Investigated

by Maya Daniels

  And just to add to this insane night—one I’m sure I’ll remember for the rest of my life, no matter how short it turns out to be—Fenrir leans in, placing his neck with the fluttering jugular under my lips. The scent of rain and forest slam me hard, the wooden post under my fingers groaning in protest from my tightening grip. The Fae must be nuts for offering his neck on the butcher's block without a care in the world. He either thinks I’m a weakling or he is much stronger than I pegged him.

  Not like I haven’t fed before. Unlike a pure blood, I don’t need blood that often to survive, but I’m also a half breed. Unpredictable as they come. That’s why Roberti is the only one I’ve fed from after my stunt with killing seven males in less than thirty minutes. My blood tries to surge through my veins at the memory, but it only manages to sluggishly move around, confirming Fenrir’s statement.

  I do need to feed.

  No wonder I can barely talk. The weakness, dizziness, and the acid flooding my mouth all should’ve alerted me this will happen. I’m having a lot of firsts tonight. Still, I don’t trust myself to sink my teeth in the stupid male’s neck. I need him here. I assure myself that’s the reason I’m not taking his offer, and not because the crazy bloodlust will force my hand and make me kill him.

  “Sit.” With as much strength as I can muster, I push him away from me. “I’ll feed from your wrist.”

  I don’t have to be looking at him to know that confusion is written all over his face. The energy coming off him is as loud as if he said the words himself. My eyes are still glued shut out of my control, and I get the sudden urge to look at myself. Something tells me that the weirdness of this situation is not over yet.

  “Do you have…” Swallowing thickly, I try again to push the words out. “I need the bathroom.”

  Thankfully, Fenrir doesn’t question me. Instead, picking me up, he carries me through the room. Keeping my eyes closed doesn’t allow me to see where he is going, but the bathroom must be adjacent to his bedroom since he didn’t unlock the door to take me there. I understand the reason why he turned the lock in the first place, not wanting anyone to walk in and see me feeding on him. But it still irks me that he feels confident that I have no issues about being locked in a room with him. I’m a skittish animal, as Roberti likes to say. I don’t do well in closed places without an exit accessible at all times.

  Something the Fae will learn soon enough.

  “I will help you,” Fenrir says just as he lowers my feet on the floor.

  “You will leave.” My voice is firm, the words short, even though I sound nothing like me.

  “You can barely…”

  “Leave.” Cutting off his argument, I push against his arms. “Now!”

  I can tell he wants to bicker, but thankfully he does not. Staring for long moments, his penetrating gaze like a physical presence on me, he reluctantly walks away after taking my hand and placing it on the cold marble so I can keep my balance. I stand in the same spot he put me until I hear a door softly closing behind him. Keeping my eyes shut, I wait for longer than necessary, making sure he actually left and is not standing in the room with me. When no heartbeat can be heard apart from mine, I slowly lift my eyelids.

  Bright colors swirl around me in the dark room, forcing a sharp intake of breath. I don’t have very good night sight; it’s better than a human's but nowhere near what a pure blood will have. Mouth hanging open, my lungs shrivel from the illumination that surrounds everything in the place. A brighter glow pulses around each thing, intensifying the colors. Stranger still, if I look at one thing for too long, it seems like its zooming in closer, and I can tell the smallest details on it. Like a microscopic hairline fracture on one of the tiles in the shower stall. Or the loss of thread on the plush towel folded neatly on the long marble sink I’m holding onto. I’m standing half turned, away from the long mirror taking over one wall, and my fingers are trembling when I shuffle around to face myself.

  The same face as always with its unmistakable Fae features greets me. Wisps of blonde hair that have escaped my braid are sticking out every which way around it. My skin is the same golden hue I know too well.

  And then there are my eyes.

  Anyone who sees my glowing eyes can never mistake me for anything other than a vampire. Combined with my face, undeniable half blood.

  But not tonight.

  Stumbling back a step, I gawk at my reflection. My shaking hand lifts slowly to my face, the trembling fingers touching the corners of my eyes to assure myself I’m not hallucinating. The amber glow intensifies the same way it always does when my emotions run high. But the pupil? It’s long and vertical, and it keeps on shrinking and expanding, giving me glimpses of the pores on my flawless skin. No supernatural has visible pores on their skin.

  “What the hell…?” Gripping the counter, I lean in as close as I can to stare at them. “What the fuck is going on?”

  It’s something to do with this damn place or that horrible sound. It must be. There is no other explanation why I’m looking at the eyes of a snake staring back at me from my own face. Cold sweat dampens my leathers, icy fingers tracing my spine like death himself is taunting me right now. The knock on the door makes me jump a foot in the air, my head whipping in that direction sharp enough to give me whiplash.

  “You okay in there, Francesca?” Fenrir’s muffled voice kicks up the beat of my sluggish heart.

  “Fine.” Choking up, I clear my throat. “I’ll… be right out. And stop…stop calling me Francesca.”

  “You need to feed.” He points out, pissing me off. Maybe I will tear his throat out if he keeps pushing it.

  Taking a long, deep breath, I give those freaky eyes one last look. Pushing off the counter, I stumble to the door, yanking it open with my lashes lowered and my gaze on Fenrir’s boots. When I stop in front of him, I grab his hand, not giving him enough time to react. Sinking my fangs in his wrist, I pull mouthfuls of his blood, gulping it greedily. He sucks in a sharp breath, his other hand grabbing my shoulder while he leans closer to me. Repulsion crawls over my skin for what I’m doing, but the richness of his blood pushes it away. Nothing tastes as good as pure blood. Smoother than Roberti’s, whose blood has a spicy tang just like his personality and his powers, Fenrir replenishes the strength that I’ve lost. When I’ve had enough, I keep drinking just to teach the arrogant male a lesson. I would bet my life this will be something he will remember forever.

  Fenrir sways in front of me, the weight of his body pressing against me when he drapes over my shoulders. Retracting my fangs, I close off the punctures, shoving my shoulder under his arm. Dragging him across the room, I drop him unceremoniously on the large four-poster bed, grinning like a crazy person at his half-lidded stare.

  “Be careful when you offer your blood, love.” Sneering the last word, mocking the endearment he gave me, I keep my lashes lowered, hiding my eyes. “It can cost you your life.”

  To my surprise, the idiot chuckles. Maybe he is crazy, just like everyone else in this damn place.

  Including me.

  Shaking my head, I turn my back on him and head for the bathroom. If I’m lucky enough, my pupils will be back to normal. If not, I’ll need to get the hell out of here. There is no way I’ll be able to explain that to anyone.

  Snake eyes!

  I can’t even explain it to myself.

  Chapter 11

  Sticking my head out of the slightly opened door, I check the hallway. After assuring myself that I’m back to normal and the stupid Fae is sound asleep, I figure it’s the best time to explore this place. Whatever happened will hopefully keep everyone occupied long enough that no one will pay attention to me. Cleaning up my leather pants and jacket the best I can, I can only grimace at my stained top with dirt and blood marks all over it. It’s a good thing my jacket survived and can cover it.

  The silence stretches on either side of the door, just like the long hallway. Opening it wider, I lean out as far as I can in case I miss someone standing
next to the rows of doors on both sides. A gray floor with no decorative rugs and plain white walls meets my gaze. It looks more like part of a military building than the elaborate castle lookalike I saw from the outside.

  Maybe you are in a different building.

  The thought fleets through my mind as I step out and close the door soundlessly behind me. I won’t have much time before Fenrir comes looking for me. Supernatural healing is as useful as it is annoying at times like these. Stepping as softly as I can so my boots don’t make a sound, I pick a side and hurry down the hallway. I really must’ve been out of it when I was carried around not to notice how long it took to reach Fenrir’s room. Through a fog, I remember paintings on walls and plush rugs where Zoltan’s room was situated. What that says about each of the men is something I’m going to ignore right now.

  I almost sprint when I see the tall, arched window facing me. The hallway swerves to the left and right, making my heart pick up a beat. The dullness around me feels depressing, not because I’m some interior guru or known for my talent for color. Everything I own is black for Pete’s sake. But the place that I’m emerging from gives me a creepy feeling. Almost like you’re given a punishment by being assigned a room in this area.

  Another crazy idea I can think about later.

  Low voices float to my ears as I near the window, and I plaster my back to the wall. Darting my eyes left and right, I hold my breath the closer they get while I’m looking for a place to hide. Will I get in trouble if they see me walking around without Fenrir? Do I need an escort everywhere I go? It’s not like I had an introduction to what’s allowed here. The worse that can happen is they’ll kick me out, right? You wish that’s the worst outcome. The snarky voice in my head reminds me that we are not in Sienna anymore. Not really.

  “…is the second time in three days,” a deep voice continues speaking sharply, keeping up the ongoing conversation that alerted me to their presence. “We must either close the portal for good, which none of us want, need I remind you. Or we throw caution to the wind and make a stand.”

  His companion grunts something inimical at first that I don’t quite catch. “Good luck to you in trying to convince everyone to take a stand now.” The nasally spoken words are filled with so much anger my eyebrows hit my hairline. “Even if we do have the strength, we don’t have the numbers to be victorious in such a foolish adventure. Unfortunately, we must stick to the plan, at least until we can remove the meddling vampire.”

  My ears perk up at that, but they are getting so close to discovering me that I need to either run back, which is the stupidest idea, or show myself before they see me snooping in on their conversation. To my relief, they stop walking. Judging by the sound of their voices, they are only one or two doors down from my hiding spot, which is actually out in the open. “Very stealthy, Franky. Keep standing like a lump in plain sight.’

  “Did you hear what happened?” The deep voice lowers, followed by the shuffling of feet. “Tonight they allowed Fenrir’s mate to enter the grounds. I wasn’t there to see it myself, but I was told Azgor was not pleased while Zoltan allowed it to happen. What’s next? We’ll be housing families and children?” The venom in the last sentence stuns me.

  “I wouldn’t mess with Fenrir if I were you. The Fae is more peculiar than the rest of them. You don’t want him getting in your business if you can help it. I heard he visited the town before she came. I’ll wager anything I have he helped her pass the trials.”

  “You assume he doesn’t plan anything. I’m either too paranoid, or you are too naïve. Either way, I have every intention of looking into it before it’s too late for both of us.” The deep voice says before a door opens and shuts with a bang.

  I’m too curious to see at least one of these people to be able to stand still any longer. Pushing off the wall, I walk around the bend in the hall, acting clueless. Gasping, I place a hand at the center of my chest, blowing a breath through pursed lips when I lock gazes with a stunned man. You are a horrible actress Franky, I tell myself, even when the guy buys the horrible act I put on.

  “Oh my goodness…” breathing faster, I look at him wide-eyed. “You scared the life out of me.”

  “What are you doing here?” Snapping out of his stunned mode, he narrows his eyes suspiciously at me.

  “I was bored, so I figured I’ll explore a little while Fenrir rests.” Pouting at him, I roll my eyes internally at the stupidity. Do women even act like this? I have no idea how to behave like one. That’s very sad.

  “You…you… were bored and decided to explore?” Stuttering, he gapes like a fish out of the water.

  I blink at him innocently.

  “Yes?” Phrasing it as a question, I tilt my head and hope I look as harmless and as clueless as possible. Please don’t pay attention to me being dressed all in leather, like some gangster, I plead with my mind. “Should I go wait for him to escort me?”

  The guy is as tall as he is wide. A head shorter than me, his mop of curly, dirty-blond hair is like a halo around his head. Somewhat handsome, which is expected considering he is a supernatural, his face is the only clear skin that I can see. His arms and legs are covered in swirly black tattoos that disappear beneath the gray t-shirt and black knee length shorts he is wearing. Bulging muscles strain the fabric of his clothing comically. It’s almost as if he dressed in a rush in someone else’s clothes. His neck looks as wide as my thigh, but none of that is as intimidating as his eyes.

  They are fully black.

  No pupil, no iris, not even a touch of white surrounding them. They are entirely black like a void. A demon, then. I’ve seen a few of them in town, plus one of the agents working for Roberti is a demon. But I’ve never interacted with them enough to know how to deal with this properly. If I remember correctly, they are very finicky about the way you address them and what body language you use.

  You should’ve thought of this before coming here, dumbass. Berating myself is not going to help now, is it?

  “Or maybe you could escort me?” Something must’ve possessed me in that damn forest while I was running for my life. I honestly can’t be this idiotic, but I can’t stop talking. “I really would love to see the prestigious academy that I’ve heard so much about. All of you are like heroes among my friends and family.”

  Never mind that my mother will kill me herself if she finds out where I am, my only friend loathes them more than anyone else I know, and my boss sent me to spy on them. It’s a good cover story if I do say so myself. He must’ve thought the same because his shoulders square off, and his chin lifts slightly up.

  “It’s not safe right now to walk the grounds outside.” Indecision is warring on his face, so I keep smiling sweetly, batting my eyelashes so much you’d think I have something stuck in my eye. “But… I don’t see the harm in showing you the inside.” His eyes widen even more, like he can’t believe he just said that. Neither can I if I’m honest. “If Fenrir wouldn’t mind. You Fae are very touchy when it comes to mates.”

  “Not as bad as vampires, I assure you.” Blurting out the first thing that comes to mind, I audibly snap my mouth shut. I want to slap myself right now, and the demon’s eyebrows hitting his hairline tells me I really should’ve thought more on my response. “Or, so I’ve heard,” I add lamely, taking a step towards him.

  The demon stiffens, and the energy starts pulsing in my chest like an eager puppy wanting to play. My fingertips begin to tingle, and I clench my fists, hoping I’ll push it down before I do something stupid. Like fry the guy. Good luck explaining that to whoever is in charge here. And who is in charge here? Now that’s an excellent question. I might not be able to trick Fenrir into giving me a lot of answers since he knows why I’m here, but this guy is fair game. If I keep up the charade, I might learn something that otherwise would’ve taken days to uncover, if I’m lucky. Being stuck with him for a while doesn’t seem like such a bad idea after all.

  “Well? What do you say? I really can’t stay stuck in
a room while he sleeps.” Taking another step, I grind my teeth, pushing the energy further down with everything in me. “It bores me to tears, and I hate when I’m crying. I can’t seem to stop when the waterworks start.”

  I might not know much about acting like a woman, but I damn sure know how much men hate crying. It’s like a magic word as soon as the demon hears it. He springs into action, pivoting on his heels and almost jogging down another long hallway stretching in front of me. The same gray floors and dull white walls surround us as he keeps waving his hand for me to hurry up. Keeping the pleasant smile on my lips, I grin internally. This was much easier than I expected, and fingers crossed I’ll learn something useful in the meantime.

  “I will show you the gathering hall,” the demon says over his shoulder, not slowing down. “It’s the most impressive thing in the academy. Females love it there.” With a sharp nod, he makes his decision while my eyebrow lifts in reaction to his blubbering. “Why they love it is beyond me. I never said I understand females,” he mutters under his breath. I’m sure I wasn’t supposed to hear that part.

  “I’m Franky, by the way.” We are almost running down the hall like the building is on fire, but I remember that I don’t know his name. Offering mine is a good start, I guess. I’m not sure he’ll like it if I address him as, “hey demon, where are we going?”

  The air is pushed out of my lungs with a loud oomph when he stops abruptly, and I collide with his back. The guy is as hard as a damn rock. I’m sure it would’ve hurt less if I slammed into one of the walls.

  “Franky? As in, Franky Drake?” My heart skips a beat when he spits my name like a curse.

  “Yes.” Rubbing at my chest after he almost knocks me on my ass, I glare at him.

  “You are a female,” he says it so accusingly, I almost feel like apologizing.