Page 13 of Expose Me

“Do I have to do everything?” I threw my hands up with a huff. He just stared back at me with that eyeless face. “Just ... I don’t know. What features do you want? What would the human version of Zey look like?” I stopped just short of saying “just be yourself.”

Zey was silent and unmoving for several moments. I waited as patiently as I could, resisting the urge to bark at him to hurry up. Then that depthless black started to ripple, and a more human form began to shape itself.

He stood up as human features slowly started to take shape—much slower than any other transition I’d seen so far. He was really putting thought and effort into this. And he was ahe.

Zey remained the same height as his true form and chose a lean, athletic build. His shoulders were defined but not bulky, his chest and stomach following the same rules—distinct, strong, but not bulging. Dark hair appeared on his legs and forearms, then almost as an afterthought, a sprinkling on his chest too, with a snail trail leading from his belly button down to—

Nope! I forced myself to look at his face as the features came into focus. A strong brow, a straight nose, a five-o-clock shadow surrounding full lips. The hair on his head, like on the rest of him, was dark, but not quite black, and was cut short with a bit more length on top. He’d chosen tanned, olive skin and even added a tattoo to his left shoulder.

He left his eyes to last, and I stared as the last defining feature of human Zey locked into place. For his eye color, he chose that depthless black that was every inch of him in his true form. There was nothing natural or human-looking about it, but before I could point this out, he added one last detail. Tendrils of amber spread through the black, veining through it like marble. At a glance, it made his eyes appear dark brown.

Had he intentionally chosen my exact eye color to infuse into his? Why would he do that?

I turned away and summoned more clothing for him. The sweats were filthy, and my fave oversized hoodie was ruined. I handed him a pair of shorts and a stretched-out T-shirt I sometimes slept in. Then I remembered the running shoes a guy I’d been sleeping with left behind at my place. They looked about the same size.

“I need to get in touch with my House and report in, sort this whole mess out,” I said as I handed him the pile of clothes. “And you need to start talking. Who the hell are those ... people? And what did you do to make them so mad?”

“Why do you assume I did something? I could be the victim here.” He quirked a brow, pulling the T-shirt on over his head. Corded muscle moved under the smooth skin of his torso as he dressed. For the brief moment when his eyes were covered by fabric, I glanced down. I couldn’t help myself! It was justthere, hanging between toned thighs, half-erect, perfectly straight, wonderfully—

“Did I make a mistake?” Zey asked, making me snap out of the staring contest I’d gotten into with his dick. “I formed every part of this body to the ideal proportions.”

Yes, he had.

“What? No, it’s fine.” I shook myself out of it. “I’m pretty sure there’s not a single fiber of that bizarre being of yours that’s ever been a victim. So out with it. What did you do?”

“They’re the ones that did something.” He pulled the shorts on, then the shoes. They fit great. “I’m the only one who can undo it. They’ll kill me to keep that from happening. And I’ll die before I fail to right what they’ve made so wrong.”

I blinked at him. That was intense.

“OK.” I sighed and summoned my cell phone. “You can finish your epic speech—with way more detail—after I make this call.” I’d ignored two calls, and I had multiple messages. I really needed to check in.

I unlocked the screen and pressed the button to call Reginald Reyes back. Just as it started to ring, Zey sprang forward, yanked the phone out of my hand, and threw it to the other side of the room.

“Hey!” I shoved him in the chest. “What the fuck?”

He grabbed my wrists and fixed me with an intense stare. “You can’t call anyone. I told you. There is no time to waste. The Lineg Legion will find us again eventually. We need to get moving.”

I stepped closer, spreading my arms and twisting my wrists to get out of his grip. Then I punched him in the throat. On most human men, and many supernatural ones, it would’ve broken his windpipe. Zey just coughed lightly. It could’ve been mistaken for a low laugh—especially coupled with the amusement in his eyes.

“Don’t break my things,” I gritted out. “And don’t grab me like you own me. I am so sick of your shit. If you’re in such a rush, then go!”

I pointed to the door. Let him run. He wouldn’t get far once the witches of the House of Spirit and Sapphire decided to find him. If his buddies didn’t get to him first.

He took a measured step back, his arms held up in front of him. I had a feeling it was all the apology I was going to get.

“I cannot go without you.”

“Why?”

“I need you.” His jaw clenched—such a human reaction. He looked like it physically pained him to say that.

“Find another barely human woman to torture.” I ran my hands through my hair. Or at least I tried. My fingers got caught in the tangles. I hadn’t had a chance to brush it or take a shower or even have coffee.

“There isn’t time. You said it was rare, what you can do. With the Lineg in pursuit and my unfamiliarity with this ... place,” he looked around with a mildly disgusted look on his face, “I cannot afford to lose time.”

“Oh, so you’re only sticking with me because of my ability? I guess it’s not my winning personality then. Bummer.”

He frowned. “You are also a proficient warrior. It has been useful already.”

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