“I don’t think you have to be able to see auras to know that. By the way, what color is my aura?” A flash of Wickham’s flirtatious grin emerged.
“It’s usually dark forest green and emerald, and mostly steady. Of course, it varies a little.” I realized I’d never really explained muchabout auras to him.
“Mostly steady.” His mouth turned up on the side. “What doesmostlymean?”
“Everyone’s aura changes depending on their mood and energy levels. And people even pick up each other’s sometimes. One reason I liked you from the start is because you don’t change much when you’re with someone—you’re pretty true to yourself.” I looked into his dark brown eyes, hoping he was willing to make our marriage work. We hardly knew each other, and it seemed like a fantasy, but I was going to give it my very best.
A tray clattered to the floor of the restaurant, and the lights flickered. I stiffened and pulled myself closer to Wickham. "You don't think anyone in the band can control electricity, do you?"
Wickham wrapped his arm around me and scanned the area. "If so, they've hidden it well. What type of being can do that, anyway?"
It took me a minute to think. "Well, a dragon, obviously. But some witches can, and so can chimeras. I guess if we're talking about controlling the elements, many high-born fae would be able to as well. Darcy is a high-born fae, right?"
"He had nothing to do with the murders, but I wonder if he knows something.” Wickham’s eyes narrowed as he pulled out his phone to text Darcy. “I’m ready to get this over with.”
Chapter 13
ApinchofWickham’saura rippled with a tense gray. “We should go see if that blue sports car is back.”
“Agreed. I hardly feel like I know what’s going on, and it’s giving me a stomachache,” I muttered. Wickham left cash on the table, and we exited the lodge. As we passed the parking lot, I grabbed his arm. “They’re back. Let’s check it out.”
Wickham pulled out his phone to check his messages. “Bradley hasn’t responded yet. Darcy says he suspected fae involvement, but doesn't know who it was.”
The midday sun and layers of snow made the parking lot brighter than usual, which meant we probably didn’t need to worry about being attacked out in the open. Most of the cars were still covered with snow, but a few had been cleaned off and driven.
“Whoever owns this car knows we’re here, so there might not be much to see. Hopefully, this isn’t some kind of trap,” I said.
We walked slowly toward the car, carefully checking our surroundings.
Wickham shrugged. “As long as we stay together, I think we should be okay. You were right about a vampire and a witch having a better chance than most people, but we still don't know what we're up against. Just please don’t go off and do anything else on your own.”
“Deal... for now.” I used my hand to shade my eyes against the brilliant-white snow. “By the way, does the sunlight bother you?”
Wickham, donning a cap and sunglasses, shook his head. “A little. Don’t worry about it. It’s not going to turn me to ash or anything, but I do have to be careful not to trigger what I’d describe as the world’s worst migraine. The hat, long sleeves, and sunglasses generally keep me covered. However, I haven’t been a vampire very long, so I’m bummed that I won’t be able to enjoy the beach as much in the summer.”
Trying to get to know my husband better in the middle of a murder investigation was certainly unique, aswe jumped between topics—murder, sun sensitivity, auras. Whatever, I’d take what I could get. “That's so sad. I love the beach. I should be careful about the sun, but I can’t help it. Every year, I get tan and the sun bleaches my hair enough that my skin and hair are the same shade. I’ll probably die of skin cancer before any murderer can get to me.”
“Hopefully not.” Wickham laughed as we reached the blue sports car. “Okay, we need to focus.”
I pulled out my phone to snap some photos. When I got to the license plate, I shot some photos of that as well. “This is great. We can give the plates to the police and...”
“Not so great.” Wickham brushed a clump of snow from the back bumper.Reliability Rentalswas printed across the back. “This is a rental car, so unless whoever rented it gave their real i.d. to the rental company, we won’t be able to find out anything.”
“Maybe. But even rental companies have security cameras, right? It’s worth a try.” We were getting so close.
We trudged out of the parking lot and back up the tree-lined, snow-covered path to our cabin. Wickham’s phone dinged, and he read the message. “Bradley doesn’t know whether anyone rented a blue sports car.”
Of course not. That would be too easy.
“That figures, but we can still try to contact the rental company.”
When we made it to our little cabin, I fished the key out of my purse, almost confusing it with the key for cabin 319, which I still had.
Wickham was less stressed since he was out of the sun and in the shade of the covered porch. “Of course. If they’ll cooperate.”
I unlocked our cabin door. Fortunately, no unexpected surprises awaited us this time. “Whoever we’re up against is pretty smart.”
Wickham peeled off his layer of gloves, hat, coat, boots and scarf. A small puddle of melted snow formed on the floor underneath the rack of winter outerwear. “Maybe. They made a mistake in coming here.”
