Page 69 of Reaper Unhinged
“Or it could simply be an organization doing experiments on innocents,” Uriel said. “There have been many over the course of this world’s history.”
“Then we need to stop them,” Grayson said.
Cora’s phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen. “You deal with that. I need to jump. Just got a beep from Elijah, he wants to meet.”
Grayson scraped back his chair. “Bobby, Dean, you’re with me.”
I was just about to ask where the hell I fit into their plan when my phone beeped with a message from Eldrick inviting me to lunch.
I held up my phone. “Eldrick asked me to meet up.”
“Good,” Grayson said. “While you’re there, you can get an update on the safe location Eldrick promised to find for the vamps in our garage.” Grayson pressed his lips together. “They can’t stay here for much longer. It isn’t safe for them. They may have been altered by Bliss, but they’re still vamps, and vamps and Loup don’t mix. We’re programmed to hunt them, and the pack is getting antsy with them here.”
It was unfair to ask the pack to stifle their instincts for an extended period. “I get it. I’ll find out what’s happening.”
“Uri, will you go with her,” Grayson asked him, and then to me, “If these hooded figures are acting up again, I’d feel better if you weren’t traveling alone.”
Uri nodded. “Of course.” His amber eyes settled on me with warmth.
I had a voice in my head urging me to jump off ledges, and Hunter had probably been kidnapped by alchemists. Mal, Az, and Keon were probably headed into the pit to find Lilith, and here I was with butterflies in my stomach from the warm way Uri looked at me.
I needed to get a grip. Fast.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Cora
The diner Elijah gave me the address to is a three-story affair with dim lighting more common to a fancy restaurant. It’s pretty empty after the breakfast rush, just a few patrons sipping beverages. I can feel I’ve jumped several miles, maybe more. Having the address of the place is all I needed to get here. I have no idea how my power works. How this magic inside me seems to have a GPS all of its own, but it sure comes in handy.
I nod in greeting to a couple of waitstaff, and a woman heads over with a smile. “Hi, table for one?”
“I’m meeting someone, actually. Not sure if he’s already here.”
“Oh, you’re Mr. Blackwood’s guest.”
Looks like Elijah is known in these parts. “Yeah. He’s here?”
“Follow me.” She leads me up a flight of steps, carpeted, which is kinda weird for a diner, I mean, what about spills? Maybe these waitstaff don’t spill? Whatever.
The second floor is more intimate with booths and tinted windows. Honestly, I’m beginning to think I’ve walked into some kind of mafia scene when I spot Elijah sitting, back to the wall, sipping from a teacup. His turquoise eyes zero in on me, and his lips curve in a small smile.
I’ve forgotten how handsome he is, the silver-haired fox. I steel myself against it and approach with a small smile of my own.
“Hey.” I take a seat. “I’ll have a hot chocolate, please.”
The woman looks to Elijah. “Anything else for you, Mr. Blackwood?”
“No, thank you, Jean. This is perfect.”
His smile is like a hug, and she practically simpers before heading off.
“Charmer, aren’t you?”
“I can be,” he says over the lip of his cup. “I’m glad you messaged. I was about to call you, actually. The timing is apt.”
“Also necessary. We have a problem, one which I feel could be huge.”
“And I have some information, also huge.”
