Page 82 of Wicked Heirs

Talon:I know your focus is elsewhere. And you know I need your full attention when that kind of thing goes down between us.

Orpheus:My focus? What are you talking about?

Talon:Maybe I’m getting at the fact of you being secluded in the trees a few feet from me while you stake out X and Alena’s date.

Fuck.

I swung my head either way.

My phone buzzed again.

Talon:A few feet below me. Sorry, should’ve specified.

Sure enough, as I looked up and to my right a little, I spotted him there partially concealed by the trees, hovering, his phoenix wings—a beautiful and intricate blend of orange, red, and golden hues—outstretched and flapping away.

I pocketed my phone and gestured for him to join me on the sturdy tree branch that could hold both our weights.

He carefully descended then landed right beside me, tucking his wings away before dematerializing them from view with a little bit of magic, just like I did in the very next moment.

“What are you doing out here?” I asked quietly.

We had to keep it to whispers with a vampire being the target of ourobservations.While Xavier was over a hundred feet away in the café, his hearing rage was vast. It depended on his diet and strength at the time, as well as his concentration levels as to how far away he could make out a sound. Considering he was drinking from human blood bags now after Alena had pulled some strings, he was stronger than he had been since I’d known him, so it was impossible to gauge now. So, best to be safe.

“I followed you. The real question is what are you doing here encroaching on this date of theirs?”

“I’m not encroaching.”

He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his tight black pants. “Oh, I’m sorry,stalking.”

“I’m merely observing.”

“You’re gonna have to come up with something better than that shit-tastic excuse if they catch us out here.”

“And why has it become awe?”

He pulled his hands from his pockets and folded them across his chest, shifting his weight. “I figured you could do with some company.”

I frowned. “Is this about your cock again? Or mine?”

“No!” he whisper-yelled back at me. “You sex-obsessed fucker. It’s me wanting to support my friend, my brother-in-arms.”

When I just stared at him, he threw up his hands. “Is that really so hard to believe?”

“Normally, no. But I presumed you were angry with me for the revelation that I forced on you.”

“I was upset, yeah, but I get why you did it. You know me well, I need things shoved in my face to actually take notice sometimes.” He reached out and grasped my shoulder. “You helped me by doing that. By showing me the truth, especially when it comes to her.”

“And Constantine.”

It wasn’t a question, but a statement so sure in its conviction.

“Yeah. Alena could’ve saved them, but he stopped her. I saw it, I saw it all. And I felt her pain at being forced away too.” He dropped his hand from my shoulder. “Are you planning to tell her about the other aspect ofObsidian, the real reason it was actually formed?”

“No. At least not yet. It’s not time.”

“Too early, I get it. Although, I heard what she asked of you. If you can’t give her that, I just thought revealing the truth aboutObsidiancould be something you could give her in its place.”

“It’s too volatile at this juncture.”

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