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He turned off the engine. “You met my boss. You saw my badge.”
“That’s not why you were there, though,” I knew it in my gut. The vampire queen was outside the law. Her court had its own rules. The few times I picked up some bounties for the queen rather than the enforcers, my instructions were different. And the enforcers didn’t pay. The queen’s guard did.
“You can’t work for the queen and the enforcers,” I said.
“I’m an enforcer,” he said.
“Did the queen bribe you?” I asked.
“My work with the queen isn’t related to what I do for the enforcers,” he said. “Can we drop it now?”
“No,” I said. “Your work for the queen is why we’re in this mess. You were doing something for her last night. And whatever it was, it wasn’t sanctioned by the enforcers.”
I laughed as I realized I was able to say all of this. “I can tell them you’re not loyal. Tell them to investigate your connection to her. You silenced me but you didn’t take everything.”
A gold light caught my eye and I noticed the sparks were back on his fingertips.
Oh shit.
Every time I’ve seen those, bad things happened. I opened the car door and I ran.
I cut through the parking lot, my arms pumping, willing my legs to go faster. My mind screamed at me, telling me to turn and fight. I knew either way was probably futile based on the power he had. He would kick my ass in a fight and if he had that kind of magic, what else was up his sleeve? I was fast, but most supernaturals were faster.
Still, I ran. Through the parking lot, between the buildings, into a business park lined with impersonal brown buildings. There weren’t any cars in the parking lot yet. It was too early for the humans to be at work. Breathing heavy, I moved forward, too afraid to look back.
All at once, the feeling of intense magic seemed to swallow me and I was lifted off my feet. A gust of wind sent me barreling forward and I slammed into the glass windows of one of the buildings, my feet dangling in the air. The glass vibrated and shook, but thankfully it held.
Face against the window, I could make out the slight reflection of a figure moving toward me. I tried to pry myself off the glass, but I was stuck in place. “Leave me alone.”
“I’m going to release you but I need you not to run, do you understand?” Elias asked.
“Just kill me and get it over with,” I said, wincing at my own words. I always suspected I’d meet a grizzly end. My dad had in this line of work, why would I be spared the same fate that met most hunters? I just didn’t see it coming like this. At the hands of a corrupt enforcer.
“If I wanted you dead I would have killed you last night,” he said.
I felt the grip of the magic loosen and I slid the few inches back to the ground. My hands were shaking from fear and I forced myself to steady them. I’d killed vampires and wrangled shifters solo. None of them scared me the way Elias did.
Slowly, I turned around and faced him, my chin high. I glared at him, meeting his dark eyes. They had that same look from the other night, his pupils and iris the same dark color. It was mesmerizing and terrifying at the same time.
He let out a long breath and closed his eyes.
I considered running again but I knew I didn’t stand a chance and I’d piss him off more. I slid my hand down my thigh and felt for the top of my knife, making sure it was still there.
His eyes snapped open and I lifted my hand, not wanting him to know that I was already considering my weapon. “What do want from me?”
“I don’t know,” he said.
That wasn’t the answer I expected. My brow furrowed and I waited for him to say more.
“It’s true, I’m on a mission for Queen Marcella. I’m working as an enforcer as my cover. But I will do my job as an enforcer and help you with this case,” he said.
“Why bother?” I asked. “This can’t be part of your job for the queen.”
“Honestly?” He let the question hang there.
“Are you even capable of the truth?” I asked.
He smirked. “With you, it seems I am.”
