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Maria crossed her arms, her expression a mix of curiosity and ire. “And the blood on your face? Your lips?”
Erin’s fingers traveled to her lips, grazing the surface, as if she could feel the thin sheen of dried blood clinging to them. How had that happened? “No wonder Ted seemed out of sorts.”
“Oh, I assure you, Ted had plenty of reasons to be unsettled.” Maria frowned, a delicate set of creases gathering between her brows. “I can see you don’t appear nervous at all.”
Erin took a moment, connecting with the emotions swirling through her solar plexus. “I’m calm as a clam over here.”
Maria nodded. “Isn’t that at all curious to you?”
“I must admit, it’s not at all what I expected.”
Maria leaned forward, her perfect white suit shifting slightly at the neck, revealing a hint of more collarbone than before. Across her tanned skin, Erin spied a white set of leaves, which reminded her of the new tattoo she’d seen on Zaire’s collarbone earlier. “What’s up with the new ink? I saw it on Zaire too. Some sort of new in-club thing?”
Maria’s gaze narrowed, understanding washing across her features. “You could call it that, I suppose.”
Erin shrugged. “Whatever. Look, I didn’t attack the copier guy, if that’s what you’re worried about. He’ll be fine. I just got my clothes dirty in the line of duty assisting him.” She sat up, leaning forward as she perched at the edge of the cushy lounge.
Maria shrunk back a little. Was shethatmessy?
Maria recovered a moment later, regaining her aloof moxie. Up shot the eyebrow again. “I don’t give a damn about Greg.”
Maria had never sworn in her presence before, which took Erin aback. “Okay.”
“To whom do you hail?” Maria’s fierce expression demanded a response.
“Pardon me?”
Maria stood and took a few steps back. “To. Whom. Do. You. Hail?”
The question resonated deep within Erin, but she had no words to form in response. She shook her head, anxiety welling within her, a late, yet seemingly appropriate, emotion.
“Let’s try this another way. Whoelevatedyou?” Maria demanded, frustration written throughout her tense form.
Erin jumped up and paced across the floor. The answer swirled within her blood, echoing through her bones. Memories of the man with the golden hair flashed unbidden through her mind.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Erin snapped back. The surrounding air vibrated, echoing the spike in her adrenaline.
“I suspect you do, Erin.” Maria crossed her arms. “But I do not need to drag it out of you. I’ll simply alert the Chief and he’ll clear all of this up.”
“Chief?” Erin remembered Daniel, the man at the club, mentioning a name. “You mean Blaine?”
Maria’s eyes widened. “Well, I certainly doubt you’re on a first name basis with him, but yes. I heard he was looking for a new wildling in town.”
Instead of fear, adrenaline coursed through her veins. Images of Maria thrown to the wall filled her enraged mind. Erin shook it off, trying to make sense of what Maria had said. Blaine. Chief Blaine? The man she’d referred to as a pansy when talking to that ruffian, Daniel, at the nightclub?
“He’s looking for me?” Tension thrummed through her body, a need for movement overwhelming.
Maria grinned. That couldn’t be good. Erin had never seen her so pleased with anything before now. “Imagine my surprise to discover you awakened and under my roof.”
Awakened? “Yeah, imagine.”Who were these people? Erin mused. Windswept pine and cedar swirled past her, beckoning Erin to follow.
Maria activated her earpiece with a graceful swipe of her fingers past her temple. Another swipe or two in the air, the arcane gestures the only evidence of Maria’s interface with her optical display.
Erin’s focus fixed on Maria’s lips, her body calming as her focus intensified. A steady, rhythmic beat pounded through her blood.
“Yes, hello. This is Maria. I need to speak with the Chief regarding his wildling. I have her.” A pause. “Yes, I’ll wait.”
Erin’s skin bristled, not at the term wilding, but at the use of the possessive pronoun. Curiosity enveloped Erin like a mist as she observed Maria.
