Page 18 of Legacy of Chaos

Surprise filtered through him. Most people wouldn’t have understood his chicken scratch. “They are.”

She nodded thoughtfully. “Do you plan to enchant an object that will project the shield? Or will you use an electronic chip and technomancy to operate it?”

“That’ll be for R&D to figure out.”

“Of course.” She took a step back from the board and cast a final, cursory glance around the office as if committing it to memory. “Now, if you’ll just point me to the lab where I’ll be working, I’ll get caught up with your team.”

“First,” he said, “I want you to tell me why you’re here.”

She pivoted sharply on her heels. “Excuse me?”

“You’re putting out vibes that could freeze a frost demon. So, why are you here?”

Her chin came up, and her haughty gaze slid right down her perky nose at him. He might as well have been a cockroach in her kitchen.

“I’m here because Kynan asked me to be.”

“So, you’re prepared to work closely with me?” Hopefully, minus the attitude.

Her mouth fell open, but she caught herself quickly, snapping her jaw shut so tight she had to speak between clamped teeth.

“I’ll be working with you?” If he’d thought she’d seemed unhappy before, she looked ready to spit hellfire-tempered nails now. “I assumed I’d mostly be working with a team.”

He smiled, enjoying her discomfort. So few things amused him anymore. “I’mveryhands-on.” Let her take that however she wanted. She knew he was a sex demon, after all.

“Thank you for the warning,” she said, her voice as biting as an arctic chill. “Now, I’d like to get started, if you don’t mind.”

“Eager, huh? I like that.” Standing, he gestured to the elevator. “I’ll show you to the lab where you’ll be working.” He came around the desk and didn’t wait for her to catch up before starting across the considerable expanse of floor. He loved his giant office. It made people feel small. Put them off balance. “You should feel lucky. I never personally give tours of my facility.”

“Oh, so people get to enjoy the tours usually.”

Damn, she was salty. No longer amused, he swung around to her.

“Why don’t you come clean?” he said. “Why are you here, and what’s your issue with me? Spit it out. I don’t have time for bullshit.”

She strode past him likesheowned the building. He’d never met a Cyberis demon who didn’t have arrogance flowing through their veins. Clearly, she was no exception.

“I’m here to ensure this project’s success. But you’re right, I’m not thrilled.” She turned back to him at the elevator. “Your products have caused a lot of pain and suffering.”

“Ah.”

The elevator doors slid open, and she stepped inside, standing in the middle of the lift while she waited for him.

“Ah?” She glared at him as he entered. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

The doors closed with a near-silentwhoosh. “It means that if you don’t like me now, things aren’t going to get much better.” He reached for the control panel to engage the symbol that would take them to the lab level, but before he could touch it, the symbol lit up, and the lift dropped smoothly down the shaft.

Cyan stared dead ahead, all smug and shit, as if using one’s mind to operate an elevator instead of your hand was impressive or something.

You’re just jealous.

Yeah, probably. But jealous or not, he had a feeling this collaboration would be as disastrous as the personnel exchange DART had done with The Aegis. Kynan would owe him.

Big time.

Cyan had known she wouldn’t like Stryke.

But she’d been unprepared for exactlyhow muchshe didn’t like him. The whole thing about never meeting your heroes was one hundred percent true.

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