The hairs on the back of my neck and on my forearms rose.
And it wasn’t fear exactly that peppered through my spine, but….
I’d gotten used to the energy that Alex put off. It was almost second nature now. Even Asami’s slight buzz had been a pleasant tickle. I wasn’t sure I could get used to the vibes that Alex’s mother radiated, but chances were, I’d be able to. But the power, the intensity coming off this woman…
Part of me expected to grow a third eye, or at least some hair on my chin.
“It’s okay,” the little girl assured me as we made it to the table, like she knew why I’d hesitated.
I gulped and tried to focus on something else to calm down.
That was a sturdy-looking table. Was that redwood it was made of?
“Grandma, she’s nice, and I like her boobies,” Asami said suddenly as we stood on the opposite side of the table from where her grandmother was.
I let myself try again and slid my gaze back to her.
The woman looked at us with eyes that were way too perceptive, too clear and bright, and honestly frightening when they lingered on me. A bright purple glow flared from them before she focused, then smiled, revealing a mouth full of white teeth I had a feeling weren’t dentures.
“She needs to find Uncle Lexi, but maybe she’ll playTroublewith us,” the little girl went on as she climbed onto a chair beside her.
The grandmother kept looking at me, still smiling her creepy, too strong smile.
I wanted to back out of the room slowly without giving her my back.
“Hello,” I croaked out.
“Hello,” she greeted me again.
Oh boy. “It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.” WasthisAlex’s grandma?
“He can wait. Sit down,” the woman said as the chair beside her was pushed back.
He? Could she smell him on me? I really hoped that had been her foot that had moved the chair.
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied in a hurry, not wanting to irritate her.
Her eyes ran over my face, and I watched as she smiled even wider after a moment, like there was some joke she’d thought of.
I wanted to hide under the table. Use Asami as a shield, andthatwas embarrassing. It took everything in me to smile and even then, it was weak as fuck.
“She’s pretty, huh?” The little girl took a long inhale like there were croissants in the room and let out a dreamy sigh. “I like the way she smells.”
“Because she smells like intelligence and cunning. Well done, Asami,” the older woman praised her, her focus entirely on me.
I was still considering hiding under the table, but… intelligence and cunning? If she was going to break my neck, at least she thought I was smart and crafty? Did Asami have the same abilities?
“I’m Gracie, ma’am,” I forced myself to say, ignoring the fact it came out kind of hoarse and that my heart was starting to beat fast enough that she’d be able to sense it.
“Gracie,” she repeated slowly as if savoring the word. “You children with your English names.”
I wanted to apologize. “It’s Altagracia on my birth certificate.”
Her eyes glowed faintly purple.
“Ximena is my middle name.”
A little smile played at the corners of her mouth, but it didn’t feel that friendly even though it looked like it wanted to. “Altagracia Ximena Castro. You may call me Grandmother.”
