Damn, too much pain—too much!He needed to heal faster.
Sebris glanced up and encountered his reflection in the mirror. More black bled into his eyes, he could barely see their pale color anymore. Harsh lines creased his face, while his mouth held a cruel twist.
Well, hewasin a shitload of agony.
One good thing had come out of this, though. Satisfaction spread through him. Reynner had sent the female away before he confronted them. That alone told him everything he needed to know. She was the foretold one.
A knock on the bathroom door distracted him. Xever walked inside, looking alert, his eyes back to their usual storm-gray. Good. His warriors were back and had powered up.
Xever glanced at Sebris’s wound. “What happened?”
“Had an encounter with the Empyrean. Call the others.”
Nodding, Xever left the bathroom.
Sebris headed for his dressing room, found a clean white shirt, and pulled it on. He snagged the vodka from the dresser, poured a shot, and took a draft of the drink, relishing in the fiery buzz the liquor gave him. Then he walked into the bedroom, straightening his shirt as Xever, Taegér, and Paxyn entered.
“I’ve seen the foretold one. Taegér will fill you in on her description. If you get a chance, bring her here. I’ll be back in a day.”
His powers needed to recharge.
***
The woody scent of trees and moist earth drifted toward Eve, along with a heat that just wouldn’t quit. She rubbed nervous hands down the sides of her black yoga pants. Her short-sleeve black tee kept her cool, but she wondered if she was dressed right for this. Wearing black was so clichéd, but right now, standing in the fringes of the park opposite the museum, she blended into the shadows and that was good.
Reynner stood beside her, his body motionless. His expression bore the same stillness. She wondered if anything ever ruffled his cool composure because her heart thumped violently in her chest. Surely he could hear its terrified rhythm?
He glanced at her then slid his hand around the back of her neck, his warm, callused touch steadying her.
Oh, yeah, the man was no fool. He knew how uneasy she was about this. He didn’t say anything, but his thumb stroked the rapid beat of her pulse before sliding to her chin and tilting her face to his. “Trust me.”
She inhaled a deep breath. “Let’s get this over with so I can breathe again.”
Amusement tugging his mouth, he slid his arm around her waist then bent his head and pressed his lips to hers. Eve gasped. The air swished out of her lungs, and the world around her swirled and disappeared into a vortex.
Oh, crap, they were dematerializing. She clung to him despite her body having the consistency of air. His arms tightened around her. Before she could get her racing mind to understand that he’d actually kissed her, they took form again in a dimly lit corridor.
“Don’t ever do that again!” She shoved away from him and stumbled, the floor rushing to meet her. He steadied her and raised an eyebrow. “Did you think we’d knock on the front door?”
She scowled. “Very funny.”
Her lips still tingled from his too brief kiss, aware he’d only done that to distract her. Taking a deep breath, she glanced around. They were in a part of the museum never seen by visitors. Reynner must have done a thorough investigation if he knew this maze of passages so well.
“This way.” He led her down the eerily quiet corridor to a door at the end. A second later, a soft click sounded and it opened.
“Know your way around, do you?” she snipped.
“Made it a point to know. Always. On the off chance I found you.”
Eve scrunched her face at his words. But she’d never tell him how glad she was that he could cover their tracks. She dreaded what could happen if they got caught. Ugh! What a lame-head. They wouldn’t get caught, he’d probably just dematerialize them out of the place.
Reynner stepped into the darkened room, grabbed her arm, and held her back when she would have walked past him. The musty odor of ancient objects and wood remained suspended in the air. A shiver ran through her. “What is it?”
“We don’t want to set off any alarms.”
Edgy, Eve shifted on her feet and waited at his side while he scanned the place before letting her go. “We’re good.”
“What did you do?”
