When it was only Cade and the Valkyrie, Nïx said, 'You'll be at the gathering this weekend, yes?'
He nodded. 'How's the alliance shaping up?' He'd heard Nïx had been actively steering this Accession. For her to take such an interest meant this one could be apocalyptic. Otherwise, Nïx the Ever-Knowing would likely be out shopping, as Valkyrie fancied doing.
She said, 'So far on our team, we have the Lykae, the Forbearers, the Furiae, the Wraiths, the noble fey, myriad demonarchies, the House of Witches, possibly the CIA, and probably a Colombian drug lord. The nymphs are straddling the fence.'
Regin opened her mouth, but Nïx cut her off. 'That one's too easy, Reege.'
The Valkyrie shrugged, her attention returning to an arm-wrestling match.
In a nonchalant tone, he asked Nïx, 'So you want to tell me about the leech?'
'I don't know if you can defeat this one,' Nïx said. 'He's unspeakably powerful.'
Cade gritted his teeth. 'Then I only wish you'd seen what I did to my last enemy. And that was piss easy for me.'
Nïx peered at the ceiling, then down again with an expression of surprise. 'Very nice. But I can't see what you did with his spine.'
She could view the past as well? There'd been rumors... . 'Made him try to crawl for it before I beheaded him.' He immediately frowned. 'What do you do when you pluck a spine?'
'The same. You can't improve on a classic. Oh, and speaking of getting a spine—how are things with your lady love, Cade?'
He drank, studying her over the rim of his mug. Nïx can tell how I feel. She knows. Cade was notoriously brutal, a feared mercenary. Yet at times he found himself gut-sick with wanting his female, one who was too young and too human—the sole species forbidden to him.
Because the mortal wouldn't survive the initial claiming when he went demonic.
Cade no longer tried to deny that she was his, no longer bothered with his halfhearted pursuits of other females. Every time he saw her from the shadows, the certainty grew.
He wondered if Nïx knew about the picture he kept beside his bed.
Nïx smiled at that very moment; Cade swore. 'Ever-knowing, Cade,' she said softly.
Cade hiked his shoulders, pretending nonchalance. 'Tell me about the vampire, or not, dove. But none of us really wants to be here.'
'I'll tell you,' Nïx said, her gaze rapt on his horns. 'But only if you let me lick your rock-hard horns —'
'Nïx!' Regin's attention snapped back to this conversation.
Eyes wide, Nïx cried, 'Who said that?? I didn't say that! Oh, very well—the vampire's named Conrad Wroth. Best be careful with that one. He single-handedly took down Bothrops the Lich.'
'That was Wroth?' He'd heard of the assassin before. Cade grudgingly admitted that the leech did nice work, dealing deaths with a unique, gruesome signature to them. Which was important in their line of business. 'Where is he?'
'To find him, you need to trail the one who seeks him in sleep.'
'Soothsayerese? I don't speak it,' he said, but she didn't elaborate. 'That's all you're going to divvy?'
'Wanna know more?' Nïx raised her brows. 'Then you should have let me lick your horns.'
14
When Conrad's eyes slid shut, the muscles in his jaw tightening, Néomi realized he wasn't going to deny his brother's words.
Her lips parted. Never been with a woman? If Conrad had been attractive to her before, he'd just become irresistible. This man, with his tremendous body made for pleasing and protecting a woman, was a virgin.
Oh, but this revelation was a problem. Conrad—so secretive and proud—was plainly burning with embarrassment, restless in his chains. His arms were bulging so much, it was clear he was clenching his fists behind him. Her knowing this would be humiliating for him.
And his pride had already been taking a beating. She knew men, and she knew that any show of vulnerability in front of a woman they found attractive was crushing to them.
Her heart was breaking for him.
Murdoch frowned at Conrad's reaction. 'Just think, if you found your Bride at the gathering, within a single week, you could be bedding her. Aren't you even curious about what it's like?'
His tone incensed, Conrad said, 'Leave me.'
'Things are heating up overseas—none of us will be back until late tomorrow. Do you want to drink before I go?'
Conrad began straining against his bonds, the muscles in his neck standing out with the effort. 'Get out of my sight!' As he rocked to the side, she saw blood on the sheets from where the manacles were cutting into his wrists.
'Conrad, calm yourself.' Murdoch stood. 'I'm leaving.'
When Murdoch disappeared, Néomi took a breath, then sidled closer to Conrad. Making her tone casual, she said, 'You seem discomfited by this, but you shouldn't be. Et alors. Ce n'est pas grand-chose. It's not a big—'
'Get out.'
'Conrad, your brother seems to believe you could soon find your Bride and bed her, but I think he's glossing over a major component—she needs to want you, too. I could teach you what women like. I could show you how to seduce her.'
That just made him more furious.
She hurriedly said, 'Listen, this is your room and I'll respect your privacy, but maybe tonight, I could just sit with you? I won't say a word. I just don't want to be alone—'
'And you know what I want.' She'd noticed that his fangs seemed to sharpen with aggression—they did now. 'So be a good girl, and promise me,' he began in a low tone, before yelling, 'that you'll get me a goddamned key!'
'You said you wanted to kill your brothers. You said you ached to.'
'So?'
She made an impatient sound. 'So, if I free you, you could just lie in wait and attack them here. I'd be an accessory to murder.'
Looking as if he could happily throttle her, he said, 'I wouldn't do it here.'
She shook her head. 'I won't even consider it until you vow not ever to harm them.'
'Why would you want this?'
'I feel like I know them, and I think they're honorable men,' she answered. 'They don't deserve to die, especially not for trying to help you.'
'If you don't get me the key, I swear, I'll torch this rotting heap!'
'Why do you say these things?' she cried.
'Because I mean what I say. Now, get out! And don't return without my key.'
'This is my house—I don't have to leave!'
'Of course you wouldn't want to! I suppose that's your lot, to follow the living around like a pathetic lapdog.'
'L-lapdog?' Had he truly just called her that?
'Exactly. Doing your tricks, begging for a crumb of attention. Stripping off your clothes.'
She gasped, tempted to reacquaint him with the ceiling.
'Run along, ghostling. Unless I haven't tossed you enough scraps?'
With a last glare, she twisted and disappeared from the room. Damn him, she didn't want to be alone. Not tonight.
Why did men get so angry after showing a vulnerability? Why did it cost them so much to let down their
