“Gods, you really didn’t see it.” She stared at me with bewilderment. “What makes me mad is it would be so easy to hate you, but I can’t. I considered you a friend. Someone I trusted.”
“I am your friend.”
“No,” she replied, emotionless, shifting her back flat against the wall. “You’re not. Youchosethem. You chose fae overus!” Her voice rose, grief watering her eyes. “Your friends, family.Caden. You turned on us that night. You killed Elek!”
“I-I didn’t.” I didn’t actually kill him, but I was the cause of his death in the alley.
“You let them brainwash you. Erase everything you used to stand for and believe.” Her head shook. “I-I don’t understand.”
“No, you don’t.” I rubbed my face, frustration pinching my nerves. “It wasn’t until I was outside the walls of HDF, fighting for my life in Halálház, that I realized HDF is the one brainwashing. The world is so different outside those gates, and we aren’t truly trained for any of it. Fae are not what you think.”
“Wow, you really drank the Kool-Aid, didn’t you?” Disgust curled her lip. “I thought you were stronger than that.”
Whatever I said would sound like some excuse, a scripted line. The more you denied something, the more it rang true. “I won’t convince you with words.” I stood back up. “I can only hope time will show you the truth and change your opinion.”
“You might as well kill me now, because no matter what, I will never choose the fae over my kind. Never!”
“I hope you’re wrong about that, Hanna.” My lips pinched together as I moved for the door. “I really hope you’re wrong.”Your life depends on it.
Stepping out the door and moving a few steps down the passage, I suddenly was no longer just in the underground base. I also was in a room. A space I knew well... the smell of sex and body odor filled my nose. Low flickering fire bulbs disguised the wear of the run-down bedroom of the whorehouse.
Warwick stood by the window, his back to me.
“You are playing with fire. Nothing good will come of this.” Kitty’s voice jerked my head to her, near the door. She was reserved and elegant, wearing a gold dress with a slit up to her hip, matching heels, her hair curled, and her lips painted bright red.
“You don’t think I fucking know that?” He growled, his hands gripping the sill until I heard wood crack.
“We have lived many lifetimes, brother... I’ve never seen you like this. She has changed you.”
Fury flexed his back muscles; a strangled snarl hummed from his throat.
“Why are you even here then?” Kitty shook her head with frustration. “Go back.”
Warwick stiffened, and I knew he sensed me, his head whipping around, his piercing eyes landing on me.
Fury twitched his eye, his head wagging slightly, speaking out loud to me. “I should have known you’d still find me no matter how much I blocked you.”
Kitty peered around, her brows furrowing, not understanding the sentiment was meant for me.
I didn’t speak, feeling his resentment and anger searing into me, but something else was there he wouldn’t let me reach.
His eyes slid to Kitty. “You know what? I changed my mind. Ask Nerissa to come with friends... have her bring the English girl.”
“Rosie?” Kitty asked.
“Yes.” His eyes met mine.
Like he knifed my chest and placed a bomb between my ribs, pain exploded through me, freezing me in place as parts of me splattered in pieces.
“Warwick . . .” Kitty’s tone held warning.
“I’m a paying customer, aren’t I?” he growled.
“You are afool.” She lashed at him, slamming the door after her.
He didn’t respond, only stared at me, his jaw set.
“Fuck you.”I could barely get the words out.“Don’t bother coming back.”
