“Renee,” he purred. “Let’s hear your answers.”
“Of course.” My voice went higher and airier than it usually would. “Ask away, Don.”
He arched a brow. “What’s the story behind your job?”
“Oh, that’s easy,” I said sweetly, tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear. “Started at Fate Hollow Media, then jumped to Apex Capital Media. I’m a full-time reporter, and I get full-time access to the juiciest stories in the area. Sugaralwaysworks better than venom.” I leaned in just a fraction, but that lie tasted bitter on my tongue. “You should try it sometime.”
The smirk deepened. “I’ll stick to what works for me. Mixing drinks, loosening lips…plenty of beautiful women to talk to.”
My breath hitched. “Defining childhood event?”
“I was fourteen, ran a bar in my uncle’s cellar for the local teens. Made more in a month than he did in a year.” He grinned deliberately slow. “Yours?”
“When I was ten, my best friend dared me to dance in the market fountain during a thunderstorm. Slipped, soaked myself, and ended up on the front page the next day.”
We traded questions like blows. What were the most dangerous things we’d done, lines we’d never cross, whether the ends justified the means, and what we liked to do in our free time. I couldn’t stop myself from wishing that we were grilling each other about ourreallives. I had so many questions about Dimitri and who he was now and before he came here.
We were nearing the middle of the interview already just as Hawk and Eleanor finished their personas and turned them in.
I cocked my head and smiled sweetly. “Interesting choice to be a vampire addicted to gossip. Projecting much?”
The corner of his mouth ticked up. “Better than hiding behind drinking herbal tea like it’s not your actual coping mechanism. Oh wait…too close to home?”
He referred to my persona’s little hobby that might’ve been a bit too close to the real me.
I laughed. “At least mine doesn’t involve hanging around supernaturals and pretending to care about their problems.”
“Better than hiding behind a press badge so you can poison people with your words instead of your venom,” he bit back.
The air between us tightened until Jarvins’s voice cut through like a blade. “Alright, you two. Great job so far, but switch partners, and change your personas on a whim.”
We didn’t move immediately.
We stared each other down, unwilling to give the other the last look.
When we finally parted, at the same time, Dimitri got up and re-partnered with Lorian while I moved next to Koa.
Koa and I pulled two chairs close together.
He slid into the chair across from me with a grin that made my heart skip a beat.
“Since Dimitri and Rune got off topic and blew their covers by bickering, they will get one last chance. Same goes for anyone else who breaks character since this is your first assignment.” Professor Jarvins clapped his hands. “Persona.Timer. Go.”
“Hi.” Koa tilted his head with a wink. “My name’s Quinn Smith. Adrenaline-junkie. Unemployed. Care if I ask you some questions?”
I crossed my legs and took a deep breath. My voice dipped as I switched my personality into a seductive potion shop owner, a backup persona I’d thought up last night. “Yes, of course, Quinn. I’m Elara Vey. A widow and collector and seller of rare potions. And I rarely do interviews…but you’ve caught me in agenerousmood.”
Koa froze, his gaze tracing my mouth as I spoke.
Across the room, Dimitri glanced away from his partner mid-sentence.
“You’re staring at her,” Lorian muttered under his breath.
“I’m…assessing,” Dimitri replied, though his jaw flexed. “That’s not her usual act.”
“Ah. Sounds like you’re jealous.”
“Jealous?No.” His tone was clipped. “I just don’t enjoy watching someone sell a lie that well.”
