Page 157 of Shadowblood Souls
“I know what I’ve already tried,” Jacob interrupts with an irritated edge. “And that’s just about everything.”
He shoves the laptop onto the coffee table and sinks back into the sofa cushions.
I dip a spoon into the bag of white sugar that came with the Airbnb and drop the grains into the hot water before consulting the recipe on my phone. Itsaysthat I should use two tablespoons, but I’m going for alcohol-level sour here.
I stir the one spoonful in and reach for the lemon juice. I can always add more sweetness later if I want.
“What else do we really need to know?” I say as I add the juice and fill most of the rest of the cup with cold water. “It’d be dangerous continuing to talk to shadowkind around here. The only other place we know for sure we should be able to find some is Miami.”
Dominic has just stepped into the kitchen area to pour himself some coffee from the pot Andreas brewed. He glances over at me. “We have no idea how dangerous following that one monster’s advice might be.”
I shrug. “We don’t know how dangerousanyplacemight be. And… we’re pretty dangerous too. I think these ‘monsters’ can tell. Why do you think they all ran away from us?”
I don’t really like bringing up the threat we can pose, especially when I seem to be the biggest threat of all. But we can’t just sit here playing house.
Zian makes a thoughtful sound. “Even the big guy yesterday seemed kind of nervous of us.”
I pour my mixed liquids into a drinking glass I’ve already added several ice cubes to. They tinkle against the sides. Picking up the glass, I turn to face the guys.
Jacob studies me as I raise the glass to my lips. I’m not sure what he’s looking for, so I focus on the first sip of lemonade washing over my tongue.
Oh, that’s fucking good. So tart it wakes up my taste buds like a punch in the face.
Who needs coffee when you’ve got this? And I’m never drinking a cocktail again.
As I take a larger gulp, restraining a pleased shiver at the shock of sourness, Jacob rubs his mouth. “It is our only lead.”
Andreas nods. “And there’s a chance the guy was telling the truth. It’s not like shadowbloods are crashing his city so often he’d have a system set up for screwing us over.”
“I vote that we try Miami,” Dominic says quietly. “Being careful, but we would be anyway.”
Zian swallows another bite of sausage. “If you all think it’s the best idea, then I’m in.”
“All right.” Jacob grabs the laptop and stands up. “We should get going right away then. The faster we get there, the less time there is for these shadow monsters to make their own plans if they want to screw with us after all. Everyone eat what you need to and pack up anything that isn’t packed up, and we head out in an hour.”
Andreas throws back the last of his coffee. “I call first dibs on the shower!”
As he and Jacob head upstairs, Zian digs into his ample breakfast with even more haste. Dominic takes a long gulp of his own coffee.
I drain the rest of my lemonade, reveling in every bite of the tang, and set the glass down by the sink. There’s a grocery store danish left, cherry and cream cheese, but I’m not sure how much that appeals.
Without thinking, I stretch upward to tug open one of the higher cabinets—and pain lances from my side from my re-opened wound.
My fingers twitch. My mouth snaps shut against a gasp, my jaw clenching tight.
I slow the movement, relaxing my torso as I ease the cupboard door open. The pain quickly fades to a dull ache.
I’m okay. No big deal.
But nothing in the cupboard makes the sacrifice worthwhile. I scowl at the stacks of dishes for a moment and then grab the danish. “I’m going to get packed up.”
Dominic sets down his mug and trails behind me up the stairs. I assume he’s going to his own room to pack as well, but as I open my bedroom door, he catches me by the elbow.
The second I stop, my pulse jumping at the unexpected physical contact, he drops his hand. His hazel eyes search mine.
“When did you get hurt?”
My stance goes rigid, and I curse my carelessness downstairs. Of course Dominic would notice the signs of an injury.
