Page 31 of Stone Seduction
“Oh.” I backed off, the back of my legs bumping the bed.
The human’s severe expression curdled my guts, her aura crackling with hints of menace. Her hard, gray eyes locked onto me.
Yikes.
Certain people got your hackles rising, the belly backflipping. This first impression sat firmly in the column of bad introductions.
I don’t like you.
I scratched at my left palm. “Hi?”
Her immaculate white pantsuit gleamed in the bedroom light, a series of bracelets glinting and jingling on both arms.
“Hello, Luke.”
I shuddered at her unfriendly tone. Stress heat followed, flushing up my neck, setting my face to glow.
“I’m Luna,” she carried on. “Seth wanted me to meet you.” She didn’t extend a hand or anything. “I’m the mote enchanter who made the blue candy.”
The one Seth gave me to sneak around in the London tower for this damn ring.
“Oh. Hi.”
Her posture made my spine wince. Did anyone really stand that straight?
Bells of possibility rang in my head. If I tried winning her over, picking her brain a bit, she might help me with Finn. Or offer some ideas to springboard me to an actual solution.
I filed it away for later.
“I’m here to attach a powerful bracelet to your wrist.” She held up her right arm, pointing to a gold bangle with white and orange charms dangling from it.
“More jewelry?”
Her expression didn’t change. “These charms are infused with the same suppressant you take, but at a much higher dose.”
Great. More boot-on-my-head trickery. “Okay.”
Luna moved closer. “After your outburst, Seth believes it is best for you to have this extra layer of protection. Unfortunately, there will be some unpleasant side effects with so much in your system.”
“Not what I wanted to hear.”
“Quite. There is no other alternative. Your mind will be affected.”
I hate you.Did she want to provoke me into blasting her from this room? “It already is.”
“I gathered.”
My muscles quivered. “There are too many holes in my head.”
She stared at me for too many long beats. “Remove the amulet.”
I responded with a firm, “No.”
“Do it. Now.”
I flexed my fingers, powers stirring in the deep. “No.”
“You don’t get to argue with me on this. Remove it. Now. It will interfere with the bracelet. You can have it once the magic has settled in your system.”
