“Is that how you see me, Reed?” I ask, continuing to follow his elegant movements around the floor.
“You have so many facets, Evie,” he replies, his eyes growing dark with desire as he lifts his head to look at me. “I thought that I could never love you more than when you were a fragile, brave girl just beginning to change into an angel. You were so courageous then, you took my breath away,” he says, gently steering me in the hypnotic dance. “But then you began to change and with that evolution came power…power like I never expected…strength and intelligence…flawless beauty…” he smiles, his eyes seeming to touch every inch of my face. “In all the years that I have lived, the time that I have spent with you has been the most exquisite…and this moment, our first dance, I will never forget if I live forever.”
“I still can’t believe you’re real,” I whisper, leaning my face against his shoulder, hearing his heart beating strongly in his chest. “I love you.”
“And I, you,” Reed whispers back as the final strains of the song fade to silence.
Lifting my head as we come to a stop in the middle of the room, I smile while the breeze lifts my hair and pushes it toward my face. Another record drops as my eyes widen in reaction to the sweet, sticky scent that assails my nose.
CHAPTER 3
Nicolas And Simone
Tensing in fear, a growl escapes me as I react to the scent of the Gancanagh carried to me on the tropical breeze. Reed’s charcoal-colored wings shoot out of his back, tearing his white Oxford shirt away as he steps in front of me, shielding me from the French doors. My eyes go wide, seeing the lacerations on Reed’s back. He has at least two, huge, black bruises on his ribs, multiple contusions and that’s just what I can see from this angle.
“Eaves,” a familiar feminine voice calls from somewhere outside in the darkness. “It’s me. Don’t freak out—”
“Molly?” I breathe, trying to step around Reed, but he continues to block any attempt I make at getting a clear view of what’s beyond the French doors.
“You move and you die,” Zephyr growls from the darkness.
“Whatever you say, aingeal,” Molly replies, and I can hear the cheeky grin in her tone. “I just have some intel to impart to my friend and then I’m out. Nice place you got here. I’d ask you if it’s been on MTV’s Cribs, but I doubt you’d get it.”
“Molly,” I say again, closing my eyes and trying to calm my racing heart. “It’s okay, Zee. She won’t hurt us.”
“No, it’s not okay, Zee.” Reed says, still in a defensive posture. “This is the friend that helped lure Evie away from us in China.”
“I remember you,” Zephyr says in a growling tone.
“’Twas me all right,” Molly replies, parodying the accent of the Gancanagh. “But, I’ve since had a reversal of fortune, ye might say. ’Twould seem dat wi’ Evie on da outs, I’m deir number one pawn ta get her back…except I’m no one’s pawn.”
“It wants pity, Reed,” Zephyr says, sounding disgusted.
Molly hisses, “Don’t make me have to touch you, angel, because I’d enjoy having you as my slave.” She sounds like she’s close to losing it. “Evie has been my friend since second grade—she’s the only family I have left and I’m not going to let them change her into a Gancanagh if she doesn’t want to be changed. So you can either let me talk to her or you and I can get better acquainted.”
Low growls sound from Zephyr and Buns. “ZEE! Please don’t hurt her—Molly, please don’t threaten the seriously lethal angels—everybody be cool!” I say, putting both my arms out, motioning to Buns to stay back because I can see that she didn’t appreciate Molly’s threat to her angel.
“IT shouldn’t have any problems keeping cool,” Zephyr replies, referring to the fact that Molly’s basically undead and therefore ice-cold to the touch.
“That’s original,” Molly says, and I can hear her rolling her eyes in her tone. “I’m cold and smelly. I’ve heard that before so maybe you should get a new playlist of insults.”
“Reed, please let her in. I need to hear what she has to tell me,” I plead, feeling overwhelming sadness for Molly.
Brennus had found Molly after I escaped him in Houghton. He had Finn, his brother, change Molly from a human girl into a Gancanagh by biting her and then sharing his blood with her. They wanted Molly to use as a pawn to make me come back to them, banking on the fact that I would try to help my childhood friend. But, there is nothing I could do to help her. She is a Gancanagh with a thirst for blood, and toxic skin, which she uses to control the will of her victims. Anyone she touches will become her slave—anyone but Russell and I. We are immune to the touch of the Gancanagh. It is one of the reasons why Brennus finds me so appealing. He can touch me and I won’t become his slave who will follow any order he gives me.
“Evie,” Reed says, shaking his head sadly, “she’s not your friend anymore.”
Putting my hand on his arm, I manage to get him to look at me. “Listen to me. Molly offered to bite me, to break Brennus’ contract and set me free just after the Werree attacked me.”
Both his hands go to my upper arms as he straightens his posture and looks into my eyes. “Why didn’t you let her do it?” he asks, looking outwardly calm, but I can tell that there is a fire being lit inside of him, knowing I could’ve returned to him sooner.
“Because Brennus would’ve killed her if she did. He promised to torture and kill anyone who bit me and freed me from his magical contract,” I reply.
“She is evil now,” he says without a hint of doubt.
“She’s always been like a sister to me and that is just as strong in her,” I reply, watching his brow pull down in a frown. “Please, hear her out.”
Reed pauses, looking reluctant. “Molly…please come in,” he says, not taking his eyes from mine.
“Awesome,” Molly says, before strolling into the ballroom. “Nice pad, Eaves.”
She’s dripping wet from the rain, leaving a trail of water as she stops several feet away from any of us. Buns and Brownie stay well back from her as Zephyr trails her in, training a seriously hostile automatic weapon on her.
“Thanks,” I say, trying to take a step toward Molly and not being able to budge because Reed is still holding both my arms. “Reed,” I murmur.
“You can hear her from here,” he replies calmly.
“What happened to him?” Molly asks, pointing at Reed.
Looking back in Reed’s direction, I pale, seeing his chest for the first time. He has a deep, claw mark running from his left shoulder to his right hip and a definite bite mark from a tiger etched into his side. It’s healing, but it still looks painful.
My eyes drift to his face, which flushes with color as he mumbles, “You should see him.”
“Forget it, I don’t really want to know about your kinky, angel things,” Molly says, waving her hand as if to erase the last exchange. “I’m here to let you know that Brennus has gone off the deep end. It’s lunatic fringe time,” she says, looking at my face. “Finn has been filling me in when he can, but I haven’t been able to see him in a few days.”