I should’ve known something was up when he dismissed the other Unseelie guard. Every time I’ve been moved around the prison except for my arrival, there’s been at least two fae to make sure I don’t do anything stupid. Dusk took me through the back halls again on his own and, some time on our way back, he actually removed the diamaint gloves.
He’s not afraid of me. He knows he’s in total control.
And I really should’ve been expecting this.
On the plus side, the irons fell off as soon as I crossed into my cell. Just like last time, they hit the stone floor and simply disappeared. My hands are free.
That’s good.
What’s not good?
Is how Dusk doesn’t hesitate to follow me into the cell.
I didn’t even realize at first. I’m too worried about Rys, and once the cell door slams, I think that Dusk is ready to leave. I don’t want to look at him again—I still can’t get the way he said my name out of my head—and that’s a mistake because I don’t realize that he’s right behind me until I turn around and he’s there.
That’s not at all. He… he did something. It’s starting at the corner, where the cell door’s hinges meet. A dark cloud, a thick puff of smoke, is forming at the floor. As I stare in horror at it, unable to meet Dusk’s face, I see it grow.
It gets bigger and bigger and I feel like I’m about to get sick.
It’s the same kind of shadowy curtain the Unseelie guards would put up outside of Posey’s cell. Only it’s here. It’s in front of mine.
And Dusk is in here with me.
“What… what are you doing?”
“I think you know.”
I play dumb. “No. I don’t. You’re not supposed to be in here with me.”
“I’m not supposed to do a lot of things, but no one can stop me. That’s the beauty of being fae in Faerie, Elle. In Siúcra, I am king. And you will bow to me. It’s time.”
“Time? For what?”
You know what the beauty of being human in Faerie is? They really do think we’re as stupid as dirt.
Either that, or he plays along. Toying with me like a cat with a mouse.
Yup. Definitely in trouble.
“Veron is very wealthy. Very powerful. So long as you belonged to him, I couldn’t take what was mine. Now… now I don’t have to wait anymore. Come to me. Open yourself up to me. I promise, you’ll enjoy it more if you do.”
Oh my God. He’s not messing around.
He’s… he’s really going to force me to touch him. Touch him—and maybe more.
This isn’t the first time something like this has happened to me. When I was fresh out of high school, going to art school at night while Jimmy worked his ass off at his father’s garage, I had this neighbor. Cameron. He was a few years older than me and, I don’t know, I guess I could tell that something wasn’t right. He was too friendly. Too helpful. But he only came around when Jim was at work.
It was like he knew Jim’s schedule. Like he knew when he wasn’t around—and when I was by myself.
It was a Saturday morning. I had work at the store, but I forgot my keys. I had to run back for them, and, because my luck’s always been shitty, I missed the train. Cameron offered me a ride.
Uh… he didn’t mean with his car.
I got lucky. Jim had slept in; his dad had given him a rare weekend off. He heard me scream when Cameron tried pulling me into his apartment and he scared the asshole off. My boyfriend was—is—strong as hell. He was an all-star baseball player throughout high school and he was good enough to play college ball if he decided to go to school instead of learning his dad’s trade.
He beat the shit out of Cameron, then made sure I carried Mace with me after that. The sad thing was that I already had a can tucked in my purse. I’d grown up in the city and I thought I knew all about keeping safe.
I guess I just never thought the real danger would come from right next door.