Page 6 of Twisted Fate

He’s lying. He must be. But then, how else could I explain his ability to heal my injuries? His ability to make that woman disappear?

He nods. “Precisely. However, I’m sure your idea of what we are is purely fictional.”

I shrug, weary of his proximity. As much as I want to deny everything, what I saw with my own eyesismaking it difficult to discredit. It’s possible I’m suffering from some wicked hallucinations, or maybe Maxdiddrug me at the party and again after he brought me here.

“I’m curious.” He cocks his head to the side, his light brown, almost blond hair, falling into his face. “What is it you believe you know about my kind? Care to offer any theories?”

I press my lips together. If I’m to believe what Tristan says—though I’m not sure what to think right now—maybe I can use this opportunity to get some information. Or at least play along until I figure out an escape plan. “I’ll tell you what I believe if you tell me why I’m here.”

“You wish to trade information? This could be amusing. Please, go ahead.”

“You’re immortal,” I say, recalling the basics of most inhuman creatures.

He offers a charming grin. “For the most part.”

“You can’t lie.”

The grin remains. “True, though we are masters at evading.”

“Iron is poisonous to you.”

The grin slips a bit. “Yes.”

“Why am I here?” I finally ask.

He looks at me, a thoughtful expression painting his features. “You don’t wish to know more about me?”

“I think I know enough. Your name is Tristan. If I’m to take what you’ve told me as the truth, you’re the leader of the fae. You made your girlfriend disappear—which I’m sure all guys would love to be able to do occasionally—and that other guy was trying to eat my emotions. How am I doing?”

His laugh is a deeply sensual, caressing sound, making my eyes widen. “Skylar is of no romantic significance to me. As for Max, you’re right about that. It’s one of the ways we feed.”

I fold my arms across my chest. “On emotions?”

“Onhumanemotions,” he corrects. “And energy. The two are closely related. We feed by contact, or, if we’re in a large crowd of humans, we can absorb it without touching. So long as we don’t take too much energy, the only effect on the human is exhaustion.”

“Right . . .” I feel like my head is pretty damn close to exploding.

“It’s how the immortal stay immortal, Aurora.”

Immortality. This can’t be real. “I’m here—to be fed off of? Are you...?” My voice trails off as my stomach churns.

Tristan shakes his head. “I’m not going to feed from you. That’s not why you’re here. Though I have to agree with your statement about Max. He gets carried away. I will speak with him.” He checks his watch and looks annoyed. “Later.”

“Lovely.” I sigh, tipping my head back against the wall. “If I wasn’t brought here to be a human vending machine, why am I here?” I’m still in denial, but the words tumble out of my mouth as if I believe what he’s been saying.

“It was an honest mistake.”

“Of course it was. You can’t lie,” I remark dryly.

He smirks. “It was a case of mistaken identity,” he explains. “Max was sent out to retrieve someone, and he mistook you for her.”

“When he discovered I wasn’t who he thought, he kidnapped me anyway?”

Tristan nods. “Yes, well, Max doesn’t always pay as much attention to detail as he should.”

“If I’m not who you want, then why am I still here? And how did you know my name?”

“A mistake was made, and you were involved. There is certain protocol to be followed when something like this happens. Keeping you wasn’t a decision Max made. I did. However, you weren’t meant to be handled the way you were. Max wasn’t supposed to go into the room. As for your name, I had one of my guys run your prints.”

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