He observed me with an impenetrable expression, my disbelief not phasing him.
“You’ve lost weight.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” I lied. I didn’t like that he knew me well enough to be able to tell that at a glance when people I was around everyday hadn’t.
“I didn’t notice yesterday, but it’s obvious,” he continued, not paying attention to my denial.
I gritted my teeth and narrowed my eyes at him.“Is this why you called me here? To criticize my weight?”
“We’ll get to that. First,I’d like to know why you look like a stiff breeze could knock you down,” he said, not taking the bait.
“I’d prefer to get to it now.”
“Anticipation is its own reward,” he murmured, his eyes running over me critically.“When is the last time you ate?”
I gave him a smug smile.“On the way over.”
I didn’t even have to lie. The blood smoothie had gone down easily andI’d finished it before I realized it.
“You should not be so thin,” he said, still stuck on the subject.
I shook my head at him.“You’re not my father, my boyfriend, or even my friend. My health is no concern of yours.”
The skin of his face tightened and he gave me a look bordering on insulted. He seemed to withdraw, a mask settling into place. It was like a stranger stood in front of me—one who reminded me of the Liam from our first meeting. A cold bastard who thought nothing of breaking someone’s ribs simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I hadn’t realized how much he had softened with me—how much of himself he’d let show past the facade until he withdrew—the flash of vulnerability he’d shown me earlier, disappearing.
It made me second-guess my last words. PerhapsI’d been needlessly harsh. Liam had somehow made it past my walls and become a friend of sorts. Granted, it was the type of friend who needed to be held at arm’s length and watched at all times.
“Very well then. If that’s how you want things,” he said.
I should have been relieved we were back to business, but I wasn’t.
“I have need of your eyes,” he said brusquely.
By that I took it to mean he needed my ability to see magic with my left eye.
“I thought you wanted me to keep that little secret under wraps.” I stuffed my hands in my pocket and cocked a hip as I frowned at him.
It was a simple enough request. Surprisingly painless even.
The request eased some of my nerves. This, I understood. It was all the emotional crap that tripped me up.
“I do. That’s why I had you come here,” he replied.
I watched him with reservation. It still surprised me he’d told me to keep the fact I could see magic from Thomas, my sire and the master of the city. Also, Liam’s friend, a man he considered a brother since they were made by the same master.
“Alright, what do you want me to look at?” I asked.
Despite my earlier reservations, I was a little excited by this. I couldn’t help but wonder what was so important that he needed my eye. Perhaps it was an ancient artifact that had been cursed or an arcane object whose purpose he needed me to decipher. Either possibility was enough to spark my interest.
“Me, I need you to look at me.” His face was cold and remote, his gaze piercing as I frowned in surprise.
He didn’t look happy about admitting that, and the tight press of his lips warned me from asking questions—though I wanted to. Badly.
“Can you give me an idea of whatI’m looking for?” I asked.
I needed somewhere to start. I was too new at this and didn’t have enough of a handle on it to know how to do what he wanted.
