Then she sprinted for the two closed doors opposite the bed, hoping one of them was a bathroom. She needed to wash up and get rid of the burn stench before he came back. The first door opened into a tiny restroom with a shower, toilet, and basin.
Minutes later, scrubbed clean, Nia reentered the spartan bedroom, rubbing the slight throbbing in her temples. The haze in her head eased, and what occurred last night rushed through her mind—Lore vanishing from her living room, Zayn sprinting outside, then Lore reappeared and grabbed her, his stare so intense…
Dammit!He’d sent her to sleep.
A frustrated growl escaped her. She stomped from the room into the narrow, gloomy hallway and glanced both ways. The left led to more doors, the right to a stairwell. She ran down the stairs and stumbled into a cavernous living room.
Early morning rays streamed in through a series of domed windows, casting a dim glow into the split-level area. It illuminated soaring walls and a vaulted ceiling with a faded, water-damaged biblical fresco.So pretty.
But studying the mural had to be saved for later. Right now, she had an annoying angel to track down?—
A tingle spread along her nape, and her gaze snapped toward the source.
Lore stood near a door, watching her from the shadows on the opposite side of the sunken living room.
She scowled. “You put me to sleep!”
“It seemed the best thing to do to get you to safety swiftly.”
Meaning she was the problem?
Ugh.With a frustrated groan, she gripped her head, the blonde strands falling forward. No matter her irritation at being carted from pillar to post like luggage, it was for her safety, and she got that. The glamour was pointless now because Kas knew—everyoneknew!
She longed for her own visage back. Controlling at least one aspect of her life would be nice. But alas, that too was out of her reach.
Lore moved from the shadows and strolled the circular perimeter of the room, hands in his pockets. He stopped near the window, the rising sun silhouetting him, intensifying the fiery glow of his deep red hair and highlighting the chiseled bones of his unforgettable face.
While distracting her with his looks might not have been his intention, she refused to show him how much he did disturb her. “Well?”
He leaned against the sill, arms folded over his chest. “Well, what?”
“Zayn!” She glared. “My friend?”
“The human breathes.”
And wasn’t his concern.
Ugh.She couldn’t deal with his taciturnity so early in the morning. It was like pulling teeth without anesthetic. Nia stomped off toward the aroma of coffee. While not her favorite drink, and it would probably fray her nerves further, she hoped it would give her some clarity.
Nia pushed open the door where he’d stood a moment ago and entered a fairly large kitchen that appeared to have not beenused in a long time. The brewed coffee on the counter was the only thing that mattered.
She got a mug from the shelf above, poured the steaming beverage, and took a careful sip of the hot coffee?—
Shit!She coughed. The piping-hot liquid almost scraped a layer off her poor throat. Worse, it tasted like paint thinner.
Aware she wasn’t alone, she wiped the grimace from her face and faced Lore at the entrance, cupping her hot mug with both hands. “Why?”
“Why what?” He raised a darker eyebrow. “Why does the sun rise? Why do mountains exist, and birds fly? Why do fish swim?”
Smartass.So, he wanted her to ask questions? Fine.
“You saved me from Kas. I want to know why. Yes, yes, you said you didn’t know and was asked to do so, but surely you must have some idea?”
“Why were you with a demon?” he countered.
Total avoidance again. Gah.
She said sweetly, “What can I say? I’m drawn to the ones who want to kill me.”
