Page 49 of Slay Me

“You saw him?” Bracken demands.

I shake my head. “But he’s the newest member of the circus. And with his abilities, he’d have a way to sneak in undetected and kill them before they could shift back.”

Dante turns to Bracken. “Where is he now?”

“In the dining hall,” I tell them. “Or, he was when Fiona and I left.”

Bracken offers Dante a nod then moves past me and out of the apartment. I remain rooted where I stand, my gaze dropping to a band of gold glittering on the floor at Dante’s feet. Tears blur my vision again, and I choke on a sob. “Is that a—”

“Ring?” Duncan questions. “Yes. Looks like he was in the process of proposing when whoever the hell did this got in.”

My heart shatters for two people who’d been incredibly close to their happily ever after, only to have it ripped away. And even as I grieve them, unease churns in my belly. I’ve always thought I was safer here at the circus.

But what if the danger has always been closer than I ever imagined?

Chapter16

Dante

Liv’s expression is unreadable. It’s taking everything in me to keep my attention on the group before me rather than focusing on her. Her grief is palpable even if she does refuse to let it show on her face.

She cared for the shifters. Greatly. And the fact that she’s hurting pisses me the fuck off even more. I glance over at the only outsider here and then one of my only allies outside of my security team. Grayson is a hybrid, and his ability to tell when someone is lying will be more than useful in flushing out whatever cocksucker killed my performers. As it happens, I’d asked him to come after Liv was poisoned.

I bided my time until he arrived. Now that he’s here, I can knock two potential killers off the face of this fucking world.

He offers me a slight nod from where he stands in the corner beside his mate. The head of Fire and Fluorite. I definitely don’t miss the way the gryffin practically salivates at the opportunity to potentially plead his case.

Not that she’ll be taking him up on it.

Refocusing, I study their expressions. “As I’m sure most of you know by now, Thomas and Jenny were murdered last night.”

Valentina lets out a sharp wail, and Fiona shoots a glare in her direction.

I continue, “What I find most intriguing about this attack, though, is that no one aside from performers can get in and out of that apartment building.” I study their faces, seeking any indication that someone here knows what might have happened. The shapeshifter remains calm, his expression unreadable. He looks nothing like the others of his kind. While their bodies are obsidian, their faces lacking all features, this one looks like a human unless he’s shifted. Likely due to his hybrid blood.

Harriss clears his throat. “I didn’t sense anything was amiss,” he says. The Djinn is a massive asshole, but now I’m surprised to see a hint of emotion on his face. Perhaps regret? Guilt? Granted, I never would have pegged him for a murderer.

“You seriously think any of us would have killed them?” Apollo demands. “They were our friends.”

“Friends who were slaughtered by someone who managed to sneak in and not alert any of the wards,” Duncan retorts. “Tell me, Apollo, how would that be possible?”

The gryffin’s face reddens, and he glares back at Duncan. “Seeing as how I know nothing of the magic used, I can’t exactly say.”

“Then keep your fucking mouth shut unless you have anything of use to offer,” Killian snaps.

The gryffin closes his mouth tight, though he rolls his eyes and leans back, wrapping an arm around the back of Liv’s chair. My beast rattles its chains, and I take a step forward, ready to snap his fucking arm clean off.

But Liv pushes to her feet and moves off to the side, giving me the opportunity to curb my territorial nature…for now.

“I need an answer from each of you,” I say. “Liv. Did you kill Thomas and Jenny?”

She glares at me, eyes hardening. “Of course not.”

“Fiona?” I ask, shifting my attention and trying like hell not to feel guilty for the accusation. But this is business, and things with Liv have turned into anything but.

“No.”

“Did you poison Liv last week?”

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