Page 45 of Failed State

“True, but I have the balls to admit that as well. I don’t see you giving us a clue about what the fuck your kind actually can and cannot do.”

Thad’s quick retort makes me grin; I’m proud of him for standing up to the traitorous fuckwad. “You guys know I’m supposed to have some kind of magic and I don’t remember or know what my mom was. I might get shit; I might not. We have to operate as if my skills call mostly towards hand-to-hand and weapons without magic for the moment.”

“Again, duh.”

I’m about to eviscerate that motherfucker when Rory steps forward, stopping me from speaking as he holds his hand up. “Okay, okay. I can see this will be a contest of wills and my willpower has never been great. I’m a mage, I have demi blood a little ways back and I’m able to do pretty much anything you assume mages can do, plus more. I don’t have to chant to cast, and I don’t need a focus item like a wand or some shit. I’m a pure magical and I have no problem using it or myself to get what I need to survive.”

That’s pretty goddamn interesting, and it explains why the humans have kept him like a pet. His skill set is useful in a fucking million ways from death to seduction, and he’s probably never revealed the entire breadth of what he can do to them, either. His admission doesn’t actually cover all of his power, but it gives us enough to work with. I’m okay with him keeping a bit in reserve for now.

“Well, I s’pose I should pony up, since the other two seem to be holdin’ their cards close.” Huck pushes his hat back, sighing heavily. “Y’all know I’m a fear demon an’ everything that goes along with that. I’ve lived for a long time an’ picked up a lot of tricks over that time from demons and other supes alike. Lil’ bit of magic, lil’ bit of mimicry, lil’ bit of that sweet crossroads persuasion… but fear is my main talent. I can get through damnnear any mental shield or spell designed to keep me out if I have enough time.”

Sebastian arches a brow, looking at him cynically. Huck gives him a slow, wicked grin before blowing a kiss at the vampire. His face goes even paler and he plasters himself to the wall, but his expression turns to fury until Huck chuckles. My demon friend must release his hold because the color comes back to Bas’s cheeks as he cracks his neck. “Fine. You’re not lying.”

“I’m a lot less impressed by the mosquito and more impressed by the demon now,” Elias says. “I’m a royal of the sea dragons, so that’s saying something.”

“Want to clue us in, oh royal one?” I ask drily. “You and the traitor are the last two to go.”

He gives me an annoyed look, but nods. “Water. I can control, mutate, pull it from the air… whatever. The wind bends to my will. I can fly when not locked down and transform both half-way and fully. My dragon and I can breathe in liquid, plus expel watery blasts in various temperatures. There’s more, but that’s probably good for now.”

Blinking, I tilt my head. “Can you breathe a hot shower?”

Thad snorts, then starts laughing hysterically. He clutches his sides as he elbows Huck, and they both snicker together as I scowl. Elias, however, looks confused as hell at their mirth. The dragon clears his throat, then turns to me. “I could, yes. That seems like a fairly simple thing to be impressed by, though.”

Huck wipes his eyes, then shrugs. “Syd has been angrier at the lack of hot showers in her place because of shitty maintenance than she is about being in the camps sometimes. It’s her one fucking luxury demand—not that it should be a luxury, mind—but she’s very serious about how important that fact is.”

Annoyed, I wave my hand at my friends. “Fine. Yes, I like a hot damn shower, and no, we don’t always have hot water in thisfucking hellhole. So yeah, that made me a bit excited. I don’t ask for much, guys. Can we move on?”

Elias gives me a smirk, then nods at the vampire. “I believe he’s the last man standing.”

“Not a man,” the idiot grumbles and I mock a frown.

“Wait, you’re not?” My eyes dance as I pretend to be shocked. “I’dloveanother girl here. The big dick energy is killing me, especially since none of it is as big as mine.”

“For fucks’ sake…I’m amale; don’t be ridiculous, human.” Sebastian rolls his eyes as if I’m the biggest pain in the ass he’s ever met. “I mean, I’m not a man; I’m a vampire. I can do normal vampire things, plus the extra gifts those of us from ancient lines have picked up over the centuries. Our line is very gifted with telepathic abilities, but also we’re…supremely difficult to eliminate.”

We’re all quiet for a moment as we digest that statement.

Did he just admit to being immortal?

When the doorbell dings, Thad jumps up to get the food from the stupid robot thing and we breathe a sigh of relief. The conversation has been fairly heavy since the traitorous bloodsucker admitted his non-fatal flaw. We all had to at least hint at our greatest weaknesses, which for me is embarrassing as shit, because mine is enormous. I’m powerless in terms of supe shit and I’m going to be the first target everyone aims for.

Why the fuck my shit refuses to pop out, I don’t know, and I’d like to beat the shit out of my cowardly mother for taking off.

“It has to be her fault,” I mutter to myself as Thad brings the bags of food into the living room. He sits them on the table,looking at me with sharp criticism in his eyes. “I know; I know. I can’t blame someone I know jack shit about.”

“What’s this about? The happy couple are fighting?”

I look at the chopsticks Thad just handed me and consider how hard I’d have to throw one to embed it in the nasty little vampiric shit’s neck. He wouldn’t die, but it would hurt, and I’d feel a great deal of satisfaction.

“Down, girl,” Rory says as he walks over to grab his containers. “It will only make him more annoying as he removes them, then milks the injury to his pride for all it’s worth.”

He’s not the fucking mindbender; how’d he know?

“You look particularly vicious right now… Vicious,” the mage says with a knowing smirk. “It wasn’t a magical leap, only a logical one.”

“He’s right, sweet pea. You were telegraphing your intent with your laser focus on his jugular and the tight grip on the chopsticks.” Huck tucks his fingers into the pockets of his dark denim and shrugs. “Gotta watch those visual cues. Not everyone can read them, but when you run into people like me or others with emotion-based powers, we can.”

I glare at the demon as I unwrap the wooden sticks. “Why the fuck haven’t you told me this before?”

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