Page 67 of V for Vindictive

Phillip made a noise in his throat, finding the dude hilarious before heading inside the café. I watched him go and took that opportunity to sit down next to the Dark Fae, who acted as though he fit in perfectly with the hardworking, small-town folk who lived here.

I’d promised myself to leave the whole “cheating but not really cheating” debacle for another day. I had bigger fish to fry and a mission to complete. I could worry about that bullshit later.

The fashionable Fae in front of me dressed himself in another outfit that could’ve come right off the runway for all I knew. It wasn’t weather appropriate, but likely because Cassius ran hotter than most, as it was myunfortunate luck to learn only a day ago. The rest of the town was sporting jackets and hats, bundled up for the ice-cold wind presently taking the area by storm.

The sassy Fae’s silver-blonde locks were swept back in a chic look, his angular, feline features on display to the many greedy eyes passing along the street. In a black-and-white paint splattered top that hung off one shoulder and a pair of form-fitting faux-leather pants, finished off by a set of alligator skin boots, Cash was out to make a statement. He had money, looks, and obviously a poor sense of direction to be in a town like this.

The pompous asshole looked utterly lost.

Based off the café’s god-smacked owner, who was understandably torn between the international hottie in front of her and the one out in front of her business, and the flabbergasted patrons visiting on their regular morning routine, my two companions were likely to be the talk of the town by the end of the day. We’d have to be careful. Blending in wasn’t these two dudes’ strong suit, and I couldn’t even muster the strength to complain about it anymore.

Gorgeous cat eyes stole a look at the glass window where my Austrian companion was ordering the two of us something. A girl had to eat, and we’d be on another walk through the woods to find the nearby coven after this.

“You’re wasted on him, love,” Cassius said out of nowhere.

Leaning in, I acted stupid. “He’s an arrogant asshole, but he’s good at his job. Even you can’t argue otherwise.”

Cassius licked his lips, and the slits in his eyes narrowed to thin lines. “I didn’t mean as your work partner,” he divulged in a soft whisper. “I’ve known that tosser a long time, and he’s never looked at anyone the way helooks at you. But the two of you are a disaster together. You’re better off choosing someone who doesn’t mind dancing to the tune you play.”

Very briefly, Sloan’s face appeared in my head, and it was just another reason to hate myself today. Worse, the foreboding reminder that I might have abilities that could seduce any person I wanted was right in front of me. I’d be stupid to think that I was some great beauty or personality that brought any man or woman to their knees, and the knot in my throat was fiercely punishing.

I wanted to trust their feelings for me, but the sudden burst of popularity made more sense now with this new fucked-up bit of information. It made it harder to deny when someone like Cash was falling hook, line, and sinker for it; made me second-guess my relationships, even when nothing had been confirmed and we didn’t know for sure what the fuck my blood could or couldn’t do.

Still, the question lingered in the back of my head every time I was faced with more damning evidence that it might be exactly what they said—I seduced them with Siren-like abilities.

Since it was Cash who suggested it first, I dropped my voice and quickly glanced over at Phillip, glad that he was pretending to be occupied at the counter. Cassius should know better than to think the other Hunter couldn’t hear us, but people did stupid shit when they were infatuated with someone.

I was plenty aware of that fact, my latest situationship with two men plenty fucking evidence of that.

“What makes you think this isn’t just because of what I supposedly am?” I posed rationally.

The Dark Fae’s purple eyes beamed, catching the sunlight, and his mouth twisted into an impish smile. “Clever Hunter. You wouldn’t be wrong to suspect as much. I imagine Phillip finally told you everything. That’s a surprise. I hadn’t pegged him to be the sort.” Cassius glanced over his shoulder, then eyed the ring on my finger. “He’s been a little unlike himself, hasn’t he?”

His tone insinuated a whole fucking lot, mostly that Phillip was under the spell of my Siren seduction, and I hated that I couldn’t argue he wasn’t.

“Not to worry, I have my ways to be impervious to Siren influence, even at Royal Siren strength. Can’t say the same for the smarmy git in there.” Then the Dark Fae’s eyes landed on me with a glint I didn’t like. “Or perhaps…another person weighing heavily on one’s mind.”

What the fuck is this sneaky snake up to?

I caught my Austrian companion’s shoulders stiffen before he was stuffing some bills into a tip jar and working his magic on the café owner, probably to afford me more prying time. I didn’t hesitate to take advantage.

“Impervious to Siren influence?”

Cash’s smile broadened. “Curious?”

“How could you really know for sure unless you…” I left the rest unsaid, but the clever minx in front of me figured it out without trouble.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and I noticed a soft glow around the Dark Fae sitting in front of me, another stone sitting in his open hand. Looking around, I noticed everything was frozen. It wasn’t like when we flitted. More like when I froze the world with my power all those times either me or someone I cared about was in danger.

The Dark Fae touched the ring Phillip gave me the night before, and I managed to smother the desire to pull my hand away. “Answer my question and I might answer yours,” he said cryptically. I waited with a “Come at me, bro!” look before he continued, “This trap you’re setting for me and Eros, can I get in on it?”

Wait, what?

My spine straightened, and I desperately worked to not show any sort of reaction on my face. But the Dark Fae seemed to pick up on it, his smile full of pride and immediately giving him away. I was rattled to my very core, never expecting that Cash would figure the two of us out so quickly. Honestly, from what I knew about the other Hunter, it was rare for someone to outwit Phil, and I wasn’t sure what to do next.

The fair-haired Fae didn’t wait another breath before adding, “If you want my help, I’ll need something from you in return.”

Of course he does…

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