Chapter 4 #2
But that wasn’t the only change. The shadowy tendrils had solidified into an actual cloak.
The change was so real he swore he could feel the brush of heavy material against his legs.
Tendrils of shadow poured out of Isa, reforming into the amorphous shape from before.
But it was less solid now and more tattered.
She raised her staff and brought it down in a slashing motion almost too quick to follow.
A shocking flash of white left Locke blinking his vision clear.
When the living room came back into view, Isa stood stiff and straight, her attention aimed at Leo’s body at her feet, the writhing shadows nowhere in sight.
The air was once again warm, but it did nothing to expel the stubborn chill gripping his bones.
“I warned you.”
It took him a moment to understand she was talking to him. “What?”
She lifted her head, her expression closed, her eyes back to hazel, but there was no hint of warmth in them. “What good was any of that, Locke?”
Her question caused a sting of guilt that he didn’t have the luxury of addressing. Clearly, whatever cost she’d paid to indulge him had caused her pain, but this situation had ramifications that outweighed his remorse. “You tell me.”
Without breaking eye contact, she slowly shook her head. “Uh-uh. You were the one looking for answers.”
He caught a glimpse of something else behind that blank mask, just a flash but enough to cut through the weirdness in his brain. Instinct or magic, or both, shuffled her reactions and came up with a curious picture. He took a wild guess. “You saw something.”
She continued to study him with that strange intensity.
He dug in. “You did, didn’t you?”
Silence stretched between them like a rubber band forced to its limits. Just before it snapped, she nodded.
“And…?” he asked.
“And much like Leo’s reactions, the images were… chaotic.” She carefully stepped around Leo’s body and inched back toward the front door, but she never stopped watching him.
He straightened and followed her retreat, not sure he believed her. Since calling her a liar would ignite an argument, he tried another angle. “You knew he was lying about the pill.”
She stilled. “I did.”
He held her gaze, pinning her in place, as he waited for her to elaborate. When she didn’t, he pushed. “Who gave it to him?”
“I don’t know!” she shot back, voice sharp, a little bit of her normal obstinacy reappearing.
He didn’t hide his skepticism, letting it free with raised eyebrows.
She let out a frustrated noise, dragged a hand through her hair, and spun away to pace in front of the door.
“I don’t, Locke, but whoever they were, Leo was petrified of them.
There was no name, no face that flashed through his mind when you asked, just this drowning depth of fear with enough pressure to break him. ”
Something in her voice warned him not to push, so he let that go. For the moment. “Who’s Kelly?”
She flashed him a disgruntled look. “My server.” Her answer was short and final.
Okay, moving on. “And Isaiah? What did he know about him?”
Some of her agitation eased as she stopped moving to face him. “Leo met up with him sometime recently. I’d guess within the last week or so, though I can’t be sure. I got the impression they’re friendly but not best buds or anything.”
“Any idea where they met?”
Her head moved to shake but then stopped.
“Isa?” he asked.
She turned to him. “There was something about this building he was in, but I need to talk to Des—make sure I’m remembering things correctly.”
“Where’s Des now?”
“Back at Wonderland.” She rubbed her temples. “With Kelly.”
He nodded. “Good. Then we’ll head over, kill two birds one stone.”
Her gaze went to Leo’s body then back to him. “And we what—just leave him here?”
“We can’t exactly walk out with him.”
“What about calling the police?” she asked.
“You want to spend hours answering questions?”
She grimaced.
“Exactly.” He herded her toward the door.
She worried her bottom lip and frowned. “Doesn’t seem right to just walk away.”
“We aren’t.” He opened the front door and waved her through before following her into the hall. “I’ll make a call on our way to Wonderland.” He pulled the door closed and heard the lock engage.
“For what? A cleanup team?” Although she kept her voice low, there was no missing the edge to her question.
He put a hand at the base of her spine as they walked to the elevators. “No, to a detective.”
She gave him a sidelong look. “One on the Cordovas’ payroll?”
“We’ve offered him a private position, and he’s turned us down.” They reached the elevator, and he pressed the down arrow before looking at her. “Repeatedly.”
She gave a soft snort of disbelief. A soft ding sounded, and the silver doors slid open. Isa stepped inside and waited until he followed before hitting the button for the ground floor. Then she studiously ignored him as the doors closed.
Amused, he invaded her space, watching as color rose under her cheeks, her breathing sped up, and her eyes widened just the slightest bit. She made an irritated hiss that sounded like an angry wet kitten.
Unable to resist teasing her, he asked, “Problem?”
She tilted her head back, chin lifted, so she could glare at him, the gold in her eyes fairly glowing with her temper. “There’s plenty of room in here. You don’t have to be right on top of me.”
He bent his head just enough to breathe in the subtle sweet scent of vanilla-laced cinnamon as he put his lips next to her ear. “Maybe I want to be.”
Her color deepened as she turned into him, her lips coming perilously close to his. “Fair warning—I bite.”
He let his grin free. “So do I.”
Those kissable lips parted in an aroused gasp, but before he could prove his point, the elevator dinged and the doors opened. His dark chuckle chased Isa out into the lobby.