Deathtrap (Crossbreed #3)(69)

“Should we light a fire?” I asked, staring at the cold hearth.

“No. Claude gets hot when he sleeps. He usually doesn’t light it unless it’s for ambiance,” she said, dramatically emphasizing the last word.

I watched her picking at the chipped polish on her short nails. “That was really something you did back there with the light show.”

Her brows knitted together for a moment before she looked at her hands. “Oh. That.”

“I know you’re smart and all, but maybe Viktor worries for no reason when putting you on the front line. Seems like you can take care of yourself.”

She rubbed her fingertips together, and a tiny ball the size of a marble formed. It was composed of blue light and quickly dissipated when she smashed it in the palm of her hand with a tight fist. “I only get a few good shots, and there’s always a chance something could go wrong. That’s what Viktor’s afraid of since it requires concentration and control. It depletes my energy. If I use too much, sometimes I can’t flash for a day. Every gift has a drawback.”

“That’s some gift, though. Is it a rare one?”

She fell over on the pillow next to her and curled up in the fetal position. “Some rare gifts are rarer than others. My Creator told me there aren’t many who can do what I do.”

“What do they call it?”

I knew Gem was a Blocker who had the ability to block many Mage gifts, such as those from Mentalists or Charmers, but she hadn’t detailed everything about her powers, and it wasn’t my business. Now that the cat was out of the bag, it didn’t seem rude to ask about it.

“When there isn’t an official name, we give it one. The Mageri recorded my gifts when they measured me, but they didn’t mention a name for it. Wyatt wanted to call me a ball buster. I just call it wielding, so I guess that makes me a Wielder.”

Man, Gem was one lucky girl. Every Mage was different in not only what rare ability they possessed but also how many. Some had just one gift, while others had several. Niko had informed me that some didn’t discover hidden abilities until years later, that the gifts would lie dormant until accidentally revealed.

“I’m just a Stealer,” I said.

“Just a Stealer. No biggie. You’re also a Vampire and a Mage who doesn’t turn into a floppy doll when someone puts a stunner in you. Not to mention you’re immune to Chitah venom. If this is a contest, you win.”

I buried a laugh when Claude let out a sudden snort. “No wonder he’s still single.”

Gem’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Every perfect man has a flaw.”

“Does that mean that every flawed man has something perfect about him?”

“Food for thought.”

I stood up and cleared my throat. “Are you sleeping in here?”

She nodded as if there was no other answer.

“But you’re just partners.”

She swung her legs over the edge and hopped off the bed. “I could use something to drink. Let’s walk.”

After she closed the door and we paced away from the room, Gem folded her arms. She smiled at the sudden height difference between us. Just four inches, but I could tell she didn’t like looking up at people.

“I should have put on my slippers,” she remarked before turning to face me. “You haven’t formed a special bond with Christian yet? That concerns me.”

“It’s just work.”

“True, but when you work closely with someone—when you put your life in their hands—the relationship becomes like one of my energy balls.”

“Deadly?” I said with a snort.

“Well, once you learn each other’s weaknesses and strengths, yes. But I meant powerful. I like everyone in this house, but Claude gets me. He doesn’t know everything about my past, but we’re there for each other. We trust each other completely. And even though Shepherd is going through some kind of a mid-immortal crisis, Wyatt’s there for him. I just thought that you and Christian were finally getting along. He’s going to be your partner for a long time.”

We continued our pace and turned a corner.

“I love Claude,” she said. “We butted heads a little in the beginning, but we found common ground and forged a friendship. He doesn’t show his real side to everyone, but he’s such a giving man.”

“Sorry, it’s none of my business.”

“But it is. I don’t want you to think because I spend the night in his room that there’s something going on between us. People are a lot like languages. We each speak with a different vocabulary and dialect, and our job is to try to understand one another. I regret that you don’t have that kind of closeness with Christian. It must be hard to feel forced into a partnership you don’t care about.” She gripped my wrist as we walked. “I’m still here. If you can’t talk to Christian about stuff, just come see me.”

“Thanks, Gem. I think Christian and I are getting along a little better. At least we’re not trying to kill each other as often,” I said, thinking about our near-sexual encounter in the bathtub.

Not to mention our blood sharing.

And grinding.

And almost-kissing.

I studied her as we walked. “Aren’t you afraid you might mix up those chummy feelings and accidentally sleep with him?”