Page 12 of Waste
Drew sent her a scowl and left the room. Mary’s giggles followed him down the stone stairs. What a damn nightmare!
???
Drew was reading in his suite when there was a knock. He looked up, surprised. He’d not been expecting a visitor. Drew opened his door and blinked when he saw Pandora standing there.
“Pandora! Are you okay?” he asked, letting her in.
Drew studied the woman who’d caused all this grief. Pandora had been the one to let the Sins escape the jar. She was to blamefor their becoming monsters, and Drew still harboured a great deal of resentment.
“I am well,” she murmured as she entered and sat down.
Drew disagreed with that assessment. Pandora was a beautiful girl, forever frozen at eighteen. Yet she was merely a reflection of her former self. Pandora had lost a lot of weight, and she was dangerously thin. When Pandora shifted to her alternative form, Andie, which was rare nowadays, she looked even sicker.
“May I offer you refreshments?” Drew asked, his manners taking over.
“Peppermint tea? You always made that,” Pandora mentioned with a sad smile.
“That, I can do,” Drew said and headed for his small kitchen. Minutes later, he brought two cups out with steam rising from them. Pandora took hers and cupped her hands around it before raising it to sniff.
“It smells amazing, Drew,” she murmured.
“Thank you. How can I help you?” he asked.
Pandora stared at him and chuckled. “Straight to the point. I’m aware you don’t like me, Drew, and I can’t blame you. But there was a reason for my actions that nobody knows. I’m not here to explain myself or give excuses, but I’m here to offer a warning. Shelley has pinged on the radar. Although nothing major yet, Shelley’s name had been flagged as a potential witness,” Pandora said.
“Why are you telling me this?” Drew asked after taking a sip from his cup. He needed a few moments to compose himself.
Even when she’d been human, Pandora had knowing eyes. Now they saw things he couldn’t imagine. Pandora had become more than a mere mortal, and nobody was sure exactly what. But she radiated with power that rivalled Lilith and Bab Yaga.
“You see why, Drew.”
“No. I don’t. I warned the silly girl; if she hasn’t listened, then it’s her choice and on her head.”
“And you don’t believe what you’re saying,” Pandora challenged him, and Drew almost pouted. He just withheld himself in time.
Drew was unaware of what he felt. He didn’t feel any weird tug towards Shelley or a bond forming. But he admitted she occupied more of his thoughts than she should. Drew sighed as he stared at Pandora impassively.
“What do you want from me?”
“Me? Nothing, Drew. But I think Shelley might need your protection. As of yet, she’s not a major interest, but should she continue with her enquiries, she will be.”
“Pandora, I warned her, it’s not my issue anymore,” Drew replied, knowing he spoke an untruth.
Pandora gave him a disappointed stare. “Lie to yourself, not me. You need to save this girl.”
“Why?”
“In four weeks, Drew, I’ll ask you that.” Pandora finished her tea and placed the cup and saucer down. She got to her feet and stared at Drew. “Make this right.”
Drew rose, but Pandora saw herself out. “You’re a creepy-ass woman,” he muttered once the door had shut.
Rumours abounded about Pandora lately. It had emerged she was protecting someone, but Pandora refused to say who. It appeared that what they’d all believed was wrong, and that was concerning. Pandora wasn’t the type to play mind games, so Drew thought she had genuinely hidden information. The problem was why? And why was Pandora alluding to it now?
Shelley
She smiled as she gave a customer his order, but the smile faded as soon as his back was turned. It had been a week since the ghoul had warned her to stop searching. Shelley had listened and then dismissed the warning. She wanted more information and planned to get answers.
“Are you okay?” Jo asked.
