“Smoke. Sand. Sex.” Hugo muttered as he wiped his hand down his face to hide his eyes. I had been right—and that filled me with bone wrenching terror. As much as a psychopath can feel, anyway.
What had happened had been real. Hugo had seen the real me. I hoped to Hell that he didn’t make the connection between the Demon in his dream and the woman at his table.
Chapter 9
Remi walked with me to Dr. Dan's office for my medical check-up.
All of the blood results had come back clean after my poisoning. I had stripped down to a paper gown and sat on the edge of the gurney, ready to be poked and prodded. Remi hovered in the doorway.
“Don’t you have something better to do?” I glanced over my shoulder. An ornate brass box caught my attention. Brass was a metal known for holding magic, but the tarnished decoration looked like a cigar box. I leaned forward and poked it with my finger.
“I can see your bum, love,” Remi replied with a cheeky wink. His British accent made the words coarse. My smile turned saucy; I made no move to cover it.
“Do you like it?”
“The tattoo of a fairy on the bottom of your spine.” He remarked. “Not what I expected.”
I shrugged. Frankie had retreated into nothingness since I had passed out and ended up in Hart's quarters. While I felt myself taking on some of her body's traits, I couldn’t access her memories anymore without effort.
The mint curtain hissed as Dr. Dan pulled it along the rail. He did not look up as he entered the bay, concentrating on the chart in front of him.
“Dr. Dan,” I smirked.
He glanced up before returning his gaze to the chart. “Refrain from using that name. I prefer Daniel.” He said stiffly.
I jerked my thumb in the direction of the doctor. “This guy loves me,” I told Remi.
“He's your brother. He has to.” Remi's lip twitched.
“Adopted.” Both Daniel and I replied at the same time.
Remi gave me a stern look. “Do not jinx him. I’m not driving you out to Maywood to get pissed again.”
I pouted.
Dr. Dan cleared his throat. “Everything looks good, Frankie.” He said, ignoring our banter. “You’ve recovered well. I think the best thing for you is to start physical training again.” The doctor signed a slip of paper.
“She's cleared?” Remi rubbed his hands together. “Hear that, love? You can join my morning class.”
I quirked a brow. “What are the rules about fraternization?”
Remi stifled a laugh but ignored my question. “We’re good to go?”
Dr. Daniel nodded stiffly. I bent over and pulled my jeans on under the paper gown. Remi did the polite thing and turned his back when I pulled on my tank top.
“Mom and dad want to know if you're coming to Queens for Thanksgiving.” Dr. Daniel said once I was fully dressed.
My nose wrinkled. “Celebrating millions of Native deaths with turkey? Sign me up.”
Dr. Dan gave me a look. “Are you no longer a vegetarian?” He asked in a low voice.
I blinked and cocked my head to the side. “I’m... whatever. Just fancied some protein. Iron. Meat. After I got out of the hospital. It's all good.”
“Iron?” Dr. Daniel repeated in a shaky voice. His change in demeanor gave me the creeps.
I glanced up at Remi to see if he had seen the same thing I had, but he was studying a poster about Meningitis awareness.
Dr. Daniel looked vaguely sick.
Did he know I wasn’t his sister? Had he guessed?
I'd need to speak to Davenport soon. If everyone found out, there would no longer be a reason to live on the base.
I had to do better.
After the check-up, I handed my medical slip to Davenport's PA, Betty, and searched for the commander so I could make my excuses and avoid any sort of physical activity.
I'd found a vending machine behind the surveillance building that sold Chips Ahoy. I planned to eat enough cookies to push my host body into a sugar coma.
Remi found me trying to creep out of the back entrance of the admin building and led me through the compound with his massive arm around my shoulders.
“What happened with you and Hugo in the Mess Hall this morning?” Remi asked as we wandered towards the clearing that some of the Hunters used to train. It was an arena of sorts, surrounded by spruce trees and thick bushes. You couldn’t see it from the path, but I had often heard the sounds of slapping flesh and pained grunting.
I had been optimistic that I had found a make-out spot, but was wholly disappointed when I had checked it out one morning on the way to breakfast.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“You and Hugo had a moment.”
“Jealous?”
Remi beamed. “We have tons of moments, Mistress Tequila. It’s about time you shared the love.”
“I had a dream about Hugo.” I shrugged. “We dream-banged.”
Remi's gaze shuttered. He was angry.
“What?” I demanded.
“You know that Hugo is a Cambion, right?”
“Right.” I agreed.
“They can dream walk.” Remi murmured. His gaze was far away. “He might of—”
“All’s good, Big guy.” I slapped his back. “It was very PG-13.”
“Hugo doesn’t use his magic,” Remi explained. “He’s embarrassed by it. Do you want me to have a word?”
“What?!” I gasped, outraged. “No! If you do that, he might not do it again!”
Remi burst out laughing. I blew a raspberry. He held a branch out of the way as he followed the path around a bend to the corner.
Hugo Sinclair stood in front of a group of five Hunters. His shoulders squared, his legs apart in a commanding stance. He looked in his element. Gone was the stuttering man that hid behind his hair, in his place was a soldier.
Riley Fisher stood on the edge of the Hunters that Hugo was lecturing. Another girl hovered at Riley’s side, the stranger wore a messy bun on her head but a full face of makeup. My brow furrowed as I tried to pull her name from Frankie's memories, but my host's mind was quiet. Bun-girl looked at Hugo like a snack. I didn’t like it.
The other Hunters were men, and they listened to Hugo with rapt attention.
“Frankie!” Hugo waved, somewhat sheepishly. “You’ve been cleared?”
I nodded, glancing at the Hunters in their exercise gear. The last thing I wanted to do was fight a Hunter, even if it was just an exercise. I was as physically adept as a potato.
“Warm up with Remi, and then we'll spar.” Hugo turned back to the group and began to divide them into couples. Riley stood to the side and began to stretch by herself.
I followed Remi to one of the corners. Pouting the whole way.
“Come on, love.” Remi laughed as he stretched his arms. “Hugo tells me that you're a Judo champion. Even if you've just been cleared, you have nothing to worry about.”
I ducked my head and touched my toes. Hiding my face as I mouthed every single swear word I could think of. And some more that I invented. A judo champion?!
Blue-balled tentacle-porn loving harridan.
“Did you just call me a harridan?” Remi asked.
“I plead the fifth.”
He nodded, stifling a laugh. When we finished warming up, Remi led me over to the group and stood by Hugo’s side.
I shot the two men a pleading look. With wide puppy eyes. They must have been immune because they did not immediately jump to my aid, and fan me while I laid on a chaise lounger eating truffles.
Bastards.
“Frankie—you should spar with Chloe,” Hugo suggested, pointing Bun-girl with the jut of his chin. “Try to take it easy for the first round.”