I knew that for a fact. The small silver Mercedes sports car was staying a few car lengths back. When the limo pulled up to my apartment, I tried to feign tiredness as I downed the glass of orange juice I had been gifted by Nelson from the mini-fridge, but all the Prodigies bolted out of the limo with swift demands that I had food inside they had bought. And they were hungry. So, I got my bag out of the trunk, covertly glimpsing the silver sports car at the back of the parking lot with two occupants in it watching us, and then moved with the Prodigies who were already climbing the outside stairs. Kincaid, practically already at my door after jumping up to the second floor and over the wooden balcony to the walkway. I knew who was watching us, so I kept my movements fluid as I made my way up the stairs, fishing my keys out of my purse, letting them in like the pack of hungry beasts they currently were. The four of them stormed into my apartment, and made themselves cozy while I locked the door behind me.
Christ, now I had Elder Jacobs and Elder Merrick watching my place, both of them probably wondering who the hell I was for obviously various reasons, the woman they would find out had no background. But, there was nothing to be done about it, unless I wanted to pack my shit up and leave this town, which honestly, as I dumped my belongings in my bedroom and changed into a pair of gray cotton capris and a black tank top, I really didn’t, since I had found…companionship…with the unruly bunch currently cooking or watching television in my front room. And so, I went with it, opening the patio door so they could eavesdrop if they wanted to, plus, the power was getting a bit stifling inside my small place. I then sat, ate a fine meal, and watched television with the group.
When the knock came late two days later, a half hour after the guys had left from their impromptu visit, I wasn’t at all surprised. They’d had enough time to do a background check through the MIA database if they had done a little snooping in the leasing office to get my name from the copy of my driver’s license I’d given while signing the lease. Dragging my hands from dishwater, I grabbed a towel off the sink, drying my hands as I peeked through the peephole.
Yep.
Well, this should be fun. I unlocked the door, and opened it to the night air, asking coolly while staring down at my hands, continuing to dry them, “Yes?” Then, I blinked, and instantly feigned startled shock…with a smidge of fear…when I glanced up. “Elder Jacobs. Elder Merrick. It’s nice to meet you both…and it was,” a glance at Elder Jacobs, “a pleasure noticing you at the hotel the other morning.” I puckered my brows, speaking slowly. “But, what are you both doing here?” More brows scrunching as I firmly ignored Elder Merrick, actually maneuvering my body so I didn’t have to view him straight on. “Do you have the wrong apartment?”
Elder Jacobs leaned a shoulder against my doorframe, casually glancing about the interior of my currently messy apartment—thanks to the guys—before dark eyes met mine straight on. He cocked his head as he evaluated me slowly, this time his gaze completely professional. “Actually, we’re here to see you…Ms. Farrow, correct?”
I nodded once, still feigning confusion. “Why…?” I cleared my throat, then acted the respectful individual I should be in their presence, stepping back and gesturing with my towel for them to come in. “My company just left, so you’ll have to excuse the mess.” As if they didn’t know this already.
Both stepped inside, and I swear, it was like Elder Merricks fucking body heat attacked me, swirling around me, warming me too much as I caught a whiff of his subtle cologne, spiced and expensive as he stepped past me. Both of them scanned the area, taking in everything they hadn’t been able to see from outside, neither placing their back to me as I shut and locked the door. I gestured to the couch, quickly swiping the sweater off it Kincaid had left by accident, only wearing his t-shirt out of here when he got too hot, making me wonder if it was a Shifter thing being so heated. Folding it absently, and placing it on a clean section of the dinette while they sat, Elder Jacobs on the couch and Elder Merrick on a leather recliner, I tucked a bit of my red hair behind my ear.
“Would either of you care for something to drink while we discuss why you’re here? I’ve got,” I moved into the kitchen, glanced in the fridge, “beer, water, milk, or a Coke.”
Elder Jacobs took a water while Elder Merrick took a Coke. I refrained from sitting between them, their positioning perfect for if I sat on the end of the couch. I, instead, sat on one of the dinette’s chairs curling my bare feet up under me, my pink toenails peeking out from under my knees as I sipped at my own Coke, and stared pointedly at Elder Jacobs, still managing not to look directly at Elder Merrick yet.
Yellow brows rose the barest bit as he took a drink from his bottled water, then stated serenely, “I’ll be blunt with you, Ms. Farrow. We followed you the day at the hotel when we saw you with the Prodigies, and have been watching you since. We’ve done a background check, since they seemed…chummy…with you, and imagine our surprise when nothing came up for a Sadie Farrow. No middle name, and,” his head cocked, and I felt an increase of air Elemental power radiate throughout the room, and instantly, my jaw clenched, as he tested me way too crudely, his brows lifting further before he pulled it back, “and so far as I can tell, I don’t feel a bit of Mystical power on you.”
I sighed heavily and waved a hand at my forehead, muttering, “I feel like I should just plaster a sign on my forehead that states,” I stared hard into dark eyes, letting my eyes glow a bit, “don’t test me. You won’t feel shit. And it rubs the wrong way.” I shook my shoulders a bit, brushing off that feeling. “I’m magically protected. I don’t know how, either. So, you can’t feel my Elemental power.”
Dark eyes moved to Elder Merrick. The man whose gaze felt like a damn lightning bolt against my flesh as he watched me, and I saw his black curls nod the barest bit from the corner of my eye, the truth detector of the room, before Elder Jacobs peered back to me steadily. “And would you care to explain your not-so-existent past, Ms. Farrow?”
My lips twitched. “Not specifically.” I held up a hand when his eyes narrowed the barest bit, his mouth opening. “I will tell you this, though.” I placed my hand back in my lap, taking a sip from my Coke. “I met Kincaid, Fergus, Nelson, and Venclaire recently.” Truth. “And we’ve become,” I shrugged my shoulders, “friends, I guess you could say. I don’t have a lot of those. I’m loyal to anyone I consider a friend. I’m not going at them with an ulterior motive. Only shared companionship, which they appear to enjoy my company as much I enjoy theirs.” I shrugged again. “I mean them no harm.” All truths.
Again dark eyes flicked to Elder Merrick, in which he nodded slightly, his penetrating gaze still on me, then Elder Jacobs leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees, asking bluntly, “Who are you really?”
I chuckled quietly, staring down at my Coke can. “No one sent me to hurt them or spy on them, Elder Jacobs. As I said, I’m only their friend.”
There was a minute pause, and I’m sure he was verifying with Elder Merrick while I continued studying my can before he asked bluntly, “You have a criminal’s background, or possibly, someone under MIA”s protection, or even, a spook’s. But, since the database at MIA didn’t pull any information on you for us, which we have complete access to, that eliminates the middle and the latter, leaving only the former. So, what type of criminal are you, Ms. Farrow?”
I sighed heavily, the sound loud in the room as I sat my Coke on the table next to Kincaid’s sweater, peering back into dark eyes. “Not the type to ever harm the Prodigies in any way.” I paused, and then clarified, “Or try to use them to aim at the Kings. I mean no Royals harm.”
Another slight head nod from Elder Merrick when Elder Jacobs glanced at him, then ebony dark fingers tapped lightly on the water bottle as he considered my answers. “And if we brought you in to MIA for questioning? Do you think you might be a bit more forthright in your answers?”
My lips curled the barest bit, and yes, I was baring my teeth a bit. “If you can tell me how I’ve broken the Law, I would be more than happy for you to try to take me in.” I did not do jails. They would definitely try, then fail, to keep me contained when they unsilvered me, since I no longer wore my salvation as removable jewelry.
Thank you, death row and Primal Diamond.