Page 26 of Deadly Little Games

If the statement made him at all uncomfortable, he didn’t show it. “Fascinating.” He was already looking back toward his notes. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I watched him turn back toward his work table, the surface now in total disarray from our landing, then I walked toward Sebastian and Elena, shaking my head. The theory of me reacting to people from other worlds could have still applied, if not for Gabriel. Me reacting to strong magic was still a possibility, but now I wasn’t even sure if that was true. I hadn’t reacted to Crispin at first. Not until we kissed. Not until I hadwantedit. Like my body had chosen him.

I lowered my gaze as Elena held the door open for us.

The only real conclusion I could come up with was that I was reacting to sexual attraction. Getting hot and heavy brought my magic to the surface, and when the other person had enoughmagic to meet mine, the stars came out. But it had never happened before. Not until Mistral.

As we walked silently through the stone halls of the palace, I thought about what it all could potentially mean. I had never wanted more power, but if it meant finding my mother and ending the deadly game surrounding her…

I would do whatever it took.

We leftElena with another promise to return tomorrow. I was somehow not surprised that Sebastian chose to escort me on the twenty minute walk to my apartment. The silence stretched between us as we left Greengate Park behind, until I couldn’t take it anymore and I grabbed Sebastian’s collar, hauling him into the nearest alleyway.

I pointed a finger in his face. “You knew. You knew exactly what was going to happen, and what I would have to do to get myself out of there.”

“I suspected. Knowing is far different.”

His blasé tone made me clench my jaw. “You are such an asshole.”

His brow twitched. “I’m not sure why you’re angry. I’m helping you more than anyone else.”

He kept saying that, but I wasn’t sure that word meant what he thought it meant. “As we’ve already established, you’re helping yourself. And you better not go back on what you said. When I find my mom, we’re not turning her in. We’ll use her to find whoever created the bounty.” It was actually starting to feel like a reality that I would find my mother. Finally. After all this time. But part of me wondered if I might be dooming her in doing so.

Sebastian tilted his head. “Will we?”

I inhaled sharply, but he laughed before I could say anything else. Once he had control of himself, he gave me a humoring smile. “As I’ve told you, the payment of my debt is in the acquisition of the object. I don’t care how you get it. And I don’t care what happens to your mother.”

And neither should I, the words cut through my thoughts. I knew I shouldn’t care, but I did. “Okay, we will figure out how to get the… object. Tomorrow. For now, I have other places to be.”

He leaned back against the brick wall behind him and crossed his arms. “Like the Bogs?”

“Yeah, so what?”

He pushed away from the wall, stepping close.

“What are you doing?” I started to pull back, but he grabbed my waist, pulling me forcefully against him.

Before I could react, his lips met mine. He kissed me deeply enough that his dark magic seemed to touch every part of me. And without thinking, I was kissing him too, my arms limp with latent indecision at my sides. I started to see stars again, and I found myself lifting my arms, pressing against him, hungry for more. My body throbbed with need, making me wish we weren’t in a public place, though I was lucky we were.

He broke the kiss, leaving me panting. “You can do as you wish with Mistral,” he murmured. “But remember, your contract is with me.” He pulled me close again, his lips grazing mine, his dark magic tugging at my core. “And remember,” he said with his mouth near mine. “You are granting him power too.”

“Is that what you want then?” I asked breathlessly. “Power?”

“Of course.” Still holding me close, he trailed a kiss across my neck, making my body tight with arousal. “But at least I’m upfront about it.” He disappeared in a flash of black, leaving me to regain my balanceandmy composure in the secluded alleyway.

I inhaled sharply, then let it out, my skin still tingling from his touch. It simply wasnotfair how I reacted to him. Next time he tried to kiss me…

My thoughts trailed off. What made me think there would be a next time? I knew he was toying with me, but the offer was still there. And as infuriating as it was, part of me wanted to take it.

But that part was an idiot, and she needed to shut up.

Shaking my head, I tugged my shirt straight and marched back out to the street. I would go home to grab a few things, then I would catch a cab to the Bogs. After what happened with Crispin, I knew I had to explore things further. I had two goblins who I was pretty sure were willing to try, and neither of them would try to steal my soul.

I slid a hand into my pocket to make sure I still had my apartment key, but came out with a crumpled piece of paper. I unfolded it to find an address and a time, 10 AM. The handwriting was the same as the previous note.

I lowered it, looking around the street as people walked to and fro, not paying me any mind. I hadn’t seen Lucas this time, so I knew it wasn’t from him. And I doubted it was Sebastian or one of the elves. So who?

I didn’t know the exact address, but I recognized the street. Given the location, it was probably a restaurant, or at least a relatively safe public place.

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