Moonlight's Ambassador (Aileen Travers Book 3)(97)

"If it makes you feel better, I got fired because of all this," I said with a sly grin when she gave me an exasperated look and rolled her eyes. There really was no comparison between the two, since my job was one I'd fallen into while hers was a career. "It's not forever, you know. Prove you can control yourself, and I'm sure they'll lift the restriction."

"And if they don't?"

"Then we fuck their shit up." I arched an eyebrow, feeling relief when she nodded. I grinned before standing. "I'll tell them you're ready for food."

I turned toward the steps.

"You'll be back, right?" Caroline's voice was insecure.

I looked over my shoulder and gave her my best daredevil grin. "Try to stop me. We'll both make this work. Together."

She nodded. Her eyes were still sad, but she didn't look like she was beaten. It was something. More than when I'd walked down here.

I paused before I headed up the stairs, turning to Sondra. “What will happen to Lisa?”

She looked at the other wolf with distaste. Lisa lifted her chin and gave us a snooty look. “That hasn’t been decided yet. She did kill two people, plotted against a fellow pack member, and conspired with an enemy.”

I hesitated, not sure it was my place to say anything, let alone whether it was wise of me to. Lisa had been painted with the same brush as her brother. While I got the sense that the woman had wanted to get away from him and his schemes, she had waited until the last possible moment.

“If it helps, she did try to free me,” I said, my conscious getting the better of me. “Even knowing it would have repercussions for her. I got the sense from Theo that the companions weren’t entirely her fault.”

Sondra considered that. “I will let Brax know, and he will factor that into his decision.”

I nodded then walked up the steps with grim purpose. That was all I could do for now—all I was willing to do. Everything else regarding Lisa was in Brax’s hands.

Liam leaned against the wall in the hall next to the basement, his arms folded over his chest as he watched me with an appreciative gaze. My steps faltered as I noticed him.

There were a lot of questions I had for him. This wasn’t the best place to ask them with prying ears all around, but I needed to know.

“Why do you keep helping me?” I asked. He’d had plenty of opportunity to wipe his hands of me and my problems. “Sondra told me you’re the reason they were finally able to track us down.”

The waking dream I’d had of him by the beach and ocean had been real—the mark he’d forced on me creating a link he could follow. I may have done most of the heavy lifting in saving myself, but he and the wolves’ timely arrival had gone a long way to helping the situation.

He studied me with hooded eyes, his head tilting in consideration. “You fascinate me.”

I blinked at him, nonplussed. “I fascinate you.”

Not the answer I had been expecting.

He gave me a wicked smile. “In so many ways.”

“Does that have anything to do with this?” I tapped the skin under my magic-seeing eye.

His eyes went to where I pointed and some of the amusement dropped from his face. “That’s part of it. I won’t lie. But, you’re so much more than that. You have potential. I’d like to see that potential realized, in more ways than one.”

Not exactly a romantic declaration, and it didn’t allay any concerns that his interest in me might have more to do with his own alliances. I turned his words over in my head.

His gaze was intense as he continued, “For now, I think it’s best to keep that piece of information to yourself. There are many in this world who would do anything to secure such a unique ability.”

I nodded to show I understood. I’d thought as much. “By that, can I take it that you have no plans to share this with our not-so-mutual friend?”

His smile flashed. “I’ll keep the news close to the vest for the moment.”

I didn’t like the thought of owing him. He was a vampire—one who probably had enough secrets in his closet to sink a ship. Owing him one thing might lead to a whole nest of problems that I didn’t need.

While we did share an attraction, it wasn’t one I entirely welcomed or even understood. His loyalties would always be to the vampires, and while I didn’t view them in the same light as I once had, I still didn’t trust them implicitly. I’m sure he felt the same way about me. It made any potential relationship between us a long shot. Not that I was all that sure he had designs on a relationship either.

"I hear we're going to be getting to know each other better," he said as I stepped past him.

I ground to a halt. Damn it. I knew he'd been listening.

"I said I'd get training. I never said who it would be from."

He straightened from the wall, his body brushing mine. "As your sire, Thomas will appoint a mentor. We've already agreed it will be me."

My head snapped towards him, he smiled with a smug expression and sauntered past me. "I'll expect you an hour after sunset on Monday."

"This is just temporary," I shouted after him. He lifted a hand in lazy acknowledgment. Just temporary until I learned what I needed to know and could convince Caroline of a better course of action.