Page 50 of Their Reckless Thief
I stared at the label for a moment, my thoughts drifting to Celeste. I hated that she used Phantomine, but if she was goingto use it, she damn well wasn’t getting the poisoned crap. My chest ached at the thought of her accidentally ingesting the fake shit. She’d been through enough.
“Give me a full report as soon as you know anything.”
Adriano barely glanced up from the screen. “You’ll have it.”
“I need a case of verified pure before I leave.”
“Sure thing.” Adriano took a sealed case from a shelf and handed it to me.
I couldn’t stand the idea of Celeste getting hurt because of her addiction. She’d already been through hell, and now that I knew this contaminated stuff was out on the streets, I couldn’t risk it.
As I strode through the underground tunnels, only one thought played through my mind. When it came to Celeste, I’d make sure she had the best. Whether she liked it or not.
I sent Vincenzo a quick update—shortand to the point. He didn’t need a detailed analysis right now, just a heads-up. I should’ve gone straight back to Vincenzo’s estate to regroup and discuss our next steps, but there was only one thing on my mind, and it wasn’t more talk of tainted drugs.
Fuck, I knew it was stupid and reckless, but I couldn’t help myself. The Phantomine in my bag was the perfect excuse, but if I was being honest with myself, I didn’t need one. Celeste had burrowed under my skin. Every inch of her was burned into my mind, especially the way she looked at me with that fire in her eyes. There was no walking away from that.
I ducked into a side alley, where I pulled off my jacket and shirt. My fingers slipped into the hidden pocket of reality where I stored my clothes while I was in wolf form. It was a handy littletrick that kept me from tearing through my outfits every time I shifted. I tucked my clothes and the case of pure Phantomine into the pocket.
Taking a deep breath, I let the change wash over me. Bones snapped, muscles stretched, and fur sprouted along my body. The familiar burn of power surged through me as I dropped to all fours, my senses sharpening. The scent of The Below filled my nose—earth, sweat, and a faint trace of magic.
I took off in a flash, a blur of fur and muscle streaking through the narrow alleyways, dodging clusters of people.
Hidden deep in the underbelly of the city was a tear in the Veil that only shifters knew about, and it wasn’t guarded. I tore through it, the faint shimmer of magic rippling over my fur as I passed into the human realm. The air turned cooler, more muted as I shifted back into my human form, slipping on the clothes I had tucked into the pocket of reality.
It was dark in the human world, the streets eerily quiet. Newark’s pulse thrummed under the hum of streetlights and the occasional rumble of a passing car. The sharp and distinctly urban smells of gasoline, old brick, and the faint tang of the nearby Passaic River filled the air. This was the kind of place where people minded their own business, and the shadows kept their secrets.
The neighborhood wasn’t the worst—certainly not compared to some of the dens I frequented—but Celeste deserved so much better than faded graffiti, cracked sidewalks, and dumpsters that reeked of last week’s garbage. Sirens wailed in the distance—a reminder that even here, danger wasn’t far off. My wolf growled at the thought of her walking these streets alone.
I found her building easily enough. It wasn’t completely dilapidated, but a few more years without maintenance and it would be condemned. Paint peeled around the windowsills, the flickering overhead light buzzed like a swarm of insects, the fireescape groaned under its own weight, and the metal railings were dotted with rust.
I worked my jaw from side to side as I stared up at the fifth floor, my gaze inexplicably drawn to the second window from the fire escape. My every instinct said it was hers.
Soft, warm light spilled through the window. I could see her now, sitting on the edge of her bed, her hair loose around her shoulders, silhouetted against the light like a painting.
I sighed. This place didn’t suit her. Celeste belonged in sleek apartments with rooftop terraces and views of the Manhattan skyline, not a cramped space on a block where the stench of rot clung stubbornly to the alleys. Then again, perhaps that was why she stayed here—some stubborn piece of her that wouldn’t let go of the grit and fight that defined her.
I approached the side of the building. The fire escape practically urged me to climb it. The brick was old, worn smooth in some places by time and weather, and the iron steps rattled faintly under my boots as I moved. If anyone spotted me, they’d probably write me off as either a thief or a boyfriend trying to sneak in without waking a roommate. In this city, people didn’t look too hard at the shadows.
I settled against the edge of the fire escape, my wolf stirring with a possessive edge as I watched her. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, her brow furrowed as she bent over something on the bed. A weapon, maybe. Whatever it was, the tension in her posture sent a flicker of anger through me. She deserved better than this place, better than this city. But for tonight, at least, she had me. And no one—not the city, not The Below—would touch her while I was here.
I slid the window open, the old frame creaking slightly. Celeste spun around, eyes wide with shock, knife poised to attack.
I couldn’t help but laugh as I slipped inside. “Easy, love. It’s just me.”
She didn’t drop the knife, but her other hand flew to her chest as she shot me a glare that would have knocked a lesser man off his feet. “What the fuck, Dorian? You can’t just break into people’s apartments.”
I shrugged as I leaned against the wall, my grin never fading. “Well, I just did.”
She let out an exasperated sigh as she ran a hand through her hair. “You’re insane.”
“Maybe.” I pushed off the wall and took a few steps toward her. “But you like it.”
Her lips parted on a breath, and I could see the fire in her eyes—the same fire that had drawn me to her in the first place.
“I brought you something,” I said, holding up the case of pure Phantomine. “This is the good stuff, not the contaminated shit. Do me a favor and stick with what I give you for a while.”
Her gaze flicked from my face to the case. She hesitated for a second before taking it from me. “Thanks.”
