For the most part, Ella is just placating my anger, and I know it. But she’s also being honest, because she really did spend time with Ros. It’s bullshit, but I turn away, not protesting when Zee snaps a picture to send to Kane.
“It’s possible she’s a succubus,” Sierra says suddenly, and I groan while dropping my head back. This is going to be a long night.
“She’s not a succubus. I repeat; she blushes when I flirt. You seriously think she’s packing a closet of seduction in one touch, when the slightest bit of sexual innuendo has her cheeks turning crimson?”
Sierra frowns, sighing. “It would explain why you’re so drawn to her if she’s a succubus. You’re not mates.”
“You said that earlier,” Ella interjects, jumping in before I can. “Why are you so sure?”
Sierra motions to me. “Because he would have been in as much pain as she was if they were mates. Lycans don’t share that sort of bond, but I studied up on the changers’ bonds. And all documented cases of those bonds were between two changers. The connection was never found with another form of fey.”
So she’s not really mine. Doesn’t matter. She will be. Anyone willing to die for me is definitely someone I want around. And Roslyn is the only addiction I’ve ever had besides the taste of blood.
A bond would explain the addiction. But it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s not like I fucking need a reason to keep her.
“Just for the sake of argument, what happens if she is the witch/wolf hybrid?” Zee asks, looking back up from his phone.
I narrow my eyes at him in warning, but he doesn’t take a step back like he usually does. Apparently all that extra magic he has is making him too brave.
“It’s not her.”
He groans as Gage counters, “And if it was?”
I roll my eyes, not even the slightest bit worried about it. “Then I’d do what I had to. I won’t let something that dangerous roam free. But if she was able to pull off this sweet act and fool me so easily, don’t you think she would have just let that slayer bitch kill me and been done with it? She’s not cold. She’s not cunning. She’s a fucking angel. And I really hope she is immortal. Or Zee is going to try his venom on her.”
Zee holds up a finger. “I hate to point out the obvious, but has Gage tried his mark on her? If she’s fey, it’ll reveal what kind.”
Gage groans at the same time I do. Yeah… We’re fucking stupid.
“Do it,” I tell Gage, cursing myself for not thinking of it sooner. It’s been years since any of us have been involved with anyone we were unsure of. In fact, I think the last mess-up was with Kane and Alyssa.
Gage walks over, and he gently touches Roslyn’s arm. Just that small amount of contact has me grinding my teeth and reining in my instincts to rip his hand off.
Ella mutters something under her breath, but wisely refrains from stating her opinion on the matter. Roslyn mumbles something unintelligible in her sleep before she sighs, seeming content.
You can’t even tell she was just stabbed. And I won’t tell them, but I’m a little freaked out by how quickly she healed. After drinking my blood.
“Nothing’s happening,” Gage points out. “Did the poison have any effect on her?”
I shake my head. “No. At least I don’t think so. That would mean she’s not fey.”
“Okay, so let’s run over the facts,” Gage says on a sigh while sitting down on the window ledge. “How did this happen?”
“We heard a noise, someone screaming or yelling, and I took off toward the house. Wendy—the slayer I killed—had just used her freaky poison mojo on the ogre who was here with Alex.”
Gage stiffens. “She killed an ogre? Fuck. She’s strong.”
“Was,” I correct. “Was strong. She’s dead now. He might have been big, but he was young. The poison must have worked quicker on him than me, because it was a slow burn when I felt it. It paralyzed my hand, but the poison didn’t take root quickly enough to save her life, and the second her touch on the blade was lost, the poison receded without a trace.”
Gage purses his lips, running over the facts. “That’s actually very good to hear.”
“Yeah,” Zee growls, “if you’re old as shit. I wish we knew how good it worked on younger fey. Like me and Ella. Kimber’s young too,” he adds.
Gage tenses again. “We’ll fix the doubles—put old fey and young fey together. I heard Alex and his ogre friend came back to the party. They left earlier with Jenny, and—”
His words are cut off as Chaz suddenly appears in the room, a gold-dust trail accompanying him.
“Jenny’s memories have been dusted,” Chaz says, interrupting Gage. “But I learned that Alex got a call and had to leave. Josiah—who I’m assuming the ogre is—was taking Jenny home. I have no idea if he was going to fuck her or consume her. Don’t ask. But Wendy was waiting, expecting Thad and Roslyn. Jenny said she demanded to know where the blonde beast was, and Josiah was trying to fight her off when she attacked. The poison wasn’t fast, but it was apparently stout, because she said he suddenly froze up after a few minutes. However, she stabbed him directly in the heart, unlike where she stabbed Thad. I’m sure that sped up the poison’s reaction time.”