Page 45 of Claiming Sarah

“Oh.” That was unnerving, and I craved a change in topic. “Yeah, so when that tramp started flirting with Deacon and said the thing about the fight being to the death, it made the sick feeling inside of me worse. What do you think I should do about her? I don’t know how Ladrians deal with someone flirting with their man.”

“I noticed that, too. The flirting. She’s tacky to be doing that in front of you, but she might get worse, now that you’re gone. Want me to keep an eye on them?”

I shrugged. “I trust Deacon, but if that bitch lays a finger on him in front of me, she’ll lose her entire hand.”

“I’ll see to it. I can watch from the alcove while you get your Neneed. I wouldn’t mind a little bloodshed in the stands to liven things up.” A chipper Omen left for the hall near the doorway.

Her eagerness for blood and her pride in executing magicians were both concerning to me.Maybe I should be grateful she’s with me, in all of this. Always good to have one more warrior on my side, I guess.I was boggled by it all, though.If I’m surrounded by killers, am I the bad guy?

Before I got to the concession area, though, a deep voice behind me asked, “Are you lost?”

Startled, because I thought I was alone, I turned around to find a smiling ghost standing there. He was handsome—around seven and a half feet tall, thickly muscular. There was an ease to his smile, like he had all the time in the world to speak to me. Pale for a Ladrian—most of the light-skinned ones had a deep tan or taupe skin. His flashing purple eyes had a lot of blue to them, making them almost indigo, but not quite. A black tunic and trousers set him apart from the more colorful Ladrian style of the others in the crowd.

He wore two gauntlet drivers—a peculiarity. It was more common for Ladrians to wear one, usually on the right forearm, like where Deacon had me strap mine. His looked to be black leather, and the left one almost concealed the handle to something. I liked his blue hair. It was longer than most of the men wore, and a loose bit hung in front of his forehead.

There was a frisson in the air between us. I couldn’t sort it out—my body felt similar to when I had come out of the Mother Test. Every sense was on alert, but I wasn’t scared. My body felt on top of everything, like I was in control of each moment, and yet, at the same time, not at all.

“I’m not lost, thank you,” I said politely. “Just here for some kocha.”

“Come now, that is a drink for children. But perhaps you have children, and I am assuming—”

“No. No kids.”

“But youareunited,” he said with a confident smirk.

Is he flirting with me, while asking about my union? Weird.I nodded. “How do you know that?”

“Ghosts can always tell.” He gradually drifted toward me. “It is in your aura. A pity you are united.”

“Why is that a pity?” I asked, curious to hear his reasons.

“I did not know humans could be so attractive as you.”

The handsome ghost is definitely flirting with me.“You’re sweet, but—”

He stopped a few feet away from me and laughed. It was unencumbered, like he had never had a self-conscious thought in his life. Or in his death. His voice was rich and smooth when he said, "I have been accused of many things, butsweet?” He shook his head. “Not ever.”

“Perhaps people should get to know you better.”

“There are few who know me at all,” he said quietly, almost as though it pained him to admit such a thing.

Hearing him say those words made a wound in my soul.Why do I care about his lack of friends? I don’t even know him.I asked about something more grounded to stay focused. “Did you come here for the neneed?”

“No, it’s not really my drink. Not usually.”

“What do you like to drink?” I asked with a friendly smile. “I’ll buy.”

His eyes perused my body slowly. Excruciatingly slowly. Even though I was completely dressed, modestly for me in fact, his heavy gaze stripped me bare. I fought the urge to shiver,newly naked for his X-ray eyes. My throat went dry, but between my legs, I grew wet.

What the hell was up with that?

He cleared his throat as his eyes met mine once more. “They don’t sell what I like to drink here.”

I had no idea what to say. There were no more thoughts in my head at all. I felt spellbound, and my body felt hot, alive. Aroused.

This is not okay. I need to go.

I blinked a few times before words came back to me, though I had to force myself to speak. “On second thought, I should get back to mycompanion. I think the fights are about to start—”

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