Page 60 of Dark Wings

Levi thought it was a clever idea to change cars again, so this time, he rented a sports Mercedes for us. It was more luxurious than the SUV, but it was smaller.

Couldn’t the man rent something simpler? A car like this caught a lot of attention and that was exactly what we didn’t need. But I didn’t say anything, because even though he was acting charming and cocky, I could see it was a mask and he was irritated. Or maybe furious.

My mind came up with three hundred scenarios about why he could be furious, despite my efforts to forget about him for a few minutes at least.

One, he was still mad at me because of the bond and being forced to come and help me. I mean, why wouldn’t he be? I certainly would. But in the last couple of days, I thought he wasn’t as mad anymore … maybe something I said or did triggered the feelings again.

Two, I had felt turned on last night, which in turn made him turned on, since he felt what I felt, and that was why he slept with me. Because I wanted him to, and he couldn’t help it. But the truth was, he hadn’t wanted it and now despised me for it.

Three, I stepped on his toes, or elbowed his ribs, or something? I didn’t know. Honestly, with how moody he was behaving, it could be anything, really.

The first leg of the drive was quiet and tense. I ignored Levi, turned to the window, and tried napping. But I couldn’t. My mind was too agitated.

Last night, running from the nightclub, it had been crazy. This morning when leaving the hotel, I thought we would encounter a supernatural or a dozen, who were lurking around the town, still searching for us.

Thankfully, no one was waiting, and we left Las Vegas behind without any trouble.

Around one in the afternoon, we stopped for lunch at a diner outside Bakersfield. We were getting closer to San Francisco, and I was getting nervous.

Soon, I would be within walking distance from my wings.

I was afraid of my reaction when I saw them. I was afraid in what state I would find them. Were they part of a pretty display, or were they ripped feather by feather?

My heart lurched in pain.

Levi looked up from the menu. “What was that, sweetheart?”

Shit, he had felt it. I set my menu down and stared at him seated across the booth. “Just thinking about my wings.”

“That’s—”

The server appeared then and took our orders—two cheeseburgers, fries, and Cokes. Simple, fast. We wanted to get going as soon as possible.

When she was gone, Levi opened his mouth to say something, but his phone rang.

“Yes?” he answered it. He listened for a few seconds. “Get me his direct number. I’ll call him myself.” He turned it off and fumed at the screen.

“What is it?”

“Duncan’s people said he’s not interested in a wand.”

I frowned. “I thought he wouldn’t be. We’ll need to think of something else.”

Levi tilted his head and locked his baby blues on me. “If only we had something, an object, maybe a weapon, a powerful dagger or sword or stake. Maybe he would fall for that.”

I averted my eyes.

I knew of such a weapon. I had hidden such a weapon, but no one other than Molraz and Rhodes knew that. Unless Rhodes had told Elysium that I had stolen it.

I grabbed the butter knife on the table. “Perhaps we can find a witch who can glamour this and infuse it with some power, enough to fool a demon.”

He kept staring at me, so intent. “Witches can’t glamour things, sweetheart. That’s for fae.”

I knew that, but I wouldn’t correct it now, lest he thought I was hiding something.

The server came back with our food, and we ate in silence. Halfway through the meal, I remembered Levi was about to say something before we ordered our meal, and then we both forgot.

I was about to ask him what it was, when two guys entered the diner, staring at me. I couldn’t pinpoint what exactly they were, but I was sure they weren’t humans.

---