Hugh’s thumb lingered over her pulse, and something about that careful, hot touch helped calm her resurgent anxiety. “I’m sorry.”
“Me too.” Impulsively, she twisted her wrist within his loose grasp and took his hand in hers. “But at least meeting you has helped distract me from what’s about to happen. Thank you.”
He inclined his head, lips pressed tightly together. Then paused for a long time, brows pinched with some unknown worry, before speaking again.
“Are you…” Carefully, so carefully, his fingers laced through hers. “Are you, um, particularly close to anyone here at the academy?”
Who knew if she’d ever see Hugh again? What did she have to lose, anyway?
“No.” Drumming up every ounce of her courage, she asked her own question in return. “Were you trying to ask whether I’m dating anyone? Because I’m not. Are you?”
He shook his head, amber eyes aglow with cautious hope.
“Would you—” She gulped over a chalk-dry throat and forced out the words. “Would you like to go on a date with me?”
He hesitated for a worrisomely long time before answering.
“I…” His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard too. “Gwen, you should know that—”
Without warning, the door to the auditorium burst open, anda slim brunette demon came barreling inside the waiting room. “There you are!”
A casual flick of the interloper’s booted foot slammed the door behind her. And even though her jaunty demeanor and easy grin provided a stark contrast to Hugh’s solemnity, the unmissable physical resemblance between the two demons immediately told Gwen who’d just entered the room.
The same angular features that made Hugh so strikingly attractive had rendered his sister undeniably pretty. Eloise’s brown hair, the same shade as her brother’s, flowed over her shoulders in a glossy umber river. The same brown eyes evaluated Gwen with the same sharp intensity, even if Hugh’s twin was nearly chortling with inexplicable glee as she made her study.
“The previous test is done. After we take a quick break, it’s your turn,” she said. “You’re Gwendolen Wexloff, right?”
“Yes?” Gwen hadn’t meant to make that a question. “You’re on the verification panel?”
Oh, gods and goddesses, her time was almost up…and her privacy with Hugh was gone.
“Yep, sure am. Lovely to meet you. I’m Eloise Blacke, Hugh’s favorite—and only—sister.” Eloise sauntered over to Hugh, who’d let go of Gwen’s hand and stood to greet his twin. “I couldn’t resist coming to see what was happening right next door.”
Gwen cringed. The panel had overheard her chatting with Hugh? How embarrassing.
“El, don’t,” he warned his sister, even as his arm lifted to allow her to cuddle close.
She looped her own arms around his waist and gave him a good squeeze. “I’m so happy for you, Hugh.”
If fraternal looks could kill, Eloise would have burned to ash right then and there.
She probably didn’t even notice, though, because her attention had returned to the lone human in the room. “Have you met many demons before, Gwen?”
“Not…not up close?” Dammit, she really needed to start making definitive, firm statements. “Sometimes they’ve been guest speakers at the school.”
“In that case, you may not know one of the most interesting tidbits about us.” Her smile as warm as the summer sun, she regarded Gwen with seeming delight. “Legend says that we recognize our other half—or our other two-thirds or three-quarters, depending on whether there’s polyamory involved—immediately. Isn’t that fascinating?”
Streaks of ruddy color darkened Hugh’s high cheekbones, but he didn’t deny the claim. Silently, he stared down at his polished black shoes, the stiffness of his shoulders evident even through his suit jacket.
Was Eloise…wait. Why would she share that bit of lore, except to indicate thatGwenmight be his “other half”? But how could Eloise possibly know that when she hadn’t even been in the room with her brother?
She was just teasing Hugh. Giving him a hard time in front of his possible crush, as mandated by ancient sibling tradition.
For a moment, though, Gwen let herself dream. Let herself picture a future that included a demon with solemn brown eyes, satiny skin that radiated bone-melting heat, and the sort of careful kindness and attentiveness that could cocoon her from the world’s hurts for a lifetime.
Eloise’s elbow nudged her brother’s side, and he nodded tohimself and raised his head. Met Gwen’s searching, wondering gaze with his own.
“Your invitation earlier, before my sister arrived…” He cleared his throat. “Gwen, it would be my honor and privilege to—”
