Ronin turned to whisper back, his plush lips grazing across her jaw. “His real name is Mattias Bisere, but no one everpronounces his last name right. So, Beezie it is. I would say we shouldn’t be talking about him right in front of his face, but I’m not sure he’s even noticed.”
Mattias—Mireille refused to use that ludicrous nickname—slouched against the banquette, his thin, but well-muscled arms spread across the cushions.
Ronin jostled Mattias’s shoulder and his head popped up, the precariously positioned cigarette landing in his lap in a flash of sparks.
“Oh, shit!” Mattias smacked his tight black pants, then tossed the smoldering cigarette into a glass of water where it snuffed out with a hiss. “Matakos. Hey man, I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Yes, we’ve already established that,” Ronin chuckled.
Mattias aimed a hooded gaze at Mireille, then licked his lips. “Who’s your yummy friend?”
Ronin brushed Mireille’s hair back and planted his chin on her shoulder, gazing at her lovingly. Her traitorous body flooded with heat. “This is my girlfriend, Mireille. Mireille, this is Mattias.”
Mireille extended a hand and Mattias clasped it over the table. His fingers were rough and dry, but his handshake was firmer than she would’ve expected given his current state.
“High Gods, am I hallucinating? You’re fucking stunning. What in Ethyrios are you doing with this asshole?”
Mireille snickered. “A question I ask myself on a daily basis.”
Ronin nipped her neck, and a languorous tingle, warm as melted honey, oozed down her spine. “I love it when she’s nasty to me.”
Mattias shook his head, rolling himself another cigarette, his eyes glued to Mireille’s exposed stomach. “I don’t blame you.”
He placed the cigarette in his mouth, and Mireille nearly fell out of Ronin’s lap as he snapped his fingers.
And a kernel of flame burst from Mattias’s thumb.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Mireille’s mouth fell open, and Ronin must’ve felt her tense in his lap because he whispered in her ear, “See? I told you he’d be worthwhile to meet with.”
“How…how did you do that?” Mireille asked Mattias, who snuffed out the flame, dragged deeply, and puffed out a cloud of smoke.
Mireille had never met a Fae with elemental fire magic. Nor the other two elemental magics, lightning and water, that had faded away centuries ago. Only the Windriders’ ability to control air and summon the wind had remained in Ethyrios after the suppression of the Fallen Goddess.
She was shocked Mattias felt safe enough to put on even that little display. Though truthfully, Mattias didn’t seem to be feeling much of anything at the moment.
“Fancy party trick, huh?” Mattias smirked at Ronin. Had he already known about Mattias’s gift?
“I knew she’d be impressed.” Ronin winked as Mireille continued to gape.
“Where did you get it from?” she asked.
“Showed up after my sister disappeared,” Mattias murmured around his cigarette. “No idea why or where it came from.”
“Your sister have it too?” Ronin asked.
Mattias shrugged. “Not that I know of.”
“What happened to her?”
A shudder ran through Mattias, and he seemed to sober up, sitting up straighter and glancing around the mezzanine. The alcoves were well hidden from each other, and the booming music was so loud that no one would hear them.
“Iknowsomething bad happened to her up at that estate…” Mattias trailed off, a fearful look in his eyes. “No matter what the IA claims.”
“Why did she go in the first place?” Mireille asked.
“She got some kind of cryptic invitation from Otto himself.” Mattias brought the cigarette back to his lips with pinched fingers, sucking in a comforting drag. He leaned his head back against the banquette, his mohawk crunching. “Claimed he could help herunlock her inner power, or some shit.”
