Page 33 of Peacock Me Like a Hurricane

I shrug. “Magick, I’m sure. I know you’re the only clone who can pan-orate, but I’ve been using mental tricks for a long time. I can do a lot more than I let on. I studied with enormously powerful people in my dead life.”

“Really? None of the other mates know?” His brows furrow.

“Nope. I told Rafe not to divulge it to anyone. He’d sooner cut out his tongue than rat me out.”

Even when it’s for my own good, like with Wilde.

“I intend on respecting that power, loving it as part of you, and staying the hell out of your way when you’re pissed.” His grin is boyish, and I laugh softly.

“Sounds like a solid plan.”

He tilts his head, then murmurs. “What’s this party thing everyone’s talking about on the blog?”

I groan. “Every clone or droid has a birthday month, even if it’s made up. Here, there’s always a party. This one is Shea’s. I don’t want to encourage him since we’ve been… intimate in the past, but I can’t skip it. My family’s going to do most of the heavy lifting, but I will have to drop by and give him a present.”

He scrapes a fang on my collarbone, licking the droplet and grinning. “Queen Kitty duty. Got it.”

My eyes go hazy. “Well, uh, I have to figure out how to do that before the end of the month…”

Nipping along the back of my neck, he continues to murmur assent and I completely lose the thread of what I’m saying. “You’re making it hard to have a conversation.”

“Am I? I was gone all day, though.”

I growl, distracted from my original purpose. “That you were. I haven’t had a taste of you forhours. We should fix that.”

“That’s what I’m trying to do, minx…”

Hours later, I’m sitting at my house staring at the wall. I have no idea what to get Shea for his birthday that won’t… suggest I’m up for more physical pursuits. He and I were never cerebral; he’s a sexed up puppy dog. It might not even matter what I get because he’ll assume I’m ready to play.

Fuck. Why is everything so goddamned hard?

Opening my laptop, I decide to search for an idea online. Not the most original plan, but it should get me started, right? Thebackground on my screen is a slideshow of pictures and it flashes a picture of Alistair and I from a party months ago. The Universe truly wants me to suffer, I fucking swear.

I rub my hand over my chest, feeling the ache in my bones, and push away from the computer. I need resolution for this shit with them. I need to be heard. I need to let them know what their betrayal did to us. Rhea’s selfish behavior cost us all, and she should be held to account for it.

Should I open that can of worms again?

I don’t know. It seems like a dangerous plan, but I don’t know if I’ll ever move past it if I don’t tell them how I feel. I can’t meet them in person; I’ve had my fill of that. Sighing, I sit back down at my laptop and start typing an email. Perhaps this will give me closure.

Then I can go back to dreading this bloody party.

“Have you lost your bloody mind?!!”

I blink, whipping my head to the doorway. After a morning full of getting the birthday droid’s surprise ready, I came to wait for him for some R&R. “Huh?”

“You sent her an email? Why the hell would you do something so incredibly futile?”

Shrugging uncomfortably, I put my notebook on the bedside table with my glasses. “I don’t know. I guess she told you—hypocritical since she instructed me not to talk to you about this because she wanted to talk to Talia herself.”

“The golden goddess will be in menopause before that happens.” He pads over and joins me on the bed, looking frustrated.

I nod. “She wrote me back, then I guess she found you to tattle on me.” I look over at him. “I didn’t hide it from you. I decided to do it spur of the moment and sent it before I fell asleep. I should have known it was going to be a big stinking deal.”

He tugs me into his arms and murmurs against my hair. “I’m sorry you’re hurting. She did share it; in fact, she looked me up at the house to cry and whine before I came. Talia wasn’t home, and I’m sure she knew that. I wish I could give you back what you’re missing so much.”

My eyes close and I whisper, “I could have it back today if I was willing to forget, but I’m not. I won’t pretend none of this happened. She gave lame excuses for how she treated people and evaded blame… It’s over. I have closure now. I was honest, and I tried.”

I feel his muscles stiffen, but his voice is soft. “I'm getting that feeling again, baby. That 'get out of dodge and off the radar' feeling that caused me and Talia to duck out last time.”

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