She smiled. “I know what a good spell is worth.”

“Then hold on to your hat.” I picked up the truth potion and sniffed it, then knocked it back.

As I felt it fizz through my veins, I looked at Alia. We’d have been friends if we lived in the same place, I was sure of it. We had similar survival instincts. A willingness to do whatever it took. I could sense it in her.

“Well?” she said.

“I’m not fae.” I called upon my wings, letting them flare behind me. Then I put my hand on the table and made grass grow straight out of the wood.

“Holy fates.” Her eyes widened. “You’re not fae, yet you can do that?”

“Yep. Lightning, too, and these wings aren’t just for show. All fae magics.” I tapped my pointed ears. “Not just a glamour.”

Her breathing grew short, excitement glinting in her eyes. “You changed your species using potions. It should be impossible.”

“It’s not.” I gave a wry laugh. “Not easy, but it’s possible.”

She shook her head. “You have to tell me.”

“That’s why we’re sitting here.” I held up my necklace so she could see it. “I’ve enchanted this with a potion. It’s too volatile to drink, but if you wear an object that is regularly anointed with it…voila, you become fae.” I reached for the pen and paper, then began to write out the recipe.

“What are you really, then? If you’re not fae?”

“That’s not part of the deal.” I handed her the finished recipe. “That will only tell you how to change your species to fae. But if you work on it, you might be able to manage another species. Burn that paper after you’ve memorized it.”

She scanned the ingredient list, her brows rising. “These are rare. Expensive.”

“Which is why I’m always broke.” Well, that and damned Danny. Poor bastard.

She shook her head, impressed. “Amazing. Truly amazing.” Her gaze flicked to the window, where Lachlan stood with his back to us. “He believes you’re fae, I assume.”

“He’d better.”

11

Eve

 

After I answered some of Alia’s recipe-related questions, we let Lachlan back into the flat.

His gaze moved between us. “All good?”

“All good.” Alia nodded once. “So, you want to know what he looked like?”

“We want to know everything you know,” Lachlan said.

“All right. Like I said, I couldn’t see much. But I did see his eyes. Pure black.”

Lachlan stiffened. “Pure black eyes?”

“No whites at all.” She shivered. “He was creepy. Beyond creepy, even though I couldn’t see his face. Definitely a predator. The way he looked at me…” The shiver turned into a shudder, and I felt for her. Potion makers didn’t normally end up face to face with danger unless we ran right at it.

“I’m sorry that happened to you,” I said.

She gave a wry laugh. “It’s far from the worst thing I’ve faced. Anyway, the guy.” She looked Lachlan up and down. “He was about your size. Similar shape, too. Fit.”

That narrowed it down a little, but not a lot. Lachlan was unusually tall and fit as hell, but he was hardly the only one.

“He didn’t speak much,” she said. “And when he did, his voice was rough. Like he didn’t use it much. There was an intensity about him that was almost…manic. Maybe insane. I don’t know, I’m no psych.”

“Anything else?” I asked, wishing she knew more. It really wasn’t a lot, given that I’d just shared one of the most powerful potions in existence with her.

“Yeah. Hang on.” She went to her workshop table and found a box that was hidden beneath piles of potion bottles and tiny little envelopes. She pulled it out and opened it, withdrawing something small. When she returned to us, she held an object out flat in her palm. “I stole this from him.”

My gaze was riveted to the massive claw in her hand. It was pitch black and looked like it could tear out my throat if she held it just right. I glanced up at Lachlan.

He looked like he’d seen a ghost.

“You stole that from him?” His voice was rough.

“He was shaky, like he was coming off a bender of some kind. When he reached into his pocket for something, this fell out.” She shrugged. “A crazy guy like him, carrying this around…it had to be special to him. And I was pissed as hell at what he was making me do, so I kicked it under the table before he noticed it. Thought maybe I could use it to track him and get my potion back, but…” She shuddered.

“He scared the crap out of you, and you didn’t want anything to do with him,” I said.

“Basically.” She looked sad. “I’m not proud of it. But you have to understand, I’ve just escaped hell. Literally. Hell. I want a normal life, that’s all.”

I could understand that.

She shoved the claw out toward Lachlan. “Anyway, take it. Maybe it will help you.”

Lachlan did so, swallowing hard, his gaze fixed on the claw.

“Is it a wolf claw?” I asked.

He nodded, but there was something in his eyes that I didn’t recognize. Lachlan definitely knew more than I did.

“Thank you,” he said. “If that’s all, we’ll be going.”

She nodded.

Before we left, Lachlan made a call to replace her guards. When he’d finished, we said our goodbyes quickly, and I told her that she should visit me in Guild City sometime, that maybe she’d prefer living there. She just nodded, and we left, using one of Lachlan’s transportation charms to take us back.

It was early afternoon when we arrived in the middle of the courtyard that faced the Shifters’ Guild tower.

I turned to Lachlan. His gaze was darker than it had ever been, the deep green turned almost black.

All black eyes.

Something that Alia had said had made Lachlan twitchy. Even now, he looked like his mind was a million miles away.

“You know something,” I said.

Surprised, he looked down at me, his gaze clearing briefly. It was almost like he’d forgotten I was there. “I need to go see someone. You may return to your home for a short while. We can reconvene here later tonight.”

“Don’t keep me out of the loop now.”

“I’ll see you in a bit.” He turned and strode off.

I stared after him, surprised. Did this mean I was off the hook?

I touched the collar at my neck.

Nope.

But what the hell was up with him and that claw? I wanted to chase after him to find out, but he’d made it clear he wouldn’t answer my prying. Anyway, I needed a shower.

I was halfway to my place when I passed by a narrow alley leading to the back of a coffee shop. Someone shoved me from behind, forcing me into the darkened alley. I slammed against the wall, knocking the air from my lungs.

Panicked, I fought to spin around, but the person grabbed my arm and tried to drag me into the alley. The figure was huge, towering over me in a black hoodie.

Ice surged through my veins.

I kicked, nailing him in the stomach. He grunted but gripped me harder and pulled.