Remembering that Pam sold cosmetics, Eve smiled. Certainly Pam would be familiar with many of the Arcadia residents. Perhaps Pam was using her consultant business as a cover for a darker purpose. If not, Eve could use their acquaintance to do so. “Sure. I’d love to have you over. You’ll have to forgive the boxes.”
“I can help with that while Jesse’s in school.”
“Thank you. I’d like that.”
They entered the kitchen where Terri stood tossing a salad at a large granite-covered island. “Enjoying the new house so far?” she asked Eve.
“We’re thrilled.”
Jesse looked up from her task of slicing strawberries and smiled, then glanced out the backdoor longingly, as if she’d much rather be outside.
“Can I borrow a corkscrew?” Eve asked. “I need to let this Merlot breathe a bit.”
Terri gestured with a jerk of her chin. “There’s a wine bar in the family room. You’ll find all the accessories — glasses, wine charms, corkscrew — in there.”
Heading into the family room, which was easy to find since the floor plans were so similar, Eve made a point of checking out the house. She had no idea what she was looking for, but knew she’d recognize something off if she found it.
She’d just located the corkscrew in a drawer when Tim came into the room.
“Hey,” he greeted her.
“Hi.” She noted that he looked different, then figured out what it was. His eyes weren’t blue so much as a muted grey, similar to how dull Zaphiel’s irises became after she lost the Mark.
“I was hoping to catch you alone.”
Something about the way he approached her set her on edge. There was a sharp focus to the way he watched her and the balance of his footfalls — light and on the balls of his sandalled feet — was inherently predatory.
Although he was dressed innocuously in navy board shorts and a loose-fitting white tee, she altered her stance and her grip on the corkscrew. She may not have the speed and power of the Mark, but she still knew how to fight.
He smiled. “We have a mutual acquaintance.”
Eve absorbed that. “Oh?”
“Adrian.”
Her head tilted to one side. “Wings or fur?”
“Definitely not furry.” He wagged his finger at her. “Be careful who you call a lycan. Those who aren’t one, don’t take it well.”
“Point taken. How are you with corkscrews? I’ve been known to get cork in the wine.”
He moved to the other side of the bar and took over. As he deftly uncorked the bottle, Eve looked around the room, noting the same lack of wall adornment she’d picked up on in the living room. Almost as if the Andersons hadn’t quite moved in yet. . or were ready for a quick move out.
“How long has Terri lived here?” she asked.
“I have no idea. I haven’t been here long myself.”
Eve looked at him. “Is this home permanent for you? Or just for now?”
“Nothing’s permanent.” He tossed the cork in the trash and rinsed off the corkscrew before tossing it back in the drawer. “I get in, get what I came for, and get out.”
“I know what that’s like.”
“I’m surprised Cain is getting involved in Adrian’s business.”
“That’s my fault. I got suckered into this and I’m flying blind. I didn’t even know the Watchers. . the Fallen. . vampires — whatever were still around until last night and I’ve been scrambling to catch up. Since he’s my mentor, he has to tag along, too.”
“He looks a bit more invested than that.”
“Yeah. .” She smiled, but kept her personal life to herself. “It’s complicated.”
“Which is why I work alone.” He poured a half-glass and set it in front of her.
Eve toyed with the stem a minute, then asked, “Why are we both here in Arcadia Falls? Is the location tied to the hunt in some way?”
“I’m here because of the resort rental situation. No one expects me to keep regular hours or stick around long term. If the vamp is here in the community, it’s because Adrian, Raguel, and Cain are all running their operations from Anaheim, so there’s a high concentration of angels in the area. Since Raguel owns this property, maybe the vamp thinks that ups his chances of catching an angel here. As for you, I don’t know. Maybe Raguel knows something about this location that roused his suspicions?”
“I wouldn’t know. He enjoys withholding vital intel from me.” Eve took a drink and was surprised to feel warmth as the alcohol moved through her. The mark prevented mind-altering substances from having any affect. “Do you know why angel blood is in such demand?”
“No, but it has to either cause a rush — like a drug — or be power-enhancing, because it’s commanding a hefty price on the black market.”
“I’d expect so, considering the risk.”
“There’s no risk to you,” he said, his handsome face austere. “I’ve got your back.”
“I appreciate that. Thank you. Do you have any leads?”
“I’ve been looking at Jesse. I know Twilight is all the rage with kids these days, but she might be emulating someone else with those veneers of hers. One of her girlfriends? Or a boyfriend, maybe? I’ve been trying to figure out who she’s hanging out with, but it’s tough to ask questions about a girl that age and not look like a pervert.”
She glanced aside at him. “I can help with that.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
“In the meantime, we’ll be better guarded from tomorrow night onward,” she improvised, taking the first steps towards the door. “I doubt anyone will come for us so soon after we’ve moved in.”
Tim fell into step with her. “I agree. There’s reckless, and then there’s stupid. I don’t think we’re lucky enough to be dealing with the latter.”
“Figures.” She smiled at him. “At least the neighbours are nice.”
It was three o’clock in the morning, the devil’s hour, when Eve knew her house had been breached. The security system was on and silent and all the doors and windows were locked, but she felt the disturbance in the goose bumps that covered her arms. She slid her legs off the side of the bed and looked at Alec, who reclined against the headboard beside her.
His gaze met hers and he reached for her hand, his arm flexing in an inherently graceful display of taut muscles rippling beneath olive-coloured skin. He offered a reassuring smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He was worried about her. She wished he’d be more worried about himself.
Eve stood and padded barefoot towards the open bedroom door. She was dressed in clothing that gave her a full range of movement — loose flannel pants paired with a spaghetti-strapped bra top. She’d prefer to have her Doc Martens on, but they needed their visitor to be as unguarded as possible. They were mortals trying to trap an immortal; they needed all the help they could get.
Moonlight from the guestroom windows cut alternating swathes across the carpet, affording her enough illumination to walk without fear of running into anything. That didn’t mean she wasn’t afraid of something happening to Alec while she was helpless to protect him. Her heart was racing and her palms were damp; physical reactions that the Mark would have prevented. She missed the rush of aggression and bloodlust that came from the Mark, as well as the heightened senses that would have allowed her to hear even the minutest of noises and to sniff out her quarry. As it was, she wasn’t blind in the strictest sense, but she was definitely guessing.
A shadow darted across the landing in front of her. Eve stilled and played the role she and Alec had agreed upon. “Hello?” she whispered. “Is someone there?”
Behind her, Alec faked a loud yawn and called out, “Angel? What are you doing?”