"Thank you," I said, heading back with the order.
The scorching sun bit into me with every step I took. Though I'd been born and bred in the southern states, the whole climate change thing was really drawing me down. Every year this area got hotter than it had any right to be and it felt as though I was that proverbial egg on the sidewalk, cooking in the sun without any way to escape it.
I paused under a tent to take a breather and heard the scrape-crunch of gravel.
Them.
A large, dark Hummer rolled up, followed by a similarly-colored sports car of some foreign make. At first glance, I knew it was too expensive for my blood, that I'd never ride in something so fancy my whole life.
That went double for the men who climbed out of the car. The duo wore impeccable suits, the kind that you have to go get measured for. Their ties probably cost more than my room did. They were nearly identical, though the leaner of the two seemed to have an air of confidence about him that put my teeth on edge.
You know those kinds of people that you see that you just know, the second they open their mouth you're going to want to slap them? That's who he was. Smug, sleek, drop-dead gorgeous, but so arrogant that my grip drove my fingers through the plastic bag carrying our sandwiches, tore through the handle, and ended up with all six of them flopping uselessly to the ground.
And that drew his attention. He tipped his sunglasses down and I got the full effect of his gaze. They said Medusa turned men to stone with a single look. I was certain he could do the same to me. My heart froze in my chest and I groped uselessly for a bag I no longer carried.
Heat washed over me, through me, and if I'd thought it was hot before, good lord, it was hotter now than it'd ever been. I panted and realized I couldn't look away from him even if I tried.
That man knew something about magic; the stuff that had made up my childhood. And he was using it to ensnare me completely.
Well, so did I. I thought of a bubble that completely wrapped around me. It was made of a rainbow of colors, sealed all the way around. The moment I made it real, focusing every bit of will I had on it, I was able to stoop and grab the still-wrapped sandwiches off the ground.
He jerked as if someone had slapped him. I put it out of my mind. All I'd done was bring myself around. There was no bubble, no magic in this world or any other. The place for that was in books or movies, and only the sort of media that I tried to avoid these days.
"Olivia!"
Willem waved at me. I put on a smile that would be better used as a cheese grater and put our lunch down on a nearby table beneath one of the many tents. Why didn't they make those things site-sized? I knew the military had some large enough and theirs even came with fans! But us? The museum wasn't going to shell out for something like that; not on their shoestring budget.
I didn't blame them, but would cyclone fans have set us back so much?
My walk to Willem, who stood next to the line of suits, was one of dread. I had no place associating with people like this. I wasn't exactly an introvert, but I still preferred to keep everyone at arm's length after all that had happened in my life. "Yes, doctor?"
"Olivia Monx, Hudson and Gabriel Fontaine," Willem said in way of introduction. Hands were jutted out at me. I shook them and tried my best to look like I knew what I was doing. The Fontaines owned the Hummer. Not what I'd expected, but well enough. Who knew the pet market was so financially securing?
Then my boss nodded to the duo from the car. "Eskal Vervain and-"
I missed the second man's name completely. Eskal, the one I'd locked eyes with only a hundred years ago, took my hand in one of his and watched me. So close, I could see his eyes move through the sunglasses. His palm was surprisingly rough for a man who dressed like he did and drove a vehicle like that. Most rich guys never submitted themselves to hard labor but this one had.
"Miss Monx," he said, lowered his head to brush his lips across my skin.
If I'd thought the heat was too much to bear before, this almost drove me to my knees. My breath caught and I blinked at him, completely at a loss for words. Was this how people felt when their crush was in the room? I'd never gotten in to all of that silliness most teenaged girls squeak over; I'd been too busy taking care of Mom.
That did it. The thought of my mother threw ice water all over me and melted to quench the volcano inside of me. I drew my hand back after a moment and made myself swallow so I didn't drool all over him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen. I'm one of the many scientists attempting to make this process as quick and painless as we possibly can. But to do that, I'm afraid I'll have to get back to work. If you'll excuse me?"
I did all the smiling and flirtation that