Wringing my hands, I glanced up at him through my lashes. “I-I, well, I’m not used to visitors.” I gave a nervous laugh. “Aerolus is such a nice young man. He didn’t want much.” I tried a small smile. “Look, Mister…?” He didn’t fill in his name, and I sensed he wasn’t buying my version of Trudy. Time for a diversion. “I told him about the woman hanging around your house, and he —”
“What woman?” Arim looked ready to bite me in half, his tone clearly superior.
His manner made me think of the noble Aellei, which set my back up. I couldn’t help myself as I fired back at him.
“Excuse me.” I glared up at him and assumed Trudy’s best professorial tone. “But I don’t recall inviting you in here. Just who are you?”
Arim didn’t blink, but I could see a subtle tightening of his brow, a telling reaction that in Aerolus signaled puzzlement. Studying the sorcerer, I noted the many similarities between uncle and nephew and wondered if all Storm Lords had that same arrogance. And that same potent, sexual allure.
“My name is Arim,” he enunciated each word. “Now, about that woman you mentioned?”
He pulled back his attempt at reading my mind. Was he gathering energy for a harder spell, or had he finally bought my act?
Arim’s gaze began to burn. I hastily focused and told him what I’d told Aerolus, sensing I’d worn his patience thin.
As I’d planned, the description of myself set him on edge.
“You say she had a glow to her skin? White hair and violet eyes?”
“Yes. She was obviously wearing a costume of some kind, which I found odd.”
“How could you tell her eye color from here?”
I flushed. “I have a telescope I use for star watching. It must have been pointed at your nephew’s house the other day.”
“I see.” He eyed me up and down, and I sensed he did indeed see. Thank the shadows for Trudy’s aura of desperation. “I should be grateful you have an appreciation for heavenly bodies.” Though he spoke plainly, his words dripped with sarcasm.
Despite the danger of the situation, my Aellei blood begged I have some fun while pushing him to leave. “You know…” I gave him a slow, hungry smile, one that had his face clearing of all expression. “You could thank me over a light dinner. Maybe a glass of wine?”
He just stared at me.
“Or we could skip dinner and go straight to dessert.” I winked at him and gave him a thorough onceover.
To my delight, he flushed and took a step back.
“Actually, I have to return to my work.”
“What’s your rush, Arim?” I shot him Trudy’s best flirty smile.
He forced a smile. “I am behind on reports. I’m sorry.”
“Oh, why not put that off and stay a little longer?” I stroked the upper slope of my breast with enough sexual innuendo to set a house on fire. “Let’s make it a real date, and I’ll cook you breakfast tomorrow.”
“I’m sorry to have taken your time, Professor.”
I tried to look forlorn when I really wanted to laugh. He smothered my mind with a powerful mental suggestion to forget all about him.
Ha! Try to con an Aellei, Light Bringer and feel my wrath. “I’m sorry, but what was I saying? Ah, I forget your name.”
“I was never here.” He vanished in the blink of an eye.
Had I been a real human, I would never have known of our meeting. As it was, my kind loved Dark magic. And the Light Bringer had been brimming with anger, coloring his energy just enough to empower me.
Brimming with good cheer, that I’d managed to fool the powerful sorcerer and that I’d soon be returning to the shadows in the spaces Between, I shimmered back into myself and left Trudy’s house.
The minute I entered the pocket of space between worlds, I felt Aerolus. I’d left him a subtle trail — one only he could see — weeks ago, having assumed we’d have met again before now.
Sensing tendrils of elemental magic, I sought the source of my frustrating desire.
