I darted in front of him.“What are you doing?”
He stepped around me, impatience stamped on his features.“I don’t have time for your neurosis. I need to speak with Liam.”
I stepped in front of him, my eyes wide and my smile as bright as I could muster.“He said he had to speak with one of the enforcers. How about you talk to me for a second? I haven’t seen you in the past few days.”
Nathan gave me a look like he thought I was acting like a crazy person. That was okay. I kind of was.
“I’ve been busy,” he said. He tried to move past me again. We did an awkward two step as I fought to stay in front of him.
“Really? With what?”
There was none of the usual sly humor in his eyes. Now that I got a good look at him, he looked tired and wane.
Impatience crossed his face.“Aileen, I don’t have time for these games. I need to find Liam. If you’re bored, why don’t you run along and pick another fight with Thomas so you can remind yourself of all the reasons you hate vampires?”
I didn’t let myself react to his words, hurtful though they were intended to be. It was just more evidence that Nathan wasn’t quite feeling himself.
I needed to figure out a way to get him out of here without anybody getting hurt. The way he was staring at me, like a man willing to bulldoze any obstacle in his way, made it clear getting him away from the gathering wasn’t going to be as easy as saying‘follow me.’
“I think I may know where he’s going,” I said, making shit up as I went along.
Nathan scrubbed tiredly at his face, biting out irritably,“Don’t keep me in suspense.”
“If you’ll follow me,” I said turning.
“No, tell me where he’s going andI’ll find him myself,” Nathan snapped.
I blinked at him. I could do that, but thenI’d lose control of the situation.
“Don’t be an ass, Nathan. I need to talk to him too,” I said, trying to keep from tipping my hand.
He made an angry sound but followed after me. My shoulders relaxed. That was one problem down, at least.
Niall and Cadell caught my eye as we walked away from the party. They looked questioning. I shook my head at both of them. The last thing I wanted was their interference. Despite the heart to heart last night, I didn’t trust either of them.
They remained in place as I stepped into the trees, breathing a sigh of relief. Nathan’s expression was still irritated, but at least he was listening. That was something at least.
His eyes were bloodshot, his skin the palestI’d ever seen it. For a moment I wondered when the last time he ate was.
He reached up and rubbed his head, not quite hiding a wince.
“Headache?” I asked.
“Vampires don’t get headaches,” he snapped.
Not true. We just usually had a very good reason for getting them, like maybe a compulsion we were fighting against and losing.
I studied him, doubt wiggling its way in. Maybe I was wrong in my assumption that he was under a compulsion. It wasn’t likeI’d had a lot of practice with this. I was feeling my way through blind, hoping and praying I got things right.
Part of me hoped I was wrong. I would be so happy if it turned outI’d misinterpreted that small shimmer.
I checked again. It was barely visible now.
I didn’t know what that meant or if it was even important. Once again, I cursed the limited knowledge at my fingertips.
We were far enough from the clearing now, the music from the band faint, a light background buzz. The Fae lights merely a distant memory as the dark pressed in all around us.
“I don’t see Liam,” Nathan complained.
