and touch it, boy? I can disappear at will, so am I therefore not real?
Kalen shifted back to his human form, his clothes reappearing on his body. Quite a handy ability that
none of the other guys possessed.
“I don’t know. Why don’t you vanish for good and we’ll find out?” he muttered.
An amused laugh greeted Kalen’s terse words, and a dark figure stepped onto the porch from inside.
Backlit in the cabin’s doorway, the man—or rather, the Unseelie disguised as a man—was very tall.
“Come inside, young Sorcerer,” Malik said, gesturing him forward. “Let’s have a nightcap to cure
our insomnia.”
The other male turned and went inside. Wary, Kalen followed him. Just because the Unseelie
exuded a false sense of normalcy didn’t mean Kalen was stupid. His years on the street had taught him
that a friendly gesture always came with a catch.
And nothing about this creature was normal.
Mounting the porch steps, he trailed Malik into the cabin and took a surprised look around.
Somehow he’d expected stark coldness and “evil” stamped on every surface. But the interior was the
epitome of warm, rustic luxury. Dark leather furniture and plush throw rugs dotted the living space. A large stone fireplace graced most of the far wall, and an adjacent wall sported a walk-in wet bar.
“How civilized,” he commented drily as Malik rounded the bar.
“Isn’t it? And here you likely expected a dreary cave full of bats.” The Unseelie reached for an
expensive-looking bottle of Cognac and then removed two crystal highball glasses from the shelf.
Smiling faintly, he poured them each a couple of inches of the liquor and then brought them both into
the living area. He handed Kalen a glass. “Please, sit.”
Kalen remained standing for a few beats longer, studying the creature who could pass for any human
man. An exceptionally good-looking one. The form he’d taken as Evan Kerrigan was a few inches taller
than Kalen’s six or so feet, and he was well muscled without being ripped. Black hair dusted his
shoulders and framed an angular face set with midnight blue eyes and a strong jaw. It was no wonder the creature had managed to seduce everyone who’d crossed his path.
He appeared to be anything but a monster.
There was an innate sexuality that radiated from the male’s very pores. Although, despite the
Unseelie’s seductive approach, Kalen could honestly say he knew Malik’s focus was not really directed at him in a sexual way—though he couldn’t say how he knew—the bold scrutiny in the other’s steady gaze unnerved him nonetheless.
“What are you so hot to show me?” Kalen asked, getting to the point.
“First I’d like to talk to you. Sit, please.” Malik took a seat in a large wingback chair near the
fireplace, stretching his long legs out in front of him and crossing them at the ankles. Casually sipping his Cognac, he presented the picture of cozy, urbane charm.
It couldn’t last.
Slowly, Kalen lowered himself to the sofa across from the Unseelie and sniffed at the liquor.
Reaching out with his magic, he could discern no spell placed on the drink. He took a sip and found it to be safe. But he knew better than to relax.
“This is good stuff,” he said.
“Only the best for you.”
“You sound as though you mean that.”
“I do.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve waited for this moment for what seems like ages.” Those piercing eyes bored into his.
Kalen shifted uneasily. “The way you said that . . . it’s almost as if you know me.”
“As well as I know myself,” the Unseelie replied softly.
Something about that statement, Malik’s tone, made every hair on his body stand on end. “That’s
not possible.”
“It’s as possible as the cabin you’re sitting in quite comfortably, where no cabin should be.”
“Is this how it’s going to be? You talking in riddles the whole time? I don’t know what the hell I
thought coming here would accomplish.”
Kalen shifted back to his human form, his clothes reappearing on his body. Quite a handy ability that
none of the other guys possessed.
“I don’t know. Why don’t you vanish for good and we’ll find out?” he muttered.
An amused laugh greeted Kalen’s terse words, and a dark figure stepped onto the porch from inside.
Backlit in the cabin’s doorway, the man—or rather, the Unseelie disguised as a man—was very tall.
“Come inside, young Sorcerer,” Malik said, gesturing him forward. “Let’s have a nightcap to cure
our insomnia.”
The other male turned and went inside. Wary, Kalen followed him. Just because the Unseelie
exuded a false sense of normalcy didn’t mean Kalen was stupid. His years on the street had taught him
that a friendly gesture always came with a catch.
And nothing about this creature was normal.
Mounting the porch steps, he trailed Malik into the cabin and took a surprised look around.
Somehow he’d expected stark coldness and “evil” stamped on every surface. But the interior was the
epitome of warm, rustic luxury. Dark leather furniture and plush throw rugs dotted the living space. A large stone fireplace graced most of the far wall, and an adjacent wall sported a walk-in wet bar.
“How civilized,” he commented drily as Malik rounded the bar.
“Isn’t it? And here you likely expected a dreary cave full of bats.” The Unseelie reached for an
expensive-looking bottle of Cognac and then removed two crystal highball glasses from the shelf.
Smiling faintly, he poured them each a couple of inches of the liquor and then brought them both into
the living area. He handed Kalen a glass. “Please, sit.”
Kalen remained standing for a few beats longer, studying the creature who could pass for any human
man. An exceptionally good-looking one. The form he’d taken as Evan Kerrigan was a few inches taller
than Kalen’s six or so feet, and he was well muscled without being ripped. Black hair dusted his
shoulders and framed an angular face set with midnight blue eyes and a strong jaw. It was no wonder the creature had managed to seduce everyone who’d crossed his path.
He appeared to be anything but a monster.
There was an innate sexuality that radiated from the male’s very pores. Although, despite the
Unseelie’s seductive approach, Kalen could honestly say he knew Malik’s focus was not really directed at him in a sexual way—though he couldn’t say how he knew—the bold scrutiny in the other’s steady gaze unnerved him nonetheless.
“What are you so hot to show me?” Kalen asked, getting to the point.
“First I’d like to talk to you. Sit, please.” Malik took a seat in a large wingback chair near the
fireplace, stretching his long legs out in front of him and crossing them at the ankles. Casually sipping his Cognac, he presented the picture of cozy, urbane charm.
It couldn’t last.
Slowly, Kalen lowered himself to the sofa across from the Unseelie and sniffed at the liquor.
Reaching out with his magic, he could discern no spell placed on the drink. He took a sip and found it to be safe. But he knew better than to relax.
“This is good stuff,” he said.
“Only the best for you.”
“You sound as though you mean that.”
“I do.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve waited for this moment for what seems like ages.” Those piercing eyes bored into his.
Kalen shifted uneasily. “The way you said that . . . it’s almost as if you know me.”
“As well as I know myself,” the Unseelie replied softly.
Something about that statement, Malik’s tone, made every hair on his body stand on end. “That’s
not possible.”
“It’s as possible as the cabin you’re sitting in quite comfortably, where no cabin should be.”
“Is this how it’s going to be? You talking in riddles the whole time? I don’t know what the hell I
thought coming here would accomplish.”
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