The thought of what that would’ve done to Dahlia was worse than any ephemeral pain. Death would put an end to that quick enough, but Dahlia’s wounds would never heal.
They’d been inseparable for nearly their entire lives. They’d been family when their blood relatives weren’t. To know that bond had been so close to being weaponized made her want to throw up every Fruity Crunchum she’d spooned into her gullet.
Blowing out a calming breath, she said, “Okay, fair. I can see why you think the exception proves the rule in this one instance. It doesn’t, to be clear, but I see how it looks. And I… I mean, I’mgrateful,obviously. Thank you for saving my life. But you can see why everything you did after that has been a little distressing, right?”
“I could see that you were distressed,” he answered in a very non-answer kind of way.
She sighed. “Yeah, I guess that was expecting a bit too much.”
“Why were you attacked? I need more information to accurately assess the present threat.”
Cecilia looked up from between her knees. His dark visor revealed nothing, but she imagined she could still see that burning eye beneath the plasma-proof glass. She couldcertainlystill feel his tongue.
“There is no threat anymore. And it’s a really long story,” she croaked.
Sloane didn’t miss a beat. “I only require pertinent details. Proceed.”
She wasn’t sure why that was so funny or why that felt so verySloane,a man she only knew from shadows in the corner of her eye or a gleam of something that shouldn’t be there on the rooftop across from her apartment. And yet she snorted with laughter anyway.
The bizarre reality of the entire situation was finally catching up to her, she thought. The attack, the grisly murder, the kidnapping, the cell… Now a bowl of cereal and a stilted conversation had finally pushed her straight over the edge.
Getting the words out from between huffs of laughter, she explained, “My boss— my old boss, Devon — wanted to get with my best friend Dah?—”
“Dahlia McKnight, arrant, blonde, white, under six foot, apartment 4F, server at The Lush and student enrolled in abusiness program. Visited your apartment one to four times a week, recent witness of the assassination of Yvanna Amauri. Approved for visitation based on your apparent familiarity, lack of criminal record, and established routines. Recently absent. I marked that as a concern to follow up on.” Sloane inclined his head. The fairy lights glittered in the shiny glass dome that kept him hidden. “Continue.”
Trying very hard not to be derailed by that deeply unsettling string of accurate information about her friend, Cecilia muttered, “She got turned into— uh, you probably know that, I guess. Anyway, she’s with this super scary vampire named Felix, who caught Devon hassling her and…”
Sloane made a sound that might’ve been a hum if not for the modulator. “He eliminated the threat.”
There was no way to tell if there was real approval in his voice or if that was just her imagination. The chances were good that it was real, though.
“Exactly,” she continued, resting her chin on her knees. “But then Devon’s big brother came looking for him. Dahlia isn’t around because she moved in with her husband — which is really rude, by the way. His cousins packed up all her stuff so I don’t even get to steal her clothes anymore.
“Did I like looking at them while they packed it all up? Yes, of course. I have two eyes, a heart, and a deeply unsatisfying sex life. Is it still messed up that she abandoned me with no notice? I think so. Not that I’m not happy for her, obviously, because I really, really am. But you know we had a plan, right? How are we gonna raise our kids together if she’s across the continent with her new vampire family and I’m here single and alone and fuckingmiserable?—”
Cecilia cleared her throat.Good gods, I think I need more of that sedative.
Embarrassed by her little outburst of vulnerability, she tried to get back on track. “Anyway… You met Duke. He thought a good way to get Dahlia and Felix to tell him what happened to his brother was to— Well, you saw.”
It took her a second to place a faint ticking sound. It came from the steady beat of Sloane drumming his metal claw-caps against the concrete floor.
Speaking slowly, he confirmed, “So this was not tied to any outstanding debts that might’ve been owed to the vampire syndicate?”
Cecilia shook her head. She’d done some reckless stuff in her day, for sure, but she’d never been desperate — or foolish — enough to borrowmoneyfrom the brothers who owned the bar.
“The attack wasn’t motivated by any criminal activity or wider interest by other parties?”
“Not that I know of,” she replied, grimacing. “Duke and Devon weren’t exactly well-connected. And to be honest, I think even the criminals they associated with would be relieved that at least Devon is gone, if not both of them.”
“So you don’t believe there are any outstanding threats against you now. What about retribution for Duke’s elimination?”
Eyeing him, she muttered, “You know, I really don’t enjoy how you use that word.”
Sloane’s head tilted slightly to one side. “Heard. I will try to use the wordthreatsless in the future.”
“Why is that the word you think— Actually, no. Not important.” A little chilled after sitting for so long on the heat-sucking concrete, Cecilia gave herself something to do and ran her palms briskly up and down her bandaged legs. “No, I don’tanticipate retribution.I guess it’s not out of the question, considering I know virtually nothing about Duke or Devon’s personal lives, but it seems unlikely. They both kinda sucked.”
“What about Felix?”
