Page 21 of Twisted Gift
“I have a meeting with Tristan,” I cut in before Nikolai can start flirting with her. We don’t have time for that.
“Of course.” She clicks away at the computer for a few seconds. “He’s waiting in his office.”
I nod, smiling faintly. “Thanks. It was good to see you again.”
“You too!”
Nikolai and I head for the elevator. Once we’re on and riding to the twentieth floor, my pulse kicks up. I stand frozen against the back wall until Nikolai nudges my shoulder.
“You need to relax.”
“I haven’t spoken to him since... I walked away from him the day I messed everything up.”
The elevator stops on the tenth floor, and the door slides open before Nikolai has a chance to respond. A woman steps on and glances at me. My mouth goes dry when I recognize her as the woman who attacked and fed on me in this very elevator months ago. My eyes narrow, anger bubbling violently.
She shoots me a dirty look, and that’s all it takes.
I slam the woman against the side of the elevator, similar to how she treated me that day, and wrap my fingers around her throat, cutting off her air supply.
Nikolai sighs softly. “Easy, gorgeous,” he warns but makes no move to stop me as if he’s not concerned about me killing this woman.
As her face turns red and her eyes start bulging out of her face, a smile touches my lips. She tries to fight back by clawing at my arms, but it doesn’t faze me. I revel in the fear radiating from her. While I’m not feeding off it, just the sight—the stark ribbons of color shooting out of her chest—makes me euphoric. I recognize how messed up that is, but the resentment I have toward this fae drowns out all reason.
I’m too caught up in my anger to realize the elevator stopped. I look over my shoulder to see the door open to the office lobby and Max, who is looking rather amused at the situation.
Nikolai snakes his arm around my waist and pulls me away from the woman. She gasps for air, dragging in quick, shallow breaths as she glares at me.
“You’re a real bitch,” she snarls, blinking as if she’s fighting tears.
“You—”
“Don’t,” Nikolai cuts in, his tone a warning.
Reminding myself that he’s looking out for me, I close my mouth and smile before turning my back on her.
I step off the elevator into the familiar lobby.
“Haven’t seen you in a while, blondie.” Max shoots Nikolai a dark look before shifting his gaze back to me. “Tristan is waiting in his office.”
I lead the way, knowing where to go, and Nikolai follows. He knocks on the door I stop in front of and waits a moment before he opens it, nodding at me to walk ahead. My eyes meet Nikolai’s as I inhale slowly, focusing enough to build a wall around my emotions. I picture myself stacking bricks around the colors of emotion, blocking them from radiating from me. Having noticed, Nikolai nods; his gaze is full of unwavering support, which pushes me to square my shoulders and step over the threshold into Tristan’s office.
My eyes land on him, and I swallow hard. He’s standing behind his desk with his back to us, staring out the window at the downtown core. I jump when the door closes, and Tristan turns around. The sight of him alone threatens to knock the air out of my lungs, but I force what I hope is a calm, neutral expression as I remind myself what this meeting is about.
Tristan’s eyes are frozen on me, making my heart pound against my ribcage. Oh god. I’ve missed that—the way he looks at me as if I’m the only other person in the world. Finally, he glances to where Nikolai is standing beside and a bit behind me. His eyes, the color of brilliant lapis lazuli, narrow as a growl rumbles in his throat. I can almost feel Nikolai’s posture stiffen as he bares his teeth.
I let loose a sigh. “Really, guys? Can you not?”
Nikolai chuckles, but Tristan’s face settles into hard lines.
I focus on Tristan. “You asked us here,” I say, mustering a strong, even voice. “I’m happy to have this meeting if it means my—our—people no longer have to live in fear of one another.”
Tristan gestures for Nikolai and me to sit on the other side of his desk as he undoes the button of his suit jacket and lowers himself into his chair.
We walk over and sit. Nikolai crosses his arms, while I set mine in my lap.
“I’ve been preparing reports of each incident that occurs,” Tristan says. “I understand it’s an issue for both sides. Neither side will stop attacking until the other does, it seems.”
I nod in agreement, taking a moment to try to read him. When I hit a mental brick wall, it’s clear he’s blocking his emotions just as I am. “I think we need to have a meeting with the fae in this area first. I know they’re everywhere around the world, but as the seat of power, Rockdale has the largest population.”
