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Rome
It was clear the woman was trying to move, most likely using all her strength and straining against Kerry’s hold, but she wasn’t going anywhere. Not with as pissed as he was.
“Kerry, I’m your friend!” she pleaded.
“Show your true face!” he barked as he stood over her spread-eagle figure. “Or I’ll roast this one off!”
“You wouldn’t dare.” Her voice changed, lowering half an octave and picking up a faint accent. Spanish, maybe. “You wouldn’t hurt the miracle worker.”
“No, but you ain’t her, are you?” A fireball formed in his hand.
He’s bluffing her,I assured myself, but moved closer just in case he wasn’t.
The fireball hovered three inches above her skin.
He’s in control. He hasn’t turned tiger.
Two inches.
Itisa bluff, right? He wouldn’t really burn her face off.
One inch. I could see the flames reflected in her wide eyes.
Oh, crap. I’m going to have to stop him, aren’t I?
But Amanda Greenaway’s pretty face suddenly turned into a rather startling one, and I blew out a huge sigh of relief.
Long spider legs—either tattoos or makeup—began at her black eyes and stretched up her wrinkly forehead and down her hollow cheeks. Her skin paled to porcelain speckled with age spots, her lips thinned, and her long brown hair morphed into short black curls threaded with silver.
It was not a face I recognized, nor did the others.
“Someone call Hank.” Kerry simmered down enough to extinguish the fire ball. “I need him and Gina here. And call the real Amanda Greenaway, too. Make sure she’s okay. Better yet, call John and get him and Tara to check on her.”
“On it.” Jax whipped out his phone.
“Why do you need Hank and Gina here?” Mira stared intently at the woman, as if she were trying to figure something out.
“If Amanda isn’t Amanda, Lilas might not be Lilas,” I explained.
“And they can do what? Have Gina teleport them back to the Sanctuary?”
“No.” My brow furrowed until I remembered she had raised herself outside of any Sanctuary, so of course she wouldn’t know. “As a messenger, Gina can detect and unravel deceptions and illusions.”
“Well, that’s handy.”
“What are you going to do with her?” Gigi asked.
“Get a few answers.” Kerry lifted one shoulder.
“Don’t you mean ask a few questions?” Her lips twitched into a frown.
“I ain’taskinganything.” His grin was brutal. “She’s gonna tell me everything I wanna know.”
I cleared my throat and, this time, I stepped inbeforehe lit a fireball.
“How about I snap a pic of her and text it to Josef? He might recognize her.”
