Page 29 of A Song in the Night
His response only creates a dozen more questions. But right now, in this moment, only one truly matters. “Why would she say his name?” I ask.
And why the hell couldn’t you see her?
The vampire shrugs. “Who knows?”
“Why do I think you know more than you’re letting on?”
“That may be true in many cases, but I really have no idea. Nor do I wish to. There’s not enough money in the world for me to get involved in the shit that goes on in the Barrens.”
I don’t bother reminding him that we ventured out there to find Leo, though I suppose we really didn’t have much of a choice. I stare at the curtains the water nymph ran through, frowning thoughtfully. There’s something I’m missing. A piece of information I don’t have that feels just out of reach.
“We should go back to the booth,” Noah says abruptly, drawing my attention back to him. “Unless you’d like to continue making this particular mistake.”
The arrogance in his smile makes me want to punch him in the stomach again. “You sure know how to make a girl regret kissing you,” I inform him.
He smirks. “Pretty sure you were doing more than that, Travesty.”
My eyes drop to the front of his pants and my cheeks burn. I look away quickly, but it’s too late. He definitely saw the direction of my glance. “Yeah, well, guess you’ll have to finish on your own.”
His deep rumble of laughter follows me out of the room.
Chapter Seven
The moon is high and round above my head as I enter the Barrens.
I’ve been meaning to come since reading Ratha’s file. Then, after my encounter with that water nymph at Rowan’s and her mention of Julian, the decision was easy. Regardless of the risk. There are too many connections, too many coincidences.
I should’ve come yesterday, but I couldn’t risk being followed. Considering Sylvia and Noah made it clear they weren’t taking Ratha’s case, I have a feeling they wouldn’t like the fact that I’m seeking her out. Even if it is just to return a mysterious, noisy conch, which hums from its hiding place within my backpack.
At least, that’s what I tell myself I’m doing here.
Creeping through the rows of garbage and shacks, I’m reminded why I found this place so disconcerting the last time I was here. There’s a foul stench in the air that never goes away, and the piles of garbage are so high it would be easy to get lost in here.
The air is so still—probably because no breezes or gusts of wind can get through—that I know I’m not imagining things when I hear footsteps. Though my pulse quickens, I force myself to breathe evenly. I slow down to give my pursuer a chance to catch up. Because I’m not panting, I can hear it as the other person closes the distance between us and moves in to attack.
A burst of terror goes through me. I whirl around so fast the world blurs, and throw my arm back as hard and fast as I can. The move may not be graceful or well-practiced, but it proves effective enough when my elbow slams into a hard chest, making my attacker grunt. Panic floods my thoughts, transporting me back to the night Henry almost broke me, and I frantically shove the figure back against the old refrigerator behind them.
“I see you’ve been taking our lessons seriously,” a familiar voice says, lifting his head so I can see his face.
Son of a bitch. My chest heaves from the force of my fear. I find myself staring into a pair of green eyes. “Noah?”
“Were you expecting someone else?”
Despite his light tone, the vampire isn’t smiling or smirking, and in an instant I realize why—every inch of my body is mashed to his. As the seconds tick past, I don’t move or speak, and I feel Noah’s cock hardening against my hip. Heat instantly surges to my center, startling me, especially when I remember where we are. For what feels like the thousandth time, I try to pretend it doesn’t exist. I tell myself I feel nothing for Noah Forrest.
My body doesn’t get the memo, apparently.
We stare at each other. My gaze flicks to his lips, just for an instant. When I look back at Noah, his eyes are darker. His dick is so hard that the pressure of it borders on pain. I want to reach for it. I want to feel it. Suddenly it’s difficult to remember why I’m resisting.
Then, so subtly I don’t think he means for me to see it, the vampire’s expression changes, as if he’s remembering something. “Either fuck me or kill me, because I’ve got better places to be,” he drawls.
Oh. That’s why. Even though I want to believe he means the Barrens, I know he probably means with me. Despite our moment at Rowan’s, things between us have returned to normal in the nights since. Noah has been actively pretending I don’t exist whenever we’re both in the office. Flushing, I step away from him just as fast as I’d struck him. “Have you been following me?” I snap, glaring now.
Noah fixes his coat collar, and it feels as if the past few seconds didn’t even happen. “You were just attacked,” he says matter-of-factly. “I know Sylvia and I come off as heartless gods—which isn’t entirely wrong, by the way—but we’d dislike it if you died. Who would do the filing?”
“Glad to know where I stand.” My voice is flat, my face expressionless.
“Refreshing, isn’t it? And now I have two questions for you, princess. Why are we here, and why aren’t you wearing the gun I gave you?”
