AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I looked down at Greene, who lay still, eyes fixed, staring at nothing. If nobody showed up to resuscitate him in the next few minutes, he was gone. Better him than me.
“Another compulsion. A light one, to make him do what he was already inclined to do. Set on him very recently, so it would have to be an attendee at the Ball.” Silver was calm, though his fingers drummed on his thigh. “Given that he planned to murder you and this just accelerated the plan, it’s best to let a sleeping dog die. Though if he’d lived, we could have questioned him.”
So he didn’t plan to call the medtechs either. Good.
“Where were you?” Still lying on the tile, I stared up at Walker. “I remember backup being promised.”
He offered me a hand. “Occupied. Silver was here. I came as soon as I could.”
I took it. Sometime during the fight, all the workings that had created the webs of lust in the vicinity had vanished. Panicked noises indicated exodus near us.
Steve shivered, and Silver crouched by him.
“You can cover the cleaning costs. This is my dress forever.” The twisted ankle wouldn’t support my weight, and I leaned on Walker. I couldn’t see out of my cut eye. I wanted to be anywhere else.
“That dress cost a quarter of the yearly discretionary budget.” Silver pulled out a medkit and attached it to Steve’s arm.
I opened my mouth to make a sarcastic observation, but Walker cut me off. “I’ll cover it. Let’s leave.”
“Wait,” I said. “It’s Melissa Cohen—she was the center of the working. A powerful one. Did you feel it? It’s feeding energy to something.” I jerked my thumb at the now quiet party.
Silver nodded. “Later.” The ankle gave out, and Walker picked me up. “You know a back way out?”
“Of course,”Silver said with a small grin, like he did this every day.
“Wait, where are Chance and Joan? They came in with me.” I relaxed into Walker’s arms. His emotional signature made me feel better, like a nice hot shower and soap would.
“They exited the party at the same time you came out on the balcony. I’m not sure where they are now.” Silver nodded at Walker. “Make sure she doesn’t get hit by lightning on the way home or run over by a grav, please.
FIVE
Alys
As we waited for the grav to be brought, Walker said, “Let me take care of you now.”
I managed the shadow of a come-hither smirk. His smile answered mine as he cupped my cheek. I sighed in relief as the aches in my ankle and body faded and the pull on my eyelid ceased. His power had a dark velvety feel to it, a balm on overstretched nerves. His thumb rubbed my cheek, and I nuzzled his palm.
His hand shifted, tapping my forehead, and the small sting of the gem settling into place radiated between my eyes. I growled at him.
“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I hope the next time it comes off will be the last.”
“Next time?” Hope surged in me. He was powerful enough, maybe he could work something out with Silver so I didn’t have to wear the gem anymore?
Walker stroked my cheek. “Yes. Give me a little time, Alys. It’ll be easier to convince people after the past night.”
“Can you get the geas off?”
“Silver has to do that. It’s not off the table. But I have to put together an airtight case for it, so I need you to try to be patient for the next little bit.”
I was definitely taking him with me when I cut and ran with Dmitri.
During the trip to Walker’s house, I changed into a spare shirt he kept handy. Half dressed, I went through the entire package of wipes in the vehicle, cleaning myself and then trying to clean the dress. Wipes didn’t do much to get blood out of the lace. I now wore a mid-thigh shirt and fancy shoes.
Walker got distracted from driving a few times as I cleaned up.
Getting out of the vehicle, I paused in the garage, my back to the house door. Walker caught my arm and dabbed at the side of my face with a wipe. He placed his palms on the door, on either side of me. “I may start charging for healing if you keep needing my services.”
“I’ve heard this before. You still owe me for the pat on the head and the tip promise, dearie.”
