Page 22 of Fae Devoted
Johnnie snapped the lid on the molasses cookies closed, then went to the refrigerator to pull the frozen batches from the freezer drawer. Schooling her features, she shoved the cold zip-lock bags and full container into Jacob’s stomach and let go. He caught them before they fell to the floor.
Jacob was still standing in the kitchen with the cookies pressed against his chest when she opened the door.
“I hope you find Jeremiah.” Her voice wobbled, and she blinked several times in rapid succession before trusting herself enough to say, “Good hunting, Jacob.”
He sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face. “Jo, I never meant to—”
“Be safe,” she interrupted again, holding on to her composure by a fragile thread. He needed to leave—now.
Jacob walked towards her as if every muscle in his body were stiff and sore. Halting in front of her, he placed a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll miss you, Jo.”
“Goodbye, Jacob.” Johnnie’s hand tensed on the knob, but she managed to close the door behind him before the first tear fell.
Chapter 7
Johnnie cut throughthe Harbor Complex’s well-equipped gym and entered the humid room housing the competition-sized pool. A set of oversized towels folded neatly at the foot of a lounge chair was the sole sign the building wasn’t deserted. If the Guards members stationed outside didn’t confirm her quest to find Abby was over, the splash and subsequent gasp would have.
Her friend was treading water in the center of the pool, sucking in air like her lungs were starving. She hadn’t noticed Johnnie’s presence yet, fixated on something underneath the water. A dark head broke the surface, ascent slow, her startling green eyes wide-open and beautiful face composed.
“Five minutes and fifty-seconds flat,” the queen said, not even winded. Vampires didn’t need to breathe as often as the other races. “You beat the last attempt by four seconds.”
“Only four? It felt like at least ten.” Disappointment laced Abby’s soft Southern lilt.
Almost six minutes—underwater?
“Abby,” she called, not sounding nearly as calm as the queen. Johnnie had experienced a split second of panic on seeing Abby alone and struggling to breathe. But she should have known Samuel would never leave his mate unprotected after learning the Na’fhuil lived in constant fear of abduction.
Her arms swishing back and forth to keep her tiny body afloat, Abby spun around in surprise. “Johnnie, oh…hey.”
“Hey,” she replied, walking to the edge of the pool.
“Were you looking for Abigail or me?” There was no surprise in the queen’s voice. Any Dádhe would have heard the dooropening despite being submerged. Johnnie’s appearance hadn’t caught the queen unawares.
“I wanted to talk to Abby if you’re done with…whatever y’all were doing.”
“I believe we are finished.” She tilted her head and stilled in that bird-like way Johnnie associated with vampires. “Abigail?”
“I knowI’vehad enough for one day.” Abby made her way toward Johnnie. “Thank you for your time, milady.”
“It was my pleasure.” The queen swam to the side in quick, easy strokes, then vaulted from the pool, landing on her feet in a show of incredible strength and coordination. Water sluiced from her sleek wetsuit, the thin rubber adhering to her slender curves like a glove. She didn’t bother grabbing a towel, delaying long enough to wring the water from her ebony hair before leaving the two of them alone.
Johnnie knelt on the ceramic tiles, butt to heels. “Trying to break the world record for holding your breath?”
Abby snorted; the sound still somehow feminine when coming from her soft-spoken friend. “The record is over twenty-two minutes and was accomplished by a renowned free diver. I don’t think the people from Guinness will be calling soon.”
“Did pruned skin come into fashion, and you failed to inform one of your very best friends? Selfish bitch.” She flicked her fingers in the water, splashing Abby in the face. “Does Penny know? You better not have told her and not me.”
“Nope, and nope.” Abby hung onto the marble edge near Johnnie’s knees, dropping her volume to a conspiratorial whisper. “Between you and me, Eau de Chlorine is currently all the rage.”
Johnnie pinched her forefinger and thumb, sliding them across her clamped lips in a zipping motion.
“Can’t have everyone knowing my top beauty tips.”
“No, you can’t,” she agreed with a straight face, motioning to the empty lap pool. “Imagine the crowds. All that extra pee will mess with the pH balance of the formula.”
“Irrevocably,” Abby said solemnly, ruining the effect with a dazzling smile. Her blond hair darkened by the water to rich platinum glinted a silvery hue and formed a shining halo around her heart-shaped face, accentuating eyes so pale they barely contained any color at all.
“Your eyes…” Johnnie did a double take, struggling to process what she was seeing.
