fight against.” Yellow eyes dart frantically over my face. He must see, or sense, something of my suspicions or disbelief, because his mouth twists into a grimace. “You think I did this? You, the chi-thief. You’ve met your match, and you blame me for it?”
“I didn’t do this.” I can’t stand the accusation and recrimination in his tone. My voice is hoarse, but I’ve little idea why. Fear? Or that shot of lust, like liquor in my coffee? “Whatever I took from you, it didn’t cause this. Whatever this is.” I have no idea what’s going on. I feel trapped, unable to break away from his gaze. Strangely lacking in motivation. Lethargic. “I’ve been pulling that stunt for some time. I’m sure of my methods.” Yellow eyes widen yet again. That’s twice now I’ve caught him unprepared. Never ask a question you don’t already know the answer to. When he only continues to stare at me in silence, I gain a little backbone. “The only variable here is you.”
His attention drifts to my lips. I don’t know why he’s looking at my mouth, but just witnessing the diversion makes me shudder. Enough already. I jerk my chin from his hand and stare at the far wall, resisting the impulse to pay him any mind. Just because he’s elitist doesn’t mean I have to stand for it.
Jhez saves me. Her presence gives Garthelle something else to focus on, and he manages to regain a semblance of control.
“You two are going to receive a rather crude introduction to lyche society tomorrow evening.”
My sister perches on the arm of a lounge chair across the room and studies him. I can tell she’s not too impressed. “That’s our first assignment, then?”
He nods. “You’ll have a day to settle in. This evening is purely business.”
“How long is this entertainment of guests going to last?”
“A week at most.”
“After which we’ll be permitted to return home?”
“No.” Garthelle sighs with a note of what feels like exasperation. Watching him from the corner of my eye, I see him glance my way. He keeps his attention fixed on my twin, though. “It’s not so simple a matter as that. The duration of my need for your assistance will be partially determined by how much I can discover in the short time these individuals are in my residence.”
Oddly enough, I find myself trying to imagine a dozen or more vampires crammed into the—albeit substantive—living space in Garthelle’s flat. It’s such a cozy prospect. Not. Thirteen vampires, sitting in a circle, doped up on chi and looking like ventriloquist puppets. Marionettes of the morbid variety. Oh, the dances I could make them do. If I dared. A bark of laughter escapes me before I can even think to stop it.
They both stare at me. Jhez gives me the look she uses when she catches me ogling a random man on the street—a hybrid form of scandalized amusement. Garthelle just observes, unreadable.
“What kind of information are you looking for?” I clear my throat and try to get serious. With him sitting next to me on the couch, it’s difficult. His proximity suffuses me with this strange sense of gratification. I feel lightheaded, unfocused. And weird. I don’t want to trust him, at least not until the hair he ripped out grows back.
“The political kind. The personal kind. Connections, however tenuous, between various individuals.” He shifts on the couch and I suddenly want nothing more than to get away from him. “It’s difficult for me to explain . . .”
He trails off as I stand up abruptly and relocate to the lounge chair Jhez is perched on. My sister drapes an arm around my shoulders and gives me a reassuring squeeze.
Garthelle clears his throat and continues. “. . . Precisely what is important, since both of you are wholly unfamiliar with the nature of lyche society.” His yellow gaze flicks over me, piercing, before settling safely back on Jhez. “Alliances take many forms. So do the demonstrations of relationships. For instance,
“I didn’t do this.” I can’t stand the accusation and recrimination in his tone. My voice is hoarse, but I’ve little idea why. Fear? Or that shot of lust, like liquor in my coffee? “Whatever I took from you, it didn’t cause this. Whatever this is.” I have no idea what’s going on. I feel trapped, unable to break away from his gaze. Strangely lacking in motivation. Lethargic. “I’ve been pulling that stunt for some time. I’m sure of my methods.” Yellow eyes widen yet again. That’s twice now I’ve caught him unprepared. Never ask a question you don’t already know the answer to. When he only continues to stare at me in silence, I gain a little backbone. “The only variable here is you.”
His attention drifts to my lips. I don’t know why he’s looking at my mouth, but just witnessing the diversion makes me shudder. Enough already. I jerk my chin from his hand and stare at the far wall, resisting the impulse to pay him any mind. Just because he’s elitist doesn’t mean I have to stand for it.
Jhez saves me. Her presence gives Garthelle something else to focus on, and he manages to regain a semblance of control.
“You two are going to receive a rather crude introduction to lyche society tomorrow evening.”
My sister perches on the arm of a lounge chair across the room and studies him. I can tell she’s not too impressed. “That’s our first assignment, then?”
He nods. “You’ll have a day to settle in. This evening is purely business.”
“How long is this entertainment of guests going to last?”
“A week at most.”
“After which we’ll be permitted to return home?”
“No.” Garthelle sighs with a note of what feels like exasperation. Watching him from the corner of my eye, I see him glance my way. He keeps his attention fixed on my twin, though. “It’s not so simple a matter as that. The duration of my need for your assistance will be partially determined by how much I can discover in the short time these individuals are in my residence.”
Oddly enough, I find myself trying to imagine a dozen or more vampires crammed into the—albeit substantive—living space in Garthelle’s flat. It’s such a cozy prospect. Not. Thirteen vampires, sitting in a circle, doped up on chi and looking like ventriloquist puppets. Marionettes of the morbid variety. Oh, the dances I could make them do. If I dared. A bark of laughter escapes me before I can even think to stop it.
They both stare at me. Jhez gives me the look she uses when she catches me ogling a random man on the street—a hybrid form of scandalized amusement. Garthelle just observes, unreadable.
“What kind of information are you looking for?” I clear my throat and try to get serious. With him sitting next to me on the couch, it’s difficult. His proximity suffuses me with this strange sense of gratification. I feel lightheaded, unfocused. And weird. I don’t want to trust him, at least not until the hair he ripped out grows back.
“The political kind. The personal kind. Connections, however tenuous, between various individuals.” He shifts on the couch and I suddenly want nothing more than to get away from him. “It’s difficult for me to explain . . .”
He trails off as I stand up abruptly and relocate to the lounge chair Jhez is perched on. My sister drapes an arm around my shoulders and gives me a reassuring squeeze.
Garthelle clears his throat and continues. “. . . Precisely what is important, since both of you are wholly unfamiliar with the nature of lyche society.” His yellow gaze flicks over me, piercing, before settling safely back on Jhez. “Alliances take many forms. So do the demonstrations of relationships. For instance,
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