Furious now, Echo scowled at him in warning. “Stay out of my emotions.”
The bastard just kept grinning. “Afraid I can’t. Your emotions are so much more honest than the words that come out of your mouth.”
She tightened her grip on the wheel. “You are the most contrary pain in the ass I’ve ever met. One minute, you’re Mr. Sulky Grumpy. Now … this … whatever this is.”
“I had rather a terrible sleep on the plane, and I was a little put out about this whole car theft, but … you have a strangeeffect on me. And I find that I much prefer flirting with you to being annoyed at you.”
“I prefer the latter.”
“No, you don’t.” He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “But I’ll let you pretend otherwise for now. Wake me when we get there, will you?”
A feeling akin to panic began to build in Echo as she stood in her sister’s dorm room, staring down at her empty bed. It was still made. Her things were gone from her bedside table. Her clothes, except for her uniform, gone from her closet. The lingering trace of her scent suggested Odette hadn’t been gone long.
So lost in her mounting anxiety, Echo flinched at the touch on her shoulder and swiped at it. Elijah held up his hands defensively and stepped back. Remorse filled her.
“Sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t … He … he …”
Tentatively, Elijah placed his big hands on her shoulders and gave her a comforting squeeze. “What is it?” he whispered too so they wouldn’t wake Odette’s roommate. “Where is she?”
Echo stared into his eyes, hoping everything she knew about the fae was true. Because she was going to need his powers. “William must know that I know. He’s taken Odette. He got to her first.”
Elijah’s face hardened. “Where would he take her?”
Think, Echo, think.
“He must have sent werewolves, and they left during the day. They could be heading to Munich as we speak …”
“We don’t know that for certain, though. Wouldn’t he entrust this to his best people, knowing how strong you are?”
He was right. William wouldn’t leave this up to chance. He might not have sent werewolves knowing they were no match for Echo. In a pack, they were, though.
Her eyes darted around the room and came to rest on Adelah, Odette’s roommate and friend. If she witnessed Odette’s departure, she might be able to tell them who had her sister.
“You want to interrogate the roommate?” Elijah guessed, as if reading her mind.
“After I’m done … I need you to do the mind thing so she forgets.”
He raised an eyebrow and said smugly, “And after your lecture in the car too.”
“Just do it. Please.”
Elijah grimaced. “Fine. You better wake her.”
To say Adelah was frightened at first was an understatement.
“Shh, Adelah, it’s me, Echo.”
The young girl blinked rapidly, sleepily. “Echo? Echo … what are you doing here?”
“I’m here for Odette.”
“But she left.” Adelah suddenly spotted Elijah and her jaw dropped comically. “But you’re … you’re …” She swallowed hard and then rubbed frantically at her eyes. When she saw Elijah still standing before her, she looked ready to burst with excitement. “You’re Elijah Webb. From the Strix. Oh my God.”
Echo rolled her eyes. Odette listened to nothing but music by gorgeous young pop stars that all sounded the same. But Adelah would have to have decent taste in music for a twelve-year-old. Damn Elijah’s fame.
Obviously sensing Echo’s growing impatience, Elijah shook his head. “Nah, I just look like him.”
“No, you’re his spitting image. You?—”
