Page 47 of The Shade of Things
Emmett shrugged but Eli pointed to the kitchen.
Laurent wasn’t there either, but the back door was ajar. He lay on the grass, bathed in fake moonlight, staring up at the night sky. It shouldn’t have been beautiful and yet it caressed him in a silvery radiance. People kissed by sunshine had an easily visible allure. But those touched by moonlight were the ones you had to brave the shadows to view at their most brilliant.
I folded myself cross-legged onto the cool grass, pulling out blades. “Thank you for saving us from the leopard shifter. Were you badly hurt?”
He shrugged and I sighed in disappointment at his automatic brush-off. “Right,” I said. “You’re fine.”
“Actually,” he said quietly. He rolled one shoulder back. “I pulled some muscles down my right side. Shifting helped heal it but I’m still stiff.”
I kept my amazement from my expression. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No, but thanks.” He studied me for a moment. “I didn’t know about this game until Tatiana told me.”
I frowned. “I didn’t think you had.”
“No. You wouldn’t.” He said it in a voice that was half pensive, half wondrous.
The silence stretched out, growing awkward. We’d slipped off our familiar conversation path into unknown territory, but if I could only find my words, I’d make my way back. Several times I opened and closed my mouth, but instead of speaking, my lawn shredding got more intense. The pile of loose grass in front of me grew.
Having successfully created a bald patch of dirt, I brushed off my hands. “How much did Tatiana tell you about the case?” There. Back on common ground.
“Find Teresa Wong, save anyone left alive, track and stop the organizers.”
“Should we compare findings so far?”
It was like a switch had been thrown in the face of my simple question, flipping us from an uncomfortable silence to a dangerous one.
Laurent propped himself on his elbow, lying on his side and facing me. His eyes glinted. “Should I go first?”
I ran a finger through my grass pile, scattering it and feeling like there was a one hundred percent pass or fail rate attached to my answer.
Zev was adamant no one learn about the Ascendant. I didn’t care if he withdrew his protection against whomever else tried to use me to find the magic amplifier if I blabbed, but the vampire had an all-access pass to my home. To my daughter.
And honestly? Right now I wasn’t certain Laurent would keep the secret even if I asked him to.
I looked away. “Why don’t I start?”
Laurent snorted and flopped onto his back once more.
I curled my hands into fists, wanting so badly to touch him and reestablish our connection. Instead, I closed my eyes against the memory of him being inside me, his admission—much as he could voice—of what I meant to him.
I cleared my throat and summed up Eli’s hypothesis that the Sapiens were chosen for their abilities much like video game avatars, then explained how starting in the graveyard was a means to break the perception filter. Having survived death, the players were given hope as they crossed the bridge to life where they were rewarded with food and supplies.
Even in the most extreme reality show competition, rewards were expected after passing crazy tests, but here, even something as simple as food was suspect. Everything had strings and a hidden agenda, and not even as pure an emotion as hope was exempt.
“They start the race literally facing their own deaths.” Laurent folded his hands behind his head. “Those who survive the cemetery end up here. They’re given a survival pack, but they need to find their way out.” He nodded. “Yeah. I buy that.”
Footsteps sounded behind us, but Laurent didn’t tense up, so I didn’t either.
“Just me,” Eli said, forgetting that Laurent would have scented him already. He joined us on the lawn, his legs splayed out. “What else did your interrogation turn up?”
Laurent sat up. “Are you disapproving of my tactics, Detective Chu?”
“Nope. You have my full support to do whatever it takes to get the most information in the least amount of time.”
“I’m delighted you approve,” Laurent said wryly. “Well, this game occurs once a year.”
“Giving them time to scout for the appropriate Sapiens,” Eli said. “Go on.”
