He snorted a laugh. “Yeah. The first time I shifted to a female was disconcerting, to say the least.” He pinned me with his gaze. “But the Morph crystal dust addiction thing is very real. And I hope I am wrong. Because when my stepmother was off the dust, she was crazy.” He reached into the pack and pulled out, of all things, chocolate bars.
Human-realm candy makers had no idea just how far-reaching their influence was.
Oblivious to my preoccupation with chocolate, Lucas continued. “But she wasn’t as sick as you. Which either means I am wrong, or that you might have been damned close to a lethal dose of the stuff.”
Hmm, that didn’t sound good. “I was thinking if I took just one more dose, I could Jump us out of here.”
He stopped peeling the wrapper off a bar. “That could finish you off. I wouldn’t recommend it.”
“What if this is just me changing to Dragon?” I said.
He broke off a hunk of chocolate. “If you get worse in the next day, I’d say it isn’t that.”
But he couldn’t really know. And we needed to be out of here sooner rather than later. “Do you have a stash of crystal dust, just in case?”
He took the time to melt the chocolate in his mouth before answering.
“Not yet,” he said. “I need more resources before I can score Rafael’s crystals. Because if it is addiction—you’re going to need his help.” His eyes flashed as they flicked to me, and then away. “Nikolai says you are destined to be mated to Rafael, as well as Marcus and Havoc. According to Cara, anyway.”
My heart fluttered in my chest. It was an odd sensation, and as I answered, my head swam along with it. “Yeah, well, Fate is not only a bitch, but she has a twisted sense of humor,” I said. “Because none of them want me. Even Rafael pulls away.”
Lucas was silent for a moment, but then he said, “You know he has a twin?”
I nodded. “That stunning Anna woman.”
He grimaced. “She almost killed one of her mates by having sex with him. Drained him of his life essence. He would have died, if she hadn’t given a bit of it back.”
I stared at him. “Which one?”
“The one that used to be a Dire, but is now a Dragon,” Lucas said. “Dragons and Bellatis are resistant to her power. They think that is why the Dire can now safely be with her.”
She’d almost killed him? “Could Rafael do that to me?”
Lucas rubbed at his face, and I realized how tired he must be. But all he said was, “He likely could. He’s as powerful as her, if not more so.”
It certainly helped explain some things. A shiver ran through me, but it wasn’t due to any kind of dread—because suddenly, instead of too hot, I was freezing.
I was no fucking use to anyone like this. “Where are you going to get money for the crystals?”
His mouth twisted. “I don’t know yet. My acquaintance in Sarti who owes me can get us a safe place to stay, and maybe hook me up with a score so I can buy crystals. As soon as Rafael returns, I’m going to track her down.” His gaze measured me. “If that’s all you can eat—try lying down for a bit. I’ll keep watch.”
“You don’t have to watch over me,” I protested.
“Actually, yes, I do. Very few females remain free in this place for long. The underworld is ruled by slimy bastard males.”
I stared at him, but he seemed deadly serious. So I peeled myself out of the chair and staggered to the bed.
The covers were a dilemma—either not warm enough, or boiling hot. My body couldn’t seem to decide which. But eventually, I slipped into a fitful doze, and the world faded around me.
* * *
I wove my way to consciousness by degrees, threading my way through unsettled, feverish dreams.
Something smelled delicious. Wasn’t until the ache centered between my legs, rather than my stomach, that my muddled brain connected the dots.
Rafael.
I blinked my eyes open, to see him standing by the window. The light coming through it was even dimmer than before. How long had I slept? He’d pulled his long hair back into a loose knot at the nape of his neck. I stared at his profile, noting how his brows were drawn low, and his expressive lips were clamped. Whatever he was thinking, it wasn’t about puppies and roses. A deduction confirmed when a muscle jumped along his jaw.
