Page 21 of A Hint of Delirium

Once he was showered and ready, we headed out on a wave of more eucalyptus-scented soap. Instead of using a portal, we traveled the old-fashioned way—using the subway. It was weird that I considered that mode of transportation old-fashioned now. Being around the fae was changing me. I couldn’t get used to traveling by portals. It simply wasn’t normal.

We made it to the train station and grabbed our seats, but the loudness of the train made it hard to hear each other so we kept quiet, which worked for me. I was too busy mulling things over in my head to be a great conversationalist, anyway.

Too soon, we reached Jackson Heights. Making a much needed pitstop at the Colombian bakery around the corner, we grabbed some breakfast to go and headed to my apartment to catch Mom before she left for work.

I let us inside and made Ansel promise not to glamour himself. When I walked in, the TV room and kitchen were empty, but there was a coffee mug in the sink. I set the bag of our breakfast goodies on the small dining table and walked to my mom’s bedroom, telling Ansel to wait in the TV room.

I knocked on her door. “Hey, Ma, it’s me.” Instead of waiting for a reply, I opened the door and found her by her closet putting on a pair of stud earrings.

“Hey, baby.” She gave me a tight smile. “How was your night?”

I shrugged. “It was … interesting. I brought breakfast. I thought we could talk before you left for work,” I said, my words edged with hope.

“Actually, I’m in a rush; I need to go in early.” She hurried around her room to finish getting ready.

“Mom, this is important. It can’t wait.”

“Violet …”

“Mom, please,” I pleaded. “Just a few minutes.”

She glanced over at me with tired eyes and I noticed the dark circles ringing her normally tan complexion. She hadn’t slept well. Something was wrong.

She sighed. “Okay, just a few minutes. What did you bring for breakfast?” She smiled and followed me out to the dining room.

“Some pandebono from—”

“What’shedoing here?” she snapped, grabbing my upper arm and pulling me back.

“This is my friend Ansel,” I introduced. “Ansel, this is my mom, Tessa De La Rosa.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Ms. De La Rosa.” Ansel held out his hand to her, but my mom refused to take it. She stared at him. Actually, she glared at him. Her reaction confused me.

“Ma,” I nudged her, “don’t be rude.”

She shook out of her stupor and finally shook his hand. “Nice to meet you,” she said tightly.

Something wasn’t right about this. My mom was acting funny, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out she didn’t like Ansel. Unfortunately I’d inherited her inability to hide her emotions. It wasn’t like he was acompletestranger. I mean, she’d spoken to him last night; it was how he got me to sleep over at his place. So what was her deal?

My gaze bounced between the two of them and then a light bulb went off in my head, followed by a sinking feeling in my gut.

“You know what he is, don’t you?” I asked her, praying I was wrong.

My mother’s glare darkened. If looks could kill, Ansel would be six feet underground. “He’s the devil,” she sneered.

I wasn’t fast enough to catch the knife she lobbed at him.

11

ANSEL

Icaught the knife by the handle just before it pierced my heart. Damn, this woman had good aim. I looked from the knife to Vi’s mom and tsked. “Well, that wasn’t very friendly,” I murmured. “And not a very nice welcome to a guest in your home.”

“Ma!” Vi shrieked and covered her mouth in shock. “What are youdoing?”

“What areyoudoing?” her mother volleyed. “Do you know what he is?”

Vi frowned. “Do you?”

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