And then Mhairi threw her head back and laughed. Eden relaxed a little as if everyone else did, tittering now at what they assumed was a joke. She couldn’t even look at Cyrus. What was the one thing he’d asked? Be polite and don’t be aggressive.
Excusing herself from the table, Eden tried to still the trembling in her hands as she hurried off into the empty ladies’ room. She was barely inside two seconds when the door banged open and October practically fell in, laughing hysterically. “OMG. That was genius!”
“No, it wasn’t,” Eden snapped. “I’m supposed to be a responsible Ankh that people can trust. Not threatening goddamn Neith!”
“Oh come on, Eden, it was just your sense of humour. They all got that.” She shrugged, disappointed in herself. “I just thought I’d stop being such a mouthy bitch when I transitioned you know. Clearly not.”
Despite Eden’s frosty warning looks, Tobe was chuckling again. “It’s in your blood to be a mouthy bitch. It’s got nothing to do with you once being one of ‘them’. Plus she totally deserved that.
She called you Edie.” Tobe shuddered. “And what was with the octopus hands all over Noah?!”
“Hmm, like I care.”
“Oh right,” October mocked. “I really believe that.
“Eh talk about deflecting.”
“Well?”
She grimaced. “I tried OK. But he’s been avoiding me lately.”
“You have to make him listen then.”
“OK. I will. If you tell Noah how you really feel,” she challenged with a smug grin.
It was Eden’s turn to grimace.
Tobe snorted. “That’s what I thought.”
The bathroom door opened, drawing their attention to Val’s head as it peeked around the frame.
“Ladies, we have to leave. McLeish just called and they think they’ve found the den. Cyrus and I are heading out. Noah will escort you home.”
“Wait.” Eden’s heart began racing. “Can’t I come? I’m totally ready.”
“No.”
“Pl-”
“No.”
Sharing a disgruntled look with Tobe, she followed her friend out of the ladies’ room, wondering if and when Cyrus and Val would ever be comfortable with her going on a hunt.
Chapter Eighteen. Waiting in the Shadows
Teagan had always had a sixth sense about him and had been surprised to feel others like him in Edinburgh. After a little snooping around he’d been even more surprised to discover a den of Blessed. He’d expected his arrival to be clean, no complications. It was Edinburgh for Christ sakes.
The Neith Capital of the country. But there were always idiots even cockier than Teagan who thought it was a game, a challenge, to mess around with the humans right under the noses of the Councilman and his warriors. Their presence, unfortunately, meant the Warriors were on high alert, and after a little investigating, he’d discovered that Cyrus and his two Ankh warriors were even doing patrols.
That meant being cautious, staying in, going stir-effing-crazy!
Teagan checked his cell again and growled. He’d hired a human private investigator to follow Eden, and he’d kept out of sight of the other Blessed so that when they were caught (and the stupid sons-of-bitches
Being cooped up wasn’t good for the hunger though. Swigging back a glass of twenty five year old malt, his eyes narrowed on the photographs laid out before him. The dodgy P.I. had come and gone in the last hour. Teagan had thought about eating his soul momentarily but then he remembered he still needed the guy, so he’d ordered two hookers instead. In a city this small he’d have to be careful. A missing person would be noticed and could lead back to his appointment with them. So he’d ordered
He wanted Eden now. He wanted her away from that little jerk and that self-righteous Princeps.
Slumping down over the photos, his fingers brushed over her face. This one was a close up and Teagan could make out the blue-green colour of her eyes.
He missed the grey.
At the knocking on the apartment door, Teagan shook himself. He better get himself under control if these women were to leave his apartment alive.
The only way to get Eden was to use the people closest to her. And to get her back as she once was meant one of her people was going to have to die. It would be up to Eden if they were the only one.
“Ladies,” Teagan drawled, stepping back aside to let the prostitutes into the apartment. He’d have preferred to call an escort service but that would only make it easier to track back to him. No, he’d found Sasha’s number (he didn’t know if that was the brunette or the blonde) in the men’s toilets at a nightclub and asked her to bring a friend.
“So, how dae ye want tae dae this?” the blonde asked, her eyes hard and her skin somewhat rough.
She looked older than she was, the lines of her face etched with the grim realities of her career. She had a nice rack though.
Teagan grinned and watched their body language change as they realised how attractive he was.
“How about some wine, some music?” He liked to lull them into a false sense of security before he struck.
The small brunette was a little on the heavier side than her friend but she had a prettier face. She smiled warmly at him. “Have you got any Ray Charles?”
“Ah love ‘A Fool for You’,” the blonde added, nodding.
Teagan’s smile grew even wider in feigned pleasure. “Ladies, you have soul. I like that.” They both beamed with pleasure at the compliment, completely clueless that he was about to take as much of that soul from them as he could get away with.
Chapter Nineteen. The Kiss of Death
Ricki was a thirty-something Neith with incredible power. He attacked Eden and she caught his wrist with
