Cassius’s words from the night before rang unbidden in her ear.Because when we fuck, it’s because webothwant it. And it certainly won’t be a secret.
She hadn’t spoken to him since he’d thoroughly shut down whatever was happening between them. And when she’d woken, he was already gone. White-hot anger pulsed in her stomach. She’d made a fool of herself, and her cheeks still burned with embarrassment every time she thought about it.
There would be no fucking anytime soon, that was for certain.
Camilla gave her an odd look, and Thalia cleared her throat. “Cassius explained what your eye colors mean. The whole pure-blood and half-blood thing. But you’re not a Vampyr, so why are your eyes gold?”
Camilla set her book aside. Thalia wasn’t sure what she was reading, but the title sounded like some sort of erotica. Thalia resisted the urge to snort.
“You know about the pockets of magic, yes?” Thalia nodded as Camilla went on. “We were formed from those pockets of magic but also of the earth. The gold represents the minerals in the earth’s crust.”
“Really?” Thalia breathed. Every time those pockets of magic were mentioned, her mind spun.
Camilla smirked, laughing slightly. “No, but you should see your face right now.”
Thalia scowled, shoving a book back on the shelf. “Ha-ha. Very funny. I was being serious.”
Camilla sobered. “The gold was a way to identify us as shifters. Just like you can identify a bird based on their feathers.”
“But the Vampyrs also have gold eyes.”
“Their gold isn’t as pure.”
“Is it because they’re half-bloods?”
Camilla nodded. “If you look at Keegan’s eyes, they aren’t as gold as they seem; they have almost a copper hue.”
Thalia stared at the shifter, and indeed, her irises were nearly yellow because of how bright the gold was.
Thalia chewed the inside of her cheek. “Can you also … smell?”
Camilla raised a well-groomed brow. “If you’re asking if I can scent things like a human, the answer is no. But I can smell and hear things you can’t, just like the Vampyrs can.”
“What can you smell exactly?”
Camilla tilted her head, her delicate nostrils flaring slightly. “You used a jasmine soap last night for your bath.” Thalia raised an approving brow. She couldn’t even smell the soap she’d used. “I can also smell Cassius on you.”
Thalia’s pulse jumped, but she forced herself to breathe to bring her heart rate back down. Yes, Camilla probably smelled the desperation Thalia had felt when she practically threw herself at him. “Can you smell emotions? Like fear and—”Arousal.Thalia pushed the thought aside.
But Camilla must have sensed where her mind was going, because she smirked. “Yes. Anything that heightens the emotions, both shifters and Vampyrs can smell.”
Great.
“Can you smell anger?”
Camilla tilted her head, making a face. “Sometimes. Anger is an emotion that, while powerful, doesn’t have as strong of a scent. Fear and arousal—those emotions cause your body to react physically, and it’s easier to pick up on that.”
Well, at least Thalia had that going for her. Although she would like Cassius to choke on her anger next time he saw her.
“Is House Gallinus really facing financial issues?” Thalia changed the subject. Maybe she needed to work on her subtlety. But at this point, subtlety wasn’t getting her anywhere.
Camilla sighed. “Yes and no. Their exports have slowed immensely within the last six months. But that isn’t making them destitute. They have other resources that could be set up to trade with other continents. Lord Adrian is just stubborn.”
“How are the other continents in dealing with Vampyrs?” Thalia pushed.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean …” Thalia paused, trying to word things carefully. “There are humans on other continents. Sula, for example, has no Vampyrs. They aren’t … worried about dealing with you all?”
