“Ahh.” Max returned to studying the blueprints.
“Quit fucking around, Max. Tell me what you know.”
“What’s it to you?” Max asked.
“The succubus said she’s been setting the traps. I could’ve lost my foot to one of them. And that was a best-case scenario. I almost died. So if you know anything at all, I want to hear it.”
“Why don’t you ask your boyfriend?” Max’s cold fingers pushed aside my jacket collar. I flinched under his touch. “He should be doing something to protect that pretty neck of yours.”
“Leave her alone,” Gabe said.
“He’s trying to find out more information,” I said. Dread resettled over me.
“From what I hear, he’s pretty well informed already.” Max cocked his head. “Gabe, get your friend something to drink. She looks unwell.”
I felt sick to my stomach. I wanted to vomit. I wanted Gabe to go away because I couldn’t stand how he smelled. I wanted the vamp to tell me what he knew. Something to drink was not on my list.
And yet part of me didn’t want to know. I felt flushed, then chilled.
The vamp moved me to a chair. “Are you sure you want to know, little shifter?” He guided my head between my knees. The coolness of his fingers on my back radiated through my sweater. I’d never forget this chilly vamp’s kindness.
“Tell me,” I whispered.
“The ghoul knows nothing, but your boyfriend is a friend of the succubus.”
“No. Can’t be,” I murmured. “Evan’s only been here for a few weeks.”
“They have been lovers for a long time. Way before this visit.”
I stared at the vamp’s blue suede boots. Ridiculous for this climate. Completely impractical. He must never wear them outside.
“Did you hear me?” His voice sing-songed in my ear. I was unable to stop listening. I wanted him to be wrong. I wanted to protest on Evan’s behalf.
“Why would he?” I managed.
“Did you really think all the money to do up this place was his? Or was that what you wanted to believe?”
I leaned closer to his boots, focusing on the shade of blue as they drew nearer to me.
Then everything went black.
“Maddy! Maddy!” Gabe’s voice was far away, as if he was calling me from under water.
My heavy eyelids didn’t want to open. I wanted to lie here floating in this dark place . Fainting was the best thing I’d done recently.
“What the fuck is going on?” Evan’s voice cut across Gabe’s wailing. A chill near me confirmed the vamp was nearby. “I told you to stay away from her, bloodsucker.” Evan swept me up in his arms. “Both of you, get out of here.” He carried me to his office and placed me on the couch.
He smoothed my hair away from my face.
I struggled to open my eyes. When I did, his dark eyes met mine.
“What happened?” he asked. “If that vamp hurt you, I’ll kill him.”
Evan’s handsome face blurred before me. I could feel his ferocity rolling off him like a furnace. Tears trickled down my face. He tenderly wiped them away with his thumbs.
I shoved his hands away, struggling to sit up. The nausea was still there, but now I had a headache. At least being away from Gabe’s odor helped.
“Don’t you have someone else to be with?” I sat up but laid my head on the back of the couch.