Page 157 of Huntress

Saint grabbed his chest. “That was needlessly hurtful,” he whined, throwing her a wink. “The color looks good on you, though. It brings out the warmth in your skin tone and makes the lavender in your eyes shine.”

“That’s specific.” She stood on her toes to give him a kiss before dragging him out the door.

Grabbing themselves some breakfast and sitting among the employees, they set themselves apart by not mixing with the others wearing the same uniform. A fair mix of careers was represented among them, and they’d all grouped into cliques.

Dark blue jumper uniforms for the janitors and mechanics who kept the place running; they were surprisingly the quietest of the bunch, keeping their heads down, eating, and leaving with little camaraderie.

The nurses wore scrubs in a few different colors that Elsie surmised must show their education level, or perhaps which area of the compound they worked. They, too, were separated, with only a couple from outside groups mingling together.

The healers also wore scrubs, though they wore darker and bolder colors than the nurses, and they had white smocks over the top.

Office workers had snappy clothes. The women were in heels and pencil skirts, while the men wore button-down shirts and khakis.

Then there were the researchers. They wore nice clothes of a higher quality than anyone else. Some of them wore the white smocks, but not all. They were the rowdiest, and their competing voices made it difficult for Elsie to make out their conversations. She caught a few tidbits, like a man laughing about someone coughing up blood, and a woman sneering about a “subject” wetting themselves when a specialized tool was brought out.Saint nudged her foot under the table, unable to take her hand and comfort her. He was born with heightened senses, and he understood a lot more of what was said.

“You were right about them experimenting on demons, but there’s no mention of chimeras or hybrids,” he murmured, taking a bite of his breakfast.

They got plenty of curious looks, mostly from the other nurses, but especially from those wearing their chosen color. To them, Elsie and Saint looked like odd new, anti-social coworkers.

“I didn’t know we were getting new techs.” A woman sat next to Saint, leaning in and openly appreciating his good looks. “I’m Cassie.”

He glanced up at her and went back to his food, which was far better than anything they’d ever been served back at the compound.

“Elsie.”

“Who were you assigned to?”

“Fletcher.” Elsie popped a grape in her mouth. She’d chosen scrubs in this color because the woman’s assistants had worn the same.

Cassie’s eyes shuddered, and she pulled back. She smiled, but it was a forced half-smile, with shallow dimples appearing at the corners of her mouth. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were one of hers. You guys aren’t usually housed up here.”

Elsie hid a little niggle of relief that she’d been right to go with Fletcher before it showed on her face.

“There was a chemical spill in the hallway of our assigned lodgings. We’re stuck here until it’s cleared up.” She was fully confident this woman wasn’t fae enough to detect the lie. A lot of people here were fully human.

“Oh, I hadn’t heard of it.” Cassie stood and backed up a step. “Good luck. Techs don’t last long down there.”

Elsie nodded sharply, and Cassie walked away.

“You had an admirer for about thirty seconds there,” she teased. Saint squinted at her for a second before rolling them in annoyed amusement.

“That was a risk.”

“A calculated one. You saw how Fletcher’s assistants acted when she was around. They’re afraid of her.”

“And if she’d worked for her too?”

“Then I’d have come up with some bullshit.” Elsie shifted to a whisper. “Wait, you’re Cassie? We’re supposed to start shadowing you today. Fletcher was going to introduce us, but I guess she’s not around?”

Saint snorted, then slid out of his chair, taking his tray with him. A woman he’d chosen as one of his targets exited the elevator. Elsie stayed where she was and watched him work while keeping an eye out to make sure no one else was especially interested in his actions. A couple of people glanced up as he walked by, but no one kept tabs on him.

Saint walked like a man deep in thought, intercepting the woman where the hall to the elevators met the edge of the cafeteria, where groups of people came and went, tossing uneaten food waste and stacking their trays neatly on a long metal cart. Anyone watching him would assume he hadn’t noticed her as they collided and upended his tray. It clattered to the ground, drawing attention, but only long enough to satisfy their curiosity before turning away.

“I’m sorry,” Saint apologized, his voice low enough that she actually leaned in closer. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Perfect, actually. Sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going,” she apologized right back, tucking her hair behind her ear.

He smiled at her, then crouched down to clean up his mess. She did the same, helping him scoop up the little basket his fruit had come in.