We both sniffed.
Not a fox. Not fully human. There was some wolf. Or was there? Something threaded through her scent that didn’t have a clean name. Old. Bloodline deep.
The redhead had started talking. We were too busy trying to figure out what the other one was.
I finished my water and scrunched the paper cup, tossing it into the bin.
“Apologies, ladies—something in my throat.”
Her torn out neck should be in our throat, Kael snarled.
I smiled pleasantly.
“I’m Conrí,” I said, waiting for their names.
“Francis Hardman.” The redhead. Then, gesturing:“And that’s Nika Horvat.”
My gaze dropped before I could stop it—registered the dress, the breasts—and confirmed efficiently that Nika Horvat was not, in fact, the junior male team member I’d assumed from the name.
Nika, Kael snarled, the name like something he was tasting and rejecting simultaneously.Nika. Wrong. Bad. Wrong.
The woman didn’t smile. There were no pleasantries. Her eyes swept down me, pausing at the floor before they worked their way back up.
The disdain was obvious. But there was more. Her chin tilted up. A muscle twitched in her left cheek.
Once. Twice.
Then a slight flare of her nostrils.
Murder.
She wanted to slaughter me.
It seemed we both wanted the same thing.
I forced myself to relax and pulled a chair out, lazily sliding into it. I crossed my legs and fixed my tie, smoothing it over my abdomen.
When I raised my head, I stared into those eyes.
“You may begin.”
I used the tone Cuán called insufferable. It served a purpose.
It worked. Her hands closed into small, tight fists on either side of the laptop. The cheek twitched again. Then she tossed her ponytail over her shoulder and turned to the screen.
She did not tap the keyboard gently.
She stabbed it.
Again.
And again.
My jaw clenched each time Kael pushed against me. His teeth needed to sink into her flesh. I kept whispering to him.Not yet. Not now. Soon.
Francis glanced between us—once, twice—then lifted her notepad and developed a sudden intense interest in its cover.
Keep your eyes on her, Kael said.
