I knew that succumbing to a panic attack right now was the worst conceivable thing I could do, but when had I ever been able to stop one when it started to happen? I tried to focus on Rans... to use him as a way to calm myself. But Rans didn’t look like Rans anymore. The face of the person standing next to me against the cold cell wall was a stranger’s.
Legolas turned his attention on me, his head tilting in interest as he examined me. “Now, what in Mab’s green garden do we have here?” he asked, looking at me like I was a puzzle he intended to disassemble into its constituent parts.
He took a step forward. Panic swallowed me. It was a different feeling than any of the other dozens and dozens of times my mind had betrayed me in such a way over the years. Instead of my vision tunneling in and my chest aching, the unbearable pressure exploded outward, as though my body had become the epicenter of a shockwave.
“Zorah!” Rans shouted.
TWENTY-ONE
THE INVISIBLE WAVE hit Legolas, who staggered back a single step before straightening. His green eyes dilated until the black of his pupils threatened to swallow his irises, a look of unrestrained hunger twisting his too-handsome face. A fresh wash of fear slid over me, but a moment later, I felt the true results of my panic-fueled handiwork.
Sexual energy began to flow out of the Fae’s body, and into mine. I bared my teeth, feeling my own hunger rise.
“Zorah, stop,” Rans said in a low tone.
But I didn’t want to stop. I wanted to drain this creature in front of me until he was nothing but an empty husk. I wanted to see this Fae on his knees, begging me to stop... or begging me not to stop. I wanted—
The connection between us snapped with a sharp burst of agony on my end, cutting off the flow of raw power. Fury hardened the Fae’s features into cold marble, and he closed the distance between us, lifting a hand toward my throat.
It was glowing.
Movement caught my peripheral vision. An instant later, white vapor swirled in front of me, solidifying into a human form in the space between one ragged breath and the next. Rans knocked the Fae’s hand away, sparks flying between them like an electrical line shorting out.
“Fucking... enough, already. Both of you,” Rans growled. “Jesus Christ, Alby. I don’t exactly have the patience of a saint today.”
My mouth worked, no words coming out at first.
“What. The hell. Is going on?” I managed, my voice an unpleasant, raucous squeak.
“What is she?” Legolas hissed.
“Trouble, mostly,” Rans said in a flat tone. “Specifically, trouble that you don’t lay a fucking hand on, unless you want to lose that hand.”
He and the Fae were squared off, while I was still more-or-less cowering behind Rans’ back. I shoved my way out from behind him, noticing distantly that he was now once again his normal self, rather than a plain-faced, slightly pudgy blonde guy.
“I’m assuming,” Rans began, “that because you weakened the warding spell you used to bind me, it means I don’t actually need to start ripping your wings off, Tinkerbell. But it would be good if you started talking. This cell reeks of security and silencing charms, so I assume it’s safe to have a proper chat now.
“Answer the question, bloodsucker,” Legolas snarled. “What is she?”
“She is standing right here!” I pointed out, and received a narrow green glare in response.
“Zorah is the offspring of a human and a cambion,” Rans said.
“Impossible,” the Fae spat.
“That’s what I said,” Rans agreed. “But you felt it, just now.”
I cleared my throat, about done with being talked about in the third person. “Which brings us back to the very relevant question—what the hell just happened?”
The Fae frowned at me. “You don’t know?”
“Would I be asking you if I did?” I exploded.
“You panicked and started sucking energy from our host,” Rans said patiently. “Which, of course, you should in no way be able to do. Especially against someone with magic as powerful as his.”
I mulled that over, seeing how the idea fit with what I’d just experienced. It fit... pretty well, actually. Legolas was still scowling at me, the look not sitting well on his pretty-boy features.
Great. So, magic was real, the guy I’d slept with twice now could disappear and reappear at will, and apparently I could suck sex energy out of horny faeries if I was freaked out enough. This week really couldn’t get any better.
“I’d apologize,” I began slowly, “if I weren’t currently handcuffed in an interrogation cell in your basement.”
“Hand over the key, mate—for fuck’s sake,” Rans ordered, holding a hand out palm up. “Then maybe we can start over from the beginning.”
After a long look, the Fae pulled a key out of his pocket and passed it over. I blinked, trying to rearrange things in my still panic-fuzzed mind to accommodate this new twist. Rans eased me around and a moment later, the handcuffs clicked open. I rubbed my wrists, my eyes caught anew by my pale skin and short fingers.
I looked up at the Fae mistrustfully.
Rans sighed. “Zorah Elaine Bright, this is Albigard of the Unseelie Court. Alby, Zorah. And may I just add that both of you are currently serious pains in my lily-white arse.”
Albigard and I remained silent, still watching each other warily.
“Give me strength,” Rans muttered, barely audible.
“Am I to understand,” Albigard began, “That this demonkin has no control over her powers?”
“I’m still standing right here, Tinkerbell!” I snapped.
His face darkened, but he smoothed the expression an instant later. “My apologies, demonkin. You don’t have control of your powers?”
I swallowed, just now realizing that by pressing the point, it meant I’d have to deal with this Fae directly. I thought I caught a twitch of Rans’ lips, and silently vowed bitter retribution on him if he
