Crimson Truth (Onyx Assassins 4)

“Nope, but I figure you probably need to know for...however long it takes to find Avi, and I’m betting on your integrity not to tell mommy dearest that I let that one slip.”

“I won’t tell anyone,” I promised.

“I don’t quite have lie-detector arms, but I believe you.” She pulled her long, lavender hair around her shoulder and scooted farther back onto the bed.

“What do you need for tomorrow? I’m assuming you have all your...witchy stuff.” Her duffel bag was big enough to hide a dead body, but I didn’t know what equipment a witch needed.

“All I need is a quiet room where I won’t be interrupted.” A slow smile spread across her face, punching me straight in the gut. “All my witchy stuff will be delivered in the morning, seeing as you need me to scry and cast a few spells.”

Fucking. Gorgeous.

Untouchable. Knock it off.

Even if the woman didn’t annoy me on just about every level possible, she was a witch. I was a vampire. Cross-species relationships were strictly against the Covenant. Alek and Lachlan’s relationships had only been permitted because Lyric had become a vampire, and Valor had just enough vampire blood in her lineage to pass under the Conclave’s radar. But a witch? Forbidden didn’t even begin to describe a vampire/witch relationship. Not that I was attracted to Jocelyn or anything.

Now who’s lying.

My phone rang, and I cursed under my breath at the name that flashed on the screen. Gloria Angeloff.

“Why is the vampire matchmaker calling you?” She arched an eyebrow.

“How would you know who it is?” I hit decline and slid the phone back into my pocket.

“My powers aren’t at zero percent.” A teasing smile lifted her lips.

“And now you’re going to give me shit,” I guessed.

“Nope.” She shook her head. “I get it. My mother’s been pressuring me to find a consort, and vampires aren’t the only species with matchmakers. It sucks.” Her nose crinkled as she gave me a compassionate shrug.

My chest lightened a fraction. Wait. Shit. Becoming friendly with Jocelyn was most definitely not on my to-do list. She was an asset. A beautiful one, but still—an asset, and that was it.

“Okay, then I’ll just…” I turned and fumbled for the door handle. Smooth.

“How did you get stuck with babysitting duty, anyway?”

“I’m the only one who can tell if you’re lying.” I turned slowly and found that she’d somehow snuck up on me.

There was less than a foot between us.

Less than twelve inches between our lips.

Twelve inches between my fangs and the creamy, pale skin of her throat.

“Too bad,” she whispered. “Because the growly one is my favorite.”

My arm burned. “That wasn’t nice,” I half-growled, my tone dropping.

Her gaze dropped to my lips. “I don’t always play nice.”

Heat shot through my veins, and my hunger shifted for her. I found the handle behind my back and opened the door, escaping into the hallway before I did something we’d both regret. “Better not dream of me, princess,” I teased, shutting the door.

“Never do!” she called after me.

My right arm erupted in a searing pain, and when I looked down, her lies covered both my forearms in big black letters.

Fuck.

4

Jocelyn

“You missed the coven meeting regarding the state of our sacred mountain tucked next to the river,” Luna said, and I could hear the disappointment in her tone even through the phone.

Sometimes it was like she was the eldest and I was the youngest. As it was, she was two years younger than me, and happened to be my absolute favorite person on the planet.

“The head witches from each coven believe action needs to be taken yesterday in order to preserve the minerals and crystals the mountain produces,” she continued.

I sighed, pausing as I unpacked my suitcase. Mommy dearest hadn’t wasted any time in offering my services—without asking me—to the Onyx Assassins. Not that I wouldn’t have offered them anyway, but still. I hated it when she spoke for me, made plans for me, mapped out my future like I was her personal doll to do with what she liked. And, sure, maybe I hadn’t filled her in on the specifics of why Conclave had been called, but it wasn’t my business to relay information I definitely shouldn’t have known in the first place. If I hadn’t been with Avi…

Guilt stung my insides and I swallowed it down, focusing on the conversation at hand.

“Do any of them have any ideas on a plan of action?” I asked, more for Luna’s benefit than mine. I cared about my territory and loved my people, but I was not fit to be queen. I liked adventure too much, surprises and travel verses routine and structure. The last thing I wanted was to be glued to a throne.

“The Leifstar coven thinks we should gather all covens to put a protection spell around it,” she said. “The Cornswallows think we should carve out more tunnels in an effort to exploit its resources before it succumbs to a natural death.”