“And keep that one away from me,” Isaac said.
Shadrach leaned in close. “Noted,” he whispered. “I’ll work on the food and water. Don’t go anywhere.” He snickered as he went to the door.
“Hilarious,” Isaac drawled.
He closed and locked the door—the lock was new, likely installed moments after Talon got Isaac tied to the chair. Theothers were waiting in the sitting area. Talon was pacing. Alex, sitting on the sofa with Nathan and Luke, shot Shadrach a helpless shrug. Wolf was missing, and Shadrach glimpsed him through the glass front door, cell phone pressed to his ear.
Talon whirled to face him, jabbing an accusatory finger. “What the fuck was that?”
“What was what? You can’t kill him, remember? He can’t answer shit if hedies.”
Talon’s laugh was a cold and cruel thing. Over Talon’s shoulder, Shadrach saw Malachi and Storm exchanging a knowing glance at the sound.
Talon ignored him, turning toward Ira. “It can’t be him.”
“Why not?” Ira asked calmly.
“Because he’s an asshole!”
“Shadrach’s an asshole,” Ira said, like it was obvious.
“Hey!” he protested.
Everyone ignored him. Ira went on, “They’re perfect for each other. They just don’t know it yet.”
Shadrach tried to scoff, but the sound tangled in his throat. Isaac was all he’d been able to think about since the moment he laid eyes on him.
Ira had warned him that he’d fall for a human.Thishuman? The one with a taste for blood and an affinity for violence? The one who smelled like pomegranates and surrendered like pleasure was the greatest torture?
Dread and hope left him breathless. He wasn’t even sure hewantedIsaac to be the one, and yet he couldn’t deny the fragile feeling that took root under his skin. He wanted him, and he was terrified of it. Isaac didn’t want to be here, didn’t trust him, and most certainly didn’twanthim.
Ira studied him carefully. “You already knew, didn’t you? You can feel it. That thing pulling you toward him.”
All eyes found him, waiting.
“I-I don’t know, okay?” he said snappishly. “He’sinteresting.”
Talon’s head fell back in despair. “Oh goddammit.”
“Talon,” Alex admonished. “You remember what it was like. And we didn’t start off with anywhere near as much animosity as these two have.”
“He betrayed your friends!” Talon said. He pointed at Nathan. “While this one was having secret meetings trying to convince people not to want you dead for leaving the guild,that one,” he jabbed a finger in the general direction of the storage room, “was spilling all their secrets to the enemy!”
“Yeah, about that,” Shadrach said, folding his arms. “I don’t have the full picture yet, but they did something to him. There’s a reason he’s so blindly loyal. I just don’t have the whole story yet.”
“Did something like what?” Luke asked. “We were all taught the same things.”
“Did they ever restrict your food?”
Luke and the others exchanged a look. “No,” he said. “Did Isaac say that?”
“I saw it in one of his dreams. Sloan punished him with no dinners for a week and… something to do with Hawley.”
“The priest?” Alex said. “He never had a hand in our punishments.”
“What kind of punishments didyouhave?” Talon asked, his fury forgotten in favor of concern for his human.
Alex shrugged. “Detention-type stuff. Write lines fromthe Bible. Clean the weapons in the storage locker. Father Hawley just handles the sermons on Sundays and Wednesday nights.”
