Cara jerks me around to face her. “Seriously?” Folding her arms across her chest, she motions for me to continue.
Unable to be completely honest, I keep it light, telling her I met Jamison in London, and he showed up at the university today. Then I tell her about the new Elven professor who’s joined the staff for the semester.
Eyes as wide as saucers, she slaps me on the arm. “I’m so jelly. Two lovely, unbreakable men. Sounds like you already have dibs on those two, so I’ll take this one for myself. Come, I’ll introduce you.”
I chuckle and shake my head. “He’s busy. I’m just going to grab a run on the treadmill, then hit the wall. It’s been a while, and I need the practice.”
She heaves a huge sigh but pushes me toward the cardio area.
After completing a five-mile run, I make my way over to the climbing wall on the other side of the gym. This is my favorite activity. It’s the best thing I’ve found that mimics scaling a wallor building in real life. Skills every thief needs. I visually trace the climbing holds I want to conquer today.
Exchanging my sneakers for climbing shoes, I step into the harness. After hooking everything up, I chalk my hands and nod to the trainer on duty to let him know I’m starting the climb. He gives me a thumbs up, then turns back to watch the beginners on the wall next to me. I’ve been here so many times, he’s used to me.
Taking the most difficult route possible, I traverse my way up the wall, pushing myself to take the farthest hold instead of the nearest. As I get closer to the top, I arch my neck to find the ceiling. There. It will require a big leap to get there, but it’s the best move. Arms straining, I look down to position my feet, and see Cara’s new supe standing below, watching someone on the wall to my right.
Golden eyes swing to me briefly, then with a frown, move back to the woman he’s training. I roll my shoulders and refocus on the ceiling. Twisting my body, I spring forward, but instead of landing the jump, my fingertips graze the hold, and I find myself falling. “Damn it!” Thankfully, I’m far enough from the main portion of the wall to let myself fall directly to the mats below.
Anoomphescapes me when I hit a wall of muscle instead of the floor. A subtle smell teases my senses. Juniper, maybe. Confused, I look up. Fierce gold eyes stare down at me, almost glowing in their intensity.
I might be immortal, but that only means I can’t die. In the meantime, I can bruise or break bones. Feeling the hit, I lie in his arms for a second.
“Are you okay?” a gruff voice asks. Body tense and closed off, his energy reflects his gruff tone.
“Yep, just catching my breath,” I reply, easing out of his bulging biceps to stand beside him. “Err, thanks. The mat would have broken my fall.”
His brows lower as if he’s offended.
“Cara says you’re her new trainer. I’m Phaedra. You’ll see me here a lot. Hopefully, you won’t see me falling much.” I laugh. I’ve fallen in this place far too many times to count.
“Gatlin. Try not to kill yourself on my watch,” he spits out, then walks—or rather, prowls—away. His stride and smooth gait suggest he’s light on his feet. Maybe he’s a cat shifter like Cara. He certainly snarls like one. A literal ball of sunshine. Cara will love his grumpiness.
With a groan, I force myself up and add more chalk to my hands. I’m determined to nail this move despite grumpy’s warning.
11
MATHIAS
Tucked into an alley off of Main Street, the Trick Unicorn Pub is Gatlin’s pick tonight. Brick walls, black booths, a wooden bar with an astounding array of beers on tap, and pictures of Ireland’s green hills on the walls. Lively, but surprisingly, it’s not too packed tonight. I slide into a booth at the back and order one of the beers on tap. It’s not as if I’m going to drink it, but we’re in a human bar, and it would seem odd not to at least order something.
Gatlin settles into the chair in front of me, lips curled into a snarl, then signals for a beer. Since that’s his usual countenance, I don’t take it personally. The server comes by and drops off his drink, foam dripping down the sides of the glass. I immediately slide a napkin across the table. His eyes flick to mine, but after spending the last two hundred years on the same team, he knows I can’t abide a mess and wipes off the glass.
Hawthorne slides into the chair beside me. Once he places his order, I bring them up to date on the latest. “Cameras areinstalled in her condo. Jamison checked them before he left for Connecticut.”
I lean in a bit closer. “Dr. Kline’s assistant, Sia, is dead. Humans. We’re not entirely sure if their target was the mysterious ‘key,’ but they’re definitely part of the same group that attacked me at the museum. Same tactical gear.” Anger flares at the thought of the humans who attacked me, killing another supernatural, but I tamp it down. No one needs to see death tonight. “Basilisk is investigating both her and Kline’s recent activity. They’ll report up to us.”
Basilisk is one of our top security teams, and they take their job seriously. If there’s something to find, they’ll ferret it out.
Hawthorne and Gatlin grab a menu while I continue. “Jamison is now in London, overseeing the auction. Once the pieces are in the council’s vault, he’ll head back here. In the meantime, we’re splitting our residences.” I slide a piece of paper and a set of keys across the table to Gatlin. “That’s the address of the apartment you’ll share with Jamison.”
If anything, his scowl deepens. “I don’t like it when we split up. Less secure.”
Gatlin’s expertise is security. He’s a natural-born leader, an expert battle strategist, and, with his size, he easily inspires both confidence and fear.
“Phaedra’s met three members of our team. It would look suspicious if we all lived together,” I remind him. “Besides, there’s only a small population of supernaturals in the area, and we don’t want to call attention to ourselves.”
He raises an imperious eyebrow. “I understand the why, but I don’t have to like it.”
Our server comes by and takes their order. When she looks at me, I shake my head. “I’ve already eaten, thank you.” I might have to pretend to drink this beer, but I refuse to order food I won’t eat.
