Page 29 of Elven Shadow

Was this really about to become what she thought it was?

A huge grin broke out across her face. “That one’s easy. I did already save your life.”

Any other living creature with half a brain would’ve stopped to consider that little detail in this situation.

Aldous stepped toward her again.

“You could have whatever you want in this place,” he said, practically moaning out the words now. “Your own suite. Unlimited rations. Some nice new clothes.”

His gaze settled on her mouth as he bit his bottom lip. “Don’t go back to your room tonight. Stay here with me, and you can have all that. Plus, I’ll wipe the slate clean for you. Pretend like your insubordination in the field tonight never even happened. It’s an easy choice, really.”

Wow. Thenerveof this little cretin.

It just didn’t get more delusional than this.

“I can make things so much easier for you, Rachel,” he said, his tongue poking out of his mouth again as he ogled her from less than two feet away.

“Rebecca,” she corrected, fighting back another laugh.

Aldous blinked as if she’d just slapped him. “What?”

“I know. It’s one of those minor, insignificant details. But just for future reference, my name is Rebecca.”

He finally looked up at her eyes again, possibly seeing a real person there behind them, and shrugged. “Whatever. The choice is very simple. Not difficult to make. And Iwillgive you everything you never knew you wanted.”

Bullshit. He thoughtthiswould make her life easier?

What Aldous didn’t know was how much harder Rebecca Bloodshadow could makehislife if she wanted. Nightmarish, even.

But this was just too amusing to rip out by the root just yet.

Disgusting? Yes. Pathetic? Absolutely. But amusing.

“Trust me,” she murmured, holding her ground against his laughably evident advances. “The obvious choice is staring me right in the face.”

His creepy little smirk returned. “Is that a yes?”

“I don’t know. Can I take a minute?”

He didn’t answer, but he didn’t back away, either.

Then Rebecca turned her full attention to Maxwell, who still stood inside the closed door, hands clasped behind his back.

Through this whole thing, the shifter had put in a decent effort when it came to hiding his reactions. Even still, Rebecca had absolutely noticed the tightening set of his jaw, the heaviness seeping into his breathing pattern, the twitch of muscles in his shoulders and one side of his neck as he actively fought to keep a grip on himself.

Clearly, Maxwell wasn’t a fan of Aldous’s methods, either. It didn’t look like he’d expected this kind of offer from their leader and not quite in this way, either. Still, he remained the loyal guard dog all the same.

She just couldn’t help herself.

“What doyouthink?” Rebecca asked him.

His blank gaze that had focused so diligently on the other side of the room with a hard emptiness, like he’d forced himself to be both present and not present, flickered toward her. The shifter frowned but said nothing.

“Hey, easy, Max.” Rebecca lifted a hand toward him as if to cut him off mid-sentence. “Rein it in a little, huh? No need to get so worked up about it. I got this.”

Maxwell’s frown deepened, but he still refused to get involved.

So much for getting a little backup from her fellow operative.

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