“It’s simply not done, Jen. The Unseen is a worldwide, organized government. We know who and what everyone is, and where they are. You aren’t required to live in the Unseen world, but no one is allowed to go off the grid, so to speak.”
“Maybe I was bitten by a supernatural bug or something, because I’ve never had anything but a normal, boring, slightly depressing life. Nothing like this has ever happened to me, except in a book.” I lathered my hair with a moan. The shampoo was expensive and smelled like guava. It was perfection.
“They don’t believe you.”
I threw my head back to rinse the suds from my hair. Once I was out of eye-burning danger, I sent him the stink eye. He stood near the open door staring at the ceiling.
“Do you believe me?”
He looked at me, and to his credit, his eyes never moved below my face. “I do. I saw the terror and amazement in your eyes at the courthouse.” He shifted his head so he wasn’t staring at me. “Although, you’re taking the idea of the existence of a supernatural world you’d never heard of remarkably well.”
“It’s a dream come true for me. Except for being arrested and put in a crazy jail situation where I have to use the bathroom in a bucket and shower in front of the first hot guy I’ve met in months.”
I almost squealed when I dug into the bag to get the body wash or soap or whatever they’d provided and I found a disposable razor. Apparently the supernatural police believed in keeping oneself neatly trimmed.
“You think I’m hot?” Roan watched me again as I opened a fresh bar of soap and smelled it before rubbing it between my hands to create a lather.
“Did you think of a washcloth?” I asked him. “Cause that would be awesome.”
He nodded and dropped the pile of clothes and towels in his arms onto the counter across the room. A wash cloth fell to the floor. He looked at it, clearly contemplating something, and kept his eyes on it as he picked it up and walked over to me.
Water splashed off of me onto his expensive suit, and I didn’t make any efforts to lessen the accidental shower as I reached out for the cloth. “Thanks.”
“What about your family? Have any of them ever seemed like they were keeping a big secret?” he asked, moving back enough to avoid the spray, but not before his brownish blond hair dampened. He ran his fingers through it, pushing it back and away from his face.
“I don’t have much family to speak of. A few cousins, parents. They’ve never given any indication at all they were keeping secrets.” I remembered what my cousin had gone through. “Well, one cousin had her husband and kids disappear. We all think she murdered them in a fit of rage, but that was like five or six years ago and the police never found anything, so who knows.”
His head cocked when I said five years ago. “What is your cousin’s name?” he asked, eyes wide.
“Riley,” I replied. “Why?”
CHAPTER THREE
He threw his head back and laughed. “Stay in here. Trust me for a little while, okay? I’m going to get you out of here.”
I gaped at him as he ran from the room before turning back and touching the wall out in the hall. A door slid out. I had no choice but to do as he said and stay in the bathroom, but I did take advantage of the time he left me in there. The shower was a welcome distraction. I luxuriated until I was pruny, and then searched through the cabinets until I found a blow dryer plus a few makeup items, all brand new.
The clothes he’d provided were basic, leggings and a fitted shirt, both black, but they were clean and smelled like lavender. I was glad to have them.
Once I’d primped all I could, used the bathroom in a real toilet, and cleaned up after myself, my good mood waned. I was still imprisoned after no wrongdoing. Basically, I was kidnapped.
I’d given up on his return and built myself a little pallet out of towels. As I was drifting off, the door opened again, but it wasn’t Roan. The man in black was back.
“Jen. I hear you know Riley Effler.”
I didn’t bother rising from my makeshift napping place. “I don’t just know her. Her mom and my mom were sisters.”
“And you’ve kept in touch with her?”
“Not exactly. She stopped talking to everyone when her family disappeared, and I’ve been a little preoccupied with my own stuff lately.”
“My name is Alexander. I’m the head of a council of leaders called the Junta.”
“Roan might’ve mentioned them the other day.” I sat up and studied his features. His nose was sharp, and his jaw strong. He had a similar build to Roan—lithe. He looked strong, as did Roan. Where Roan had medium to fair features, Alexander looked like he could use a minute in the sun—a shade paler than fair, whatever that was—his hair was as black as my own, though his had more curl.
“We are the government of the Unseen. Are you familiar with the Unseen?” He tucked his hands into his pockets and stared down at me coolly.
“Roan has mentioned it a few times. I’m assuming it refers to supernatural type creatures?”
