you to go up against them.”
“I could do it,” I said.
“Last time, with Ace, you had help,” said Felicity. “Connor and I had magic from those talismans.”
“Yeah, I know,” I said. “But I don’t want to put you guys in danger again. That didn’t go as planned. I just wanted to scare those vampires.”
“Listen,” said Felicity. “I’ve been thinking. I really don’t like it, you and Jensen micromanaging me the way you are.”
“Oh, God, Felicity, we’re only doing it because we care—”
“Stop,” she said, holding up a hand. “Let me finish. Now, you said that the difference between us was that you could take care of yourself, right? Well, what if I could too?”
“I don’t understand,” I said.
“I want to learn how to use magic,” she said. “You gave me this talisman for protection, but it only does so much on its own. If I knew how to use it, I could do more.”
I nodded slowly. “Yeah, that’s true.”
“Okay, then,” she said. “So, will you teach me?”
“Um…” I took a deep breath. “I could try, I guess.”
“Good,” she said. “And if I can take care of myself, you’ll stop being my babysitter?”
“Felicity…”
“Come on,” she said.
I sighed. I nodded. “Okay, fine.”
She smiled. She looked me over. “Oh, this dress is awesome.”
“It’s too much,” I said. “I think I should try on the black one.”
Felicity shrugged. “Okay, try it on, but this one looks hard to top for me. And I think Lachlan would like it too.” She winked.
CHAPTER SIX
I wore the black one.
Because I didn’t want to be flashy at all. I wanted to blend in, to be wallpaper who asked questions. I didn’t want to be recognized right away, even though I’d be mixing it up with my former peers.
And whatever was going on with Lachlan and me, I didn’t feel like it was wise to exacerbate it by wearing a sexy dress or doing anything that might distract him or make him think unclearly.
I was sure that Lachlan could handle it if I wore a sexy dress, and it wasn’t as if I thought so highly of my own appearance that I thought the burgundy dress would make him lose his mind or something, but I still felt more comfortable this way.
Maybe it was the specter of Alastair hanging over me.
I remembered once, I had been positively exhausted after a party, but I’d been wearing this dress that I had picked out specifically for him, because I knew it was the kind of thing that he liked.
It was rare that I was too tired for sex with Alastair, because the dragon-mating bond made me some kind of crazy horny freak. But I had been wiped out that night. I’d had too much to drink as well, and I had the spins.
And he just wouldn’t take no for an answer.
I shoved the memory from my mind.
Fuck Alastair. Fuck him for ruining everything, for making me crazy and paranoid and damaged. In that moment, I only wanted to cry.
“Hey,” said a voice.
I turned to see Connor coming into the lobby. He was wearing his uniform because he was about to start his shift. “Hi,” I said.
“You all right?”
I squared my shoulders, forcing a smile. “I’m fine.”
“You’re nervous, aren’t you?” he said. “About going back to see all those people you left behind.”
I shook my head. “I’m fine. I’m just having trouble with these earrings.” I held them up. They were dangly, and they didn’t have back clasps, just long hook-shaped wires that went into my ears. I always had trouble getting them in.
“Let me try,” said Connor, holding out a hand.
“I doubt that’s going to go better,” I said.
“I know a trick,” he said. “I learned it from this guy I dated who was a drag queen.” He disappeared for a moment and then came back with some Vaseline.
“Connor—”
“What?” he said. “Everything goes in better with a little lube.”
I shut my eyes. “Oh, God, the images you have just put in my mind.”
He laughed, taking one
“I could do it,” I said.
“Last time, with Ace, you had help,” said Felicity. “Connor and I had magic from those talismans.”
“Yeah, I know,” I said. “But I don’t want to put you guys in danger again. That didn’t go as planned. I just wanted to scare those vampires.”
“Listen,” said Felicity. “I’ve been thinking. I really don’t like it, you and Jensen micromanaging me the way you are.”
“Oh, God, Felicity, we’re only doing it because we care—”
“Stop,” she said, holding up a hand. “Let me finish. Now, you said that the difference between us was that you could take care of yourself, right? Well, what if I could too?”
“I don’t understand,” I said.
“I want to learn how to use magic,” she said. “You gave me this talisman for protection, but it only does so much on its own. If I knew how to use it, I could do more.”
I nodded slowly. “Yeah, that’s true.”
“Okay, then,” she said. “So, will you teach me?”
“Um…” I took a deep breath. “I could try, I guess.”
“Good,” she said. “And if I can take care of myself, you’ll stop being my babysitter?”
“Felicity…”
“Come on,” she said.
I sighed. I nodded. “Okay, fine.”
She smiled. She looked me over. “Oh, this dress is awesome.”
“It’s too much,” I said. “I think I should try on the black one.”
Felicity shrugged. “Okay, try it on, but this one looks hard to top for me. And I think Lachlan would like it too.” She winked.
CHAPTER SIX
I wore the black one.
Because I didn’t want to be flashy at all. I wanted to blend in, to be wallpaper who asked questions. I didn’t want to be recognized right away, even though I’d be mixing it up with my former peers.
And whatever was going on with Lachlan and me, I didn’t feel like it was wise to exacerbate it by wearing a sexy dress or doing anything that might distract him or make him think unclearly.
I was sure that Lachlan could handle it if I wore a sexy dress, and it wasn’t as if I thought so highly of my own appearance that I thought the burgundy dress would make him lose his mind or something, but I still felt more comfortable this way.
Maybe it was the specter of Alastair hanging over me.
I remembered once, I had been positively exhausted after a party, but I’d been wearing this dress that I had picked out specifically for him, because I knew it was the kind of thing that he liked.
It was rare that I was too tired for sex with Alastair, because the dragon-mating bond made me some kind of crazy horny freak. But I had been wiped out that night. I’d had too much to drink as well, and I had the spins.
And he just wouldn’t take no for an answer.
I shoved the memory from my mind.
Fuck Alastair. Fuck him for ruining everything, for making me crazy and paranoid and damaged. In that moment, I only wanted to cry.
“Hey,” said a voice.
I turned to see Connor coming into the lobby. He was wearing his uniform because he was about to start his shift. “Hi,” I said.
“You all right?”
I squared my shoulders, forcing a smile. “I’m fine.”
“You’re nervous, aren’t you?” he said. “About going back to see all those people you left behind.”
I shook my head. “I’m fine. I’m just having trouble with these earrings.” I held them up. They were dangly, and they didn’t have back clasps, just long hook-shaped wires that went into my ears. I always had trouble getting them in.
“Let me try,” said Connor, holding out a hand.
“I doubt that’s going to go better,” I said.
“I know a trick,” he said. “I learned it from this guy I dated who was a drag queen.” He disappeared for a moment and then came back with some Vaseline.
“Connor—”
“What?” he said. “Everything goes in better with a little lube.”
I shut my eyes. “Oh, God, the images you have just put in my mind.”
He laughed, taking one
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