Moonlight's Ambassador (Aileen Travers Book 3)(49)

"It's funny you mention that. Why are you wearing it?" I asked, tilting my head. "Given it cuts you off from your magic, wouldn’t you want that as far from your person as you could?"

He lifted his chin in a bullish manner and covered the cuff with one hand. "I'm running an experiment."

I arched an eyebrow. Right, and I had a unicorn stuffed in my pocket. I'd play along for now. "Oh? What kind?"

"I'm trying to create a spell to unlock something of this nature, so that the next time a presumptuous vampire tries sealing me away from my powers, I can open a can of whoop-ass on her fanged head that she will not soon forget." He gave me a meaningful look.

I returned it with a humorless smile and tapped the skin under my left eye. "Oh, I won't forget. Don't you worry about that."

He jerked slightly, covering the movement by raising his chin. If that thing got any higher, he'd be staring at the ceiling.

I stepped closer, trailing my hand along the wood of the table closest to me. I drew it back and rubbed my fingers together, grimacing at the dust clinging to them. This place would definitely never pass a white glove inspection. That was for sure.

"You need a maid. This place is disgusting," I told him, looking around in distaste. Now that I'd noticed the dust, I noticed other things, like empty McDonald's wrappers all over the place and a pile of dirty clothes in the corner.

"You volunteering?" he asked, the words not quite disguising the unease in his voice.

It was enough to pull my attention back to him. Behind his bravado, I thought I detected a trace of fear, which was laughable because I should be the last thing in the world he feared. Unless he lived in anticipation of my wicked zingers.

I stepped closer, noting how he edged back and looked away.

"You're afraid of me?" I asked, disbelief clear in my tone.

His bright green eyes came back to me and he scoffed, the sound making it clear what he thought of that sentiment. I straightened and looked him over. That's what I thought.

I drew closer, my eyes narrowed.

"If you didn't come here to clean up for me, I suggest you go," he said, bending to pick up the book that had fallen and placing it on the table.

I cocked my head. Something was different about him—I just couldn't put my finger on what. Something beyond the trepidation sticking to him like a coating of sweat. He had a thin five o'clock shadow along his jaw, much fuller than the last time I'd caught him trying to grow a beard, and he was taller than I remembered.

A grin stretched across my face as I figured out what it was. "You're trying to get older. That's why you put the genie cuff back on."

His eyes widened, even as his mouth dropped open in outrage. "I did no such thing! This is for experimental purposes only."

"Uh-huh," I said, not bothering to keep the smile from my face as my tone made it clear I didn't believe a word he was saying.

"Get to the reason you're here so you can leave me in peace," he snapped, power flickering around his fingertips in green arcs. My skin twitched in response, remembering how it felt to have that magic popping and crackling along my nerve endings—worse than electricity ever felt.

"I need a tracking spell," I said, losing interest in teasing him.

His laugh had little in common with humor and a lot of disbelief in it. His eyes hardened. "You couldn't afford it."

"Look, it's a spell you've done for me before."

His brow furrowed in confusion. I sighed before leaning forward and tapping the skin under my eye again and gave him a meaningful look. The penny dropped and understanding dawned.

He shook his head. "She's with the wolves on their territory. I'm not risking a war with them just so you can check on her."

"You afraid of a few people with a serious moon allergy?" I asked, folding my arms over my chest.

He snorted. "Hardly, I could snap them in half with barely a thought. However, they outnumber me a hundred to one and fighting them off would take time and energy from other pursuits—ones that pay quite a bit better."

I wiggled my jaw as I considered how much to tell him.

He'd shown an attachment to Caroline in the past—enough that he put aside his hatred for me for the most part—to help me when the demon had her. It was an attachment that concerned me when she'd been human. As a wolf, she would have more protection should he try to practice any of his shenanigans on her, but did I really want to risk it?

Without his help, it would take me three times as long to track her on my own. Each night she spent on the run was another night for Brax to grow fed up with her stubbornness and give the kill order. So yes, it was worth it. I hoped.

"Caroline escaped from their little compound in Kentucky," I said, making my decision as I leaned against the table. "She's back in Columbus and on the run. From what Brax tells me, things might not go well for her if we don’t find her first."

Peter paused in rearranging his beakers and frowned. "That's not good. They don't like it when a pup bucks the system. They'll feel the need to hunt her down and make her a lesson, to prevent others from doing the same."

That did not fill me with confidence about turning Caroline back over to Brax. It put even more doubts in my head than had been there before.