Page 34 of Black Bird

“Yes. Yes, sir … sorry.”

“He ain’t the one, Northwood.” His tone was light and soothing. “I stay out of personal business. You know that. But I’m just offering some friendly advice, from someone who already went down this rabbit hole. Don’t date your partner. Just trust me.”

Rhaena gave him a tight smile. “Thank you, sir.” He nodded and left her to gather herself before she felt confident about walking into the snake pit. She unwrapped a straw from the container on the counter and shoved it into the hole in the lid, watching Athan as he slid a chair to the end of their desks in front of the white board. Sarah sat and pulled her knees up to her chest, flipping through the papers she’d given him at the apartment. Any time he turned away from her, Rhaena caught her staring after him in the same way he had when he’d thought no one was looking.It was more than being marked … they looked like— “Oh, fuck …” Rhaena’s eyes widened at the thought.

Do vampires have mates?

Something sank in her gut like an anvil. She turned away from the window in the break room and one of the rookies popped into the doorway.

“What’s up, Northwood?” he said, with a shrill voice that sounded very much like the poor guy had never quite made it out of puberty. “You okay? You look like you’re gonna puke.” He grabbed a coffee mug from beside her.

“Yeah …” Rhaena breathed, too stunned by the possibility to say much more. “Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks.” She shuffled past him and walked out the door, making her way back to her desk and shaking it off before she had to play nice at the table.

She eased her chair out and tried not to look too horrified as she sat down. It seemed channeling that image was working, or Athan was too enthralled with their vic that he didn’t notice. But Sarah did.

“You okay, friend? I swear, I only had a couple of questions. I also thought maybe it would help in some way, but if you need me to go I can—”

“No, no … I’m good. It’s um … not the best time of the month for me.” Rhaena had actually meant how near it was to the full moon, but Sarah took it differently. That seemed to do the trick, anyway.

“Ohhhhh … I gotcha. No bueno.” She winced back. “Mine are always hell on earth, too. I go from moderate bitch to murderous demon slayer. Even Wren can’t stand to be around me that week.”

Athan swiveled in his chair. “Okay … ladies? If you want me to go, just say so? I can listen to plenty of shit, but I can’t deal with this one. Lines have to be drawn here.”

Sarah snickered, and Rhaena found herself joining her when she spotted the look on Athan’s face. It was obvious that he was uncomfortable. “Actually, Kane … why don’t you give us a few minutes. I’ll talk with her and catch you up later.” Sarah gave him a smirk and he eyed Rhaena like he could eat her alive but … he stood, grabbing his gun, and looping his badge over his head.

“Alright. I’ve got somebody I need to pay a visit to myself.” He swiped a hand through his hair and nodded once in Sarah’s direction, that look still a blistering flame in his eyes even though he seemed like he was trying hard to hide it. “See ya.” He stepped around her and started walking toward the elevator.

“Thanks for the coffee,” Sarah called, but he didn’t turn back to acknowledge her. “Not much of a talker, is he?”

“Be grateful for that. He’s a real shit,” Rhaena said, sipping from her straw.

“I could see that.” She laughed. “But he seems like the kind that wouldn’t bother me as much. It’s the shady ass, bratty ones like Brent that make me want to go slam my face into a wall.”

“Mmm …” Rhaena hummed, swallowing down her water. “Let’s talk about that. You said that’s why you wanted to see me? Is everything okay?” Sarah raised her hand and wiggled her bare ring finger. Rhaena set her cup down. “Shit … what happened? This wasn’t because of what I asked you at the hosp—”

“No, no … it wasn’t you. Trust me. I told you things were a little off before the attack in the alley. We’re just not … right?” Sarah shrugged her shoulders and pinched the bridge of her nose. “He’s just—I don’t know. We’re two different worlds trying hard to co-exist, and it just doesn’t feel strong enough to even fight for. I love him … but I don’t …lovehim, you know?”

“Why tell me?” Rhaena asked.

Sarah was quiet for a moment. “Well one, because besides Wren … I don’t really have another female to talk to about it. She hates him, she always has. It didn’t surprise or upset her when she came back last night, and I told her we’d broke it off. And two …” Her mouth curled up on one side.

“Two …?”

“He doesn’t look at me that way anymore.” Rhaena shifted under her stare.

“What way?”

“The way he did when you came to my room.”

“Oh!” Rhaena shook her head and turned forward to face Athan’s empty chair. “No … I think he was just trying to piece together where he knew me from. That’s not—I would never … no.”

“Well … if you did, I wouldn’t be upset about it. So, if he tries to ask you out, and you actually wanna go? Get to it. You won’t hear any argument from me.” Sarah tossed her palms up and leaned back in her chair. “Also … now that you mention it, that was the other thing I came to talk to you about.”

“Which part?”

“You said that you knew him because you worked security detail for Conrad, right?” Sarah clutched her knees to her chest. Rhaena nodded. “Well, at the hospital you told me that I should be careful about him … the senator. You said you were working a case of your own and weren’t actually a uniform then, but a detective. I know you can’t tell me much, but … what do you know about him that I should know?”

“Do you have any reason to believe you should be worried? Especially with this case?” Rhaena watched Sarah turn her head back to the white board where the senator’s campaign photo was hanging at the end of one of the many lines branching out from the middle. They hadn’t started the bullet points for that one yet. “Sarah?”

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