Page 17 of The Shade of Things
“No, you’re the UPS of the undead.” I jerked my chin at Celeste, who hummed under her breath as she fed. “We didn’t order that. Take your package with you.”
“Can’t,” Clea said. “We’re pulling out.”
“Phrasing, darling.” Nav walked into the room as the operative exited.
“You’d know,” she said.
“Presumptuous.”
It was heartwarming to see that I wasn’t the only one Clea ignored.
Eli narrowed his eyes at Nav, a tiny frown wrinkling between his brows. “We’ve got this.”
Poor Detective Chu did not like having his authority usurped. I ate the rest of the granola bar, my toes tapping.
“Oh, I know,” Nav said. “I just came to say goodbye.”
Eli held up a hand. “Stick around for a moment. You might be able to contribute.”
Nav saluted him. “Aye, aye, chief.”
Eli’s lips quirked, but he quickly pressed them into a line.
Celeste pulled her fangs free and licked Ian’s skin to seal the puncture wound.
“Could you—” I wiped my mouth.
She made a big show of using her tongue to get every last drop of blood.
Gross. Sighing, I rubbed my stomach, my snack now sitting in my gut like a lump.
“Ian.” Eli snapped his fingers. “How many players were there?”
“Twelve.” The donor had calmed down in a stoned way so there was a pause between question and answer.
“Did you talk to any of them? Were they all from here?”
Ian shook his head. “They took us from everywhere.”
“Where is this game played?” Eli said.
“Not real.” Ian swayed and Celeste caught him.
“The game?” Eli shot me a questioning look.
“Is it a hidden space?” I said. “Ian?”
He sank his hands into his hair but nodded.
I stroked my chin. If they abducted people from all over, there had to be multiple ways into this space. Ian had been taken while rock climbing, so that wasn’t a viable way in for us. “Where were you released?”
“Vancouver,” Ian said.
“Be more specific.” Eli moderated his tone so he didn’t upset Ian further, but his fists were clenched behind his back.
Ian had totally spaced out.
“If you fucked him up too badly for answers…” Eli went nose to nose with Celeste. He was a Sapien with no physical or magic weapon, but his absolute disregard of that fact made him terrifying. It also made him an idiot and a hypocrite for bitching at me about my lack of self-preservation.
