Jason grinned unabashedly. “Aw, that isn't how your pretty fairy husband seduced you? 'Oh, my dearest Amaranthine,” he mimicked Everan's voice, “I will just die if I cannot squish with you.”
Even Malik chuckled at that one.
“Oh, fabulous.” I rolled my eyes. “Now you've made it into a euphemism—a particularly bad one, I might add. Euphemisms are supposed to be inoffensive.”
“I like the word squish.” Jason grinned. “Squish, squish, squish.”
“It will be the sound you make when my fist meets your face if you don't stop speaking this very instant,” Malik growled.
Jason stopped speaking.
Alex cleared his throat. “Here we are.”
Alex led us into a starkly hygienic room. In the center of the windowless, but nonetheless bright, space, Edward Leshing laid in a hospital bed looking bleak. His burns had gotten worse since the picture had been taken; they now covered most of his exposed skin, and I assumed most of his covered skin as well. A nurse was dabbing ointment on the wounds on his arm. She looked up at us, nodded respectfully to Alex, put aside her tube of ointment, and left the room without a word. Edward shifted his stare over our group and let out a tremulous sound.
“Mr. Leshing, I've brought some specialists to speak with you. They'd like to ask you a few questions.” Alex looked pointedly at Jason.
Jason looked at Malik.
Malik rolled his eyes. “Obviously, you can speak now, you buffoon.”
Jason winked at me before stepping up to Leshing and lightly touching his toe—one of the few places that weren't burned. “Mr. Leshing.”
Edward Leshing suddenly locked stares with Jason and went very still.
“How did you get your supernatural abilities?” Jason asked.
“I bought them,” Edward said in a scratchy monotone.
The rest of us went still and exchanged shocked expressions.
“Youboughtthem?” Jason asked. “From who?”
“At an auction.” Leshing swallowed roughly. “Invite only.”
“Ask him who holds the auction,” Alex prompted.
Leshing answered before Jason could ask, “I don't know who runs the auction. I received a phone call. I thought it was a prank at first, but they were so calm. So insistent. They sent me videos of supes and told me that their powers could be transferred to me.” Leshing blinked and frowned at Jason. “You didn't have to do that. I want these fuckers caught as bad as you. Look at what they've done to me!”
Jason stepped back, looking uncomfortable as Alex stepped forward.
“All right, Mr. Leshing.” Alex held up a hand. “I apologize for the theatrics. We had to be certain that you told us the truth.”
“Actually, I could have just touched him while you questioned him, and I would have known if he was lying,” Jason muttered.
Alex gave him a you're-not-being-helpful look. Jason shut up again.
Leshing took a breath and let it out slowly. “Are you all supernaturals?”
“Yes.” I stepped forward. “Mr. Leshing, I'm Amara.”
“Call me Edward.” He grinned and then winced.
“Can you tell us where this auction was held, Edward?” I asked.
“Beijing,” he said. “I was met at the airport, blindfolded, and driven to a private home. There were about twenty of us there, all bidding on supernatural abilities.”
“And when you had the winning bid, what happened?” Alex asked.
