Page 21 of Haunted Nightmares
“Thinking on my feet is harder to do these days.” I spit a bit more black tar then clear my throat. “In any sort of clear way, anyway.”
“Or sane,” Declan clarifies and I smirk.
He is not wrong.
He waits for me to finish fixing myself up then sighs in exasperation. “Are you ready now? We’re going to be late.”
With a nod, I walk to the edge of the roof and look down in time to see the couple leave the shop arm in arm, chatting softly to themselves as they do. An involuntary growl leaves my lipsas I watch, their relaxed and almost carefree attitude grating on my frayed nerves but just before they exit the alley, the female slowly turns her head and glances at the roof just as my raven friend comes to perch on my shoulder.
“Do you know them? From before, maybe,” Declan asks as he joins my gawking, but I shake my head.
“Never seen them before tonight.”
He nods. “Which doesn’t mean much, you weren’t exactly friendly with the general public.”
“I suppose not,” I say quietly as a wicked grin spreads across my face because that changes now.
I have a feeling I’ll be getting veryfriendlywith that couple in the near future, and the jolt of malicious glee that fills me has both Zenlothanai and I buzzing with delight.
Friendly, indeed.
6
Deal with the Devil
If I didn’t know with the utmost certainty that Declan does not and never has possessed any form of visions, prophetic tendency, or ESP, I’d start wondering whether the male was in fact psychic on some level.
Perhaps a backward sort of level, one where he got his wires crossed and assumedI’dbe the one who was late to this god awful rendezvous instead of the prick I’ve been waiting on for twenty three and a half minutes, but Declan knew someone would be late.
He’s not psychic, though, and he made sure my arse was here on time regardless of our pit stop in town.
So, ultimately my friend was pointing his nonexistent talent in the wrong direction.
And it’s had me thinking perhaps he is the mole after all.
Reclusive and unhinged or not, I’ve obsessed quite a bit over my gentle breeze’s final days and the promises I made to her.
Between tracking down the various members of the Counsel, eliminating any Descendant I come across, and toying with anyone else daft enough to be within the same city as me, I’ve thought long and hard about who this double agent could be.
For a time I had myself completely convinced it was everyone, that all of my supporters, everyone from Declan to Orion were traitorous little worms trying to do nothing but take the throne from me but even in my delusion I couldn’t justify that many people participating in a betrayal of such magnitude. And that’s when I began looking a little closer at everyone in my inner circle.
“Stop,” Declan whispers as he dips his head close to my ear. “You’re going to wear a hole through the table.”
My brow furrows as I turn to face him, his dark green eyes bouncing between mine before he resumes standing protectively to my right.
I stare up at him for a few beats, examining the stoic look on his face, scouring his features I’ve always found rather pleasant, like the pronounced jawline and boxy cheekbones, searchingforanythingto prove my paranoia right.
My gaze traces those lines over again, the nearly diamond shape of his eyes, the deep forest green irises surrounded by long light colored lashes, his analytical stare never wavering. Declan has let a bit of scruff grow in on his cheeks and chin, looking every bit the imposing six-foot-seven beast he is, his skull trimmed hair adding to the threat his physical presence brings.
He’s thicker now as well, meatier and stronger than he has been in years and while I’d like to think it’s because he missed me so terribly much after he quit that he poured all of his energy into working out, I know that’s not it.
The twit Declan began working for—Archer or something else ridiculous—likes to get himself into all sorts of trouble and just like his work at Plasma, it keeps the male fit and burly.
Shaking my head, I turn back to the table and watch my fingers impatiently rap against the aged wood.
Not Declan.
It isn’t him, I know that and always have but I also know that this supposed molehasto be someone almost as close as he is.
