Chapter Eleven

“Hey, Kit, I have to go out for awhile. You okay on your own?”

Alarmed, I watch Felix walk past my desk toward the door. “What? But what if someone comes in?”

“Don’t worry. If you get a walk-in, just get their info and I’ll deal with it when I get back.” Felix grabs his dark green jacket from the coatrack by the door and pulls it on while shooting me a smile. “I’ll try not to be gone long.” He slings his worn leather bag over his shoulder and leaves the office without waiting for an answer, the door clicking shut behind him.

Well.

Sighing, I go back to filing Ava’s receipts and wonder if Felix would notice if I just locked the door while he’s gone. This is the first time I’ve been left alone in the office, and I’m pretty sure I don’t exactly fit the role of responsible private eye. Well, receptionist.

At least people usually call instead of just walking in without an appointment, and I’ve got a pretty good handle on the phone now.

About an hour later, the filing is done, and I’ve run out of things to do. I stare blankly at my computer screen until I remember the can of hot chocolate in the kitchen. Abandoning my desk, I wander into the kitchen to turn on the kettle and pull out the tin as the water boils. Felix has been steaming milk when he makes hot chocolate for me, but I can’t be bothered.

I stir my drink as I leave the kitchen, glancing at Felix’s office on my way back to my desk. He’s left the door open again. I come to a stop, still slowly stirring. I wonder if he’s left his desk unlocked again…

Before I can think better of it, I walk into Felix’s office and set my mug on his surprisingly tidy desk. I kneel in front of the bottom drawer, but it’s locked this time. Shit, I forgot about the combination lock. Huffing in annoyance, I grab my hot chocolate off the desk and sit cross-legged in front of the drawer. The only way to do this is to start trying different combinations.

If Felix comes back soon, I’m gonna be in so much shit.

By the time the drawer clicks open, I’m done my hot chocolate and vibrating with nervous energy. I pause and peek up over the desk, but the office is still quiet. Pulse raising, I go back to the drawer and pick up the folder on top of stack inside. I don’t remember seeing this last time.

I pull out small piece of paper covered in handwritten numbers that don’t make sense. Setting it aside, I flick through the other papers in the folder, but the only writing I see is the same. I look at the last page, ready to set the folder aside—then freeze. The last page has pictures on it, close-ups and full body photographs…of demons. The brief information typed next to each demon makes my stomach drop. Prices.

This is a list of slaves for sale.

I drop the folder and snatch up the note again, staring hard at the numbers. The numbers start low and go fairly high, but there doesn’t seem to be any pattern to them. This has to be a code. The only time I’ve seen something like this is in detective books.

My mouth twists. And back in Dellare. But he always used codes involving symbols, never numbers.

I look around the office, hoping for some hint, but there are only unfiled receipts and books. Frustrated, I stare back down at the random numbers. And then I remember something from a murder mystery I found in the library at home.

Pulling myself up with the desk, I cross the office to the packed bookcase, looking for the thickest one. I raise an eyebrow when I find a volume of Dellarean short stories. Taking it off the shelf, I flick through the well-worn pages. Felix knows Dellarean?

I carry the book back to the desk and grab a pen, thinking back to how the cipher worked in that murder mystery. The numbers in the cipher refer to page numbers, and I take the first word—no, letter?—from each of those pages to figure out the note.

I’m only one word in when I hear the main door open. Heart racing, I grab everything and shove it out of sight under the desk, then hurry out of Felix’s office. But instead of Felix, a tall blonde woman stands there, her hooded eyes taking in her surroundings with disinterest. She’s wearing a tailored leather jacket over a short red dress, the colour matching her lipstick. Her expression doesn’t change when she sees me.

“I need to speak with a detective,” she says in a throaty voice. Her eyes sweep up and down my body, conveying her doubt that I am said detective.

“Oh, uh…no one’s here right now.” I walk to my desk, grabbing a notepad and pen. “If you leave your information…”

She sighs, crossing her arms. “This is urgent. My wife is cheating on me with her slut of a secretary—”

“Felix will call you right away,” I say quickly, really wanting her to just go away. “He had an emergency, so…” I hold out the pen and notepad, trying to smile. She finally takes them, sighing again.

After writing out her information in neat script, she hands the stationary back and says, “Tell him to call me as soon as he returns.”

I nod, ripping off the page with her info. “He will.”

She looks at me with pursed lips, before turning and leaving the office. As soon as the door shuts behind her, I rush back to Felix’s office, slapping the paper on his desk and ducking underneath to get the stuff I hid there. Getting everything set up again, I take a deep breath to calm myself down and flip to page 11 of Soul Windows. I’ve never been that interested in literature, but I think one of the stories from this book was assigned in middle school.

Luckily, my guess about deciphering the code was right, and after a few more minutes, I have a page of letters that I quickly separate into words.

twenty-sixth

nine PM @ absinthe

nineteen yo male (zebra) = five thousand cash

Twenty-sixth? That’s today. So Felix is meeting someone tonight? But what’s with the zebra part? Who is he meeting?

Closing Soul Windows, I replace it on the bookshelf and return to the drawer to put the original note away. As I do, my attention is once again caught by the list of slaves. I freeze when my eyes fall on one picture halfway down the first page. His skin is white, striped with black, and next to the photo is his basic information, including “male”, “19”, and “zebra”.

Is…Felix buying a slave?

The thought makes me laugh out loud. Felix? No way. It’s gotta be something else.

I close the folder and shove it back in the drawer, locking it before I can be tempted to keep digging. Why would Felix be buying a slave? Faolan already said they aren’t interested in that kind of thing, even if it were legal. And Felix said he was against slavery, right? Same with Sage. So what—

My heart stops when I hear the door open, and I quickly look around the room to make sure nothing’s out of place.

“Kit?”

I hurry out of Felix’s office, trying to look like I haven’t been going through his stuff. He smiles when he sees me, holding up a paper bag. “Brought a snack.” He glances behind me, adding, “Need something from my office?”

“Just more sticky notes.” Before he can see through that flimsy excuse, I grab the note off my desk and hold it out. “A woman came in. Something about cheating.”

Felix sighs and takes the note as he sets down the bag of—I sniff—samosas. “I know that infidelity cases are what bring in the most money, but can people stop cheating on each other for just one day?”  

I dig into the bag and pull out a samosa, leaning back against my desk and neatly biting off a corner of the crispy pastry to let the heat out. Looking at Felix, his bright green eyes, his crooked smile…I can’t see him owning, let alone illegally buying a slave. He’s too…gentle. But I don’t really know him, do I?

“So, anyone else come in or call?”

I shake my head, afraid that my expression will give away what I’m thinking. What if he has a camera set up in his office and finds out what I was doing? Why didn’t I think of that?

I blow on the samosa, watching Felix finish his without seeming to notice the heat at all, and force myself to calm down. If there’s a camera, Felix would have seen me going through his desk before.

Felix pulls another samosa out of the bag, and I finally take a proper bite out of mine. Still a bit hot, but I manage not to burn my tongue. “Fuck, that’s good,” I mumble with a full mouth.

Licking crumbs from his lips, Felix grins. “Cheap place around the corner.” Finishing off his second samosa just after I finish my first, Felix wraps an arm around my waist and presses a kiss to my cheek. “Thanks for watching the office.”

I shrug, trying to keep the stupid smile off my face. “Part of my job, right?”

He hums and squeezes my hip. “Still.”

I lean into him without thinking, skating a hand across his back and making him shiver. Smirking, I turn to face him, resting my hands on his hips. His cheeks are flushed, pupils wide, and I give into the urge to press our hips together. Felix’s breath stutters out, and he mumbles, “You’re gonna be the death of me,” but he wraps his arms around me and kisses my forehead.

It’s a weirdly sweet gesture. Grinning, I lean against him and nip at his jaw. “Think anyone else is gonna stop by or can we lock the door?”

“Already locked,” he replies, stroking my back. He just gives me a crooked smile when I raise my eyebrow, adding, “Thought we’d close early today.”

“Oh, is that why.”

Before I can get my hands down his pants, Felix catches my wrists and leads me to his office. My heart skips, but there are no signs that I was messing around in here. Felix shuts the door behind us, and then I take control, shoving down any thoughts of that note and slave list. I push Felix back until he’s sitting on the edge of his desk, and then tangle my fingers in his messy red hair and catch his mouth in a deep kiss. He groans and rests his hands on the small of my back, warm through my shirt. This time, he lets me undo his jeans and free his half-hard cock, which only grows harder when I move to his neck and suck a red spot onto his flushed skin. His hands slide down to my ass, massaging and squeezing until I shove him back flat on the desk and climb up to straddle his waist. He grins up at me, green eyes even brighter.

“Stuff’s in the top drawer.”

I stare at him, then reach over to pull open the top drawer (don’t think about the locked drawer)…and, yup, there’s a packet of condoms and a tube of lube. I take them out with a surprised laugh.

“I take it you do this a lot?”

Felix runs his hands up my sides under my shirt and thumbs my nipples. I bite my lip. “Well, sometimes Sage stops by…”

“Just Sage?” I gasp when he pinches my nipples, arching toward him.

“He’s the kinky one.”

I snort, not really able to picture that, and rise up to undo my jeans and shove them down past my hips. Eyes hooded, Felix reaches up to stroke my growing erection, and I buck into his hand with a low moan.

“What do you want?” Felix asks softly, stroking me again.

I shudder and pick up the condom, tearing open the packet. “You. In me.” Sliding out of his reach, I quickly roll the condom over his leaking erection and shuffle back into position. I start to lower myself, but Felix grabs my hip and squeezes.

“You’re gonna hurt yourself.”

When has anyone been worried about that? “I’m fine.” I reach behind to grab his cock and guide it in, but he stops me again and reaches for the lube. Frustrated, I repeat, “I’m fine“, but he just wiggles his freshly slicked fingers in front of my face with a slow smirk and asks, “You sure you don’t want these first?” And, fuck, yes, I do.

Hand still resting on my hip, Felix reaches his other between my legs and slides the first finger into me. I gasp and clench around it, already aching for more. He’s slow and gentle, spreading the lube deep with one, then two fingers, teasing my prostate until I’m panting. When he pushes in a third, I sink down on his fingers, fucking myself with them as Felix watches with glazed eyes. It’s not enough, though, and after a few thrusts, I push his hand away, grab his cock, and guide it in with a whimper. Fuck. Yes.

Felix groans beneath me, hands squeezing my thighs as I rise up and sink down, taking him as deep as I can. Gods, it feels so fucking good. It’s been way too long, not since the night we got married, and I don’t even remember that.

I brace my hands on Felix’s clothed chest and start a steady rhythm, lips parted and eyes half-shut as I ride him. He lets me choose the pace, lets me keep control, just giving encouragement in an increasingly husky voice and rocking his hips in time with mine. I don’t want this to end, but I can already feel the orgasm building, and I move faster and faster—

I come with a gasp that melts into a groan, my hips still rolling as I try to make it last. Felix shudders beneath me, fingers digging into my thighs, and then he relaxes with a long, heavy sigh. He grins at me, reaching up to brush his fingers against my cheek, and murmurs, “We need to do that more often.”

I snort and lean over to kiss him, shivering as his softening cock slides out of me. “Sounds good to me.”

Felix peppers me with soft kisses as he helps me clean up and straighten my clothes. This is the first time someone’s treated me like I’m, well, special after sex, and I can’t help but respond with kisses of my own after we’ve gotten off the desk. By the time we’re tidied up and ready to head home, I’m sure that what I found in that locked drawer is all a misunderstanding.

***

“Have a meeting?” Sage asks, and I look over the back of the couch to see Felix wearing a suit.

Felix sighs and finishes adjusting his tie. “Unfortunately. Not sure how long it will go.”

I glance at the clock above the TV. “Who has a meeting after eight?”

Shrugging, Felix leans over the couch to kiss my head, before walking over to Sage and doing the same. “People who work overtime, I guess. We’re actually meeting at nine, but I don’t want to be late.”

I frown. Nine…

My eyes widen.

twenty-sixth

nine PM @ absinthe

nineteen yo male (zebra) = five thousand cash

Trying to keep my voice casual, I ask, “Who’re you meeting with? The woman from today?”

Felix shakes his head, smile as carefree as ever. “Different client. I’ve been working on his case for awhile.”

Before I can ask anything else, something to convince myself he isn’t off to buy a slave, he glances at the clock and says, “I’d better get going,” and leaves the living room.

Sage settles back into marking, but I can’t sit still, my mind stuck on the things I saw in Felix’s desk. What is going on?

After a few minutes, I can’t take it anymore, and I stand up with a yawn. “I think I’m gonna head to bed early. Read for a bit.”

Sage looks up, instantly concerned. “Are you okay? Feeling sick?”

I shake my head. “It’s just been a long day. Need to catch up on some sleep.”

“Okay,” he says doubtfully. “Tell me if you need anything, okay?”

“I will. ‘Night.” I pretend not to see his outstretched hand, his offer of a hug or kiss which has become a nightly ritual. I don’t want him to figure out what I’m doing.

Once in the hall, I run down the hall on silent feet in pursuit of Felix, but he’s already gone. Doesn’t matter; I know where Absinthe is. I head up to my room, locking the door behind me and opening the window before stripping. Once I’ve shifted, I climb out onto the roof and run across the shingles, leaping into one of the trees surrounding the house. My claws dig into the bark as I shimmy down the thick trunk, ears pricked for the sound of anyone nearby. Once my paws hit soft ground, I take off down the road, heading for downtown. I sprint down familiar alleys and cut through quiet parkettes, four legs taking me faster than two ever could. Traffic thickens as I reach downtown, and I have to keep dodging cars and pedestrians. By the time I reach the alley behind Absinthe, I’m panting and trembling with nerves.

Pressing against the brick wall, I look for an entrance, but then realise the flaw in my plan: I don’t have any clothes. And I can’t exactly sneak in unnoticed as a cat, can I?

Fuck. What now? Do I just wait for Felix to come out? Is he even here?

I slink around to the front of the restaurant, glad that the large windows aren’t blocked by curtains. Hopping up on one of the sills, I peer inside. It’s busy as usual for this time of night, and it’s a few passes before I spot a vaguely familiar face. It takes a few minutes of staring before I remember the picture of the man in Felix’s desk—Andy? No, Antony. Seated across from him is a large man with a neat beard and a hunched figure with pale skin and dark hair. I look closer and realise it’s the demon from Felix’s files. But where’s Felix?

A server approaches the table, and Antony turns to say something to her. His eyes flick to the window, and I leap from the sill, heart pounding. I instantly feel stupid. What does it matter if he sees me?

After returning to the windowsill and watching them for a few more minutes, I return to the alley, tail flicking. I guess I’ll have to wait until Felix shows up. And then… I’ll figure that out.

I walk around the building, noting two more entrances. One’s probably for the kitchen, and the other is on the side, maybe a fire exit. I pace around all three, back and forth, back and forth. It feels like hours are slipping by as I fall into the pattern, ears pricking every time I hear footsteps. But it’s never him. Did I get the place wrong? But no, that’s the zebra demon. Where is he?

I finally hop back onto the windowsill and look at the table. They’re leaving money on the table and standing, the bearded man guiding the demon with a hand against his back. The stripes are gone, leaving just pale skin and dark hair that falls into his face. The demon’s eyes are downcast. Antony, however, looks relaxed and cheerful, chatting with the man as they make their way to the front door. I leap back down to the sidewalk and dash around the corner of the building, peering back around. They’re leaving Absinthe now and turning to head down the sidewalk, away from me. It takes just a second for me to decide to follow them—I have to get that kid away from them.

I skulk after the trio, keeping to the shadows. They’re walking to a car park, and there’s a sleek black sedan I recognise as Felix’s. There he is.

All three stop next to Felix’s car, and the boy is pushed forward, but Felix doesn’t come out of the car.

“You better behave for your new owner,” the man says, gesturing at Antony. To Antony, he adds, “Just take off the bracelet when you want to see his true form.” He smirks, and I shut my eyes against a flood of memories. There’s no time for that.

When Antony walks around the car to open the passenger door, I sprint across the pavement and jump in while he’s turned to beckon the boy over. I have a moment to realise that Felix isn’t in here, before squirming under the seat and curling up small in the cramped space. Feet appear in front of me, and I hear the door shut. Moments later, the car starts.

I feel bile burning my throat as my stomach twists. What the fuck is happening?

The car ride is silent for what feels like hours. Suddenly, I hear from the front seat, “I’m taking you somewhere safe.”

I freeze. That’s Felix’s voice.

The boy doesn’t reply, but I can practically feel the tension seeping through the seat. I try to look out from under the seat to figure out if Felix is really in here, but I can’t without being seen. Instead, I stay wound up tight, waiting to pounce.

No one says anything else for the rest of the ride. Suddenly, the car moves from smooth pavement to gravel, making my teeth chatter. We drive slowly around seemingly endless bends, my stomach rolling with every dip in the road. Another turn, and then the car slows to a stop and is turned off. A seatbelt is unbuckled, and Felix’s deceptively kind voice says, “Come on. Nothing to worry about.”

Another seatbelt unbuckles, and then I see the passenger door open, the scent of grass and the sound of treefrogs wafting in. I start to move, intent on jumping out while the door’s still open, but stop—I’ll definitely get caught this time if I do that. I force myself to relax, wincing when the door shuts. I can hear their footsteps crunching through the gravel, and once they’re far enough away, I clamber onto the passenger seat and peek over the dashboard. I freeze. What are we doing at Leigh’s house?

Antony is gone, but there’s Felix, opening the front door and leading the demon in. As soon as they’re inside, I shift, opening the door with shaking hands and get out of the car. Goosebumps spread across my body. I quickly shift back and run toward the house.

I don’t get far.

Something long and black slithers out of the shadows, emitting a loud hiss. I jump to the side, ears pricked and fur raised. The snake is still a few feet away, but it’s between me and the house. I tensely wait for it to move, but it just sits there, head low to the ground.

Heart pounding, I bolt to the side and dash toward the house, trying to go around. From the corner of my eye, I see a flash of black. I slide to a stop, jumping back as the snake comes toward me. It hisses again, and I hiss back, blood rushing in my ears.

I try to get past it, but it’s too fast, blocking my way and striking without teeth. I hit the ground and roll, before scrambling to my feet and running. Sharp pain explodes from my left back leg, and I yowl as I fall to the ground. The snake’s fangs dig deeper into my leg as I struggle to get away until, desperate, I shift back. The sudden change in my size makes the snake lose its grip, and I get up to sprint the rest of the way to the house, shoving the door open.

Trembling and panting, I lean back against the door and look around the empty foyer. Over my heartbeat, I can hear voices coming from my left. Leg burning, I limp toward the living room. I’ve just reached the doorway when I hear the front door open and a woman call, “Kit!”

I spin around, catching myself against the wall, and gape at Tai. She’s naked like me, hair tangled and streaks of dirt on her skin.

“What the hell are you doing here?” she demands, not bothering to keep her voice down as she stalks toward me.

“Stopping Felix,” I snap, trying to keep my voice steady. I glare at her. “Did you know he buys slaves?”

She looks at me in disbelief. “Of course I know. Didn’t you?”

I feel like I’m going to throw up. “No, I fucking didn’t! I wouldn’t have stayed with him if I had!”

Tai shakes her head, scowling. “I don’t know what you’re freaking out about, but we’ve gotta deal with that bite first. For fuck’s sake, Kit, you can’t just sneak up like that!”

I slap her hand away as she reaches for me. My head is starting to ache. “Don’t touch me.”

Shoving away from the wall, I storm into the living room on unsteady legs and snarl, “Felix, you are a fucking asshole!”

Felix is on the couch next to the slave, green eyes wide, while Leigh—I knew I couldn’t trust him!—pauses mid-step toward the hallway. He arches an eyebrow at me. “Something the matter, Kit?”

I move to push past Leigh, but he blocks me with an arm, hand cold on my bare arm. Hissing, I lash out and jump back. Blood slowly blooms on his arm where I scratched him, but he doesn’t seem to notice.

“Kit, what are you doing here?” demands Felix, getting up from the couch.

“Stopping you,” I snap, ready to attack if Leigh touches me again. I jab a finger in the slave’s direction. “I saw you buy him!”

Felix starts toward me, grimacing. “Kit—”

I stumble back. “Stay away from me!” Sudden pain in my stomach makes me wince, and I glare at Felix through watering eyes. “You’re a fucking monster.”

Felix takes another step toward me, reaching out a hand. “Kit, let me expl—”

I slam into him, driving him to the floor. He tries to shove me away, but I grab his wrists, squeezing until I hear the bones grind. He hisses in pain.

“You’re a fucking liar,” I snarl, words choked. My head begins to ache, and I swallow down bile. “You made me think I could trust you, but you’re just the same as him!”

Felix glares back at me, face flushed. “Get off of me.”

I shake my head, anger twisting my stomach. My head pounds. I squeeze my eyes shut and pant against the pain. “You’re all liars.” Felix bucks beneath me, trying to throw me off, so I squeeze my knees into his sides until he yelps. I open my eyes to slits, vision blurred, and move one hand from his wrist to his neck. Felix’s eyes widen in shock as I start to squeeze.

“That’s enough.” Leigh’s voice is cold, slicing through the rushing in my ears. He grabs my arm and pulls my hand away from Felix’s neck. Baring my teeth, I twist and slash at him with my claws, but he just catches that arm as well and hauls me up. The sudden movement turns my stomach, making me heave.

“Oh, shit, I think the venom’s kicking in.” Tai pushes Leigh aside and wraps an arm around me. I try to push her back, but she just snaps, “Stop being a fucking idiot.”

“What do you mean ‘venom’?” Felix is on his feet again. “Tai, did you bite him?”

“Well, I didn’t know it was him, did I?”

I heave again, throat burning, and try to pull away from Tai, but Felix is suddenly on my other side with an arm around my waist.

“Don’t touch me,” I hiss, ears flattening. I immediately slap a hand over my mouth, trying not to throw up.

“I’ll get the antivenom,” Leigh says. “Try to keep him still.”

“I know,” Tai grumbles. She pulls me toward the couch, and with Felix on my other side, I can’t get away. The slave is still there, watching us with wide eyes as they push me down next to him. Pain cramps my stomach, and I curl over my knees with a groan. Through watering eyes, I see Felix kneel in front of me with his face twisted in concern, but I can’t work up the energy to push him away.

“How much venom did you put in him?” Felix asks Tai, voice strained.

“Not much. He’ll be sick”—no shit—”but he won’t die.”

I press my forehead against my knees and wait for the nausea to pass. A hand runs through my hair, coming to rest on the back of my neck.

“I’ll take Kyril upstairs; you keep an eye on Kit.”

I turn my head and watch Tai lean down to murmur something to the slave, who stands up with a last wide-eyed look at me and follows Tai out of the room.

“‘m gonna throw up,” I mumble and slap a hand over my mouth as my stomach rolls again.

Squeezing the back of my neck, Felix says, “Wait here,” and runs out of the room. Just as I’m ready to add a new colour to the expensive-looking carpet, Felix returns and shoves a bowl into my lap. I empty my stomach with painful retches, but the pain doesn’t go away.

“I’m gonna fucking kill Tai,” I whimper, spitting into the bowl to get rid of the sour taste in my mouth. I raise my head to glare at Felix, adding viciously, “Gonna kill you, too.”

Felix takes the bowl, seeming not the least bit put-off by its contents, and sets it aside. He starts to say something, but Leigh returns with a small glass vial and a needle. Felix moves out of the way, and Leigh sits next to me, taking my arm and swabbing a spot on my bicep. I try to yank my arm away, but another wave of nausea hits me, curling me back over my knees. And then I feel the prick of the needle.

“Fuck,” I hiss, skin crawling. I grab my head to steady myself and dimly notice that something’s wrong.

My ears are out.

Panic cuts through the nausea, and I shoot forward off the couch, stumbling when my legs fail to hold me. I hit the floor, tail lashing, and oh shit, this can’t be happening. I barely manage to scramble up before I’m pitching forward and slamming into the floor again. I groan, claws digging into the carpet.

“Kit, stop.” Felix kneels next to me, one warm hand against my bare back. “You need to calm down.”

“You’re a fucking slave owner!” I snap, voice breaking. I need to get out of here now.

“I’m not,” Felix says, still in that infuriatingly calm voice. “I’ll explain everything, but first you need to lie down until the venom’s gone.”

I try to shift, knowing I can outrun him as a cat, but no matter how I try, my body refuses. I curl in a ball, shivering. This is it. Five years running, and this is it.

I flinch when something is dropped on me, but it’s just a blanket. Felix tucks it around me, and then with Leigh’s help, pulls me to my feet. I can’t help but lean against him, and the arm he wraps around me keeps me from pulling away.

“He should probably stay here tonight,” Leigh says, supporting my other side. “There’s room upstairs.”

“Thanks.” Felix adjusts his hold, adding to me, “Here, try to walk.”

With their help, I manage slow, awkward steps, going against my instinct to fight. I’m too weak right now.

The room they bring me to is just a normal bedroom, no shackles or bars that I can see. I feel an old, familiar surge of panic when they half-carry me to the bed. As soon as they lower me onto its surface, I scramble away from them, hands raised defensively. Leigh ignores me, but gives Felix a significant look before leaving the room.

Sighing, Felix sits on the edge of the bed and gives me a strained smile.

“How you feeling?”

“What the fuck is going on?” I demand, drawing my knees up to my chest.

Felix runs a hand through his hair, smile disappearing. “It’s not what you think, I promise.”

“Oh, really? Because I think you’re a fucking liar,” I spit, slumped against the wall for support. “How long have you been buying slaves? You keep them all, or do you make money off selling them to other sick assholes like you?”

“If you would just listen to me—”

“Why the fuck should I? You knew what I was, didn’t you? That why you married me?”

“For fuck’s sake, Kit!” Felix pulls his legs up onto the bed and turns to face me with a glare. “I’m helping Leigh get people out of slavery! This is a safehouse.”

“What?”

“That kid? His name is Kyril. His parents came to Leigh a month ago, looking for help to find him.”

I snort, lip curling. “So you bought him?”

“Most of the time, that’s the only way to safely get them out.” Felix crosses his arms, adding, “We’ll reunite him with his family, and then help them get out of Correna.”

“And Antony? What about him?”

Felix looks bewildered, before slowly asking, “How do you know about him?”

“I just watched him buy that kid for you.” I’m just guessing now, but that’s gotta be it, right? He gets someone else to buy slaves for him. Not exactly uncommon.

Surprisingly, Felix laughs, before groaning and rubbing his face. When he lowers his hands, his appearance…shifts, and there’s Antony sitting on the bed with me. He smirks and says, “I’m Antony,” in Felix’s voice.

I stare uncomprehendingly before it finally clicks. “You’re a shifter? But…Faolan said you’re some kind of love sidhe!”

“Part,” Felix corrects, and just as quickly as he appeared, Antony is gone. Felix gives me a crooked smile. “My mum’s a púca.”

I tangle my fingers in my hair, trying to process this. “So that was…you at Absinthe?” I shake my head, instantly regretting it when dizziness blurs my vision. “What the fuck is going on?!”

“I told you,” Felix replies gently. “Leigh and I have been doing this for a long time.” He leans toward me, peering up at my face. “I didn’t know you were a demon, Kit. I promise.”

“And now that you do?”

“Nothing.” Felix reaches out like he’s going to touch me, but quickly drops his hand when I wince. “I’m not expecting you to trust me. And if you decide that you can’t be married to us anymore…” He bites his lip, before forcing a smile. “Just…get better first, okay? Luckily, Tai’s venom isn’t that strong, so you’ll probably be feeling normal soon.” Without waiting for an answer, he sits up and slides off the bed. “Just call if you need anything.” With a small wave, he leaves the room, turning off the light and closing the door part of the way. No shut door, no locks.

This could all be a trick.

But…it could also be true.

Shivering, I stare at the door, waiting for him to return. But after fifteen minutes slip by, I give in and crawl under the covers. Pressed up against the wall, I curl on my side and continue staring at the door. I slowly start to relax as the adrenaline fades away. My eyes get heavier, and finally, I can’t stay awake any longer.

***

My eyes fly open at the sound of someone coming into the dark room, and I stiffen, ready to attack. But it’s just that demon, Kyril, hovering by the door. I slowly sit up, watching him. He takes a startled step back, then hesitantly comes closer.

“K-Kit?” he whispers. “Is your name?”

I nod, then pause, wondering if his eyesight is as good as mine in the dark. “Yeah.”

He takes a few more steps toward me, fingers twisting in the hem of his shirt.

“You…rescued?” he asks hesitantly.

“Are you from Dellare?” I ask, recognising the accent. Mine used to be that thick.

Kyril’s face brightens, and he nods eagerly, replying in Dellarean, “Yes!” He closes the rest of the distance between us, kneeling next to the bed. I flinch, pulling back slightly. “Did they rescue you, too?”

My mouth twists at that. “No.” I cross my legs and ask, “Are you okay? Has anyone done anything?”

Kryil shakes his head, fingers now twisting in the comforter. “Not here. They’ve all been nice to me.” With a quick glance over his shoulder, he leans closer and lowers his voice. “Leigh said he’ll bring me back to my family. Is that true?”

I hesitate, then say honestly, “I hope so.”

Now he looks worried. “Does he break his promises?”

Shrugging, I reply, “I haven’t known him that long.” And I’m more concerned about Felix betraying me, frankly.

Kyril bites his lip, glancing over his shoulder again. “Tai said he rescued her?”

First I’ve heard of that. “I don’t know.”

Kyril looks even more worried now. “Do you think I can trust them…?”

I want to say yes, but how can I when I’m not even sure I can trust them myself? I sigh, pushing hair out of my eyes. “I find it’s better not to really trust anyone.” I study him for a second, not noticing any scars. “How long have you been a slave?”

Kyril’s mouth thins at that, and he snaps, “I’m not a slave.” He glares at the blanket beneath my hands. “That asshole kidnapped me. I saw an ad on campus for a part-time receptionist, but it turned out to be fake. Some woman interviewed me, and I don’t know how, but she figured out I was a demon. When I was leaving the building, someone grabbed me, and I woke up later in a cage.” His pale hands are shaking now. “I don’t remember much; they kept me drugged most of the time.”

“When did it happen?”

Kyril shrugs, agitatedly smoothing out the wrinkles on the blanket. “About a month ago.” His mouth twists. “Pretty lucky that the guy André sold me to isn’t actually a slave owner.” He glances up at me, the glare gone. “You guys are married, right?”

I grimace and reply, “Yeah. It was an accident, though.”

“What?”

I shake my head, looking away. “Never mind.”

“How do you accidentally marry someone?”

“Never mind.” I sigh, running my hands through my hair again, trying to think of a distraction. “Have you talked to your parents yet?”

Good choice, because Kyril bites his lip and frowns. “Leigh says I need to wait.” Okay, maybe not a good choice, since Kyril looks worried again. “He says that if I contact them before, it could put them in danger.” When his eyes meet mine, he looks young and scared. “He’s not lying, is he? Do you think they’ll be okay?” All previous confidence is gone, leaving his voice strained. I’m suddenly hit by our similarities: I was just a year younger than him when I came to Correna.

And although I honestly don’t know the answers to that, I say, “Everything will be fine.” I even manage a smile. “I’ll make sure you get home, okay?”

He nods and looks down at his hands. Was I ever that trusting?

My chest tightens. Yes. I was.

I freeze at the sound of footsteps in the hall and look up to see Tai in the doorway. She’s wearing pyjamas now, but she looks wide awake.

“Oh, hey, you’re up!” she says in fluent Dellarean. I raise an eyebrow, and she grins at Kyril. “You guys friends now?”

I cover my eyes when her hand reaches for the light switch, then squint at her in annoyance in the suddenly bright room. “I could see fine, thanks.”

“Well, we’re not all cats like you. I notice your ears are gone again, by the way.” Tai crosses the room to sit on the bed next to Kyril, who is still kneeling on the floor. Tai reaches out to press a cool hand to my forehead, ignoring my flinch. “Looks like your fever’s gone. “

I scowl, reminded that she poisoned me. “No thanks to you.”

She rolls her eye with a loud sigh. “I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t know it was you.” She leans back on her hands, looking between us. “So what are you guys up to?”

Kyril shrugs awkwardly. “Just…talking.” He looks at Tai hopefully. “Any news on my parents?”

“Leigh’s on the phone with one of his contacts now.” She gives him a comforting smile. “Don’t worry, okay? You’ll see them soon.”

Even though he nods, he doesn’t entirely look like he believes her.

Tai’s attention turns back to me, and she asks, “So do any of your other husbands know what you are?”

My jaw clenches at that, a tendril of fear working its way through me when I remember that Felix now knows my secret. “No.”

Her face softens at my expression, and she gently says, “He won’t do anything bad—Felix, I mean. He’s known about me for a long time. And he’s been working with Leigh for a long time, too. They’ve helped a lot of people.”

I don’t reply; I don’t even know if I can trust her.

 Tai leans in to meet my eyes, face serious. “I promise, okay?”

I just press my lips together, looking away. But Tai isn’t put off, saying, “I get it; I felt the same way when I first met them.” Thankfully, she drops the topic when she stands up and asks, “You hungry?”

I stare at her for a minute, before slowly replying, “I guess I could eat…”

“Good, cuz I think you threw up everything you had today.”

“And whose fault is that?”

“I said sorry,” Tai retorts, shaking the dyed hair out her eye with an exaggerated sigh.

I roll my eyes and carefully stand up, happy to find that any previous dizziness is gone. But I am hungry.

Looking between us, Kyril stands up as well. I didn’t notice how tall he is before, but he’s about level with Sei.

“I think I want to sleep,” he comments awkwardly. “Is that okay?”

“Yeah, of course.” Tai squeezes his arm with a crooked smile. “You remember which room is yours?”

“Yeah.” Kyril’s light brown eyes meet mine, and he smiles. “Thanks for talking with me.”

“No problem. Night.”

With a small wave, Kyril leaves the room and disappears around the corner. Tai watches him go, then asks over her shoulder, “You like stew?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Good.”

I follow her out of the room and down the dim hall to the stairs. No sign of Felix or Leigh, but I don’t ask where they are. Once we’re in the kitchen, I’m hit by déjà vu. I grimace, sitting at the table when Tai waves me toward it. The last time I was here was after I met Jules. Not exactly something I want to be reminded of.

“Here.” Tai puts a bowl in front of me, and I breathe in the scent of fish. My stomach growls, and I carefully scoop a spoonful, blowing on it.

“It shouldn’t be too hot,” Tai comments, propping her chin on her hand.

She’s right, and I groan at the taste. The stew quickly disappears, and without asking, Tai fills up the bowl again. I didn’t realise I was so hungry.

Once I’ve scraped out the last of the stew, I shake my head at Tai’s offer of more and push the empty bowl away.

“That was good. Thanks.”

She grins, crossing her arms on the table. “No problem. So. What do you want to know?”

I frown, suddenly wary. “What do you mean…?”

Tai waves her hand around. “Y’know, what we do here. I thought Felix had told you before, but I guess not.”

My frown deepens. “No. He didn’t.” My lip curls at the memory of the asshole Felix met with. “I didn’t know he was in contact with slave owners.”

“It’s not like he’s doing it for fun,” she says mildly. “The underground slave trade isn’t exactly easy to infiltrate.”

I lean back in my chair, crossing my arms. “Fine. Then tell me how this works.”

Tai makes a face, rubbing her mouth. “Well, there’s a lot that we do. But basically, we get demons out of slavery. Since Felix can shapeshift, he does the actual infiltration and meets with slave owners and whatever.”

“And what about Antony?”

She looks confused for a second, before realisation dawns. “Oh yeah, that’s Felix’s…disguise, I guess? He can’t exactly go in as himself.”

“And how often does he buy slaves? If you’re telling me the truth, why can’t you guys just sneak them out?”

“Because the slave traffickers in this country pretty much all know each other, and they would kind of notice if all of these slaves kept disappearing, don’t you think?” I can’t argue with that. “Antony is known to these traffickers. Felix has spent a long time building trust as him, so it’s easy for him to buy slaves without raising suspicions.”

I squint at her, still not satisfied. “Where does he get the money?”

Tai smirks and says, “Leigh’s rich. Plus, we’re not the only ones doing this. There’s a whole network of us.”

As much as I hate to admit it, everything she’s saying sounds…reasonable. I chew my lip, tapping my fingers on the table.

“So…why? I mean, I can see why you’d want to help other demons, but…why do Leigh and Felix do it? It has nothing to do with them.”

“Because they’re good people?” Tai shrugs. “Why does anyone do anything?”

“That’s a pretty shitty explanation.”

“Yeah, well.”

Apparently that’s all I’m getting. I just don’t get why they would risk so much.

Eventually, Tai asks, “So we good now?”

I study her for awhile, mulling over everything she said. It all sounds good, but… “When is Kyril going to see his parents?”

Tai frowns in thought. “Tomorrow, hopefully. Maybe the day after.”

“Are they coming here?”

“They should be. Then they’ll be taking Kyril to Ferland.”

I nod. “Okay. I want to meet them.”

Tai raises an eyebrow at that. “Why?”

“So I know you’re not lying.” Looking annoyed, she opens her mouth, probably to start arguing, but I continue, “Look, I want to trust you, but I’ve been fucked over way too many times before. And I told Kyril that I’d make sure he got home.”

Although she still looks annoyed, Tai grudgingly says, “I get it.” Pushing her chair back, she stands up and grabs my empty bowl. “They only reason I’m trusting you is because Felix does, by the way.”

I don’t know what to say to that, so I stay quiet as I watch Tai put my dishes in the dishwasher. When she turns back to me, the annoyance has left her face. “I’m ready for bed, and you probably need more sleep. Anything else you want to know right now?”

Shaking my head, I stand up. “Not really.” I’ll probably have a ton more questions in the morning, but she’s right—I do need more sleep.

“Okay.” She suddenly smirks. “Felix is in the room across the hall from where you were, if you want to join him, by the way.”

Shooting her a scowl, I leave the kitchen and head back upstairs. Until I have proof that Felix is actually helping Kyril, I’m staying away from him.

***

Kyril’s eyes are fixed on the nature documentary playing on the TV, something about birds in the Kùlai Mountains, but mine keep returning to the clock on the wall.

“When are they getting here?”

Tai sighs loudly, not looking up from her phone. “I don’t know, okay? Leigh will call when they’re heading back.”

I drum my fingers against the arm of the couch, scowling. I glance at Kyril and demand, “How are you so relaxed?”

“Hm?” Kyril looks away from the TV, eyebrows raised. “Sorry, what?”

It’s my turn to sigh loudly. “Never mind.” I guess him being calm is better than him freaking out. Unless something bad happens, and he isn’t prepared to run.

“I already told you, we’ve done this a ton of times,” Tai says, thumbs tapping on her phone. “So you can relax, okay?”

“And I already told you, I still don’t trust you.”

She just sighs again and doesn’t reply. Kyril, however, seems to finally be listening, and he frowns at me.

“Why don’t you trust her?”

“Why do you?”

He just shrugs, gesturing at her. “Well, she’s one of us, y’know?”

“That doesn’t mean anything.”

Loud music suddenly cuts through the soothing narration on the TV, and I look over to see Tai lift her phone to her ear.

“Hey, Leigh.” She listens and occasionally says ‘yup’ for a minute, before hanging up. Noticing both of us watching her, Tai says, “They’re on their way. They’ll be here soon.”

Kyril’s fingers dig into the couch cushions. “Really?”

Tai smiles. “Yup, and then you’ll be out of here.”

Unable to sit still any longer, I get up and leave the room. I walking to the kitchen and grab a glass from the cupboard, filling it with water at the sink. After taking a cautious sniff, I sip the cool water and stare out the window above the sink. It’s a pretty big property completely surrounded by forest, and if the situation were different, I’d probably find it peaceful. A group of birds swarm the birdfeeders, chattering noisily.

I stiffen at the sound of someone entering the kitchen behind me and glance over my shoulder. Kyril gives me a shy wave and joins me by the sink.

“Your show over?” I ask, watching him pull his own glass from the cupboard.

“Yeah. Now it’s something about wild vet stories or something.” He fills the glass and peers out the window. “Looking for something?”

“Nah.” I glance at Kyril, noting the slightest tremor in his hand. “You okay?” He seemed fine before.

He takes a shaky breath, his smile tense. “Just…nervous. I haven’t seen my parents for, like, a month.” He looks at me, and his voice cracks as he adds, “What if something happens to them before they get here?”

“They’ll be fine,” I reply with more confidence than I feel. My eyes return to the birdfeeders outside. Something with bright blue wings swoops in and lands on one of them, scaring off a smaller brown bird. A second later, it returns, squawking.

Chewing on my lip, I glance back at Kyril. I clear my throat. “Do you have a phone?”

Kyril looks surprised, then confused. “Um, yeah. Leigh gave me one.” He digs in his pocket, pulling it out to show me. “It’s just a basic one, but since they took my last one…” No need to ask who ‘they’ are.

I nod. “Okay, good. I want you to keep me updated after you leave.” I shrug awkwardly. “Just so I know you get to where you’re supposed to.”

Rather than (rightfully) questioning how I would help him if this turns out to be a trap, Kyril seems to relax a bit. “Okay. Um, what’s your number?”

Oh, right. Felix gave me a phone before he left with Leigh, claiming it was one of his old ones. Although my first instinct was to refuse, having a phone actually seems pretty useful. I just hope he hasn’t put, like, a tracker or something in it.

Draining the rest of my water, I set the glass in the sink and pull my phone out of my pocket to hand to Kyril. “I don’t know my number, so just…text yourself with it or something.”

He raises an eyebrow at me, but silently types in his info. When he hands the cell back, he’s saved his contact info, bringing my contacts up to eight (Felix already added our husbands, plus Leigh and Tai for some reason).

A message pops up.

u ok?

Felix. I put the phone back in my pocket without replying. He knows I’m not okay.

After a beat, Kyril remarks hesitantly, “You…don’t really seem to get along with him. You’re married, right?”

I sigh, crossing my arms. “Yeah, but we barely know each other.” At Kyril’s confused look, I reluctantly add, “We were drunk. It was supposed to be a one-night stand.”

That was clearly not the explanation Kyril was expecting. “What? Why not just get a divorce or something?”

“It’s a long story.” Not interested in getting into it, I change the subject. “What were you studying?”

“Huh?”

“At university. Y’know, before…” I vaguely wave, letting him fill in the blank.

Kyril looks thrown for a moment, but he accepts the switch in topic. “Oh, uh…International Relations. Second year.” Turning on the sink again, Kyril refills his empty glass. “What about you?”

Great, something else I don’t like talking about. “I didn’t go to university.”

“Working?”

“Uh…yeah. I work with Felix.”

Kryil looks surprised. “Even though you don’t get along?”

I sigh, crossing my arms. “It’s…complicated.”

“That’s fair.” Kyril finishes his water and puts the glass in the dishwasher along with mine. “So what do you do?”

Suck at answering phones? “Well, Felix owns a PI agency. I’m his receptionist.”

Kyril nods slowly. “That makes sense. The PI thing.”

I debate telling him about the file I found with his info in it, but decide against it. Instead I just say, “Yeah.” I glance at the clock, wondering how much longer we have to wait. Should I just go back to the living room?

“So Tai said you’re a cat?” Guess small talk is continuing.

I reluctantly nod.

“What kind?”

I raise an eyebrow at him. “The regular kind?”

“So not like a lion or something?”

I snort. “No, just a normal cat.”

Kyril’s mouth twists. “I’m kind of jealous. Probably easier to get around without anyone noticing you.”

I smile at that, remembering what Kyril is. “Yeah, I guess zebras stick out a bit more, huh?”

He sighs loudly at that. “I basically never get to shift. Do you know how hard it is to fit a zebra in a house?”

I laugh, picturing it. “Plus stairs.”

“Yeah! Bet you’ve never had that problem.”

I shake my head. “Nope, never.”

“It sucks.” Kyril’s expression turns serious. “Maybe I’ll be able to shift more in Ferland. I won’t have to be in disguise there. I can just…go outside as a zebra.” His eyes meet mine. “Have you ever been there?”

My smile gets twisted. “This is the only place I’ve been outside of Dellare.”

“But you still have to hide yourself here. Why not go to Ferland?”

“Can’t afford to.” Although now I have the paperwork, which was the biggest expense…

I give myself a mental shake. No, that’s still Plan B.

“Plus, I guess since you’re married…”

I scowl and repeat, “It’s complicated.”

Kyril opens his mouth, but my ears prick at the sound of an engine. I hold up a hand, listening. Definitely a car. I hurry to the window facing the driveway and see movement through the trees.

“They’re here!” Tai calls from the living room.

Kyril joins me by the window, his arm brushing against mine. I ignore the urge to pull away because I can feel him trembling, and I’m not completely heartless. A sleek black car with tinted windows that I recognise as Leigh’s emerges from behind the trees obscuring the house from the driveway. It comes to a stop and the doors open. Just as a tall woman climbs out, Kyril bolts out of the kitchen. Sighing, I run after him, dodging a surprised-looking Tai. Kyril’s already at the front door, yanking it open and rushing down the stairs. I’m right behind him, hoping he’s not sprinting into a trap.

“Mom!”

He throws himself at the woman who got out of the car, and she pulls him into a hug after crying his name. A moment later, two more people hurry out of the car to join them, crushing Kyril in a group hug. I turn at the sound of a car door shutting and see Leigh walking around the car to meet Tai at the stairs. Which just leaves Felix.

I cross my arms, watching the front passenger door. It finally swings open, and Felix steps out with his phone in hand. His face instantly brightens when he sees me, and I quickly step back when it looks like he might hug me. His smile flickers, but he keeps it in place.

“Told you we’d bring his parents here,” he says triumphantly.

I glance over my shoulder to see Kyril still surrounded by his parents, then look back at Felix. “That doesn’t mean you’re not up to something.”

Felix sighs, sliding his phone into his pocket. “I promise I’m not. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about all this, but it’s not exactly something I broadcast, y’know?”

I squint at him, looking for the deception, but he seems sincere. Seems.

Shaking my head, I turn away from him to watch Kyril instead. For the first time since I’ve met him, he looks genuinely happy. Other than the tall woman who looks just like Kyril, there’s a short woman in a long-sleeved purple dress with her hair covered by a matching scarf and a slightly taller man wearing glasses, his brown hair greying at the temples. They all look normal.

Kyril spots me watching them and eagerly waves me over. Suppressing a sigh, I slowly walk over and stop awkwardly next to them.

“Kit, these are my parents!” Kyril exclaims, his face flushed with excitement.

The plump woman in purple turns to me, her cheeks wet from crying. She gives me a wobbly smile, reaching out to grab one of my hands. I try to pull away, but she’s squeezing it too hard between hers.

“Thank you,” she says earnestly, her voice cracking.

“Oh, uh, no…” I look at Kyril anxiously. “I didn’t…I didn’t do anything…”

Luckily, he touches the woman’s arm and says, “Ma, you’re squeezing too hard.”

She quickly lets go of my hand and wipes at her wet cheeks, smiling apologetically. “Sorry, love. You’re Kit?”

I put my hands in my pockets to keep anyone else from grabbing them. “Uh…yes.”

“You’re from Dellare?” asks the man, his arm still around Kyril’s shoulders. His hazel eyes are red from crying, maybe exhaustion. His clothes are wrinkled, and the scruff on his face doesn’t look intentional, so maybe the latter.

“Um, yeah.” The attention is officially freaking me out. “I haven’t been there in awhile, though.”

“Wise,” says the tall woman. She looks just like Kyril, so probably his biological mother. Like Kyril’s father, she’s dressed in rumpled business clothes. “I’m Ina, by the way.”

“Gerard,” interjects the man.

I hear footsteps and look to see Leigh walking toward us with Tai at his side. He nods at me in greeting and looks at the group beside me.

“If you’ll follow me inside, I’ll explain the next steps.”

The four of them follow Leigh and Tai to the house without question, and I start to follow, but Felix comes out the front door and lopes toward me.

“Hey, you ready to go?”

I raise an eyebrow. “Go where?”

“Home. I don’t need to be here anymore; Leigh and Tai will take care of the rest.”

I automatically open my mouth to object out of habit, but I guess I have no reason to. After hesitating, I shrug and say, “Okay.”

To my surprise, Felix walks to Leigh’s car and climbs into the driver’s seat. I hurry after him, opening the passenger side. “Wait, we’re taking Leigh’s car?”

“Well, mine’s not here.” Felix starts the car, glancing at me. “He’s letting me borrow it, don’t worry.”

Whatever. I close the door and buckle up, slouching in my seat. Sensing Felix will start a conversation, I twist away from him and shut my eyes, pretending to sleep.

***

I jolt awake, shoving away the hand on my shoulder. I stare at Felix, who just smiles at me.

“Hey,” he says gently. “We’re home.”

I actually fell asleep?

Groaning, I rub my eyes and undo my seatbelt, before sitting up. I fumble for the door handle, squinting out the window. We’re in the driveway.

“Wait,” says Felix, touching my arm. I look back at him. “Don’t tell anyone what I’m doing with Leigh.”

I frown, brain still sluggish. “They don’t know?”

Felix musses his hair, awkwardly looking away. “Well…it’s not exactly a safe job. I don’t think they’d approve.”

“So you just…lie to them?” Great. More lying. I’m going to start losing track if I have to remember both Felix’s lies and mine.

“I’m not lying.”

“Fine, lying by omission.” I turn to face him. “If you don’t think they’d be okay with it, why do it?”

Felix meets my eyes with a frown. “Because I can,” he says, like it should be obvious. “And I should. I mean, shapeshifting is a pretty big advantage, plus I have my skills as a PI.”

“But it’s dangerous.”

His face turns serious as he quietly replies, “Not as dangerous as it is for those people to remain enslaved.”

I blink, surprised. My heart starts racing, and I quickly turn back to the door, opening it. He just says it with so much conviction, and it’s really hard not to believe he would…protect me.

A very small, weak part of me wants him to protect me.

“I won’t say anything,” I quickly shoot over my shoulder, before climbing out of the car and shutting the door.

Feeling my face burning, I refuse to meet his eyes after he gets out of the car. We quietly walk up the flagstone path through the front garden to the door. As Felix pulls out his keys, I glance around the street out of habit, looking for anything out of place. Other than a couple people walking dogs, no one’s around.

Hearing the door open, I turn away from the street and follow Felix into the house.

“Faolan and Sage are still at work,” Felix comments, taking off his shoes while I close the door. “I think Sei had a meeting, but Neve should be here.”

“Yay,” I mutter sarcastically, kicking off my shoes.

Felix either doesn’t hear me or ignores it. “You hungry? I’m going to make lunch.”

I instinctively start to refuse, but I hesitate, and then sigh. “Yeah, okay.”

He looks surprised, but then he grins and leads me to the kitchen. I look around idly as I trail behind him, wondering how this place already feels like home. I don’t want to lose this.

“Oh, there you are!”

I look at Felix who is looking across the kitchen. Stepping into the room, I spot Neve sitting at the kitchen table—and suddenly, our last encounter comes flooding back. My whole body flushes in renewed anger and shame. Everything with Kyril pushed Neve to the back of my mind, but now that’s all I can think about.

Teeth clenched, I whip around and storm out of the kitchen. Felix calls my name, but I ignore him and sprint down the hall. My steps are silent as I run up the stairs, and I don’t stop until I’ve reached my room.

Kicking the door shut, I start toward the closet, but remember my bag. Pivoting, I go to the bed and kneel next to it to lift the mattress. A sigh of relief leaves me when I see it sitting just as I left it. To be sure, I quickly pull it out and check inside. Everything’s there.

Putting the bag back, I lower the mattress back in place and stand up. Just then, my bedroom door opens. I open my mouth to tell Felix to go away, but freeze when Neve steps into the room instead. I stare at him, hands clenched into fists at my sides and heart racing.

Neve closes the door behind him and walks over to sit on the bed. He leans back on his hands and stares up at me, face giving away nothing. I back up until my back hits the wall and tightly cross my arms, fixing my eyes on the blanket next to him.

The uncomfortable silence stretches as I wait for him to say something. It’s not long before I can’t take it any longer.

“What do you want?” I snap, eyes flicking up to glare at him.

He continues staring at me in silence for a minute, before his gaze abruptly drops. I notice his fingers dig into the blanket.

“Faolan told me about…” He trails off, eyes briefly meeting mine, before falling again. He huffs out a frustrated breath. “We don’t think of you like a slave. I don’t. The sidhe don’t keep slaves.”

I don’t reply, waiting for him to continue. But instead of adding anything, he abruptly stands up and heads for the door. Before I give it any thought, I rush to block him, pressing my body against the door. He steps back, face twisted in annoyance.

“That’s it?” I demand, lip curled. “You treat me like shit, tell me we’re not equal, that I’m indebted to you, and that’s seriously all you have to say?”

“What else am I supposed to say?”

“I dunno, apologise for being an asshole?”

Neve rolls his eyes and crosses his arms. “I was being honest.”

Mirroring his pose, I retort, “Doesn’t mean you weren’t being an asshole.” I take a long breath. “Just…explain what you meant.”

“I already said you wouldn’t get it.”

“Just explain.”

Neve stares at me, lips thin. If he tries to leave again, I’ll let him, because fuck it. But he finally sighs, shoulders hunched.

“Do you know much about sidhe?”

My hands tighten around my arms. “No.” I know a lot about a specific sidhe—more than I’d like—but not much about the race in general.

“So nothing about sidhe marriage?”

I start to shake my head, but then I remember something. “Faolan said they were more like…loveless contracts or something. Right?”

Neve nods, looking troubled. “Back home, marriages are for status. Weaker sidhe try to marry powerful sidhe. Power is generally measured by type of magic or political influence or societal standing.” His tone is neutral, but he’s refusing to meet my eyes again. “There are plenty of marriages between equal partners, but there are also a lot where there’s an imbalance. In marriages like that, the weaker partner is permanently indebted.”

Ignoring my shock over how much Neve is talking, I ask, “And what does that mean?”

Neve’s mouth tightens, contradicting his easy shrug. “The weaker one can’t really go against what their partner wants. Else they risk the marriage being dissolved, which throws them to the bottom of the hierarchy.”

My stomach turns at that. “That sounds…really shitty.”

“Why do you think I left?” he says, mouth twisting humourlessly.

I mull over his words, before slowly asking, “So that’s what you meant, when you said we weren’t equal? That I’m indebted to you?” My stomach turns again. “I’m…supposed to do whatever you want?”

Neve stares at the floor, fingers digging into his arms. He swallows. “I…” He suddenly looks up, face tense. “I didn’t mean that. That’s my old life.”

I nod, not fully sure I believe that. “Okay.”

I step away from the door, letting my arms fall. Neve still looks uncomfortable, but he doesn’t leave immediately. Instead, he gestures awkwardly to my arms.

“Your bandages are gone.”

Blinking at the sudden topic shift, I glance down at my arms. “Oh, uh…yeah.” I start when a cold pale hand suddenly touches my left wrist. Eyebrows raised, I left Neve turn my hand over, his fingers tracing the bitemark. It’s fully scabbed over now, so it doesn’t need to be wrapped up again. He turns his attention to my right arm, pushing up my sleeve to study my forearm.

“Looks better,” he comments, the hand running down the sensitive skin of my inner arm making me shiver. Apparently noticing, Neve meets my eyes with an eyebrow raised. Embarrassed, I pull my arm away and tug the sleeve down.

“I don’t think I need it bandaged anymore,” I mutter, face hot. I’m suddenly remembering how else those hands feel on me, which makes me turn and yank the door open. “I, uh…still need to eat.” I quickly head for the stairs without waiting for Neve to reply.

Back down in the kitchen, Felix is sitting at the table with a bowl of soup and reading something on his phone. He looks up when I come in, expression worried.

“Uh…everything okay?”

“Yeah, fine, just hungry.” The pot is still sitting on the stove, so I grab a bowl and fill it with what looks like some kind of chowder.

“Did Neve talk to you?”

“Yeah.” I hope my voice doesn’t sound strange. I try to keep my face neutral as I carry my soup over to the table. “Did you send him to talk to me or something?”

Felix shakes his head, swallowing another spoonful of soup. “He volunteered.” He reaches for his water, meeting my eyes. “I heard from Faolan what happened.”

I quickly look down, stirring my chowder. “Everything’s fine now.” I scoop up a piece of chicken and blow on it before putting it in my mouth. Delicious. I happily bring another spoonful to my mouth.

“Well, as long as you’re fine…”

I nod, licking my lips. After eating quietly for a few minutes, I hesitantly look up at Felix, who’s back to looking at his phone. “So, um. Is…Sei still mad?” I don’t even know why I’m asking. It doesn’t matter if he is, does it? If Felix is lying about helping slaves escape and I have to run, then it doesn’t matter what any of them think of me.

But. If he isn’t lying.

“Um…” Felix’s mouth twists into a grimace. “Yeah. He’s…really good at staying mad.”

I sigh, scraping the last of the soup out of my bowl. Great.

“He just texted, by the way. He’ll be home in about twenty minutes.”

Making a face, I stand up and carry my dishes to the sink. After washing them and leaving them on the drying rack, I lean against the counter with a sigh. If things are better with Neve now, then I guess I should try to make up with Sei, too. But what am I supposed to say? He was already suspicious of me because of the whole blood junkie thing. But now that he knows I went to a bloodhouse and that I almost fucked his cousin…

Yeah, I really don’t see any way out of this.

“I think I’m going to go lie down,” I say to Felix, pushing away from the counter and heading out of the kitchen. I’m going to need more time before I face Sei.