“That kind of admission invites punishment.”
Maya jutted out her chin. “Then punish me. I’m sure you’ll be very fair about it.”
“Watch your tone,” Natalya said sharply. “Under any other circumstances, a stunt like this would confine you to the high-rise for the next year. Luckily for you, we might be housing prisoners of war in the near future, and locking you up would waste a perfectly good cell. Until I figure out what to do with you, you’ll go back to working at the club bar and keep your goddamn head down.”
Natalya moved right up to Maya, eyes hard as steel. “This leniency will not be repeated. If you ever hide information from me again, I’ll show you just how torturous immortality can be. Am I understood?”
Her tone didn’t invite argument. And since Maya had prepared herself for something far more agonizing than bartending duty, she should feel grateful that Natalya was in a merciful mood.
But her stomach still sank. Whatever imitation of normalcy she’d lived in these past few weeks was gone now. Within the next hour, Harper’s car would roll up in front of the Lotus, and the peace she’d foolishly rested in would turn into a memory.
“I understand, ma’am.”
“Good.” Natalya’s voice was just as curt as before. But the sternness in her eyes lessened.
She put her hand on Maya’s shoulder. A jolt fired from her fingertips, making it feel like there were needles under her skin. But the feeling vanished in a blink, replaced by a wave of ease flowing through her limbs.
“If our laws were different, I would be thanking you right now,” Natalya said quietly. “Evie’s happiness means everything to me. You gave her that. I won’t soon forget it.”
Her eyes flicked over Maya’s face. She pursed her lips and lowered her hand.
“Maybe someone else won’t either. Young women tend to appreciate having their lives saved.”
Maya’s eyes widened. “What?”
“Don’t act dumb. You’re not very good at it.” Natalya stepped back, heading for the curtain-covered entrance to the Lotus main room. “They’ll be here soon. Wait for them out front and make sure they get inside. Once you’ve done that, go back to the high-rise.”
And with that, Natalya pushed past the curtain and vanished from sight.
The building wasn’t yet ready for the public, so there wasn’t anyone else around. But even empty and unfurnished, it was still beautiful, with an open space at the ground level and private rooms upstairs. The color scheme leaned towards blacks and dark purples, occasionally accented by stainless steel. This was a branch of the Court of Chains, after all.
After today, Maya would never set foot there again. She wouldn’t be able to bear it, watching Harper so in her element and knowing that her teasing smiles would never again be aimed at her.
Pocketing the switchblade, Maya walked out of the front door. In a few minutes, a busted sedan would drive up the street, and then everything would change. She had been tailing Harper’s car the entire journey towards Chicago, only running ahead when they were less than an hour from the city.
It hadn’t even taken effort to outpace the vehicle. An odd change amidst all this chaos. A few weeks ago, she had detested her vampiric nature so much that she would rather deal with hours of car sickness than make use of her powers.
That hatred was gone now. Orlessened, at least. Because even though she tried, she couldn’t make herself regret what she’d done in the dark hours of that morning.
She didn’t even remember deciding that those people had to die. The memory of cutting their throats open was crystal clear, but when had she chosen to do so? When they drew their weapons? Or when that insect of a man put his hands on Harper and dragged her towards his car?
That was the one thing she regretted. He’d gotten away. That, and Harper almost getting hurt.
No, shehadgotten hurt. Maya had seen her wince when she slammed into the police car. Had sensed the terror ebbing off her.
Was it sick that Maya felt worse about Harper getting scared than she did about killing three people? Did all vampires feel this way? This primal, thisviolent? This yearning to sink fangs into warm flesh and feel someone tremble as you sucked the very life from their body?
That would never happen. She’d rather throw herself on a stake than let it. In that way, today’s outcome was fortunate. It kept Harper safe from this dreadful hunger that had awakened inside her.
Almost half an hour passed before the rattling of an old car engine wove in with the morning traffic. A few seconds later, a dented sedan turned the corner, its back bumper dangling and one brake light shattered.
The car skidded to a halt by the curb. The driver’s side door flung open, and Harper stepped out, her usually soft blue eyes made steely from anger.
A sigh escaped Maya’s lips. One she couldn’t resist, and which blew away every harrowing thought that had just been gnawing at her mind.
The sight of a furious woman had never been more beautiful.
“What the fuck, Maya!?” Harper slammed the car door and stomped across the sidewalk. “Do you know what we just went through? We almost got killed; a risk you neglected to mention during your little visit this morning.”
