Page 88 of Hunters and Prey

“You’ll need a coat later if you don’t already have one, if not because you’re actually cold, then because humans feel the chill this time of the year. There’s actually a blizzard in the forecast for this weekend, on the tail-end of your visit. If you ask some ladies, like my little sister, this is the best time of the year.”

“Why is that?”

“Boot season.” Alisa would fall in love with El’s style.

As he cranked the engine and pulled away from the meter, awkward silence set in. Awkward, because he had a hundred things to say, each one too early to utter without scaring her the fuck away.

“Haven’t taken a woman out to dinner in months since my last Tinder date went to shit. You could say I’m a little rusty.”

“What’s a Tinder?”

“It’s a dating app for your—you know what? Never mind,” he replied when consternation creased her brow. “Anyway, my work schedule has never afforded opportunities for romantic involvement. But you…it felt like it would have been a crime to say no. I’m glad you contacted me.”

“I’m glad I did too.” Her teeth skimmed her lower lip, then her gaze attention swept from the busy street to his face, and he could have stared into those violet eyes for hours.

Then why did you leave?

Top question on the list of things he thought would send her fleeing back to the ocean. He bit his tongue instead of asking.

“All right then,” Elpis said. “Show me what is so special about Philadelphia. About your realm. I want to see it all—everything that could bring happiness to a human living on the surface.”

“I know just the placeto begin this.”

Elpis huddled beside Matteo in front of a box-shaped vehicle parked alongside the street. At first impression, the cold air didn’t seem to be any worse than swimming through frigid, south Atlantic water. Then she learned it could always be worse.

It soaked through her leggings and settled in her bones. Her breath frosted in front of her, and the only source of warmth was the man beside her and the heated air escaping the food truck’s window.

“I promise it’ll be worth it,” Matteo assured her.

She gave him a dubious glance, raising one brow.

“I swear it.”

He cracked a big grin that suited his face better than the stoic expression she grew accustomed to on the ship. “I swear it on the reef and all the yellow fish under the sea.”

“Oh, on the reef, huh? That’s a pretty big promise.” She pursed her lips and gave it thought. “The penalty is death, you know. You’ll have to fall on your sword if this human cuisine disappoints me.”

“Consider me extremely confident in the power of an authentic cheesesteak.”

The aroma of grilled onions wafted out to her again. She edged closer to the window and peered inside, just as the man slid a bounty of meat and cheese onto white bread. He wrapped it in paper and passed the first to Elpis. Without further ado, she tore open the paper on the end and bit into it.

“Hold on a moment, you’ll burn your—”

The first bite was heaven in her mouth, like all the gods of Olympus and every other divine pantheon had channeled all of their love and power into a single food item on the surface and decided the Philly cheesesteak was their choicest option. Hot cheese squirted over her tongue, the roof of her mouth, and fuck if she cared, because a minor scald from liquid cheese meant nothing to one of Atlantis’s best healers.

Both men stared at her, and she didn’t have the grace to care when a dribble of savory juice dribbled down her lower lip. As she licked it up, Matt wordlessly offered a napkin.

Elpis snapped back to the present reality of the situation, realizing she’d devoured half a foot-long cheesesteak in under a minute like a starved barbarian. To avoid resembling a complete savage, she took the paper cloth and patted her mouth. “Thank you.”

“Welcome.”

The man behind the window puffed out his chest, glowing with pride. “It’s nice to see a woman who isn’t ashamed to enjoy her food. Come back any time with that appetite.”

“I’m sure we will, Manuel. Thank you.” Matteo’s green eyes glittered with mirth.

Their comments provoked many questions she couldn’t ask while stuffing her mouth with food. Her nan, gods rest her withered soul, would have lost her mind. Years of childhood etiquette and decorum lessons flooded to the surface and heated her cheeks. But that didn’t stop her.

Elpis swallowed, managing to call out,“Thank you!” to Manuel before her date guided her down the snow-dusted sidewalk.

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