Krena fingered the edge of the tiny white towel that covered far too little of her body. "He's not here."
"I can see that." Knowing she hadn't been fucking the prisoner in the shower had helped him regain a lot of his control. But Krena always pushed his buttons and if she didn't answer soon, he'd lose it again.
He wished she'd trust him. That was what got him going. He wanted her to rely on him, but when she didn't, he went and said something stupid and surly and made her mad.
She finally met his eyes. "Could you leave for a few minutes? I'd like to get dressed before you nail me to the fountain."
He let the fountain comment slip by as his gaze slid over her curvy legs. She was always saying things like that, things to do with water and fountains, and making obscure references to Greek myths. He'd started reading Bulfinch's just so he'd understand her.
Once he'd gotten his fill of her legs, he took a look at her bare arms, seeing a light green and brown tattoo he'd never seen before—leaves and vines twining around her upper arm. It looked like the greenery reached onto her back, and he wanted to see where it led. What would he see against her smooth skin? What would it feel like if he touched it?
When Naya cleared her throat, he realized he'd taken two steps in her direction.
He mentally shook himself. Right. She wanted to change. "Of course," he said. "I'll be in the hall." He backed up, passed the wrecked bathroom door then lifted the hall door in order to open it wide enough to leave. Pulling it closed was just as difficult; it hung on its hinges, a little bit cockeyed. That was what happened to things that came between a bear and his mate.
He took a deep breath and tried to focus on the real problem. Where was Sneezy McGee? Krena should have had him packed up and ready to hand over, but the prisoner was nowhere in sight. So what had she done with him?
His mind conjured up one outlandish idea after another, everything from Sneezy locked on her tiny balcony all night to Sneezy captured by goons in a casino and forced to spend the night in the hands of the mafia. Or maybe Krena had sacrificed him to whatever crazy gods she worshipped.
As he pictured Krena dancing naked around a fire with only Sneezy's blood painted on her skin, he realized she was taking too long. He knocked on the door. "You done yet?"
A muffled reply came from inside the room. At least she hadn't jumped out the window or something. He was about to knock again when she said, "You can come in now." Dressed once more in clothes that covered her beautiful curves, Krena moved across the room and sat down in one of the two chairs on either side of a tiny round table.
Brick sat down in the other chair. "So?"
"I don't know." Before he could say anything, she put up her hand. "I mean that literally. I woke up this morning and I don't remember last night." She picked up a couple of ampules he hadn't noticed on the table. "These were in the bathroom when I got up. They're not mine." She turned them around in her hands. "Or maybe they are mine. I'm not sure. I don't know what's in them."
He pulled the vials from her hands, his skin just brushing hers. Then he gave them a good going over, although what he thought he'd find, he didn't know. Shifters weren't usually magic users. He sniffed them for good measure, but could only detect a slight floral scent and the effervescent sensation he always associated with magic. His nose twitched and he fought back a sneeze. "And McGee?"
She slumped back into her chair. "I don't know. I don't remember." She wouldn't meet his gaze. "I know you're going to throw the book at me. Just—maybe—be gentle?"
Throw the book at her? What was she talking about? "Tell me everything. What's the last thing you do remember?"
Her chin jerked up. "Aren't you going to call your boss and turn me in?"
Was she nuts? He wasn't going to turn her in. He was going to fix it. "Of course not. Your career would be over. What's the last thing you remember?"
***
She slowly closed her mouth, then swallowed. "Well..." Was he really not going to turn her in? Had she somehow slipped into an alternate universe?
When he glowered at her, she quickly gathered her thoughts. "I remember taking Sneezy to this local diner. The only places that would deliver to this hotel were off the charts expensive, and I didn't want to blow my per diem."
"What time?"
"Dinnertime." When he frowned, she added, "I think it was around six or six thirty. I remember the place was pretty empty, and when the food arrived, we found out why. We ate as much as we could force down and then— That's it. I don't remember another thing until waking up this morning." She motioned toward her bed and its rumpled sheets.
Hardiman glanced at the bed. When he turned back around, the look on his face was intent, his eyes hooded. If she didn't know better, she'd say he was thinking about sex. But Hardiman, think about sex? They'd sooner see Artemis get married.