the handful of other Indentured living in the area. In addition to our assigned tasks, we were expected to police the area for dangers—the demon crabs and other animals and spirits who preyed on the swampers. I’d done it until I couldn't see my feet anymore, then moved to Capital for the last month of my pregnancy.
We lived to the south of the walls that surrounded Monfort, an area that had been a shopping mall before the world fell apart. When the river overflowed, those areas were abandoned by people who could leave. Those who couldn’t leave, built villages on the remains of the flooded buildings, rising on stilts above the ruins. But between the mutated animals in the area, the Ridden, and the Spirits, it was not a safe place to live.
I foresaw being ordered there more and more often as Dmitri grew, because everyone would want to keep me away from my son as much as possible. They didn’t want me to influence him. They didn’t want me there to tell him he should be more than just a tool for the Guild. Whatever incredible powers he developed, the Guild would want to be sure it was for their use and their use alone. Whether the Monfort area kept me busy or killed me, it would solve the problem ofmebeing around my son.
The thought made my chest hurt and my throat catch. No, I wouldn’t let that happen. One day I’d be free, and find a way out for us both. Even if I had to start another war between the Guild and Kalderon, I’d get Dmitri out.
Deep breaths settled the worst of the anger as my feet dragged me down the hall. I needed to calm down, needed to know what the mission was first, so I knew whether to stop and get more supplies or just proceed to the gate and away from Capitol without a pause.
