A muscle twitched in Braithwaite’s pale jaw. He looked at Nix, his pupils dilated, swallowing up any trace of brown. Pressing his lips together, he sat, though Nix could tell it was done with reluctance. He glanced at Caladh, his expression a mixture of subservience and irritation. The selkie was a longtime member of the council, and a powerful man in his own right. It wasn’t smart to get on his bad side. When Caladh spoke, the younger councilors listened. Unless they were stupid, and Braithwaite was, if nothing else, not stupid.
“Thank you.” Caladh looked at Nix with sympathy in his eyes. “Nix, I realize you’re in a sometimes untenable position. Due to your work with us you’ve become something of a target among demonkind, yet you rarely receive any sort of acclaim.” He sent a pointed glance his colleagues’ way. “Let me say, for the record, that you do an admirable job under very difficult circumstances. I, for one, appreciate the fact that you’re on our team.”
Nix blinked. While it had been obvious to her that Caladh was the least judgmental of the three, it had seemed that he did, indeed, disapprove of her. But if he said he appreciated her, she’d take it, even if he was lying through those oh-so-white teeth. “Thank you, my lord Caladh.” See? She could be just as gracious as the next person.
A small smile curved one side of his mouth. “I think we can call this meeting adjourned, don’t you, Deoul? There’s nothing more to be discussed at this stage.” He winked at her and turned a solemn face toward the other members of the council. “As our human liaison has stated, it’s too early to tell.”
Deoul gave an abrupt nod. “I agree. I expect an update, in person, the second you have more information,” he stated, looking at Nix.
She nodded.
“We’re adjourned.” Deoul stood and walked away from the table, Caladh and Braithwaite following him.
As soon as the doors closed behind them, Nix turned to Tobias and Victoria with a sigh. “Thank you both for coming to my defense. I thought I was about to be put on a spit and roasted.”
“It could still happen,” Victoria said with a wink of her own. Her usually somber face lit with a rare smile. “Deoul, I’m told, has a fondness for rump roasts.” She glanced at Nix’s rear, then gave a small wave and walked out of the room.
That left Tobias. “I thought there for a while that you’d told them about the you-know-what at the scene.” Nix didn’t want to talk too loudly, because with a building full of shape-shifters, vampires, and other sundry preternaturals, she never knew who was listening.
His expression didn’t change from the polite, bland facade he’d presented to the council. “I told you I wouldn’t say anything. For now.” His gaze held hers. “But you’ll need to provide evidence to the contrary.”
Vampire pheromones wafted her way. She swayed, her body tightening with the beginnings of arousal. She drew in a shaky breath, slipping out her tongue to wet her dry lips. Staring at his mouth, she wanted to feel it against hers again. Against her breasts. Against her throat…
As soon as she realized her head was beginning to tilt to one side she drew herself up and glared at him with stiff outrage. “Caine! Keep your damned pheromones to yourself.”
He met her scowl. “Can I help it if I know you’re such a tasty morsel?” He fixed his eyes on her throat. His pupils dilated, and she caught a glimpse of fangs. Lust darkened his face. He always used to look at her like that, but five years ago the lust had been tempered with love. Or so she’d thought. Now, though, there were no tender emotions reflected in his eyes. Now it was only hunger. Physical and sexual.
She tightened her lips. Bastard. She wasn’t good enough or was too demon or something for him to love, but he was making it pretty obvious that he’d be willing to pierce her with fangs and cock again.
Nix fisted her hands and fought back anger at his callousness. He had never been so cold. He used to care about his sexual partner’s feelings, didn’t just use people for blood and sex. But now he seemed indifferent. To her, at least. She turned on her heel and strode away.
She didn’t know whether to be happy or sad when he didn’t come after her.
Chapter Four
Half an hour later Nix unlocked her front door and pushed her way past an excited, full-bladdered dog. One of her neighbors routinely took the mutt out for an afternoon walk around three p.m. and fed him, but it was now almost ten and she knew he needed to go again.
He circled around her feet, his shoulder butting her thighs, a woof of impatience leaving him when she dropped her shoulder bag on the floor. “I know, sweetie.” She ruffled the top of his head and toed off her boots. If they could have, her feet would have breathed a sigh of relief. “Just let me change shoes, all right?”