“Don’t be such a condescending ass. You don’t have to deal with me at all. What you see as limitations, I see as advantages. I can pass for a Mage or almost any other Breed, so that makes it easy to trick people. Chitahs can’t pick up my scent, and most of my Mage opponents rely on subduing me by force, not realizing I can drain them like a bathtub. I’ll ask Viktor to have someone else take over. You’re obviously not a man who can do a job without his emotions getting in the way.”
He lifted a fifty-pound kettlebell and tossed it back and forth in his hands as if it were weightless. “You shouldn’t be drinking blood from your victims for any reason. I’m sure you realize it can become an addiction.”
“That’s a last resort, not a first. Anyhow, blood isn’t high on my list of things I like to drink, so that’s not going to be a problem. I think the Mage half of me is repulsed by it.”
He smiled wolfishly. “Mind if I see your fangs?”
“Mind if I see your cock?”
He dropped the ball onto his foot and then hopped back, grimacing.
“Sorry, Christian. That’s a personal question.”
He limped toward the door and grumbled, “I’ll just be on my way.”
“So that’s it? You don’t want to see what else I can do?”
He turned halfway around. “In my opinion, you’re too green for this job. I’m guessing you don’t even know if you can shadow walk. You’re weak, can’t heal, and haven’t mentioned anything about picking up information in blood. You’re like buying one of those worthless cars that require too much time and effort to figure out and repair. Viktor can find someone else who’ll put up with your delightful personality… if you last that long.” He gripped the doorknob and wrenched it open.
“Hey, Christian?”
He paused but didn’t turn.
“Don’t tell anyone else about my bruise. I screwed up, but I don’t want everyone knowing about it. You Vampires are secret-stealers, but let’s see if you can keep one.”
“Why should I do you any favors?”
I didn’t think this was a guy who wanted to take my side, but I spoke sincerely, hoping he’d understand where I was coming from. “Because you spent a decade in a pine box, and I’m guessing it wasn’t voluntary. We all make mistakes.”
He sighed. “Aye, lass. That we do.”
Chapter 7
Shortly after Christian had left the training room, Niko returned to give me a demonstration on Mage healing. To minimize the amount of energy transferring between us, he made a small cut on his arm and then clasped his hand in mine. Threads of blue light weaved between our palms as he drew healing energy from me, which wasn’t the same as drinking my light. The process worked like a filter and required pulling the right kind of energy.
We exchanged positions where I was the recipient, and I also made a tiny cut on my arm and watched the skin seal together like magic. It was exhilarating to discover that I could heal like other immortals. All this time, I’d thought I was incapable, but maybe all I needed was the right training. It wasn’t near enough light to heal my bruised back, but that would be gone in another day since I still healed faster than a human.
After I recounted my sunlight fiasco, Niko laughed and said we’d save that lesson for another day. I still needed to practice to get the hang of it, but he cautioned me to use it only when needed. Mage light was addictive, so bruises, cuts, and the like should be left to heal on their own, while anything broken or punctured I could borrow energy to heal. Sunlight doesn’t have an addictive quality like Mage light, so that was the preferred method.
When we ended the session and went our separate ways, I strolled through the dark halls of the mansion, although it was more of a castle. It felt like I’d stepped back in time, and it became easy to forget about living on the streets. Even though I wasn’t sleepy, it was comforting to know that I had a bed waiting for me. Yet despite everything, I still felt like an interloper. Maybe that would change once I met everyone else in the group.
I paused by a window and furrowed my brow when I looked down at the courtyard. The pool had curved edges, the water lit with blue-green lights. But what made me step closer to the windowpane was a woman floating on top. I squinted, searching for signs of life.
I hurried toward the stairs and reached a crossway. A man burst out of nowhere and crashed into me, holding my arms as we spun around with his momentum.
He panted, his eyes wide, a slouchy beanie askew on his head. He looked to be a man in his twenties. Without introductions, he suddenly touched my face, mashing my cheeks up and down and lifting my eyelids. My heart thundered—I was completely startled that I hadn’t seen him coming.
His shoulders sagged. Then he lowered his chin and pointed left. “Don’t go that way.”
Before I could open my mouth, he fled full speed down the hall to the left, looking back over his shoulder once.
Barefoot.
No wonder I hadn’t heard him.
It made me peer down the direction he’d come, looking closely at the dark shadows that were climbing the walls. I couldn’t even see the end of the hallway since the lanterns weren’t lit.
A set of hands clapped down on my shoulders from behind, and I spun around, throwing my fist forward.