Page 67 of Dusk Macabre

Leander narrowed his eyes at me before schooling his face. “Two days.”

He swung his gaze back to Adrian. “Let’s give her two days; that’s reasonable and poetic. We’ve given her plenty of time already and we belong with our kin at such a time as this.”

“Two days until what?” I asked, looking back and forth between the two men. I knew what they were talking about but wanted to make them say it.

For someone they looked at like pond scum, they sure gave me a lot of credit and heavy responsibility, expecting me to steal a diamond from a “bloodsucker.”

A slow smile spread across Adrian’s face. “Well, dear, you have two days to lead us to our diamond.”

“You’re expecting a lot from a human,” I pointed out. Leander raised a single brow and tilted his head at me.

Adrian answered me. “You’re still here, aren’t you? That’s the problem with your kind—you’re accidentally crafty.”

Somehow, I managed to stifle my laugh and cleared my throat instead. “If I straight-up ask him for it, he’ll know.”

Leander sneered. “What makes you think he doesn’t already?”

The two men visibly relaxed, and Adrian sat down in the armchair near the foot of my bed. They must have literally just returned and come directly to my room. Whatever they were going through was bad enough to make them act out of character, revealing personal information.

“Why don’t you just go get it yourself, if you want it so bad?” I challenged.

Adrian dropped his chin and gazed at me. “Our people have suffered enough without being subjected to the loss of either one of us. Humans were in charge of keeping the stone secure in your home. Humans are responsible for resecuring it. I shouldn’t have to explain myself.”

Hm. “So, what? I get the stone and hand it over and you just let me go?”

The two men looked at each other. “Of course. That is what you agreed to, is it not?” Leander answered, rubbing the inner corners of his eyes with two fingers.

Adrian’s jaw twitched, and he clutched his knees before standing. “You’ll be on the run for the rest of your existence, looking over your shoulder.”

“It's a beautiful thought, isn’t it?” The redhead’s eyes shone with excitement. “No safe haven for her,” he said with a smile.

“What, exactly, happened?” I paused, pulling the edge of the comforter. “I mean, what went on to cause so much anger towards humans? I know nothing about Fae other than storybook shit.”

I had forgotten they could move so fast and suddenly, Leander was in my face. His breath blasted against my skin, hot and moist, and I squeezed my eyes shut when he clamped my shoulders.

Faintly, I heard one of them say, “she stole it,” and then I heard, “I was careless.” The only thing I could think was that they now knew I had ingested some of Adrian’s blood. No sooner had the thought formed than I felt myself being rolled.

There was no time to react as I was pushed, pulled, and prodded like a piece of meat, and then everything went black. The darkness turned to a blinding light that I couldn’t escape before visions of horror filled my mind.

Bodies were everywhere—women and children covered in blood, their limbs torn. Horses and men lay mangled; their insides ripped to shreds.

As soon as it appeared, it all vanished.

Next thing I knew, I was falling and my palms slapped the hardwood. My forehead dropped to the floor, and I lay there, trying to catch my breath as my heart did its best to break through my ribs.

Jesus fucking Christ.

Flipping over onto my back, I stared up at the ceiling and gripped the edge of the bed skirt. What Leander showed me was horrible. It must have been a glimpse into his mind. The people could have been anyone, but I didn’t know if it was real or some sick Fae fantasy of what he wanted to do to humans.

“What was that?” I ground out.

Kiam would be interested in what I saw; I was sure of it. Best I could tell, he collected other’s vulnerabilities like refrigerator magnets. I might have a brand new one for him.

The Fae were playing mind games with me, promising to let me go while swearing I would live in fear they’d find me, and then showing me images of massacre.

Adrian loomed over me, his shiny hair swinging forward. “An example of consequences for not returning our stolen gem.”

He gave Leander a quick glance. Did he not know what his friend showed me? “A pile of bodies?” I asked. “Good luck finding people I care about to kill.”