Page 50 of Hunted in the Shadows
“Looks hungry,” I muttered.
Cliff casually picked up one of Brandon’s severed fingers from the gore that sprayed along the edge of the Pit. “You don’t say?”
10
Sylvia
As the seconds crawled by, I realized I had no way to tell the time. Had I already become so reliant on human technology? Then again, the sun and shadows were no help with the density of the foliage.
Hesitantly, I peeked down at Gwen. “How long has it been?”
She scoffed, glancing at her watch. “Less than twenty minutes.”
Hugging my knees, I slumped against a thick twig that branched from my perch. I kept a careful eye on the ground below, feeling like I was keeping company with a prowling wildcat. I bristled when Gwen finally moved, but all she did was pull out a cigarette and light it.
Her eyes flicked up and met my stare. “I don’t suppose you want a hit of this?”
Wrinkling my nose at the smell, I shook my head and thanked the stars that Jon and Cliff didn’t partake in the habit.
“Right.” Gwen took a generous drag and sighed. “You’re probably more of a Fruity Pebble flavored vape kinda girl.”
I couldn’t begin to puzzle out half of those words, but I supposed it was an insult. No wonder she and Cliff had been so involved with each other—and fell apart spectacularly.
Whatever edge Gwen was trying to take off, the cigarette wasn’t doing it. She grumbled something under her breath about it being fucking gross outside and it wasn’t even noon. I had to agree, given how much I had to flick my wings to keep dew from collecting on the membrane. Murmuring a familiarspell, I summoned coolness to the humid air for a small reprieve. Reluctantly, I extended the enchantment’s reach toward the car.
Gwen stiffened at the change and narrowed her eyes up at me. “I suppose you want my mortal soul in exchange for the A/C?”
“No. I’ve got my own.” I draped myself along the branch and folded my arms under my chin, offering a tentative smile. “But I wouldn’t mind a dog…”
“Not happening.” Surprisingly, she chuckled before surveying the area and relaxing again. We settled into comfortable silence for nearly a minute until she asked, “So, what’s the deal with you and Jon?”
No preamble, no benefit of the doubt. I was beginning to understand that was just Gwen’s way, but I stumbled over my words nonetheless and felt increasingly stupid as the seconds stretched. I couldn’t describe something that I hadn’t defined for myself. Even though I’d had plenty of time over the past weeks to settle on an answer, the truth eluded me.
How could I describe the way he looked at me with those tender brown eyes? The way I recognized him by scent alone? How he laid his head on my lap in the spectral plane and we talked for hours like nothing else mattered? Whatever Jon and I had… it was fragile, temporary, brilliant—like a star burning itself out as it streaked across the sky.
“We’re… friends,” I said.
Gwen laughed throatily around her cigarette. “So much for fairies being master deceivers. You two whisper like preteens at your first co-ed party.”
My lips thinned. I didn’t need to explain myself to anyone—least of all, an ex-hunter with no intention of aiding us beyond a single outing.
“I don’t know what to call it,” I answered anyway. “It feels good.”
“How long?”
“Two moon cycles—I mean, months now.”
Gwen gave a low, impressed whistle. “Well, whatever it is, that’s gotta be Jon’s longest record in years—maybe ever. Even for a hunter, the man was like a goddamn revolving door for a while.”
“He’s nomadic. Theybothare,” I replied with a shrug. “Commitments are damn near impossible.”
Hurt flickered over her expression as though I'd slapped her. It was the same wide-eyed look she'd worn when Cliff had accused her of leaving. Gnawing curiosity mingled with guilt. I was scrambling for an apology when Gwen sighed, giving a reluctant nod.
"Yeah, you've got that right. Hard to live such a brutal life and keep it secret from your partner.” She scanned me up and down, the corners of her red lips twitching in a small smirk. “When you’repartof the secret, I guess that’s a little easier on Nowak’s sorry excuse for a conscience.”
I arched a brow. “Don't tell me you're upset that I got to him before you could?”
“Hell, no.” Gwen cringed. “He always scared me.”
